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How to Sell to DHS

The Department of Homeland Security is the third-largest federal contracting customer and one of the most fragmented — DHS operates through 22 component agencies, each with its own mission, culture, and procurement patterns. For small federal contractors, DHS is attractive because small business set-asides drive significant contracting volume, but confusing because "selling to DHS" actually means selling to one or more specific components.

This guide covers DHS's component structure, the major contract vehicles, the NAICS where spending concentrates, set-aside patterns, and how to target specific components effectively.

DHS's component structure

DHS operates through components that have their own distinct buying behaviors:

Border and immigration:

  • CBP (Customs and Border Protection) — border security, technology, facilities
  • ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) — investigations, IT, detention operations
  • USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) — application processing, IT, case management

Transportation and maritime:

  • TSA (Transportation Security Administration) — airport security, technology, screening
  • USCG (US Coast Guard) — maritime operations, shipbuilding, professional services

Emergency and response:

  • FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) — disaster response, grants, training
  • CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) — cybersecurity services, infrastructure protection

Law enforcement and protection:

  • USSS (Secret Service) — protection, investigations
  • FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers) — training services and facilities

Science and technology:

  • S&T (Science and Technology Directorate) — research, testing, evaluation

For small contractors, CBP, ICE, CISA, FEMA, and TSA are the largest buying components. Each has distinct needs and contracting cadence.

Contract vehicles that matter

DHS procures through a mix of department-wide and component-specific vehicles.

DHS-wide:

  • EAGLE II — the department's IT services IDIQ (multiple tracks, including small business)
  • FirstSource III — IT products vehicle
  • TABSS (Technology Acquisition Blanket Purchase Agreement Service Source) — for streamlined tech buying

Component-specific:

  • CBP's Custom's Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) work through specialized vehicles
  • TSA's Screening Partnership Program for private screening providers at airports
  • FEMA Individual Assistance and Public Assistance contracts for disaster response

Government-wide vehicles DHS uses heavily:

  • GSA Schedules across multiple large categories, especially IT and professional services
  • OASIS+ for complex professional services
  • CIO-SP3/CIO-SP4 for IT services

CISA specifically uses a mix of DHS-wide vehicles and specialized cybersecurity contract arrangements. CISA is among the most cybersecurity-focused procurement environments in the federal government.

NAICS where DHS spend concentrates

Cybersecurity and IT:

  • 541511, 541512, 541519: IT services broadly — DHS is heavy in this category
  • 518210: Hosting, data center, cloud services
  • 541690: Technical consulting including cyber advisory

Security and protection:

  • 561612: Security guards (TSA airport screening is a major spend category)
  • 561621: Security systems
  • 541330: Engineering services for physical security infrastructure

Professional services:

  • 541611, 541618: Management consulting
  • 541715: R&D (especially at S&T)
  • 541330: Engineering (mission-specific applications)

Training and support:

  • 611430: Professional development (FLETC-related work)
  • 541611: General management consulting for training programs

Facilities and operations:

  • 561210: Facilities support
  • 561720: Janitorial for DHS facilities
  • 236220 and 237990: Construction for DHS infrastructure

Set-aside patterns at DHS

DHS consistently meets or exceeds its small business contracting goals. The department has one of the stronger small business programs in the federal government.

SDVOSB set-asides are common across most DHS components. CBP, ICE, and TSA have regular SDVOSB contracting activity.

8(a) set-asides drive significant DHS small business volume. DHS is a major user of STARS III for IT services.

HUBZone set-asides appear across DHS, particularly for operations at locations designated as HUBZones. FEMA disaster response work in affected areas sometimes uses HUBZone preferences.

WOSB set-asides are growing at DHS, particularly in professional services and IT consulting work where WOSB NAICS eligibility applies.

CBP and TSA specifically have high volumes of small business contracting. The combination of high spend volume and active set-aside use makes these components particularly productive for certified small firms.

Common entry paths

1. Target a specific component. DHS is too fragmented to approach generically. Pick the 1-2 components where your capabilities fit (CBP for border tech, CISA for cyber, FEMA for response services) and focus relationship-building there.

2. Get on EAGLE II or its successor vehicles. For IT services, EAGLE II is the primary vehicle. Even subcontracting to an existing EAGLE II prime gives you DHS past performance that accelerates later prime opportunities.

3. Watch FEMA for surge opportunities. After major disasters, FEMA contracts surge dramatically and often uses expedited procurement. Pre-positioning with FEMA registration, IDIQ inclusion, and relationships with disaster response primes positions your firm for these surges.

4. CISA is growing rapidly. CISA is relatively young (established 2018) and its budget has grown significantly. Cybersecurity firms should treat CISA as a priority target — the agency is still building its procurement cadence and relationships are newer.

5. Attend DHS Small Business Industry Day. Annual event. DHS component small business specialists attend. Significant relationship-building opportunity.

Component-specific considerations

CBP procurement concentrates in border infrastructure, detection technology (sensors, drones, screening equipment), IT modernization, and professional services supporting operations. Technology-focused firms see consistent CBP opportunity flow.

ICE procurement is split between detention operations, investigations support, and IT. Detention operations contracts are controversial in some geographies — assess alignment with your firm's positioning before pursuing.

CISA procurement is heavily cybersecurity and infrastructure-focused. CMMC Level 2 is increasingly expected; some CISA work requires higher impact level authorizations (FedRAMP High, IL5 for DoD-adjacent work). Cyber pedigree matters more here than almost anywhere else.

FEMA procurement is bifurcated between steady-state (IT, training, grant management) and surge (disaster response). Steady-state FEMA work is standard federal procurement. Surge work has its own rhythms — firms positioned for surge do well during disaster seasons.

TSA procurement concentrates in airport screening operations (Screening Partnership Program for certain airports), technology (advanced screening equipment), and IT. TSA has specialized procurement vehicles for screener services.

Common mistakes at DHS

Treating DHS as one customer. It isn't. Different components have different needs, cultures, and procurement cadence. Targeting "DHS" generically produces poor results.

Underestimating security clearance requirements. Many DHS contracts require cleared personnel (Secret or above). CBP and ICE work often requires CBP-specific background investigations. Staffing bench readiness with cleared candidates is a significant advantage.

Missing CISA's trust and assurance requirements. CISA procurement often requires specific cybersecurity maturity, sometimes including SOC 2 Type II, FedRAMP, or specific technical accreditations. Read specialized solicitations carefully.

Ignoring past performance specific to DHS missions. DHS source selections weight past performance heavily and value DHS-specific experience. Your first DHS contract is hardest; subsequent contracts leverage DHS past performance directly.

FEMA surge unpreparedness. Firms that want to participate in disaster response surge work need pre-positioning: registration with FEMA, inclusion on relevant IDIQs, relationships with primes. Surge work moves fast and firms that aren't pre-positioned miss the window.

Next steps

Map your NAICS to DHS's buying patterns using the NAICS recommender. Cybersecurity-focused firms should see NAICS codes for cybersecurity. IT services firms see NAICS codes for IT services. Physical security firms see NAICS codes for security services.

If you hold small business certifications, the set-aside programs overview covers how they apply at DHS. Build a DHS-component-targeted capability statement with the capability statement builder.

For help targeting specific DHS components, evaluating EAGLE II pursuit, or navigating CISA's trust requirements, schedule a 15-minute consultation.