The DHS S&T; SBIR Program was initiated in 2004. For the DHS S&T; SBIR Program, two solicitations are issued per year. Generally, they will be issued in November and May.
Solicitation topics are developed by Program Managers in each of the Science and Technology (S&T;) Divisions. The annual solicitations consist of topics relevant to the following S&T; Directorate organizations: Borders and Maritime Security, Chemical/Biological Defense, Cyber Security, Explosives, Resilient Systems Division and the First Responder Group.
Similar to the R&D; programs of the S&T; Directorate, the SBIR topics generally address the needs of the seven DHS Operational Units, i.e., U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Secret Service, as well as First Responders.
For the Phase II SBIR effort, the DHS S&T; SBIR Program has a Cost Match feature for SBIR projects that attract matching cash from an outside investor. The purpose is to focus SBIR funding on those projects that are most likely to be developed into viable new products that DHS and others will buy and that will thereby make a major contribution to homeland security and/or economic capabilities. Click here for more information about the Cost Match feature.
The DHS S&T; SBIR Program has several processes in place to accelerate the Phase I and Phase II award process to further satisfy operational requirements and commercial application.
- Phase I awards are typically made within 90 days of selection.
- Phase II projects will be reviewed and awards will be made incrementally, as quickly as possible, to maintain the momentum of the Phase I effort.
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