Commercialization Office

Mission

To develop and execute programs and processes that identify, evaluate, and commercialize technologies into products or services that meet the detailed operational requirements of the Department of Homeland Security’s stakeholders such as Department operating components, the first responder community, and other users including Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) owners and operators. 

The Commercialization Office is responsible for developing and managing the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate's outreach efforts with the private sector to establish and foster mutually beneficial working relationships leading to the fielding of products or services to secure the nation.

Objectives

• Develop and implement an integrated marketing strategy to effectively promote the Department’s detailed requirements and needs to critical potential partners in the private sector.
• Perform outreach efforts with industry groups and private sector entities.
• Establish performance metrics throughout the commercialization process.
• Develop best practices for the commercialization of products and services in coordination with Department program managers and stakeholders.
• Maintain contact with scientists and engineers in government, industry and academia to meet the specific, identified needs of Department stakeholders.

Leadership

The Commercialization Office is led by the Department's first Chief Commercialization Officer Thomas A. Cellucci.

Organization

The Commercialization Office creates and sustains a commercialization mindset within the Department to effectively leverage the Department’s needs and large potential available markets (and ancillary markets) to develop and distribute technology-based products and services to three major types of users:

• Department components,
• First responders and
• CIKR owners and operators.

Due to the large size of these potential available markets, there exist multiple opportunities to foster cooperative relationships with the private sector to develop products and services aligned to Department needs. The Commercialization Office provides a model for a significant change in how the federal government interacts with the private sector. This innovative new initiative allows the public and private sectors to work together – all to the benefit of the American taxpayers.  

The Commercialization Office has four major activities: 

• Requirements development initiative
• Commercialization process
• System Efficacy through Commercialization, Utilization, Relevance and Evaluation (SECURE) program
• Private sector outreach

Developing Operational Requirements (PDF, 353 pages - 14.7 MB) is a book written to enable the communication of needs throughout the Department and externally to the private sector, when appropriate. The development of detailed operational requirements for the Department’s programs and projects ensures that efficacious products, systems and services are developed to address specific, well-articulated requirements or needs.

The development and implementation of a “hybrid” commercialization process at the Department takes advantage of the most attractive elements pure governmental Acquisition process and private sector Commercialization process. The resulting process guides product development in a cooperative strategic partnership between the public and private sectors in which all parties benefit, resulting in measurable benefits for the American taxpayers.

The SECURE Program is a unique public-private partnership program. It provides the Department an efficient and cost-effective way to leverage the resources, skills, experience and productivity of the private sector, using private sector funds, to develop products and services aligned with significant potential available markets found within the Department of Homeland Security, the SECURE Program is just one tool that the Department utilizes as a ground breaking program to foster cooperative “win-win-win” partnerships among the Department, the private sector and U.S. taxpayers.

Private sector outreach efforts focus on notifying the private sector about opportunities that exist for partnership and business development to address the needs of the Department and its stakeholders.

Contact

For more information on how to get involved in the SECURE Program and the Commercialization Office, please e-mail sandt_commercialization@hq.dhs.gov or call 202-254-6749.  Feedback is also welcomed and we appreciate your time.