Behavioral and Performance Evaluation Support

The contract seeks qualified small businesses to provide behavioral and performance evaluation services for canines, focusing on pre-screening for critical traits including hunt drive, prey drive, retrieve drive, activity level, and trainability. The goal is to enhance the acceptance rates of dogs for deployment within the Customs and Border Protection program by identifying animals with the strongest potential for successful operational performance. Evaluation protocols must be scientifically grounded and capable of reliably differentiating canine candidates based on these behavioral indicators to ensure optimal matching with mission requirements. This is a small business set-aside subcontract under NAICS code 812990, with a response deadline of July 24, 2026, and was posted on July 17, 2026. The contracting authority is the Department of Homeland Security’s Procurement Directorate Contracting Division, though specific performance location details are not provided. Participation is restricted to small businesses qualifying under the Small Business Administration’s total set-aside criteria, emphasizing support for small business growth within federal contracting. The work is critical to improving the efficiency and success of CBP’s canine programs, requiring precise, repeatable assessment methodologies and expertise in canine behavior analysis.