The Intelligence Community (IC) has spearheaded new efforts to integrate emerging technologies, such as cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, to remain up to speed with the advancing science and technology landscape.
During GovConWire’s IC Acquisition and Innovation Forum, notable federal and industry leaders will address acquisition and procurement within the IC, including workforce retention, technology strategies, such as Cloud and AI adoption, as well as industry partnerships.
To register for the IC Acquisition and Innovation Forum, as well as view upcoming opportunities, visit GovConWire’s Event Page.
In 2019, the IC released the National Intelligence Strategy (NIS), which has provided the strategic direction from the director of National Intelligence (DNI) for the next four years.
It supports the national security priorities outlined in the National Security Strategy as well as other national strategies. In executing the NIS, all IC activities must be responsive to national security priorities and must comply with oversight requirements.
The IC also published an official cloud strategy in 2019, which consolidated nearly 300 priorities from 17 different agencies into one document. The IC launched two major procurements that will build on that IC cloud strategy.
The first is a follow-on to the commercial cloud services (C2S), an Amazon Web Services effort that runs on all three security fabrics: top-secret, secret and unclassified. The current model allows the IC to pay only for the cloud services it needs, with Amazon shouldering most of the costs of capital upkeep, patching and deployment of new capabilities.
The next iteration, commercial cloud enterprise (C2E), will build on the successes of C2S. C2E will be a multi-cloud, multi-vendor environment, again covering three security levels. In Nov. 2020, Amazon Web Services, Google, IBM, Microsoft and Oracle were awarded spots on a potential multibillion-dollar, C2E indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the CIA.
Additionally, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) bid out its Defense Enclave Services contract in December. The single-award contract will be worth an estimated $11 billion.
Through the contract, the Pentagon aims to consolidate “fourth estate” networks under a common architecture. Bids for the contract are due by Feb. 8, 2021, with an award expected in the first quarter of 2022.
John Sherman, IC chief information officer, stated that partnerships with both internal and external stakeholders will be key to IT modernization success.
Sherman supervises the entire IC Information Technology Enterprise. He said that important partners are the 17 intelligence agencies, and their respective CIOs, that he works with from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
“I really see the leadership we provide — setting the vision, being the shepherd for the 17 agencies, as really the most important role we have,” Sherman said. Success, he added, means doing whatever it takes to make these agencies successful.
During GovConWire’s IC Acquisition and Innovation Forum, Suzanne White, deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), will discuss how the IC has spearheaded new efforts to integrate emerging technologies, such as cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, to remain up to speed with the advancing science and technology landscape.
White will serve as the opening keynote speaker during the event. In 2019, White discussed how DIA will work to modernize systems to improve efficiency within the IC. She discussed the modernization of the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS), which would help support the agency’s expanded mission, as well as increase its capabilities.
White said that JWICS, a top secret, “sensitive, compartmented information” network, was designed to serve the IC. The system expanded since its inception, and has required modernization efforts to support military intelligence.
During the IC Acquisition and Innovation Forum, GovConWire will also host an expert panel, featuring leaders across the IC, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and National Security Agency (NSA), as well as industry partners.
To register for the IC Acquisition and Innovation Forum, as well as view upcoming opportunities, visit GovConWire’s Event Page.
