The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is seeking white papers from industry, academia, laboratories, and the innovation community for research and development into 10 new first responder technology funding opportunities. The Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicitation (BAA18-02 Call 0003) is now live and will remain open until July 2, 2021.

“Today’s ever-changing world requires us to stay vigilant when it comes to ensuring our nation’s first responders are equipped with the technologies needed to address the challenges they face,” said Greg Price, Director of S&T’s First Responder Portfolio. S&T works directly with fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical service first responders across the country to identify their technology needs. “Through rapid research and development, we ensure they have the tools needed to keep them safe so they can do their jobs efficiently and effectively. S&T is now seeking the best of the best from industry and academia to help turn first responders’ R&D needs into reality.”  

S&T welcomes proposals for the following topic areas:

• Updated Law Enforcement Duty Uniform – S&T is seeking a partner to take current duty uniforms to the next level, updating and modernizing them with enhanced base layer protection against abrasion, slashing and punctures, burn injuries and absorption of liquids.
• Low-Profile Police Protective Equipment– S&T is seeking a partner to design new law enforcement safety gear that could be used while managing crowds, including proposed solutions for clothing, accessories and devices.
• Police Protective Helmet – S&T is seeking a partner to design a multi-purpose and customizable helmet that provides enhanced protection against concussive and ballistic threats, is lightweight and comfortable, and can be worn for long periods at potentially chaotic incident scenes.
• Less-Lethal Chemical Irritants – S&T is seeking a partner to develop more effective solutions that will support crowd dispersal and provide increased mitigation and arrest capabilities for response to criminal activity in crowd situations, while navigating all associated legal, medical, and environmental challenges.
• Less-Lethal Options for Crowd Control – S&T is seeking a partner to study existing tools and tactics and develop new crowd control options that are sensitive to both law enforcement needs and the safety and civil liberties of the public.
• Tracking Criminal Actors – S&T is seeking a partner to deliver a solution for tracking known criminals or people overtly or covertly active in large groups that engage in criminal activities. Proposed solutions should work in real time and in a variety of conditions, must uphold civil liberties, and must adhere to existing laws and privacy applications.
• Multi-Spectrum Laser Detection – S&T is seeking a partner to leverage existing or develop new technologies to provide law enforcement officers with a system that will detect multi-spectrum lasers and/or infrared light as they perform their duties.
• Multi-Spectrum Laser Eyewear Protection – S&T is seeking a partner to leverage existing or develop new technologies to provide multi-spectrum eye protection from lasers and/or infrared light. Solutions must be compatible with existing protective gear and not obstruct visual acuity as responders perform their duties.
• Rapidly-Deployed Physical Barriers – S&T is seeking a partner to develop rapidly deployable barriers that can quickly and securely establish perimeters and safely protect the public, first responders and surrounding infrastructure without being easily moved or destroyed.
• Bomb Response and Defeat Operations Support – S&T is seeking a partner to ensure bomb technicians have the capabilities they need to preserve life, property and evidence during render-safe operations. S&T is looking to assess and characterize existing tools, tactics, techniques and procedures to ensure public safety bomb squad capabilities meet evolving threats.

Interested partners are encouraged to visit the BAA solicitation on Sam.gov for more information about each of the topics and details on submitting white papers. The deadline for white papers is July 2, 2021.

For more information about additional ways to work with S&T, visit https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/work-with-st. For more information about S&T’s work supporting first responders, visit https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/first-responders.