CMU SEI FFRDC J and A Redacted.pdf

This Justification and Approval (J&A) document supports a sole-source Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded to Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute (CMU-SEI) Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). The contract, valued at over $100 million, will run from July 2025 to June 2035, with a focus on research and development in software engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing for the Department of Defense.

The contract is justified by CMU-SEI's unique capabilities, including its affiliation with Carnegie Mellon University, deep technical expertise in software development and cyber protection, collaboration with industry, agile execution strategy, and integrated approach to research. The 2024 Comprehensive Review determined that CMU-SEI is the only source capable of meeting the government's requirements, particularly in supporting the Department of Defense's software modernization strategy and software acquisition pathway. The contract will be cost-reimbursable with no fee, and task orders will support various DoD and non-DoD government agency programs.