On July 23, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) hosted a virtual discussion on S&T’s Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (LRBAA). The LRBAA is an open invitation DHS has extended to the scientific community to fund research and development projects which increase the agency’s technical knowledge, contributing to enhanced mission success. The LRBAA differs from a traditional Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), as it covers a wide range of subject matter and focuses on areas which fall outside of the conventional BAA purview.
The panel consisted of two senior officials within DHS S&T. The panel discussion focused on the way DHS S&T uses LRBAA as a means of partnering with the private sector in order to advance key mission areas of DHS. The panelists mentioned preventing acts of targeted violence, countering human trafficking and countering foreign influence in communication infrastructure as the key mission areas S&T is currently aiming to tackle using emerging technologies. The panelists expressed interest proposals that incorporate the use of AI, 5G and facial recognition. However, they also underscored the importance of understanding how the public feels about the use of this type of technology in DHS mission related activity.
While the LBRAA does not have a funding threshold, the panelists mentioned that S&T has funded projects ranging from $100,000 to $2M. The panelists indicated that they value proposals that are structured and detailed regarding the timeline of the work which will be performed. The panelists also highlighted the way in which the LBRAA projects are unclassified, providing communities with open access to information about LRBAA funded projects. The panelists described community empowerment as a key pillar of S&T’s LRBAA, as S&T sees local officials as the ultimate end users of the technological solutions brought about by LRBAA.
The technological advances made in the private sector of our economy prove to be vital in local and national security. As threats continuously evolve, DHS seeks innovation to help streamline processes from agency offices to field work, in order to efficiently address rising issues. With this ever-present demand, stakeholders in the science and technology industry are uniquely positioned to leverage new advances and industry expertise to collaborate with government agencies while expanding their growth. The LRBAA Program simplifies the process by providing an online portal through which companies can submit proposals that meet DHS’s highest priority needs.
Companies in the S&T industry must be prepared to submit detailed proposals that outline their novel idea, unique position in the market, and the solution it provides to DHS. The preparation process can be daunting, and in most cases should involve public sector expertise to yield valuable results. With decades of government expertise, CT Strategies advisory services takes innovative S&T to governmental heights. Learn more about how CT Strategies bridges the gap between rising tech and DHS.
