§563f Diversified Security Technology Industry Marketplace

Summary

Within 120 days after October 5, 2018, the Administrator must write and send a plan to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Homeland Security. The plan must show how to build a more varied security technology market the Administrator can use to buy advanced transportation security tools and how to bring in more small business innovators. It must explain how current steps for finding, testing, piloting, evaluating, and buying technology affect getting new tools, list specific changes and timelines to encourage diversity, describe how to help small business innovators take part when they lack resources, and assess whether partnering with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to provide venture capital for technologies expected to be ready within 36 months is feasible. In that assessment, the Administrator must consider creating a 501(c)(3) venture-capital partnership with the private sector and the intelligence community and increased work through DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate. Nothing in the plan forces changes to TSA’s security-technology standards. Definitions: intelligence community — as defined in federal law (50 U.S.C. 3003). small business concern — as defined in federal law (15 U.S.C. 632). small business innovator — a small business concern with an advanced transportation security technology or capability.