DHS S&T, Israel Ministry of Public Security seeking proposals for advanced first responder technologies

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced Tuesday that it is accepting proposals for advanced first responder technologies in partnership with the Israel Ministry of Public Security (MOPS).

The request is part of the NextGen First Responder Technologies program and represents an opportunity for a maximum conditional grant of up to $1 million jointly funded by the S&T and MOPS.

The program is made possible by the Israel­-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation, a partnership that aims to facilitate cooperation between U.S. and Israeli technology companies to create strategic partnerships for the purpose of joint product development.

The NextGen First Responder Technologies program is seeking innovations in areas such as protective clothing, wearable technology, and situational awareness. The BIRD foundation provides a full list of capability gaps and submission details on its website.

“First responders need advanced tools to perform their duties safely and efficiently, and working with our international partners in this manner will help us find the best technologies available,” William N. Bryan, the senior official performing the duties of the DHS under secretary for science and technology, said. “We are excited about renewing this partnership for the third year in a row. Our previous partnerships yielded dozens of proposals, and several research and development contract awards, with interest still ongoing. I can’t wait to see what this year’s partnership brings.”

Representatives of DHS, the Israel Innovation Authority and experts from the Israel MOPS will review the projects submitted for consideration.

Executive summaries are due on Feb. 15, and final proposals are due by April 10. Decisions are expected in June 2018.