DHS seeking industry input on next-gen IT

The Department of Homeland Security wants private industry technology suppliers to sit in on a webinar in late June to hear what kinds of cutting-edge IT, intelligence, electronic explosives detection and other security equipment DHS is going to need to safeguard aircraft and airports in the future.

The department's Science and Technology Directorate is hosting the webinar on June 26, starting at 2 p.m., to bring private companies up to date on the research and development strategy for the Transportation Security Administration.

"This particular event will focus specifically on the aviation security portion of the TSA R&D strategy. TSA is responsible for providing effective and efficient security for passenger and freight transportation in the United States," said the DHS announcement. "The event will provide overviews of TSA's mission essential needs, current (Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency) programs aligned to their priorities, upcoming opportunities for R&D, and mechanisms for public-private partnership."

Participants in the webinar, which is supported by HSARPA, must register by June 19.

The program, according to HSARPA, is part of an ongoing DHS initiative to preview how the agency plans to shape future calls for proposals such as Broad Agency Announcements and/or Small Business Innovative Research topic areas.

The webinar will look at almost two dozen emerging technology topics, including improved intelligence tools, the characterization of emerging threats and improved screener performance.

The security agency recommended companies limit participation to one or two employees. DHS said the event was offered as a "broad strategic overview of R&D mission-need areas, as opposed to the release of long-range acquisition estimates under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)," intended to give industry an idea of where DHS plans to invest and acquire technologies for their operations.

Read the full FedBizOpps notice here.