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SCP-7204 Keter ~ medium confidence
SCP-7204
Expected annual
$2.9M
One-time setup
$12.3M
Annual recurring
$2.7M
Personnel
23
Total one-time setup and contingency reserves run into the low tens of millions (dominated by contingency and potential facility acquisition), with recurring annual operating costs driven by staffing, research, and specialized maintenance (~$2.7M/yr). Main cost drivers are contingency/reserve, facility/tank construction and life-support equipment, and ongoing security and scientific staffing.
🏗️ One-Time Capital Costs Total: $12.3M
Contingency Reserve $5.0M
[#26] Contingency/reserve fund for major breach, litigation, relocation, or mass-incident remediation (one-time seed reserve; size depends on risk tolerance).
Aquarium Buyout $3.0M
[#20] Estimated buyout/acquisition of an original aquarium facility as part of initial containment acquisition/cover operation (one plausible procurement path).
Facilities $2.2M
[#1, #3, #21] Purpose-built reinforced containment shell, plumbing isolation installation, and secure evidence storage vault/room; includes structural work, foundations, bespoke drain/plinth and vault buildout.
Equipment $1.4M
[#2, #4, #5, #6, #7, #11, #16, #17, #18, #22, #24] Custom dolphin tank & life-support, pressure-monitoring hardware, backup generator/UPS, non-visual sensors, automated feeding/cleaning systems, transport trailers/crates, initial PPE/decon gear, medical equipment, incident response kit, data-logging hardware, and initial spare parts stock.
Companion Acquisition $300K
[#10] Initial purchase/transfer cost for 2–4 companion dolphins (baseline selection to meet bi-weekly socialization requirement).
Initial Legal And Settlement $300K
[#20] Initial legal/settlement/PR costs associated with securing site and suppressing public knowledge during acquisition.
Investigative Response $120K
[#29] One-off investigative/forensic response to initial incidents (crime scene work, missing-person investigations, DNA matching and liaison).
Initial Research And Lab Setup $0
[]
Optional Aquarium Conversion $0
[#30] Optional alternative (purchase/convert existing aquarium) not selected in baseline estimate; cost range provided but excluded from baseline one-time total.
🔄 Annual Recurring Costs Total: $2.7M/yr
Staff Wages $1.3M/yr
[#8, #9] Security staffing (24/7 guards/quick-reaction) and scientific/animal-care staffing (marine biologists, vet, technicians); includes benefits and shift coverage.
Research And Monitoring $549K/yr
[#4, #6, #7, #15, #22, #27, #17] Ongoing sensor calibration & monitoring, non-visual sensor maintenance and data analysis, automated system upkeep, forensic analysis budget, secure data logging/audit storage, long-term research program funding, and medical-readiness research support.
Contingency Fund Contribution $200K/yr
[#26] Annual set-aside contribution to replenish/maintain contingency/reserve fund for breaches or large incidents.
Administrative Overhead $200K/yr
[#28] Miscellaneous overhead (HR, payroll, background checks, secure staff transport, licensing renewals); estimated as ~10–20% of staffing and admin costs.
Facilities Maintenance $145K/yr
[#3, #5, #14, #21, #23] Plumbing/trap maintenance and cleaning, backup generator fuel & maintenance, extra maintenance due to anomalous debris, secure evidence storage operations, and utilities-related facility upkeep.
Cover Story And Legal $115K/yr
[#20, #25] Ongoing legal retainer/PR/secrecy operations and permits/regulatory liaison to maintain cover story.
Supplies And Consumables $102K/yr
[#12, #13, #16, #24] Food/dietary supplies for dolphins, water-quality consumables and filter media replacements, PPE consumables, and spare-parts replenishment.
Logistics And Transport $62K/yr
[#11, #18, #10] Transport operations for animal transfers, incident kit refresh/training and maintenance, and quarantine/rotation housing logistics for companion dolphins.
Training And Psych Evaluation $30K/yr
[#19] Regular training, drills, SOP development, and staff psychological evaluation programs.
Medical Readiness $25K/yr
[#17] Ongoing medical emergency & trauma care readiness contracts, training, and medication refresh.
⚡ Cost Scenarios
📊 Baseline (baseline) $2.7M/yr
83.0% probability / year
Normal operational year with no major incidents; all recurring programs and staffing active.
routine_operations scheduled_maintenance planned_research
🚨 Minor Incident $3.0M/yr
15.0% probability / year +$250K vs baseline
Localized containment event requiring forensic response, targeted repairs, overtime staffing, and limited public cover actions.
localized_expulsion_event single_forensic_incident overtime_and_repairs
🚨 Major Breach $7.7M/yr
2.0% probability / year +$5.0M vs baseline
Serious containment breach or public exposure requiring large-scale remediation, litigation, relocation, and mass forensic work.
public_discovery multiple_missing_persons facility_relocation_or_litigation
👥 Personnel 23 total
Role Count Notes
Security Officer / MTF Agent 14 [#8] 24/7 guarded presence, shift coverage and quick-reaction; headcount chosen to cover multiple shifts with rotation and time off.
Research Scientist 2 [#9, #27] Senior marine biologists/research staff overseeing studies and non-visual research programs.
Veterinary Staff 1 [#9, #17] On-call veterinarian for animal care and medical readiness.
Animal Technician 3 [#9, #12] Animal care technicians trained in non-visual handling and companion rotation procedures.
Facility Technician / Engineer 1 [#3, #24] Maintenance technician for pumps, filters, plumbing isolation, and life-support hardware.
Administrative Staff 1 [#28] Administrative support for HR, scheduling, and cover-story liaison.
Medical Officer / On-call EMT 1 [#17] Emergency medical readiness and trauma response coordination.
📋 Confidence Notes
Analyst notes provide detailed line-item ranges allowing a reasoned estimate, but wide ranges for large items (facility acquisition, contingency reserve, incident frequency/severity) create uncertainty. Several items are optional or scenario-dependent (aquarium acquisition/conversion), reducing confidence to medium.
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