The Israel – U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Homeland Security (HLS) program announced the 2022 Call for Proposals seeking collaborative projects between U.S. and Israeli entities to develop advanced solutions for mission-critical homeland security needs with the potential to enhance safety and security around the globe.
Since 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the Israel Ministry of Public Security (MOPS) have partnered on the jointly funded BIRD HLS program to support cooperative research & development between U.S. and Israeli companies, academia, and research institutions. Managed by the BIRD Foundation, the program provides conditional grants of up to $1 million for approved projects and up to 50 percent of the combined project budget.
“The 2022 Call for Proposals marks the seventh year of BIRD HLS, and we are proud of the program’s track record of funding strategic partnerships to develop technology solutions of mutual benefit to both countries,” said Kathryn Coulter Mitchell, DHS Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology. “These joint innovations address common security needs that will lead to improvements in public safety.”
The BIRD HLS program seeks to develop technologies with significant commercial potential in the field of homeland security. The 2022 Call for Proposals includes the following areas for U.S. and Israeli collaboration:
- Law enforcement-supporting technologies to combat cyber crime
- Technologies and methods to secure critical infrastructure and public facilities
- Technologies focused on safe and secure cities
- Border protection, including maritime security
- Unmanned aerial systems
- Advanced first responder technologies
Proposals must include research and development cooperation between a U.S. and an Israeli entity to create innovative technologies that leads to commercialization.
“The BIRD Foundation is pleased to partner with DHS S&T and the Israel Ministry of Public Security for the seventh consecutive year of the HLS program, investing in collaborative technology development to enhance public security,” said Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation. “We look forward to another successful year of facilitating and funding joint projects that fulfill critical homeland security needs in the U.S. and Israel.”
The BIRD HLS program submission deadline for executive summaries is April 25, 2022, and projects will be selected for award in September 2022. A full description of submission requirements can be found on the BIRD Foundation website.
S&T’s mission is to enable effective, efficient, and secure operations across all homeland security missions by applying scientific, engineering, analytic, and innovative approaches to deliver timely solutions and support departmental acquisitions. Created by Congress in 2003, S&T conducts basic and applied research, development, demonstration, testing and evaluation activities relevant to support Homeland Security and first responder operations and protect critical infrastructure. For more information about S&T, visit scitech.dhs.gov.
