In a significant development for military procurement, the U.S. Army is moving towards a new contract vehicle titled “Artificial Intelligence & Software at Pace” (AIS@P), designed to allocate up to $1 billion over the next decade for artificial intelligence (AI) and software solutions. The initiative was unveiled during virtual briefings attended by over 900 participants while the Washington DC area experienced snowfall, demonstrating a strong interest from industry stakeholders in this evolving landscape.
The AIS@P aims to streamline the procurement process by dividing the substantial budget into at least 40 individual “task orders,” with each order capped at $25 million. This approach is intended to foster competition, as between five and thirty vendors will be eligible to bid on each task order based on their relevant expertise. Additionally, the process will permit the removal of underperforming vendors from the approved pool while allowing new entrants to join, thereby maintaining a dynamic and agile procurement environment.
Brig. Gen. Ed Barker, the Army’s Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, & Sensors (PEO-IEW&S), emphasised the necessity of rapid innovation and adaptability in military operations. “We’re trying … to really open the aperture for government to access innovative solutions … [and] keep pace in our space of AI and EW,” he stated. His remarks highlight a concerted effort to modernise military capabilities, particularly in response to emerging technological challenges.
The expected turnaround for each task order is ambitious, with a target of one month from the publication of the official Request for Proposals (RFP). Vendors will have a narrow window of 14 days to submit their bids, after which the Army will evaluate and award the contracts within 16 days. Such an expedited timeline deviates from traditional Pentagon procurement practices, indicating a shift towards a more responsive operational framework that aligns with the demands of contemporary warfare.
Kyle Perkins, the Chief of Staff for PEO-IEW&S, elaborated on the need for rapid adaptability in electronic warfare systems, saying, “We fully expect, when we get out into the fight, we’re going to see things we haven’t seen before, [so] our EW systems have to change at a moment’s notice.” This perspective underscores the urgency behind the AIS@P initiative.
The AIS@P initiative builds upon previous projects, notably Project Linchpin, which has been implemented across the Army to exploit advancements in AI technologies. The leadership indicated that the new contract vehicle would form a core part of Linchpin's plans moving forward.
As of now, the PEO has issued a draft RFP and is soliciting feedback from industry stakeholders. A final Request for Information (RFI) is anticipated around 13 January, with an updated draft RFP scheduled for February and a final version expected in March. Initial contract awards are projected for summer 2024, marking a pivotal milestone in the Army's ongoing procurement efforts.
The structure of the contracts will comprise seven distinct pools, encompassing various aspects of AI and broader software services. These include onboarding services aimed at small businesses, data management, model development, software engineering support, and infrastructure as a service (IaaS). Companies aiming to participate must qualify for each pool individually, which requires tailored proposals and documentation.
The Army has made it clear that maintaining strong connections with industry partners will be critical to the AIS@P's success. “We’ve asked for feedback and you haven’t been shy to give that,” Barker acknowledged, expressing gratitude for the direct input from industry representatives.
Overall, the AIS@P initiative represents a forward-thinking approach by the Army to harness innovative solutions and foster a competitive landscape for software and AI advancements, potentially reshaping the future of military operations.
Source: Noah Wire Services