Pentagon starts on-ramp for $249M AI staffing pact

The Defense Department has started its search for more companies to join a decentralized contract that provides staffing support for the military’s artificial intelligence initiatives.

Artificial Intelligence Talent 2.0 is structured as a series of basic ordering agreements that all government agencies can place task orders against for AI-related program and technical management support.

In a solicitation released Wednesday, DOD is starting the on-ramp process for the contract with proposals due by June 14.

AI Talent 2.0’s task orders have a cumulative value of $249 million and the ordering period closes May 5, 2028.

DOD chose these 31 companies for the first block of awards in May and June of 2023, according to Deltek data.

The department wants bidders to demonstrate up to five years of relevant experience and capability in the staffing of highly-technical personnel and development of AI/ML solutions for DOD.

Proposals must also include descriptions of how a company can manage a task order with at least 10 personnel anywhere in the U.S. with a potential total workforce of up to 50 people across multiple agencies.

DOD is also asking this question in its search:

“Can your company provide demonstrable use cases that have resulted in expeditious fulfillment of AI/ML/data science specific staff for primary requisitions and backfill replacements? This can be within any USG agency or within your company’s team.”

Examples of work areas include agile development, cyber analytics, cybersecurity, systems engineering, machine learning model development, ML operations, and applied data science and testing.