Press Release

Correcting the Record: Defense Intelligence Agency Contracts

Washington D.C. - September 4, 2007

There have been several recent media reports discussing how the Defense Intelligence Agency is allegedly outsourced intelligence analysis. Much of the information is inaccurate and misleading.

DIA issued a pre-solicitation notice on 10 August entitled, "Solutions for Intelligence Analysis Support." The notice announces that DIA will soon issue a request for proposal that may or may not result in contract awards.

The purpose of the "Solutions for Intelligence Analysis Support" contract vehicle is to provide the broader Defense Intelligence Enterprise - which comprises not only DIA, but the military service intelligence centers and the Combatant Command intelligence - with a responsive, efficient and reliable means to satisfy requirements for contract intelligence analysis and related services. The request supports the consolidated warfighting needs of DIA, the military services, the Combatant Commands, and deployed forces. With one competitively awarded contract vehicle composed of multiple contractor teams, DIA will have greater flexibility to re-align government resources, improve oversight, and be more responsive to its customers.

The proposal is a consolidation of over 30 existing contracts into a single contract vehicle that can be more efficiently managed. Hence, this posting is not a "record" in outsourcing intelligence activities; rather it is a better way of aggregating existing requirements. This effort will provide DIA the opportunity to more economically and flexibly manage the Defense Intelligence Enterprise, with potential cost and manpower savings.

Many of the media reports incorrectly imply that this is all new work representing increased dependency on the use of contractors and that contractors would be doing work that is properly done by government employees.

Consistent with the Federal Acquisition Regulation, this notice does not include inherently governmental functions. DIA maintains direction and control of all intelligence operations.

Contrary to media reporting, DIA does not outsource analysis. As part of the DIA team, contract personnel augment the government-led analytic efforts to provide knowledge and expertise to DIA's customers. However, DIA government senior analysts and leaders rigorously review and approve all analytic products. Government managers are fully in charge of this analytical process.

DIA has responded aggressively to the increased requirements of our warfighters through the addition of both government and contract analysts. Specifically, DIA has reinforced counterterrorism, counterproliferation, Middle East and South Asia analytic efforts. This response has enabled DIA to effectively meet the evolving intelligence needs of our operational customers.

Consistent with the goals of the Director of National Intelligence, DIA continuously reviews the mix of government and contractor personnel to ensure the right resources are being utilized to accomplish the missions. DIA in 2007 converted almost 200 contractor positions to government civilian positions, and has submitted plans to convert an additional 350.

Currently contractors represent approximately 35% of the total DIA workforce. Many are recently retired intelligence professionals with deep expertise who are imparting their experience, knowledge, and skills as educators and trainers to newly hired DIA personnel. The contractors load pallets of supplies destined for Afghanistan; they work tirelessly to enter information into intelligence databases to enhance DIA's knowledge of those who would do the U.S. harm; they translate documents captured from the battlefields of Iraq; and they keep the nation's foremost Defense Intelligence computer networks operations 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

Contractors are an important part of the DIA team and, along with DIA's military and civilian work force, they contribute daily to the defense of the nation.

 

DIA is the nation’s premier all-source military intelligence organization.

It provides the nation’s most authoritative assessments of foreign military intentions and capabilities. The agency’s four core competencies -- human intelligence, all-source analysis, counterintelligence and technical intelligence -- enable military operations while also informing policy-makers at the defense and national levels.

DIA’s mission is unique and no other agency matches its military expertise across such a broad range of intelligence disciplines.