The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has opened a year-long Commercial Solutions Opening (CSOP) to seek maritime innovations and capabilities. The solicitation went live Aug. 6, 2025, on the federal procurement portal SAM.gov and will remain open for rolling submissions through Aug. 5, 2026. Awards under this pilot can reach up to $25 million, and the process is designed to be faster and more flexible than traditional acquisitions.
The CSOP encourages nontraditional defense firms and startups to compete. Instead of a single deadline, DHS will accept concept papers and five‑minute video pitches on a rolling basis, review them roughly every two weeks, invite select companies for demonstrations and oral presentations, and then negotiate firm‑fixed‑price contracts. The program language notes that proposals will be judged on individual merit rather than in head‑to‑head competition.
DHS says the program aims to modernize maritime operations across the homeland defense enterprise, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, and other components responsible for port security and supply chain integrity. The solicitation lists seven focus areas: maritime technology and digital transformation; lifecycle sustainment and operational readiness; supply chain resilience and port infrastructure risk; trade enforcement and inspection innovation; maritime interdiction and counter‑illicit activity; workforce and industrial base development; and program oversight and acquisition risk management.
The scope aligns closely with DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) projects such as the Port and Coastal Surveillance program, which seeks to improve maritime domain awareness by fusing sensors, unmanned systems and decision‑support tools across public and private partners. DHS has noted ongoing challenges such as detecting small non‑emitting vessels, sharing data across agencies and integrating space‑based sensing, unmanned platforms and analytics. The Coastal, Port and Waterway Security portfolio stresses that the U.S. maritime transportation system moves more than $5 trillion in goods annually and supports 13 million jobs.
While DHS does not publish a consolidated list of past CSOP awards, agency reports show the framework has been used in cyber, border and port security projects. The innovation hub HSWERX, run by S&T, has publicized at least one maritime outcome — a business-to-business agreement following a CSOP-style engagement — which suggests a path from problem framing to contract.
DHS officials emphasize that the opportunity is open to U.S.‑based businesses of all sizes and to foreign companies operating through U.S. subsidiaries. Companies interested in participating must register on SAM.gov, prepare a concise concept paper with a five‑minute pitch video and describe how their technology addresses one or more focus areas. As the Gulf of Mexico, Latin American littorals and U.S. coastal ports remain transit routes for narcotics and illicit smuggling, DHS is looking for tools that improve detection, interdiction and resiliency.
For startups developing maritime sensors, unmanned platforms, data fusion analytics, resilient communications or inspection automation tools, the CSOP could provide an on‑ramp to operational funding. Those considering a submission should download the official solicitation from SAM.gov, review the DHS CSOP guide and port surveillance fact sheets, and prepare to demonstrate ready‑to‑deploy technology.
For more information, see the SAM.gov solicitation, the DHS CSOP Pilot Program Guide, the Port and Coastal Surveillance fact sheet and coverage from Executive Gov and HS Today.
