The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center is out with a $241 million contract vehicle to help the Defense Department become ready for AI development by preparing data for the emerging technology. The Data Readiness for Artificial Intelligence Development services solicitation covers a five-year performance period and will result in multiple basic ordering agreements, according to the solicitation documents published Wednesday to beta.sam.gov. "The purpose of this Performance Work Statement (PWS) is to help the DoD and Government users prepare data for use in AI applications by providing an easily accessible path to access the cutting-edge commercial services needed to meet the complex technical challenges involved in preparing data for AI," the documents read. "Through access to AI data preparation tools, capabilities, and services, the DoD will be positioned to effectively prepare AI data to support the full range of AI activities across the DoD." The PWS indicates the services the Defense Department is looking for under this contract include curating, preparing, securing, and encrypting data for AI, securing, packaging and delivering AI tools, and making sure those tools can be integrated into cloud platforms.