The Intelligence Community is in the midst of a significant push to foster a collaborative spirit across its many components. Breaking down barriers between IC agencies and with other federal organizations is a top priority for the community, and many of its guiding strategies highlight partnerships as a means to achieve modernization goals.
Along with government agencies, the IC is also engaging with industry, using contracts to communicate what intelligence organizations need and how private sector technologies can help. Keep reading for a breakdown of major intelligence contract opportunities and programs in which your company can get involved.
Intelligence Contract Opportunities
DIA Commercial Solutions Opening
Due Date: Dec. 26, 2028
The Defense Intelligence Agency is currently accepting solicitations for offerings that could optimize its effectiveness and efficiency through NeedipeDIA, the agency’s unclassified website that broadcasts mission needs to outside partners.
This opportunity is broad, covering “the full range and full scope of possible innovative ideas from all interested and qualified sources.” In the solicitation, DIA defines innovation as “any technology, process or method, including research and development,” and any application that is new at the time of proposal submission.
Though there is currently no set funding amount for the solicitation, awards issued as part of the CSO could surpass $100 million with approval from the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment or other military acquisition executive.
Boosting Innovative GEOINT Science and Technology
Due Date: Dec. 14, 2026
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Boosting Innovative GEOINT Science and Technology, or BIG-ST, announcement asks proposers to “submit innovative concepts to address hard GEOINT problems” across three major technical domains:
- Foundational GEOINT
- Advanced phenomenologies
- Analytic technologies
This opportunity is divided into separate Topic Calls, and there are currently three active topics:
- GEOINT Foundational Model, or GFM
- Magnifying University Science Expertise, or MUSE
- Very Long Baseline Interferometry with Global Navigational Satellite Systems Capabilities, or VLBI+G, Radio Telescope Signal Chain Development
Proposals for these topics are already under review, but more Topic Calls will likely be released before the program closes in December 2026.
FBI Enterprise Technology
Due Date: May 16, 2025
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently accepting responses to a broad agency announcement for research and development services. Its general objective is to “encourage participation by science and technology firms and educational institutions in meeting FBI research and development goals for innovative ideas and approaches for research that is general in nature.”
The announcement lists five main areas of focus:
- Leveraging artificial intelligence and its sub-fields
- Enhancing counterintelligence and security
- Mission-enhancing science and technology
- Improving mission support capabilities
- Increase organizational effectiveness
These categories cover a wide range of specific technology needs, such as data management tools, digital signals processing capabilities and cyber defenses, among many others.
Key Intelligence Programs & Potential Opportunities
Project Maven
Recent milestones in Project Maven — an effort to accelerate the adoption of AI across the U.S. military — have pushed leaders to start integrating more contracts into the program as it moves forward.
According to NGA Maven Office Director Rachael Martin, a 2024 Wash100 Award winner who spoke at the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual AI Summit in March, the initiative has made significant progress in developing advanced GEOINT capabilities and is now moving to scale these tools across the Department of Defense.
At the NGA Industry Summit in November 2023, Martin said the agency was hoping to issue a request for proposals for data labeling capabilities in the second quarter of fiscal year 2024, and in July, the agency awarded Scale AI the $24 million NGA Maven Data Labeling Services Bridge contract.
MARS
DIA’s Machine-assisted Analytic Rapid-repository System, known as MARS, is a cloud-based system designed to automate day-to-day processes and streamline data analysis using AI and machine learning and human-machine teaming. It is intended to “give national-level decision makers greater confidence in their plans, knowing they have been informed by the best information available,” according to the agency’s website.
In November, Scott Berrier, a retired Army lieutenant general who served as director of DIA until February, shared that the agency expects MARS to achieve full operational capability in 2025, Breaking Defense reported.
DIA has previously leveraged contracts to move the MARS program forward. In August 2020, the agency issued a $690 award that includes work on the system to a Northrop Grumman unit, which has since been absorbed by Parsons.
Learn More About IC Contracting Efforts
The Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Intel Summit on Sept. 19 will give you the opportunity to hear from top IC decision makers and get a glimpse into major IC priorities and initiatives. One speaker, Dr. Timothy Wood, currently serves as deputy program manager for the MARS Program Management Office.
These leaders will be joined by industry experts, and periodic networking sessions will give you the chance to meet like-minded peers and strengthen your understanding of the intelligence technology marketplace.
To take advantage of all the 2024 Intel Summit offers, register to attend the event on the Potomac Officers Club website.
