DHS uses the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to fund technology solutions. We are committed to identifying promising small businesses and innovative approaches to help address homeland security needs.
The SBIR program encourages U.S. small businesses with fewer than 500 employees to provide quality research and develop new processes, products and technologies to support security challenges across the Homeland Security Enterprise. Since 2004, the S&T SBIR program has sought to increase the participation of innovative and creative U.S. small businesses, focusing on near-term commercialization and delivery of operational prototypes.
How do we do this? We release a solicitation, generally at the end of the calendar year, with the topic areas we are focused on and seek technology solutions from small businesses. These topics support the needs of seven DHS operational units—the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Secret Service—as well as first responders across the nation.
The SBIR program is an excellent opportunity for agile, innovative small businesses to support and advance homeland security, without the need for previous federal contracting experience or knowledge. Want to know more, you can read about some of our 2016 success stories!
If you are a small business, women-owned small business, disadvantage small business we want to work with you. Not sure what the next step is to partner with S&T? Join us September 28 at 1 p.m. on our Facebook page for a Facebook Live Tech Talk. Got Innovation? We’ve got answers and potential funding! We hope to see you there!