DOD starts to build $140M contract for IT, automation program support

The Defense Department’s lead organization for acquiring administrative and management support services on behalf of other DOD entities has started to build a contract for acquiring IT, artificial intelligence and machine learning programmatic support services.

Washington Headquarters Services has also decided that the potential five-year, $140 million contract will be set aside for small businesses with the 8(a) socioeconomic designation.

A sources sought notice posted Thursday outlines the period of performance as including one initial base year and up to four option years.

The selected contractor will work directly with DOD’s Office of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer on efforts to roll out AI capabilities across the department on a quicker turn.

IT program management, infrastructure and architecture support, data engineering, data integration, strategy and policy support, and development support are among the services WHS is interested in acquiring on behalf of the OCDAO team.

For OCDAO, the envisioned contract will contribute to its efforts to synchronize data analysis and AI activities across DOD in order to give combat forces a greater advantage.

WHS and OCDAO want responses from interested offerors to detail their ability and experience in providing a cross-functional team of professionals such as systems engineers, data architects, data analysts, data scientists and policy subject matter experts to other federal agencies.

Responses to the request for information are due by April 4. The planned contract is a brand new requirement.