Pentagon unveils $15B enterprise data and analytics recompete plan

The Pentagon’s Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO) has announced a $15 billion, 10-year recompete plan for its Advana data platform, which supports decision-making across DOD, reports DefenseScoop.

Advana, a portmanteau of “advancing analytics,” aims to involve a diverse range of companies to expand analytic capabilities, but questions remain about how the acquisition process will unfold. The article states that Advana’s “key users from around DOD spotlighted real-world impacts of the platform—and particularly amid the Russia-Ukraine war and the U.S. military’s evacuation from Afghanistan.”

“Advana’s roots trace back to DOD’s chief financial officer’s unit, when officials needed to pull data from thousands of different business systems that previously weren’t interoperable. But in June 2021, Booz Allen won a five-year, $647 million contract to expand the program.” Acting Deputy CDAO Bonnie Evangelista emphasized the importance of industry feedback to refine the strategy and align it with evolving technology needs.

Evangelista explained, “There’s a technical evolution that is opening up the breadth of capabilities within the Advana platform, and so the acquisition approach is now being aligned to match that in a way where we believe we’re growing acquisition capabilities.” The recompete plan includes multiple award IDIQ contracts for continuous competition and flexibility, allowing new companies to participate over time.