ALCOAST 026/20 - JAN 2020 REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BENNIS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MARITIME SECURITY

R 290915 JAN 20
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-5P//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N16000//
ALCOAST 026/20
COMDTNOTE 16000
SUBJ:  REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BENNIS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MARITIME SECURITY
1. The Coast Guard is proud to announce the solicitation period for the
Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award for Excellence in Maritime Security. This
biennial award serves to highlight and recognize outstanding achievements and
contributions of the maritime community with regards to implementation of
Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) requirements and other maritime
security best practices in safeguarding our nation’s marine transportation system.
In addition, the award serves as a tool to encourage all regulated organizations
to assess their overall security program to identify strengths and weaknesses, seek
creative solutions for addressing known risks, build a system of continuous
improvement, and share best practices that would benefit similar organizations.
2. The Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis award is named for an outstanding Coast Guard
leader who embodied our Core Values and demonstrated an exceptional commitment to
the security of the United States and the marine transportation system. The late
Rear Admiral Bennis began his career in 1972 as a graduate of the University of
Rhode Island. He went on to serve as Captain of the Port Charleston, South Carolina;
Hampton Roads, Virginia; and New York. On September 11, 2001, while serving as
Captain of the Port New York, Rear Admiral Bennis organized the extraordinary
waterborne evacuation of nearly 500,000 people from lower Manhattan after the
terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Rear Admiral Bennis served honorably
in the Coast Guard for 30 years until his retirement in 2002.
3. Award eligibility: All marine transportation-related organizations owning,
operating, or otherwise managing vessels, waterfront facilities, fleeting areas,
or other entities engaged in maritime operations subject to Coast Guard maritime
security regulations from January 2018 through December 2019 may apply for this award.
4. Award categories: Port Authority of the Year, Company of the Year (Large Business:
50 or more employees and Small Business: 49 or fewer employees), and Facility of the
Year (Large Business: 50 or more employees and Small Business: 49 or fewer employees).
5. Award criteria: Applications will be evaluated on the following categories, in no
particular order: Partnerships, People, Process, Physical Security, and Other
Security Activities.
6. Application procedures: Applications can be submitted via email to the point of
contact noted in paragraph 8. Mailed applications can be sent to: COMDT (CG-FAC)
Office of Port and Facility Compliance, ATTN: Rear Admiral Bennis Award, US Coast
Guard Stop 7501, 2703 Martin Luther King JR Ave SE, Washington, DC 20593-7501.
7. Areas, Districts, Sectors, and Marine Safety Units are encouraged to solicit
applications for the award from maritime industry in their area of responsibility
by the most effective means. Applications will be accepted through March 13, 2020
and awards will be announced in March. Potential applicants should visit the Office
of Port and Facility Compliance website at: http://www.dco.uscg.mil/Bennis.
8. If you have any questions, or comments please contact the program coordinator,
Mr. Ryan Owens at (202) 372-1108 or via e-mail at Ryan.F.Owens@uscg.mil.
9. RDML R. V. Timme, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, sends.
10. Internet release is authorized.