The objective of the FutureTECH Program is to establish mutually-beneficial partnerships with the private sector, national laboratories, university community and other Research and Development (R&D) organizations to develop technologies/capabilities that address the long-term needs of the Department and its stakeholders.

FutureTECH enables the private sector and others to peer into the critical research/innovation focus areas of interest to the Science and Technology Directorate. FutureTECH identifies and focuses on the future needs of the Department as fully deployable technologies and capabilities, in many cases, are not readily available in the private sector or federal government space.

FutureTECH outlines focus areas for which current technology only exists at earlier stages on the technology readiness scale (TRL 1-6 on the Product Realization Chart (PDF, 1 page - 114 KB) ). Its "sister program" SECURE (System Efficacy through Commercialization, Utilization, Relevance and Evaluation) is for fully deployable technology readiness level nine (TRL-9) products and services.

These are critical research/innovation focus areas that could be inserted eventually into the Department of Homeland Security acquisition or commercialization programs when development reaches technology readiness level six (TRL-6) based on metrics and milestones more specific than those of a broad technology need statement alone, yet not as specific as a detailed operational requirements documents.

• FutureTECH: Concept of Operations (PDF – 5 pages, 66.55KB) explains the process of becoming a Department partner in the FutureTECH Program.
• FutureTECH: Guidance to Understanding Future DHS S&T Critical Research/Innovation Focus Areas (PDF – 14 pages, 525.53KB) describes how the FutureTECH Program provides the speed-of-execution, cost-effectiveness and efficiency necessary to develop technologies/capabilities for homeland security.

Get Started

It's easy to get started with FutureTECH. Just ask for a "Full Response Package" from the Commercialization Office at sandt_commercialization@hq.dhs.gov.

Upon receipt of your organization's overview, we make your non-proprietary information readily available to Program Managers, Division Directors and many others throughout the Department.

FutureTECH Research/Innovation Focus Areas

In order to begin this collaboration, the Science and Technology Directorate has compiled the following list of critical research/innovation focus areas that describe general areas in which technology development efforts could provide significant capabilities in the execution of the Department mission. This kind of open communication acts as a genuine catalyst for R&D to occur on a large scale, in many different venues to develop technologies/capabilities that will advance the cutting edge of homeland security.

Counter IED Network Attack & Analysis (PDF, 4 pages – 27.79KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that better predicts and prevents the successful use of improvised explosive device (IED) threats.

Detection of Homemade Explosives (HMEs) (PDF, 4 pages – 28.45KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that detects homemade explosives (HMEs) and their precursors in both screening and stand-off applications in order to alert an operator or responder to the presence of materials in sufficient quantities to be a significant threat.

Stand-off Rapid Detection of Person-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (PBIEDs) (PDF, 4 pages – 27.87KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that detects improvised explosive devices (IEDs) concealed on an individual’s person at a sufficient distance and in sufficient time to allow actions to be taken to safely deal with the threat posed by those devices.

Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED) Detection (PDF, 5 pages – 38.38KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a non-invasive technology/capability that detects vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) at a sufficient distance and in sufficient time to allow actions to be taken to safety deal with the threat posed by those devices.

IED Access and Defeat (PDF, 4 pages – 28.18KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that can access and defeat improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in a way that ensures the safety of IED defeat operators and first responders involved in bomb disposal operations.

Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Countermeasures (PDF, 4 pages – 27.98KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that provides an improved means to jam radio-controlled improvised explosive devices (RCIEDs) within a meaningful radius of operation to allow actions to be taken to safely deal with the threat posed by those devices.

IED Assessment and Diagnostics (PDF, 3 pages – 25.80KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that can assess and diagnose new and emerging improvised explosive device (IED) threats.

Waterborne IED Detect and Defeat Systems (PDF, 5 pages – 41.13KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that detects the presence of explosives or explosive devices, locates the explosive or device precisely, diagnoses the device to determine its components and how they function, and defeats the device using the “best tool” to eliminate the threat.

IED Warnings (PDF, 4 pages – 35.48KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that identifies effective methods to guide public officials and to inform the American public accurately during conditions of heightened U.S. threat alert.

IED Threat Characterization and Signatures (PDF, 3 pages – 25.46KB) describes the critical research/innovation focus area for a technology/capability that provides the ability to obtain, access and analyze detailed and authoritative performance data on improvised explosive device (IED) threat devices based on the design, assembly and detonation of IED threat devices in a laboratory and/or testing environment.

We appreciate your feedback on any published critical research/innovation focus areas. If you feel that our description is too vague or can be improved upon, please contact us at sandt_commercialization@dhs.gov with your detailed feedback for review by Department technical staff. Thank you in advance for your input.

Background

In an effort to provide greater transparency into the future technological needs of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FutureTECH Program has been created as a valuable resource for organizations to gain insight into areas where science and technology can have significant impact in the years to come.

This program enables the Department Science and Technology Directorate to efficiently and cost-effectively leverage the resources, skills, experience and productivity of the private sector and other entities like the national laboratories and university community to develop technologies/capabilities in alignment with research/innovation focus areas articulated by the Department. These technologies/capabilities could ultimately be used by the Department, the first responder community, critical infrastructure/key resources (CIKR) owners/operators and other Department stakeholders.

FutureTECH is an innovative private-public partnership that outlines focus areas for which current technology only exists at earlier stages on the technology readiness scale (TRL 1-6). Technologies developed in alignment to stated focus areas could lead to cost-effective and efficient product development (TRL 7-9) efforts when detailed operational requirements documents (ORDs) are available. More on the Product Realization Chart (PDF, 1 page - 114 KB)

The Department provides this information to the public in an open and free way whereby the private sector and other non-Department entities may use their own resources [including Independent Research and Development (IRAD) and/or Laboratory Directed R&D (LDRD)] to develop technologies/capabilities that will be of potential benefit to the Department mission. The Department of Homeland Security may enter into a simple CRADA (Cooperative Research and Development Agreement) with an organization that shows it has the ability to deliver technology aligned with the research/innovation focus area sought by the Department.

Like all of the Commercialization Office's programs, all parties "win" in the FutureTECH Program. The private sector and others “win” by receiving valuable insight into future research/innovation focus areas needed by the Department and its stakeholders that may be of value to their strategic investments and plans. The Department “wins” because it leverages the valuable skills, experience and resources of the private sector and other non-Department entities to expedite efficient and cost-effective technology development. Most importantly, all American taxpayers “win” because this innovative partnership yields valuable technologies/capabilities aligned with research/innovation focus areas developed in a more cost-effective and efficient way saving significant taxpayer money.