The Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) today announced a call for project proposals centered around the use of artificial intelligence technologies and in support of President Biden’s AI executive order (EO) issued last October.
The TMF, which is administered by the General Services Administration (GSA), was created in 2017 under the Modernizing Government Technology Act to provide money to Federal civilian agencies to undertake tech modernization projects. The fund in recent months has been spending down some of the $1 billion cash infusion it received from Congress in 2021.
The TMF Board said today it will now give “an expedited review process” to agency AI proposals seeking $6 million or less and having a project timeline of 1.5 years or less.
“The executive order’s emphasis on investing in AI through the Technology Modernization Fund speaks to the administration’s strong commitment to responsibly explore the potential of AI innovation to enhance and optimize government service delivery,” TMF Acting Executive Director Larry Bafundo said in a press release.
“We’re excited to partner with agencies with the aim to enable rapid deployment, process automation, delivery of assistive technology, better customer experience, and reduced administrative burden for staff,” Bafundo added.
The TMF Board noted that it welcomes AI proposals of all sizes, but it will not expedite proposals that are larger than $6 million. Nevertheless, the board said agencies should expect to repay at least 50 percent of their investment to TMF over five years.
In addition to receiving expedited treatment, agency teams can also participate in an AI pilot cohort and attend workshops with other project teams. TMF will also provide them with procurement assistance “using TMF’s recommended procurement approach to reduce risk and increase impact.”
All proposals aiming to go through the expedited process must include a clear plan for user testing, risk mitigation, and evaluation metrics. They should also have senior executive support and adopt a streamlined and objective-based procurement method; however, the TMF Board said “agencies have flexibility in how they approach their project and potential solutions.”
“As one of the world’s largest enterprises, the Federal government has an obligation to harness the power of AI for good while protecting people from its risks,” said TMF Board Chair and Federal Chief Information Officer, Clare Martorana. “We have identified more than 700 use cases of where AI is being deployed across the Federal government, from its use in anticipating and mitigating prescription drug shortages and supply chain issues to assisting cyber forensic specialists in detecting anomalies and potential threats in federal civilian networks.”
“Use of the TMF has the potential to accelerate AI usage in government and unlock the innovation that we know we are capable of delivering for the public,” Martorana added.
Interested agencies are encouraged to reach out using the TMF’s Expression of Interest form or by emailing tmf@gsa.gov. Submissions are open on a rolling basis with no due date.
