Science & Technology Directorate SECURE (System Efficacy through Commercialization, Utilization, Relevance and Evaluation) Program

SECURE Program Overview

The SECURE Program is an efficient and cost-effective program to foster cooperative "win-win" partnerships between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the private sector. The Department works with the private sector to develop products, systems or services aligned to the needs of its operating components first responders and critical infrastructure/key resources owners and operators - representing in many cases, large potential available markets. The Department posts detailed operational requirements in the form of an Operational Requirements Document (ORD) on this site to articulate specific requirements in conjunction with a conservative estimate of the Potential Available Market (PAM) of a given product, system, or service.

Private sector entities possessing technologies or products aligned to these requirements can use this valuable information to generate a business case and develop (at their cost) a fully deployable product or service after their verification of market potential. The Department assures that a product or service has demonstrated operational performance that meets a given private sector entity's published specifications through our review of recognized third-party independent testing data.  This enables the private sector, through the free market system, to develop products and services that capture significant revenue opportunities and demonstrates to potential purchasers that the product "does what it claims to do."

The SECURE Program Overview explains the process of becoming a Department partner in the SECURE program.

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Getting Started with SECURE

Question: How does one learn more about opportunities to work with the Department of Homeland Security?

Answer: It's simple. 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 S&T Program Managers, Division Directorate and many others throughout the Department.

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SECURE Operational Requirements Documents (ORDs)

The objective of the SECURE program is to establish a mutually beneficial working relationship with the private sector to cost-effectively and efficiently develop products and services to better secure the nation. In order to achieve this objective, the development of Operational Requirements Documents (ORDs) by the Department is critical to the effective communication of needs throughout the Department and externally to the private sector when appropriate.

ORDs are detailed operational requirements normally associated with capability gaps derived from our Capstone Integrated Product Team (IPT) process. Private sector organizations that possess or could develop solutions to meet needs articulated in published ORDs are eligible to apply for a partnership with the Department through the SECURE Program to develop products and/or services.

In addition to the ORDs, conservative estimates of the Potential Available Market (PAM) for a potential solution to a given ORD are posted by the Department below. As previously mentioned, a Private Sector entity should develop and analyze its own business case for a possible partnership with the Department through the SECURE Program.

• Blast Resistant Autonomous Video Equipment (BRAVE) ORD (PDF, 9 pages - 598KB) This ORD describes the requirements for a forensic camera deployed in public transportation vehicles to assist in incident cause analysis. A conservative estimate of over 1.5 million units has been calculated for use of this product in mass transit buses; trolley cars; light, commuter and heavy rail cars; and police cars.

• National Emergency Response Interoperability Framework and Resilient Communication System of Systems ORD (PDF, 30 pages – 550 KB) This ORD describes the requirements for a system to provide interoperable communications on a national framework for remote use by first responders. A conservative estimate of over 2,000 units has been calculated for use by various law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency operations centers and other various first responder communities.

• Blast Mitigation of Fuel Tank Explosions ORD (PDF, 8 pages – 114KB) This ORD describes the requirements for an explosion suppression system to protect fuel containers.  A “fuel container” ranges from fuel tanks found in vehicles, boats or trains to fuel storage tanks at airports, seaports and the neighborhood gas station. A conservative estimate of over 1 million units has been calculated for use by various public transit busses and associated fuel storage facilities, first responder response vehicles, commercial airports and airfields, trucking companies, motor coach companies and passenger ferries.

• Interoperable Communications Switch ORD (PDF, 27 pages – 324KB) This ORD describes the requirements for an interoperability switch-based communications system that provides networked communications between any number of agencies and personnel. A conservative estimate of over 230 units has been calculated for use by various emergency operating centers (EOCs) or similar type communications centers.

• Crisis Decision-Support Software ORD (PDF, 13 pages – 137KB) This ORD describes the requirements for a system with a user-centric approach matched with an expansive database of past decisions and a proven method to quickly reach critical decisions in high pressure environments for wide operational use. A conservative estimate of approximately 50,000 units has been calculated for use in crisis decision environments that range from emergency response to disaster management, anti-terrorism response, emergency room triage and even military (battlefield) operations.

• Integrated Intrusion Protection ORD (PDF, 13 pages – 138KB) This ORD describes the requirements for an adaptable, scalable surveillance capability that provides automated, real-time protection for a wide range of operational scenarios. A conservative estimate of over 41,000 units has been calculated for use by various critical infrastructure/key resources (CI/KR) owners and operators such as dams, telecommunications, defense facilities and other critical infrastructure.

• Predictive Modeling for Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) ORD (PDF, 13 pages – 162KB) This ORD describes the requirements for a system to predict the threat of an IED attack and further data fusion from law enforcement, intelligence partners and other sources to support the common operating picture. A conservative estimate of the potential available market is over 250,000 seats in the United States alone. It is conservatively estimated that there are more than 5 Federal departments/agencies identified as potential users for the proposed system.

We appreciate your feedback on any published ORDs as ORDs are designed to provide a "solution-agnostic" detailed description of a need/problem in a way that encourages a full spectrum of solutions in an open and freely competitive environment. Therefore, if you believe that any ORD is over-confining to a given "solution space" please contact us at sandt_commercialization@dhs.gov with you detailed feedback for review by Department technical staff. Thank you in advance for your input.

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ORDs in Progress

The following table lists ORDs currently in development by the Department. These ORDs range from ten to sixty pages and cover a wide variety of Department mission needs. Please check our site regularly as additional ORDs will be posted.

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Commercialization Office Resources

Visit About the Commercialization Office for information and Commercialization Office Resources for valuable downloads. 

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Feedback Welcomed!

For more information on how to get involved in the SECURE Program or to provide feedback to the Commercialization Office, please send an e-mail to sandt_commercialization@hq.dhs.gov or call 202-254-6749. 

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