FBI sticks with Amazon for public cloud project

The FBI is running a competition to pick an Amazon Web Services reseller to help the agency field a cloud-based environment for its developers.

The FBI is planning a competition for a public cloud-based system for its developers.

The only catch is that they will only entertain bids from resellers of Amazon Web Services, according to procurement documents.

The FBI Operational Technology Division is the buyer of the Infrastructure as a Service offering. The division acts a development arm of the FBI and designs and builds products to help the bureau analyze intelligence, evaluate evidence, conduct digital forensics, perform surveillance, and communicate.

The contract will be for five years.

The public cloud environment will include security, service delivery and the capabilities needed to support the agency in development and testing, quality assurance, and production needs. The contract also covers storage capabilities, virtual machines, data centers, training, and other support services.

Amazon and the FBI have been working together since 2013 when InfoReliance won a one-year contract to provide Amazon Web Services to the bureau, according to procurement documents.

One of the reasons this is an Amazon-only competition is that when the FBI put out the original solicitation, all the respondents were Amazon partners.

Responses are due July 30.