Innovation is the driving force behind the work we do at S&T. Because potential solutions may exist outside the homeland security arena, S&T casts a wide, inclusive net to find and use the best technology. The S&T Industry Guide lays out DHS technology needs, describes S&T’s technical focus areas, and identifies tools and opportunities for industry to work with us. As a companion to the Industry Guide, our Innovation Programs & Tools booklet provides more detail on our tools for working with industry, including the process, eligibility, timelines, and how to apply.
Innovate S&T Video Series
The Innovate S&T video series provides awareness of S&T’s industry engagement. S&T will add more videos on ways to work with S&T, programs, tools, and new and upcoming opportunities.
Video on S&T's Industry Guide
This video takes viewers through the S&T Industry Guide, which captures S&T’s call to industry to help solve homeland security challenges. We’ll outline S&T’s partnership goals, research and development priorities, tools and programs, and online resources to help keep industry up to date on new opportunities.
Ways to Engage with Us Video
Learn more about how to engage with S&T and where to find information on our current priorities.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
As part of the Innovate S&T “Partner Tools Discussion” series, this video provides a quick overview of DHS’s SBIR program, including details on how it works, who can apply, and important timelines.
Prize Competitions
Prize Competitions provide monetary incentives to mobilize a diverse set of innovators to address homeland security challenges using public crowd-sourcing. For a list of open competitions visit the current Prize Competitions page.
Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (LRBAA)
LRBAA is a standing, open invitation to the scientific and technical communities to propose novel ideas that address homeland highest priority operational needs. For a list of open LRBAA topics visit the LRBAA portal.
Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP)
SVIP reaches the innovation communities across the nation and world to harness commercial R&D for government applications, and to co-invest in and accelerate the transition of technology to the commercial market. For a list of open SVIP calls visit the Silicon Valley Innovation Program page.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
SBIR provides funding to small businesses for concepts and prototypes that are innovative and provide solutions to specific homeland security challenges. For a list of open SBIR topics visit the SBIR portal.
Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Homeland Security Program
The U.S.-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Homeland Security program is a joint initiative funded by DHS S&T and the Israel Ministry of Public Security and managed by the BIRD Foundation. The program provides conditional grants of up to $1 million for approved projects and up to 50 percent of the combined project budget for the development of advanced technologies for the homeland security mission. For more information on open calls for proposals, visit the BIRD HLS program website.
2020 Call for Proposals
The BIRD Foundation has issued a Call for Proposals to promote and fund U.S.-Israel joint development projects for the development of advanced technologies in Homeland Security.
Project submissions should relate to technologies being developed in the following areas:
- Cyber Crime
- Secure Critical Infrastructure and Public Facilities
- Safe and Secure Cities
- Border Protection, including Maritime Security
- Unmanned Aerial Systems
- Technologies for First Responder including Command & Control, Video Analytics, Communication, Personal Protective Equipment, Non-Lethal weapons and others
A full description of submission requirements and deadlines can be found on the BIRD Foundation website: https://www.birdf.com/hls-call-for-proposals/.
2019 BIRD Awards
In 2019, the BIRD Foundation awarded three homeland security (HLS) collaborative projects totaling $2.3 million to develop advanced technologies for the HLS mission.
The 2019 call for proposals included six areas for U.S. and Israeli collaboration:
- Advanced first responder technologies
- Border protection, including maritime security
- Law enforcement-supporting technologies to combat cyber crime
- Technologies and methods to secure critical infrastructure and public facilities
- Safe and secure cities
- Unmanned aerial systems
The 2019 HLS awardees include:
- Blue White Robotics (Tel Aviv, Israel) and Easy Aerial (New York, New York)
to develop a multi-mission, multi-type homeland security HLS drone command and control capability. - S.H. Goren Management (Emek Hefer, Israel) and 3AM Innovation (Buffalo, New York) to develop a personal device for firefighters that provides a real-time indoor location tracking of people.
- Cawamo (Hod Hasharon, Israel) and LiveView Technologies (Orem, Utah) to develop a fully turn-key artificial intelligence-based analytics video security solution for remote sites.
Technology Transfer and Commercialization Mechanisms
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)
CRADAs are agreements between S&T and a non-Federal party to work together on R&D activities. S&T uses CRADAs for collaborations with an innovative or entrepreneurial non-Federal entity that can succeed in moving federally funded technology to the commercial market.
Licensing Agreements
Licensing agreements govern intellectual property (IP) use.
Partnership Intermediary Agreements (PIAs)
PIAs are agreements between DHS and a state/local government agency, or nonprofit entity for new technology, facilitate joint projects between DHS and private companies, academic institutions, to accelerate delivery of technological capability, or help existing companies identify department technologies that can be licensed and commercialized.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
MOUs provide a framework for S&T to work with other agencies.
Learn more about S&T’s role in Technology Transfer and Commercialization Program (T2C) including CRADAs, Licensing Agreements, PIAs, and MOUs, visit the T2C page.
Acquisition Opportunities
Many in industry are looking for opportunities for the government to buy its product. A number of resources provide access to open acquisition opportunism through https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ including acquisitions specific to DHS.
In addition, the Government Acquisition & Grants Portal helps more than 100,000 vendors and grant applicants, find, respond to and win opportunities for contracts, grants, and other types of assistance funding.
Grants.gov lets you search for grant opportunities.
Questions?
If you have questions or would like to tell us about your innovative technology, email us at SandT.Innovation@hq.dhs.gov.