Private Sector Office

The Private Sector Office (PSO) provides the Secretary and Department leaders with advice on issues relevant to the private sector, including academia, non-profits, NGOs, and businesses.

About the Private Sector Office

The Private Sector Office:

• Advises the Secretary on the impact of the Department’s policies, regulations, processes, and actions on the private sector.
• Creates and fosters strategic communications with the private sector to enhance the primary mission of the Department to protect the American homeland.
• Interfaces with other relevant Federal agencies with homeland security missions to assess the impact of these agencies on the private sector.
• Creates and manages private sector advisory councils composed of representatives of industries and associations designated by the Secretary to: (a) Advise the Secretary on private sector products, applications, and solutions as they relate to homeland security challenges; and (b) Advise the Secretary on homeland security policies, regulations, processes and actions that affect the participating industries and associations.
• Works with Federal laboratories, federally funded research and development centers, other federally funded organizations, academia, and the private sector to develop innovative approaches to address homeland security challenges to produce and deploy the best available technologies for homeland security missions.
• Promotes existing public-private partnerships and development of new public-private partnerships to provide for collaboration and mutual support to address homeland security challenges
• Assists in the development and promotion of private sector best practices to secure critical infrastructure.
• Coordinates industry efforts regarding Department functions to identify private sector resources that could be effective in supplementing government efforts to prevent or respond to a terrorist attack.
• Consults with the various DHS elements and Department of Commerce on matters of concern to private sector including travel and tourism industries.

Leadership

Deputy Assistant Secretary (acting) - Matt Hayden

Public-Private Partnerships Conference

Each year the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Headquarters, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Northern Command presents the third annual Building Resilience through Public-Private Partnerships Conference.

The conference highlights successful public-private partnerships across the homeland security enterprise and is designed to identify solutions to coordination gaps between the public and private sectors.  From Hurricane Sandy response efforts and global supply chain resilience to campus resilience and cyber security, building resilient communities continues to be a whole community approach.

Please visit the Public-Private Partnerships site or contact the DHS Private Sector Office at 202-282-8484 and PPPConference@hq.dhs.gov for updates.

Loaned Executive Program

The Loaned Executive Program provides executive-level experts an opportunity to volunteer with Homeland Security to fill special, discreet needs for a limited period of time. Through the Loaned Executive Program, Homeland Security is working with the private sector on innovative solutions to our homeland security challenges. The Department is looking to the nation's top executives and industry experts to partner with us as we strive to solve problems, improve processes, and fully realize our mission. By serving as a loaned executive, subject matter experts will have an opportunity to make a meaningful difference by protecting our nation.

DHS for a Day

The DHS for a Day program provides private sector stakeholders a glimpse into how various Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Components make our Nation safer on a day-to-day basis. The program also builds and strengthens connections between DHS and the private sector, ensuring that our partners across the country can participate fully in the Homeland Security Enterprise.

Private Sector Resources

• Find information on the Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program (PS-Prep)
• Find information on the Protected Critical Infrastructure Information (PCII) Program
• View the Department Private Sector Resources Catalog
• Visit the Ready.gov business preparedness website
• Get private sector preparedness e-mail updates