Official website of the Department of Homeland Security
Small businesses are a vital part of our national strength. Our job is to ensure these companies have a fair opportunity to compete and be selected for Department of Homeland Security contracts.
Explore how to get started in government contracting, DHS business networking and information about finding contracts, teaming or subcontract opportunities from this hub. We also provide tips and answers to FAQs on how to best position yourself for success in working with DHS.
Start Here
About Federal Contracting
The federal government has recently centralized business information in a one- stop platform called business.usa.gov. The aim is to make it easier than ever for businesses to access services to help them grow and hire. If you are interested in federal contracting, you will find a portal of popular links for businesses at this new site.
If you are seeking to do business with the federal government, there are rules and procedures to qualify and make you eligible. It starts with registration, which requires you to obtain a Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S® Number and select a North American Industry Classification System code for administrative, contracting and tax purposes. If you are planning to apply to be on the GSA Schedule, you should also seek a past performance evaluation through the designated resource.
LEARN MORE
Acquisition Innovations in Motion (AIiM)
DHS has developed a series of initiatives and industry engagement events and conversations focused on reciprocal learning between DHS and industry.
Find DHS Opportunities
Although FedBizOpps is the primary federal portal for contracting opportunities, DHS provides additional online resources where businesses can turn to source contract opportunities.
Forecast of Contract Opportunities. This searchable database which allows you to find projections of all anticipated contract actions above $150,000 which small businesses may be able to perform under direct contracts with DHS, or perform part of the effort through subcontract arrangements with the Department’s large business prime contractors.
Procurements valued under $150,000 are not listed, so you are urged to contact the appropriate DHS Small Business Specialist for each Component for information if these are of interest to your firm.
Sub-contracting with Prime Contractors. Our large business Prime Contractors at DHS may be interested in subcontracting with small, minority, women-owned, HUBZone-certified, 8(a), veteran-owned, and service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses. We provide an online list of prime contractors at DHS to provide you visibility to pursue this avenue toward contracting work.
Teaming and Subcontracting Opportunities with IT Contracts. DHS is establishing department-wide contracts for Information Technology (IT) services and commodities. We publish contact information for contractors with these vehicles, to enable you to get the latest on task orders, and explore teaming and subcontracting opportunities for these IT business opportunities.
Science and Technology. If your business has a concept, technology or product that aligns with a high-priority technology need for DHS, your company can potentially work with DHS Science and Technology.
LEARN MORE
- DHS Strategic Sourcing
- DHS Sequestration Letter to Contractors (PDF, 1 Page 105KB)
- Forecast of Contract Opportunities by DHS Department Components
- Prime Contractors at DHS
- Information Technology Acquisitions
- FedBizOpps
Networking
DHS is at work to help small businesses find and connect with business opportunities through events, outreach meetings and posting contact information for small business specialists at the agency. The outreach sessions are 15-minute appointments we schedule between your firm, small business specialists from various components of the Homeland Security procurement offices and several current prime contractors at DHS.
Points of contact for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) and contact information for small business specialists across the various department components are also posted online. These individuals can provide overall information on the Department of Homeland Security Small Business program, but generally do not make purchases for the organization. Capability statements and other marketing materials should be sent to the small business specialist(s) at the individual components.
LEARN MORE
- Small Business 15-minute Outreach Sessions
- DHS Component small business specialists Points of Contact
- Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) Points of Contact
DHS Outreach to Specific Vendor Communities
The agency also sponsors the DHS Mentor Protégé Program to motivate and encourage large business prime contractor firms to provide mutually beneficial developmental assistance to small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program funds early stage Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that serve a Homeland Security need and have the potential for commercialization in the private sector.
LEARN MORE
Tips
To introduce yourself to your prospects at DHS, electronic marketing is recommended over making cold calls to the specialists. We have specific marketing tips on the types of attachments you should include in your emails and how to format them to assure your prospects get what they need to give you their full consideration.
We also provide answers to frequently asked questions from businesses who are seeking opportunities at DHS to help you navigate the procurement process.
LEARN MORE