Photo By James Rawlinson | U.S. Army Contracting Command commanding general, Maj. Gen. Douglas Lowrey, challenged...... read more read more
Contracting has been a cornerstone of Army readiness since the nation’s founding. After calling for an Army to be raised, the Continental Congress recognized that securing supplies and resources was just as critical as fielding troops. Today, the spirit of that mission continues with Army Contracting Command leveraging AI to ensure that combatant commanders have what they need as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Progress in technological developments keeps a steady pace and occasionally makes evolutionary leaps forward. Prior advancements—like aviation, broadcasting, the internet, and smart devices—have not only changed the technological landscape but also how humans interact with the world. Some experts and thought leaders believe we are at the beginning of the next major evolution—Artificial Intelligence. While there is some uncertainty about AI’s full utility, progress is ultimately driven by experimentation. ACC is embracing this challenge, pushing its workforce to leverage AI to enhance efficiency in supporting the modern warfighter.
The integration of AI into military contracting is transforming the way operations are conducted, increasing efficiency, agility, and responsiveness. Leaders at ACC see AI as a game-changer, helping to streamline administrative processes, optimize workflows, and enhance decision-making capabilities.
“The demand for contracting support has never been higher,” said Maj. Gen. Douglas Lowrey, commanding general, ACC. “And we owe it to Army senior leaders and combatant commanders to use every resource available to us to be as responsive and agile as possible.”
The First Quarter, Fiscal Year 2025, “AI Innovation Challenge” marked a significant shift in how the Army can approach AI, showcasing creativity, collaboration, and unprecedented efficiency. The challenge began as an ambitious experiment to explore generative AI’s potential across command functions. Within weeks, it evolved into a transformative initiative that inspired hundreds of participants.
This momentum set the stage for an even bigger showdown—the Phase Two competition, where ACC went head-to-head against the Air Force in a cross-service AI challenge. The Army’s early adoption of AI tools like CamoGPT gave it a strong foundation, but the Air Force brought its own expertise, setting up a contest that would push both services to expand even further its innovation tools. This collaborative effort demonstrated the potential of AI to revolutionize contracting processes.
Heather Duffy, ACC procurement analyst, and Jeffery Moore, ACC data scientist, drove the challenge. Each witnessed firsthand the impact of AI adoption within contracting. "We're excited about the competition and how far we've come," Moore shared, highlighting the enthusiasm surrounding the deployment of AI-driven solutions. The challenge, now in its second phase, aims to embed AI into daily tasks, accelerating contract processes and reducing time-consuming inefficiencies.
Duffy noted the growing acceptance of AI tools like CamoGPT. "The number of people embracing not only CamoGPT but other AI tools to work smarter and more efficiently—it’s great to see," she said. The initiative was initially driven by a vision to modernize the workforce by integrating generative AI into daily operations. "From the initial pitch to kicking off the competition was less than a week," Moore recalled, emphasizing the urgency to innovate without bureaucratic delays.
The first phase of the AI Innovation Challenge saw an impressive 85 use cases submitted, but the second round, fueled by inter-service rivalry, generated even more momentum, with 225 total entries. The Air Force brought its own unique applications, focusing on AI-driven logistics and supply chain optimizations, creating an intense and productive exchange of ideas between the two branches. ACC submitted 198 of the 225 total use cases, demonstrating strong participation.
The AI Innovation Challenge Phase One winning submission – an AI-driven meeting transcript summarization tool – has been successfully implemented across ACC. This tool ensures consistent information dissemination post-meeting, as noted by Moore: 'It allows people to level-set coming out of a meeting, so everyone gets the same information.
Beyond these creative applications, AI is fundamentally reshaping how contracting professionals handle policy and regulatory documents. "We have an Army Contracting Command workspace in CamoGPT where key regulatory documents are uploaded," Moore said. This centralized access allows personnel to quickly query policies, reducing delays in contract negotiations and compliance verification.
Both competitions’ formats encouraged participants to engage with AI creatively, leading to a surge of interest. "We expected a modest turnout," Moore shared, "but over 1,800 personnel joined our training sessions." The challenges became a launchpad for exploration, with users ranging from AI novices to seasoned innovators eager to push boundaries.
The results of Phase Two showcased a wealth of potential. ACC’s top submissions focused on streamlining critical processes. The first, a solution for rapid determination document generation, combines relevant templates based on requirements, drastically reducing staffing and approval times and eliminating redundant verbiage. Secondly, a system to streamline contract closeout tracking leverages CamoGPT-powered emails, automated delivery via MS Power Automate, and secure document sharing through MS SharePoint, enabling timely updates and preventing costly overage closeouts. Finally, a Performance Requirements Summary tool assists contracting officers and requiring activities in quickly building compliant PRS documents by analyzing a PWS with CamoGPT, significantly reducing administrative workload.
One of the standout submissions by the Air Force was an AI podcast generator, capable of transforming PowerPoint training slides into concise, eight to 20 minute podcasts with two AI hosts discussing the material, providing a convenient and effective method for skill enhancement.
While the benefits of AI adoption are clear, challenges remain. Duffy emphasized the importance of maintaining human oversight. "It’s not always accurate," she cautioned. "People still need to use their brains—you don’t want AI replacing critical thinking." Moore echoed this sentiment, reinforcing that AI should serve as an enhancement rather than a replacement for human expertise.
The push for AI adoption in contracting is driven by the need for increased efficiency, cost savings, and improved compliance. By leveraging AI and digital tools, contracting teams can keep pace with technological advancements and streamline procurement processes. New strategies emphasize leveraging existing innovations and authorities to improve responsiveness. In short, AI is no longer a future possibility in federal contracting – it’s a present reality, and understanding its potential is crucial for both government agencies and businesses seeking to participate in the federal marketplace.
To support this transition, efforts are underway to standardize AI-driven efficiencies in contracting workflows. "We want to turn these use cases into standardized processes," Duffy said. An AI master class is in development to further educate personnel on prompt engineering and AI applications, ensuring that contracting professionals can maximize the potential of these tools.
Training initiatives also aim to expand the understanding of AI’s role. "There’s a class coming up where I’ll be teaching about generative AI in contracting," Moore shared. The broader vision is to extend AI’s benefits to other areas, including training programs and even doctrinal development.
The ACC-Air Force AI Challenge has demonstrated the power of inter-service collaboration in advancing AI adoption. The exchange of ideas and solutions between the two branches has led to rapid innovations that might not have emerged in isolation. This competition has not only fostered a spirit of innovation but has also laid the groundwork for future joint AI initiatives. The winning solutions from both ACC and the Department of the Air Force will be highlighted and shared via professional development sessions to encourage widespread implementation and continued innovation.
With a growing acceptance of AI’s role in administrative efficiency, the ACC and Air Force are poised to leverage these tools for improved readiness and effectiveness. Whether through simplifying meeting notes, or revolutionizing training materials, AI is set to become a key component of military operations. By embracing AI-enhanced processes, contracting teams across the services can maintain an edge in an increasingly digital landscape.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2025 17:22 |
| Story ID: | 500897 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Game On: Army & Air Force Level Up Contracting with AI, by James Rawlinson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
