The Private Sector Office (PSO) is organized into five primary portfolio areas aligned with the Department’s priorities:
Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention
Unity of Effort in Counterterrorism: In coordination with various offices and Components across the Department, PSO facilitates and leads local and federal-level engagement in support of DHS counterterrorism and threat prevention efforts.
Border Management
Engagement on Trade, Travel, and Immigration: PSO engages with associations, and global and domestic businesses to incorporate their perspective and best practices into policies facilitating lawful trans-border travel, trade, and immigration matters.
Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure
Unified and Enhanced Engagement with the Stakeholder Community: PSO develops strategic engagement plans to build awareness and trust with the private sector and amplifies efforts to deploy effective cybersecurity tools and capabilities to increase the security and resilience of critical infrastructure.
National Preparedness and Resilience
Providing Private Sector Insight to the Department: PSO advances Departmental initiatives promoting private sector preparedness and leverages the private sector’s views and expertise in informing policy. PSO also acts as a liaison between the business community and DHS agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during natural disasters and other critical incidents.
Workforce Enhancement
Innovation: PSO coordinates industry efforts regarding Department functions to identify private sector resources that could be effective in supplementing government efforts. PSO originated and executes the Loaned Executive Program providing the opportunity for executive-level private sector, academia, and cybersecurity experts to share their expertise with the Department.
Deputy Assistant Secretary (acting) - Patrick Schmidt
The Loaned Executive Program provides executive-level experts an opportunity to volunteer with Homeland Security to fill special, discreet needs for a limited period of time. Through the Loaned Executive Program, Homeland Security is working with the private sector on innovative solutions to our homeland security challenges. The Department is looking to the nation's top executives and industry experts to partner with us as we strive to solve problems, improve processes, and fully realize our mission. By serving as a loaned executive, subject matter experts will have an opportunity to make a meaningful difference by protecting our nation.
The Private Sector Resources Catalog centralizes access to all DHS resources targeted for the private sector including small and large businesses, academia, trade associations, and other non-governmental organizations. The first catalog to be targeted specifically towards private sector partners and encompass the entire Department, this document collects the training, publications, guidance, alerts, newsletters, programs, and services available to the private sector across the Department. Recognizing the breadth and diversity of the available resources as well as the Department's continually evolving work, this catalog is a living document, updated every two years. The most recent publication was completed in January of 2020.
Private Sector Office
Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
privatesector@hq.dhs.gov