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Contracts · AI

Pentagon issues contract templates for Trump's 'unbiased AI' principles, DefenseScoop reports

An Oct. 20 memo provides adaptable solicitation and contract language, including instructions on documentation vendors must submit to demonstrate compliance with “unbiased AI” principles, DefenseScoop reports.

The Department of War has issued templates for implementing the Trump administration's “truth-seeking” and “ideological neutrality” principles in AI procurements, DefenseScoop reports. Compliance with the White House directives is mandatory, but components can tailor the language to each acquisition's context and risk level.1

Pentagon AI procurement templates can be tailored; compliance is mandatory

Templates in the Oct. 20 Pentagon memo on AI procurements, as reported by DefenseScoop

Requiring activity memorandumFor the requiring activity to select the appropriate transparency requirements for the procurement
Solicitation languageInstructs vendors on the documentation they must provide to demonstrate compliance
Formal contract languageCould be included in a Statement of Work or Performance Work Statement, in solicitations and final contracts
Unbiased AI PrinciplesThe memo's stated aim for the templates: to document, solicit and enforce the principles in procurements

The memo says compliance with the White House directives is mandatory; components can tailor the template language to each acquisition's context and risk level.

Reported by DefenseScoop, Oct. 23, 2026, on an Oct. 20 Pentagon memo

TGOs tgos.io

The Oct. 20 memo came from John Tenaglia, principal director for Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy. It supports President Donald Trump's executive order, “Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government.” It also supports the Office of Management and Budget memo, “Increasing Public Trust in Artificial Intelligence Through Unbiased AI Principles.”1

The templates include a memorandum for the requiring activity to select appropriate transparency requirements and solicitation language specifying the documentation vendors must provide to demonstrate compliance. Formal contract language could go into a Statement of Work or Performance Work Statement in solicitations and final contracts.1

The memo also recommends defining terms, spelling out submission requirements and making the documentation a formal part of the proposal process.1

For large language model purchases, the department must obtain enough contractor information to determine compliance with the executive order's principles, DefenseScoop reports. An attachment recognizes that the amount and type of information available varies with the contractor's role in the software supply chain and relationship to the model developer. More information is generally available from sources closer to the original developer.1

Sources (1)
  1. DefenseScoop, “Pentagon issues guidance on AI procurements to support Trump's 'truth-seeking' and 'ideological neutrality' directives,” Oct. 23, 2026 defensescoop.com
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Contracts · Cyber infrastructure

DISA seeks cloud identity and access prototype for Department of War

Responses are due Nov. 30 for a commercial identity-management prototype. It would operate across IL5 and IL6 environments.

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is seeking a commercial, cloud-hosted identity and access management prototype to modernize the Department of War’s legacy identity infrastructure.1

DISA seeks solutions to prototype a Next Generation E-ICAM capability

Enterprise Identity, Credential, and Access Management (E-ICAM)

modernize legacy identity infrastructuremodular, cloud-hostedplanned

This effort will modernize legacy identity infrastructure with a modular, cloud-hosted commercial off-the-shelf/software-as-a-service solution operating across IL5 and IL6 environments.

The prototype must address the Federated Identity Provider, Automated Account Provisioning, Master Entitlement Record, and Federation Hub core capabilities.

Response deadline is Nov. 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. America/Chicago (Monday)

Source: SAM.gov. As of Nov. 7, 2026.

Sources
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DISA is seeking the capability through a prototype Other Transaction opportunity linked to its competitive Commercial Solutions Opening.1–3

The Next Generation Enterprise Identity, Credential, and Access Management (E-ICAM) effort calls for a modular commercial off-the-shelf or software-as-a-service solution. The solution would operate across Impact Level 5 (IL5) and Impact Level 6 (IL6) environments. The prototype must address four core capabilities: Federated Identity Provider, Automated Account Provisioning, Master Entitlement Record and Federation Hub.1

Responses to the Area of Interest are due Nov. 30 at 5 p.m. Central.1

DISA’s Commercial Solutions Opening and any Other Transactions awarded through it are not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation or its supplements.3

Sources (3)
  1. SAM.gov notice record sam.gov
  2. SAM.gov notice history sam.gov
  3. SAM.gov: DISA Commercial Solutions Opening (HC108425S0001) sam.gov
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Contracts · Space

Viasat wins contract for Space Data Network’s mission operations hub

The award includes a $115 million initial task order to design, field and scale the center, under a contract with a $450 million ceiling.

Space Systems Command (SSC) awarded Viasat a competitive indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Space Data Network Backbone’s Mission Operations Center, the command announced Nov. 5, 2026. The contract carries a $450 million maximum ceiling and a $115 million initial task order to design, field and scale the center.1

Viasat, Inc. will serve as the network and mission system integration partner

Mission Operations Center (MOC) for the Space Data Network Backbone

maximum ceiling$450 millionactual

contract to Viasat, Inc., with a maximum ceiling of $450 million

initial task order$115 millionactual

to design, field, and scale the MOC

Source: Space Systems Command, Nov. 5, 2026

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

Viasat will serve as the network and mission system integration partner as SSC expands its open-architecture ecosystem across multiple space-segment providers. SSC plans to bring mission integration, network operations and data transport management together through the center.1

The effort builds on the multi-vendor acquisition strategy demonstrated in the Space-Based Sensing and Targeting portfolio’s earlier Delivery Order 2 and Delivery Order 3 work. That work involved Amazon LEO for Government, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Lab and York Space Systems.1

Breaking Defense reported that the center will serve as the network orchestration hub for the backbone, a low Earth orbit constellation being built by SpaceX. The network’s near-term focus will be supporting the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, the outlet reported.2

DefenseScoop reported that earlier this year the Department of War awarded SpaceX a $2.3 billion contract to deliver a fully operational backbone prototype by the end of 2027.3

The center is intended to integrate mission systems across multiple constellations and providers.1 Breaking Defense described network orchestration as autonomously shifting data among satellite constellations and ground stations when congestion or jamming slows transmission.2

Sources (3)
  1. SSC release, Nov. 5, 2026 www.ssc.spaceforce.mil
  2. Breaking Defense breakingdefense.com
  3. DefenseScoop defensescoop.com
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