The Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) is the external funding arm for the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology division. HSARPA performs these functions in part by awarding procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions for research or prototypes to public or private entities, businesses, federally funded research and development centers and universities. HSARPA invests in programs offering the potential for revolutionary changes in technologies that promote homeland security and accelerates the prototyping and deployment of technologies intended to reduce homeland vulnerabilities. HSARPA MISSIONS: * Identify and develop revolutionary technologies; * Satisfy DHS customers' operational needs for advanced technology; * Rapid prototyping/commercial adaptation of technologies. HSARPA ACCOMPLISHMENTS: * Appointed Dr. Jane Alexander as the first HSARPA Deputy Director in May of 2003. * Released a Broad Agency Announcement through the Technical Support Working Group in May of 2003. * Appointed Dr. David Bolka as the first HSARPA Director in September of 2003. * HSARPA issued its first Research Announcement solicitation for its Detection Systems for Biological and Chemical Countermeasures Program on September 23, 2003. The goal of this solicitation is to develop, field-test, and transition to commercial production the next generation of biological and chemical detectors. http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0268.xml
U.S. Homeland Security: Tech partners needed By Grant Gross IDG News Service, Washington Bureau 11-11-2003 WASHINGTON - Private companies can play a role in national security by pitching technology projects to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other agencies, agency representatives said Monday. DHS has begun to solicit the private sector for technologies to combat biological and chemical weapons, and the agency will look for more technology partners in the future, said David Bolka, director of the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA), during a DHS budget briefing in Washington, D.C.. HSARPA's annual budget is US$874 million, Bolka said, with most of its research focused on ways to counter terrorist attacks using chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons. A September call for the "next generation" of chemical and biological detectors generated 518 white papers from private companies, with a few "true nuggets" in those submissions, Bolka said. But a quarter of the white papers were what he called "nonresponsive" -- they tried to pitch DHS technologies it wasn't looking for. "I kind of feel like the new kid in town with money," Bolka said."Don't send us a proposal saying, 'If you really knew what you wanted, you'd buy what I'm selling'." About 85 percent to 90 percent of HSARPA's funding will be spent on current or soon-to-be emerging domestic security problems, with only about 10 percent to 15 percent going to futuristic, "blue-sky" technology projects, Bolka said. "As we satisfy the near-term requirements, I think there will be good opportunity to look at the 5- or 10-year, or even the 15-year, picture." The U.S. government needs private companies to partner with on a variety of other technology-related domestic security projects, including biometric scanners, Wi-Fi radio communications, wireless surveillance cameras and data collection and fusion, representatives of other U.S. agencies and contractors said at the DHS forum, sponsored by Equity International Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based business development firm focused on domestic and global security. "What's driving homeland security technology is one word: partnerships," said Benjamin Wu, deputy under secretary for technology at the U.S. Department of Commerce. "We need to build these technological bridges. The bridges we build will lead to a safer world." A five-month-old domestic security business incubator based in Annapolis, Maryland, provides one way businesspeople can make technology ideas known. The Chesapeake Innovation Center has signed up seven small companies in its first five months, out of about 140 entrepreneurs who applied to be included, said John Elstner, executive director of the center. The center helps entrepreneurs or small companies pitch their products to the U.S. government or large government contractors. The center has working partnerships with the nearby U.S. National Security Agency, two area universities and companies such as Nokia Corp.'s Innovent entrepreneur team and IT vendor Force 3. The center has the capacity to work with about 20 small companies at one time, Elstner said. "The American passion for entrepreneurship is perhaps America's greatest asset," Elstner said. "Our mission ... is harnessing the power of entrepreneurship to ensure a technological edge over our enemies by bringing technological innovations to the forefront in the homeland security marketplace." While most speakers at the domestic security forum focused on the technologies needed to improve domestic security, one suggested that technology isn't the only answer. The focus on technology could take attention away from the importance of human intelligence, said Les Kaciban, director of operations for USProtect, a provider of physical security and risk assessment services. "We're getting away from human intelligence, and it's dangerous," Kaciban said. "I'm not against technology. What we need to do, however, is not underestimate or replace human intelligence." Singapore http://www.idg.com.sg/idgwww.nsf/unidlookup/2261EF25094919E448256DDB000BB3CB?OpenDocument see also http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,110514,00.asp
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