Objective
DLA Research & Development's Acquisition Modernization Technology Research Program assesses acquisition and procurement processes, uncovers and prioritizes areas that would benefit from IT modernization or advanced technologies, evaluates technical requirements, and pursues future research efforts for DLA.
Contract Quality
DLA has recognized the need for a single, data-driven system that manages contract quality across the organization, incorporating modern technologies and best practices to ensure that DLA award action quality is of the highest possible standard..
Commerciality and Pricing Reasonableness Assessment
AI-powered capability that provides DLA, DCMA & DPCAP users modernized commerciality & price reasonableness determinations, resulting in faster acquisition timelines and cost savings.
Smart Contracts
DLA is currently exploring the potential for Smart Contracts in the DLA Acquisition process, using blockchain and other advanced technologies to enhance flow, increase accuracy, reduce costs, and improve auditability.
Innovation & Technology
Identifying solutions to:
- Improve contract award and management
- Automate manually intensive and repetitive, rule-based tasks
- Support and improve processes and data
Exploring potential uses of the following technologies:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Machine Learning
- Natural Language Processing
- Generative AI
- Blockchain
Strategic Thrusts
- Identify and incorporate emerging technologies across DLA acquisition processes
- Improve quality and speed in contracting
- Leverage commercial best practices
Program Focus Areas
DLA will create a strategic, integrated and approach preparing our acquisition workforce to handle future challenges by:
- Strengthening our knowledge-rich acquisition workforce
- Applying innovative processes
- Leveraging a connected and secure supply chain
- Capitalizing on emerging technology
- Maximizing enterprise IT modernization
- Integrating data science and analytics
- Gathering and applying enhanced market intelligence
- Deepening industry engagement for innovation
Benefits
- Increased speed-to-procurement through enriched systems/tools
- Improved pricing through comparing DLA-managed parts to identical or similar commercial items
- Improved product quality and maximized value from accessible and assured suppliers
- Informed decision-making enabled by new tools that provide information visibility
- Increased competition among high quality suppliers
Partners
- DLA Major Subordinate Commands
- DLA Staff Directorates
- Industry
- Federal Agencies
Ongoing Efforts
- Completed enterprise-wide assessment of DLA Market Intelligence processes in FY25.
- The AI Commerciality Determination and Pricing project will develop models that provide DLA, DCMA, and DPCAP users the capability to assess the commerciality and price reasonableness of specific parts using AI/ML models to compare them with industry commercial part listings.
- The Contract Quality Control (CQC) project is developing detailed functional and technical requirements for two specific AI/ML use cases designed to automate complex contracting functions.
- The Smart Contracts project is exploring automation to enhance flow and auditability in DLA’s contracting process. Delivered a proof-of-concept that demonstrates the value of this technology in Unliquidated Obligations Process Resolution.