Sonny Hashmi: GSA Envisions Governmentwide Acquisition Vehicle for AI Technologies

A General Services Administration official said the agency is looking at a governmentwide buying power capability for artificial intelligence technologies to promote efficient and rapid acquisition.

Sonny Hashmi, commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, a past Wash100 winner and a past Potomac Officers Club speaker, said the governmentwide vehicle should be repeatable and should keep up with the pace at which AI grows. According to Hashmi, GSA is expected to work with the Office of Management and Budget on identifying the best vehicle for AI acquisition.

The agency could apply the lessons it learned when it worked with the Department of Defense on cloud acquisition strategies, FedScoop reported.

Despite Hashmi promoting the vehicle as beneficial for AI integration, it may not be for everyone, as alluded to by a DOD official in July.

The Pentagon’s deputy chief digital and AI officer said she favors a decentralized acquisition approach to account for DOD’s size and diversity. According to Margaret Palmieri, DOD may not need departmentwide AI acquisition guidance and could benefit from an agreement that would facilitate innovation rather than a one-size-fits-all vehicle.