International Cooperative Programs Office (ICPO)

Mission

The International Cooperative Programs Office provides the strategic framework to establish, facilitate, and sustain effective international partnerships that support homeland security research, development, test and evaluation. The Office catalyzes the Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate’s connectivity among the international science and technology community, Department of Homeland Security operational components, and the homeland security research enterprise.

Objectives

The International Cooperative Programs Office works to match U.S. entities engaged in homeland security research with foreign counterparts so that they may partner in cooperative research activities.  Specifically:

• Coordinating with partner nations, the Department, and other agencies to identify viable areas for cooperation and partnering opportunities.
• Engaging international partners to participate in the Department Centers of Excellence program and encouraging U.S. institutions to partner with academic institutions abroad.
• Conducting an international research grant program that requires recipients to include at least one U.S. and foreign institution. 
• Developing strategic priorities with the Department Office of International Affairs and other federal agencies in support of the homeland security mission. 

Leadership

The International Cooperative Programs Office is headed by the ICPO Director. The Director keeps the Under Secretary, Deputy Under Secretary, Chief of Staff, Directors of Research, Innovation, and Transition, and division heads informed of significant international developments and opportunities for leverage and coordination. 

Organization

The International Cooperative Programs Office was established in accordance with the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (codified as amended at 6 U.S.C. 317). The International Cooperative Programs Office facilitates the planning, development, and implementation of international cooperative activity to address the strategic priorities the Under Secretary considers appropriate, including grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to or with foreign public or private entities, governmental organizations, businesses, federally funded research and development centers, and universities.

Grants

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate is soliciting applications for international research projects aligned with the mission and requirements of the directorate. These projects should be designed to augment and complement, through international research and collaboration, the depth and breadth of homeland security science and technology research.  

Specifically, the S&T Directorate seeks proposals that will contribute to homeland security science and technology, including but not limited to:

• Evaluation of novel tools or approaches to confronting homeland security challenges.
• Basic research to provide data, understandings, or models that support S&T efforts or policy decisions.
• S&T and operations research evaluations to support revolutionary improvements in the Department’s mission and its component agencies’ operations.

Information on these grants, including eligibility criteria and how to apply is available at www.grants.gov (funding opportunity DHS-09-ST-108-001). Proposals will be accepted until September 29, 2009 and must include both U.S. and foreign institutions. The proposals must also be led by an academic institution.

For more information, please visit International Research in Homeland Security Science and Technology.