Mabel R. ActonThe U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) that will make it easier for federal agencies to access innovative technology solutions. The MOU establishes a framework for GSA to transition successfully-prototyped DIU technology solutions to GSA contract vehicles.
A Department of Defense (DoD) organization, DIU accelerates the adoption of emerging commercial technology into the U.S. military by lowering the barriers to entry and streamlining acquisitions via their Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process.
“Partnering with GSA to more easily bring proven, innovative, and emerging technologies to meet agency missions across the U.S. government is a win-win for both the taxpayers and for the commercial companies working with DIU,” said Mike Brown, DIU director.
The MOU supports GSA’s mission and commitment to bringing innovative solutions to federal customers. The agreement will increase the speed at which all U.S. Government agencies can access non-traditional industry partners through GSA contracts. The two organizations are working together to leverage DIU’s use of the competitive Other Transaction (OT) authority and its follow-on production contracting, combined with GSA’s streamlined FASt Lane process to onboard DIU industry partners.
As a transition partner with DIU, GSA will enable both DoD and non-DoD entities to scale novel commercial technologies across the United States, including those needed at the federal, state, local, and tribal levels.
“Sharing expertise and intellectual resources between agencies is mutually beneficial to DIU and GSA’s missions,” said Laura Stanton, assistant commissioner for the Office of Information Technology Category (ITC). “We’re really excited to bring these innovative companies — many of which are small businesses — to GSA contracts.”
The six key areas of emerging commercial technology that DIU focuses on are:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML)
- Autonomy
- Cyber
- Energy
- Human Systems
- Space
The establishment of this MOU will be the second coordinated effort between the two organizations. The first effort focused on making National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)-compliant drones available through GSA, for DoD as well as any Government entity. This endeavor, called Blue UAS, is a holistic and continuous approach to rapidly prototyping and scaling capable and secure commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology to DoD as well as to any Government entity through GSA.
For more information please visit www.diu.mil or www.gsa.gov/itc.
