§ 563f — Diversified Security Technology Industry Marketplace

(a) Not later than 120 days after October 5, 2018, the Administrator shall develop and submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives a strategy to promote a diverse security technology industry marketplace upon which the Administrator can rely to acquire advanced transportation security technologies or capabilities, including by increased participation of small business innovators. (b) The strategy required under subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) Information on how existing Administration solicitation, testing, evaluation, piloting, acquisition, and procurement processes impact the Administrator’s ability to acquire from the security technology industry marketplace, including small business innovators that have not previously provided technology to the Administration, innovative technologies or capabilities with the potential to enhance transportation security. (2) Specific actions that the Administrator will take, including modifications to the processes described in paragraph (1), to foster diversification within the security technology industry marketplace. (3) Projected timelines for implementing the actions described in paragraph (2). (4) Plans for how the Administrator could, to the extent practicable, assist a small business innovator periodically during such processes, including when such an innovator lacks adequate resources to participate in such processes, to facilitate an advanced transportation security technology or capability being developed and acquired by the Administrator. (5) An assessment of the feasibility of partnering with an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of title 26 to provide venture capital to businesses, particularly small business innovators, for commercialization of innovative transportation security technologies that are expected to be ready for commercialization in the near term and within 36 months. (c) In conducting the feasibility assessment under subsection (b)(5), the Administrator shall consider the following: (1) Establishing an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of title 26 as a venture capital partnership between the private sector and the intelligence community to help businesses, particularly small business innovators, commercialize innovative security-related technologies. (2) Enhanced engagement through the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security. (d) Nothing in this section may be construed as requiring changes to the Transportation Security Administration standards for security technology. (e) In this section: (1) The term “intelligence community” has the meaning given the term in section 3003 of title 50. (2) The term “small business concern” has the meaning described under section 632 of title 15. (3) The term “small business innovator” means a small business concern that has an advanced transportation security technology or capability.