US Department of Homeland Security Taking Blockchain Proposals

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is looking for blockchain proposals in an effort to beef up a number of government entities, Federal Business Opportunities has revealed.

According to the solicitation posted on November 15, DHS is seeking “innovative” blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) solutions to meet the needs of a variety of government agencies, including the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The solicitation states that it will be accepting applications until 12:00 p.m. PST on May 23, 2019.

“Blockchain and [DLT], from a government perspective, holds the potential for enhanced transparency and auditing of public service operations, greater visibility into multi-party business operations, and automation of paper-based processes to improve delivery of services to organizations and citizens,” the synopsis reads.

The DHS says it wants to solve problems in issuing and verifying certificates, licenses and attestations; the storage and management of certificates, licenses and attestations; and decentralized and derived PIV credentials.

The solicitation further says that blockchain and DLT have the capabilities to “support individual control and accountability of data release” while implementing digital counter-fraud technologies and enterprise lifecycle management among others. DHS further believes blockchain and DLT can provide “cost effective and innovative solutions” to these bodies of government.

“The [DHS] is committed to using cutting-edge technologies and scientific talent in its quest to make America safer,” the agency claims in a document called “Preventing Forgery and Counterfeiting of Certificates and Licenses.

DHS further states that blockchain and DLT can address issues related to certifications in areas like travel, training, education, affiliation, organizational identity and delegated authority, to name a few.

According to the document, the agency will begin making phase 1 awards of between US$50,000 to US$200,000 for each award during a period performance of three-to-six months. From there, candidates will be considered for additional funding phases with comparable levels of funding and time spans.

If a project receives four phases of funding, that amount will fall between US$200,000 and US$800,000 over a total 24-month period. Once the phases are completed, DHS estimates that “successful projects” will reach the next stage for potential test deployment or commercial availability to stakeholders. This includes a follow on production ordering by the agency.

DHS says in the solicitation it will review applications three times with considerations given in three review cycles. The first will be given on January 11, 2019, the second on March 13, 2019 and the last on May 23, 2019.

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Securities Disclosure: I, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.