AI contracts for DoD mean Raytheon will support small-biz initiatives
NewsJuly 29, 2024
MCKINNEY, Texas. Raytheon reports that it won two strategic Mentor-Protégé Agreement initiatives from the Department of the Navy Office of Small Business Programs aimed at supporting the development of operational artificial intelligence (AI) for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) platforms and programs.
Under the terms of the agreements, Raytheon -- working together with NAVAIR [Naval Air Systems Command] and the Office of Naval Research -- will mentor Anacapa Micro Products and Nara Logics as part of two individual three-year contracts. Raytheon is tasked with providing the smaller businesses with mentorship for operational AI on system design, software architecture, systems integration, IT security constraints, and authority-to-operate requirements in a collaborative environment.
According to the Raytheon announcement, the collaboration is part of the DoD's Mentor-Protégé Program, which was established in 1990 and is the oldest continuously operating federal mentor-protégé program in existence; Raytheon reports that it has been an active participant in the program since 1991.
