CIA Unveils New Acquisition Framework to Accelerate Technology Adoption
WASHINGTON — The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) announced a major overhaul of its acquisition strategy on Monday, unveiling a new framework designed to streamline how the agency procures technology from the private sector. The initiative aims to cut bureaucratic red tape and significantly reduce the time required to deploy cutting-edge tools for intelligence missions.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated that the new framework is a necessary evolution to keep pace with rapid technological advancements and intensifying global competition, particularly from adversaries such as China.
“CIA’s rapidly evolving mission demands a radical shift towards a culture of speed, agility, and innovation,” Ratcliffe said in a statement. “We’re optimizing our approach to working with the private sector. By leveraging the best technological solutions available today, the CIA will be better equipped to meet the intelligence challenges of tomorrow.”
The framework introduces a centralized vendor vetting system and a streamlined information technology (IT) authorization process. According to the agency, these changes will shorten the timeline between defining a mission requirement and receiving the operating authority needed to deploy new systems. The strategy also outlines clear pathways for the CIA to use its unique statutory authorities to fast-track the onboarding of prototypes and modernize core systems.
Leading the implementation is Efstathia Fragogiannis, a former official at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) who joined the CIA as its new procurement chief in November. Fragogiannis will spearhead efforts to dismantle the traditional “slower procurement timelines” that have historically deterred innovative startups from working with the federal government.
CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis noted that the agency is actively expanding commercial partnerships in critical sectors, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, financial technology, and microelectronics. The move aligns with similar acquisition reform efforts at the Pentagon championed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, highlighting a government-wide push to better leverage commercial innovation for national security.
The agency’s decision to overhaul its procurement process follows Ratcliffe’s confirmation hearing remarks last year, where he warned that the intelligence community was struggling to “keep pace” with the private sector. By reducing barriers to entry for commercial partners, the CIA aims to close the gap between commercial development cycles and intelligence deployment.
“Against the backdrop of economic and national security concerns from foreign adversaries, the new framework is needed now more than ever,” a CIA official said. The framework is effective immediately and applies to all new technology solicitations.
* cia.gov
* defcros.com
* straitstimes.com
* straitstimes.com
* nextgov.com
