Alion, ASME-ITI Launch Risk Assessment Tool RAMCAP Plus

May 29, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

Alion Science and Technology collaborated with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Innovative Technologies Institute (ASME-ITI) to develop an automated, all-hazards vulnerability and risk assessment tool to analyze and manage risks to infrastructure assets and systems.

Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Asset Protection (RAMCAP) is the process cited in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Infrastructure Protection Plan for analyzing risks associated with terrorist attacks.

ASME-ITI and Alion automated the manual, paper-based RAMCAP process and extended the methodology with the development of RAMCAP Plus, a web-based tool that evaluates a wide assortment of risks, including terrorist attacks, natural and unintentional hazards and common crimes.

"RAMCAP Plus provides a mechanism for computing the likelihood of a threat occurring, a robust cost-benefit analysis tool, a business continuity assessment tool and a limited analysis of risks due to interdependencies with other infrastructures," said retired Rear Adm. Richard E. Brooks, Alion Group senior vice president and manager of the company's national security group.

"RAMCAP Plus is designed specifically to assist private sector owners and operators of infrastructure assets to perform risk management exercises to support internal decision-making purposes."

Experts said RAMCAP Plus will enable users to conduct an all-hazards risk assessment, starting with the identification of critical assets and culminating in the management of risk for the entire facility. This is the first commercially available software to automate the RAMCAP process, which is the foundation for the newly-released DHS chemical security regulations.

"This new software will support efforts by chemical companies to effectively and efficiently reduce risk, increase resilience and improve the safety of the workplace and surrounding communities," said Jake Stenzler, director of technology development at ASME-ITI. "RAMCAP Plus will provide comprehensive safety and security insights and help organizations determine how best to protect facilities, systems and personnel."

Source: American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).