GSA Launches RFI to Explore AI Services & Products Market

To deepen its understanding of the evolving field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the General Services Administration (GSA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI). This initiative, purely for research purposes, does not anticipate any subsequent procurement activities. The focus of this RFI is to gather insights from vendors who are already engaged in the GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) IT contracts and those involved in Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs), specifically those offering AI services and products. The survey also extends to commercial entities capable of providing AI solutions.

GSA has structured the RFI to include specific questions, which respondents are encouraged to answer in the designated areas of the survey. It’s important to note that this RFI has been exclusively distributed to current holders of MAS IT contracts and GWAC Prime contracts. Interested parties not holding these contracts but wishing to participate are advised to collaborate with a strategic partner. Responses to the RFI are expected by 5:00 PM EST on December 15, 2023.

To assist those who many not have seen it, we have include some of the survey questions below.

1. Has your organization started making or completed any changes, updates, or additions to address Executive Order 14110—Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence? (Please briefly explain your answer)
2. Can your organization provide any AI related services and/or products?
3. Can your organization provide any specific services and/or products, related to tools and services in regard to automated AI analysis and planning?
4. Does your organization currently have a contract to provide any federal, state, local, or tribal entities with any AI related services and/or products?
5. Does your organization currently have a contract to provide any federal, state, local, or tribal entities with any specific services and/or products, related to tools and services in regard to automated AI analysis and planning?
6. Relating to AI, does your organization foresee any risks or impacts to your IT systems’ ability to support federal, state, local, or tribal entities?
7. Has your organization taken any actions to make your IT systems supporting federal, state, local, or tribal contracts AI-safe?
8. Does your organization have any AI related services and/or products that should be added to federal, state, local, or tribal contracts?
9. Does your organization have any AI related services and/or products currently under development that are not yet ready to be added to federal, state, local, or tribal contracts?
10. Please identify any AI related services and/or products your organization provides. Keep descriptions short and concise.
11. If your organization can provide any specific services and/or products, related to tools and services in regard to automated AI analysis and planning, please explain. Keep descriptions short and concise.
12. If your organization has been awarded a contract(s) (current or completed) to provide any federal, state, local, or tribal entities with any AI related services and/or products, please explain.
13. Please provide the business volume in U.S. dollar amount for each entity that you are providing the referenced services and/or products. Keep your answer short and concise
14. If your organization has been awarded a contract(s) (current or completed) to provide any federal, state, local, or tribal entities with any specific services and/or products, related to tools and services in regard to automated AI analysis and planning, please explain.
15. Please provide the business volume in U.S. dollar amount for each entity that you are providing the referenced services and/or products. Keep your answer short and concise.
16. Relating to AI, if your organization foresees risks or impacts to your IT systems’ ability to support federal, state, local, or tribal entities, please explain. Keep your answer short and concise.
17. If your organization has taken any actions to make your IT systems supporting federal, state, local, or tribal contracts AI-safe, please explain. Keep your answer short and concise.
18. If your organization has any AI related services and/or products that should be added to federal, state, local, or tribal contracts, please explain. Keep your answer short and concise.
19. If your organization has any AI related services and/or products currently under development, that are not yet ready to be added to federal, state, local, or tribal contracts, please explain. Please provide an estimated timeline that these products and/or services will be ready to add to federal, state, local, or tribal contracts? Keep your answer short and concise.

As reference, GSA provided two things

1. A Definition of Executive Order (EO) 14110 of October 30, 2023, Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, which explains that the Federal Government must protect Americans from the potential risks of AI systems. The EO charges agencies with developing standards, tools, and tests to help ensure that AI systems are properly secure and trustworthy. The order also requires development of best practices to ensure jobs are protected and the privacy of all Americans are protected.
2. And they provided a list of keywords that may be associated with AI:

AI, AI Algorithms, AI as a Service (AIaaS), AI-Based, AI-Driven, AI-Enabled, AI Hardware, AI Models, AI Orchestrated, AI-Powered, AI Solutions, AI Software, AI Systems, AI Threats, AI Tools, Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Assisted intelligence, Augmented intelligence, Autonomous intelligence, Chatbots, Cognitive cloud computing, Cognitive Computing, Computational Intelligence, Data Mining, Deep Learning, Explainable AI, Generative AI, Large Language Model (LLM), Machine Learning, Machine Reasoning (MR), Natural Language Generation (NLG), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Natural Language Understanding (NLU), Neural networks, Open AI, Predictive Analytics, Reinforcement Learning, Sentiment Analysis, Simulated Neural Network (SNN), Strong AI, Supervised Learning, Text Mining, Unsupervised Learning, Weak AI

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