Responder News: Broad Agency Announcement Launch

Guest post from Greg Price, Director of Responder Technologies for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate's First Responders Group (FRG)

Industry partners: FRG is launching a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) on October 13 — and we think you’re the key to helping us advance first responder technological development.

FRG’s mission is to strengthen the response community’s abilities to protect the homeland and respond to disasters. We engage directly with responders to gain a better understanding of their needs and requirements. We then work with the best and brightest industry partners to develop innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges responders face during day-to-day and large-scale emergencies.

That’s where you come in. Through the BAA, we are seeking proposals from innovative, forward-thinking vendors with rapid technology solutions to the following technical topic areas (TTAs):

A. Respiration Protection for Firefighters During Overhaul Operations
B. Rapid Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device Assessment and Inspection
C. Universal Operator Control Unit Platform
D. Activation of Body-Worn Cameras Without Responder Manipulation
E. Drone-Based Wireless 360 degree Camera
F. Enhanced Roadway Safety for First Responders
G. Humanized Two-Arm Large 3-D Robot
H. Law Enforcement Capture and Restraining System

Request for proposal solicitations and submissions will be accessible from October 13, 2015 through November 30, 2015 on FedBizOpps. Additional information is available through the DHS BAA Portal, where you can set up an account, filter search results and create a watch list for the TTAs that interest you.

FRG will also host a BAA webinar on Thursday, October 15 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET to walk businesses and stakeholders through the submission process, answer questions about the TTAs and address feedback we received from first responders on their technology needs. Registration is open until 15 minutes prior to the start of the presentation.

We hope you will join us for the webinar and look forward to reviewing your proposals. If you have any questions about the FRG BAA, please email first.responder@hq.dhs.gov. Follow news pertaining to the BAA on Twitter by following @dhscitech or using the #FRGBAA hashtag.