The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) conducts research and development on behalf of the Department to address real-world threats and situations, including cyber-attacks, hurricanes, power outages, collapsed buildings, active shooters, wildfires, threats to border protection, improvised explosive devices, and biological threats. Whatever the scenario, S&T’s mission is to strengthen America’s security and resilience by providing innovative technology solutions, procedures and guidance for homeland security end users, which consist of DHS components and first responders across the country. S&T does not do this alone; we work with industry to find and harness technology solutions and transition those solutions to homeland security operators in the field.
Visit our Work with S&T page to learn more about doing business specifically with S&T, and find out if your concept, technology or product aligns with a high-priority need identified by DHS. To help match industry’s know-how with our most pressing homeland security challenges, we’ve developed an Industry Guide that describes S&T's technical focus areas, lays out DHS technology needs, and identifies tools for partnering with us.
Specific opportunities, such as announcements of Small Business Innovation Research and Silicon Valley Innovation Program topics or open invitations through our Long Range Broad Agency Announcement are located on our searchable portal. Sam.gov is the primary portal for traditional contracting opportunities.
S&T also provides additional online resources where industry, academia, and innovators can learn about potential partnerships and opportunities to work with S&T.
- S&T’s Innovation Funding Programs are unique tools for working with many different private sector entities. The contracting mechanisms and funding opportunities managed by S&T support DHS’s partnership goals with the private sector to further homeland security R&D needs.
- Technology Transfer & Commercialization Program serves as the focal point for technology transfer activities at DHS. Currently, the Department operates from one centralized Office of Research and Technology Applications to manage technology transfer internally and at each of its laboratories.
- Commercialization Office Upcoming Opportunities provides information on events and opportunities hosted by partners of DHS S&T’s Research & Development Partnerships Group. This informative email is by available by subscription only.
- S&T Office of University Programs taps the expertise of the nation’s colleges and universities to address the country’s pressing homeland security needs.
- The SAFETY Act provides important legal liability protections for providers of Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technologies - whether they are products or services. The goal of the SAFETY Act is to encourage the development and deployment of effective anti-terrorism products and services by providing liability protections.
- System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) Program conducts objective assessments and validations on commercial equipment and systems, and provides those results along with other relevant equipment information to the emergency responder community.