The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center is looking for AI test and evaluation services to support the Defense Department and "the entire U.S. government," according to a new request for proposal posted Feb. 11. The JAIC, through Army Contracting Command-Rock Island, intends to award multiple blanket purchase agreements for AI testing and evaluation services. The contract has a ceiling of more than $249 million, according to a question and answer document posted along with the RFP. Offers on the solicitation are due March 5. Jane Pinelis, the JAIC's testing and evaluation chief, said the contract and another forthcoming multi-award contract for data readiness assessments will help connect DOD components to industry partners with readily available services facilitating AI adoption. Data readiness has been one of the biggest impediments thwarting fielding of AI in DOD, she said.

Having access to the right data when it is needed will significantly ease and speed the development of future Department of Defense artificial intelligence capabilities. Unfortunately, much of the data that could be used for AI development in the DoD is not collected or stored effectively for optimal use. For this reason, data scientists and AI practitioners from the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center are encouraging DoD components to begin thinking about how to make their systems and procedures "AI-Ready." "When someone comes and asks us to build an impactful AI application to help them make better decisions on the battlefield, we don't want to have to respond with, 'Well, we'd love to help you, but you don't have any data. So, we'll have to start from scratch,'" said Colonel Bradley Boyd, lead for the JAIC's Joint Warfighting Operations Mission Initiative.