The General Services Administration has issued a resource guide to help federal acquisition professionals as they procure generative artificial intelligence and related technology platforms.
GSA said Monday the release of the Generative AI and Specialized Computing Infrastructure Acquisition Resource Guide comes as the current administration marks the first 180 days of its AI executive order.
The document outlines key considerations to advance the responsible procurement of generative AI tools and includes questions that contracting professionals should ask to make informed decisions when it comes to AI tech procurement.
“This new guide lays out the common challenges, use cases, and other helpful information to support government as it navigates the growing AI marketplace and starts to leverage the power of AI to better deliver for the American people,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan.
The resource guide cites generative AI examples in the federal government, addresses considerations for managing and protecting data and includes recommendations on how to use sandboxes and testbeds before committing to large-scale procurement.
Laura Stanton, assistant commissioner for the Office of Information Technology Category within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, said the guide will be updated as generative AI continues to evolve.
“Contracting officers will play a critical role by working closely with program and IT staff to find, source, acquire and make secure the right generative AI solutions for agencies’ needs. This guide is a start to help the acquisition community enable their agencies to responsibly harness the power of this promising technology and better serve the American people,” added Stanton.