The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is expected to open a $700 million opportunity for industry to provide artificial intelligence and data labeling capabilities, SpaceNews reported Tuesday.
Under the multi-vendor indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, the agency will look to improve machine learning systems designed to examine satellite imagery and other geospatial data.
Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth, director of NGA and a multiple Wash100 Award winner, said, “This represents a significant investment in computer vision, machine learning and AI.”
“NGA will engage with commercial partners to navigate the challenges posed by increasing levels of geoint data,” Whitworth added.
The IDIQ contract will prioritize deciphering raw data, including images and videos, to make findings comprehensible for machine learning models. The NGA also aims to manufacture computer vision programs to classify these objects in new unlabeled images. In terms of satellite imagery, specific objects like buildings, roads and vegetation will be labeled.
Whitworth told reporters that a request for industry bids should be released by the end of September. The IDIQ contract represents the NGA’s most ambitious data labeling initiative to date.