The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is expanding one of its industry outreach programs that aims to modernize the intelligence community’s (IC’s) IT through accelerated tech acquisition processes.
The program, the Intelligence Science and Technology Partnership, or In-STeP, enables industry representatives to introduce their products to IC leaders and intends to create more collaborative relationships between the IC and private-sector organizations.
Although In-STeP broadly welcomes product pitches from a variety of science and technology areas, such as biology, chemistry, computing, and energy, a recent ODNI request for information (RFI) said that the office is looking to include new topics of inquiry in In-STeP meetings and offers from industry. These include:
- Furthering intelligence capabilities through artificial intelligence and automation;
- Creating an expert workforce that easily works between the IC and private sector;
- Expediting acquisition processes;
- Modernizing data management and IT infrastructure;
- Creating further partnerships with industry; and
- Bolstering national cybersecurity posture.
ODNI’s Transformation and Innovation Office clears interested vendors in the initial proposal process. Cleared vendors will then have the opportunity to participate in a 90-minute meeting either virtually or in-person to pitch ideas to IC officials, according to the RFI.