How to Sell to CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency)

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) was established in 2018 as a standalone agency within the Department of Homeland Security. It's the government's lead civilian cybersecurity authority, protecting federal networks and critical infrastructure sectors from electricity grids to transportation systems.

If you sell cybersecurity, CISA should be on your radar. The agency has an annual budget of approximately $2+ billion and is actively seeking innovative solutions for threat detection, vulnerability management, and zero-trust architecture. Unlike some agencies, CISA moves at startup speed—they understand that security threats don't follow bureaucratic timelines.

CISA's Core Mission and Budget

CISA operates the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's budget that funds everything from vulnerability assessments to cross-sector defense initiatives. They protect about 5,500 critical infrastructure organizations across 16 sectors. Their recent focus areas include ransomware defense, supply chain risk, and implementing zero-trust architecture across federal agencies.

The agency spends heavily on:

• Threat intelligence platforms and vulnerability scanning tools
• Incident response and forensic capabilities
• Federal information security audits and compliance tools
• Critical infrastructure protection solutions

How CISA Buys

CISA uses traditional federal procurement (competing through FAR contracts) but is increasingly using Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for faster innovation procurement. They've established partnerships with GSA and other intermediaries, but many sales go directly through their offices.

Key procurement vehicles include:

• OTA Agreements—CISA's preferred pathway for novel approaches; no need to follow traditional FAR rules
• GSA Schedule 70—If you're on this list, you're pre-approved for many federal buyers including CISA
• Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs)—Common for managed services and ongoing support
• Direct awards—For critical vulnerabilities or emergency response capabilities

Getting on CISA's Radar

CISA's leadership actively seeks vendor input. Attend their annual summit and monthly sector meetings. They publish threat advisories and vulnerability alerts regularly—if your solution addresses a recently published alert, you have a warm lead.

Start with these concrete steps:

• Get on SAM.gov and register your company as a federal contractor with appropriate NAICS codes (like 541512 for cybersecurity services)
• If you have a unique solution, investigate their OTA program directly through their Acquisition branch
• Join CISA's sector-specific information sharing groups (ISACs) relevant to your industry
• Respond to their open solicitations on SAM.gov—they issue new ones monthly

Common Mistakes

Most vendors fail at CISA by overselling buzzwords. CISA's technical leadership is sophisticated and skeptical. Avoid vague claims about "AI-powered detection" or "blockchain-based security." Instead, show concrete metrics: how many threats detected, false positive rates, mean time to detection, integration costs.

Another common miss: assuming CISA is like a commercial company. They're not. Their procurement timelines are longer, budget cycles matter, and political priorities shift. Build for resilience and patience.

CISA is looking for partners who understand the difference between a feature and a capability—and who can prove it works on day one in a federal environment.

What to Do This Week

Search SAM.gov for active CISA solicitations in your domain. Even if they don't match perfectly, you'll learn how they think about problems. Register your company's DUNS number and get on SAM.gov (free, but it takes 1-2 days). Check if your solution addresses any recent CISA alerts—if yes, you have a reason to reach out to their Acquisitions team directly.