Eric Mill, director of cloud strategy within the Technology Transformation Services at the General Services Administration, said the draft Emerging Technology Prioritization Framework from the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program seeks to ensure that government agencies gain access to the benefits of using secure artificial intelligence and large language models.

In late January, GSA published the draft framework in accordance with the AI executive order signed in October and sought public comments, which are due March 11.

The framework is focused on three emerging tech capabilities that use LLMs: chat interfaces, code-generation and debugging tools and prompt-based image generators.

According to Mill, the framework seeks to help prioritize when it comes to AI and LLMs.

“So part of what you see in the framework is the proposal that we stop at three. When we have three services that are based around chatbots, for example, using generative AI, and we’ve prioritized three of those things, we’re going to stop prioritizing that until we come back around and think again about what the priorities of FedRAMP should be,” the GSA official said.

FedRAMP is witnessing a lot of interest from agencies and vendors concerning AI and LLM services in the cloud and Mill noted that GSA is also aware of potential backlogs as companies begin to ask for their AI tools to go through the evaluation process.

According to the cloud strategy director, GSA is involved in short- and long-term structure changes to ensure that FedRAMP functions at the right pace.

“We very much are intent on making sure that the urgency that we see around accelerating the government’s use of emerging technologies doesn’t compete with those other things. That it doesn’t worsen the problem,” Mill said. “That is part of what we mean when we talk about the prioritization process and some of the limits associated. That’s how we’re ultimately going to make sure that the program stays responsive.”

Register here to attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 21 and hear federal leaders and industry experts discuss the latest developments in the field.

The Defense Innovation Unit and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have partnered to identify emerging technologies intended to enhance intelligence gathering, analysis and operational capabilities.

DIU said Sunday they will use their collective knowledge, resources and networks to simplify the coordination of industry demand signals and hasten the deployment of innovative technologies.

“Formalizing this relationship is in direct support of DIU’s 3.0 strategic plan –  which includes working with partners across the Department to take advantage of opportunities to generate impact through shared best practices and enhanced teamwork,” said Doug Beck, director of the DIU.

DIU 3.0 is a strategy being employed by the agency using its defense innovation experience and input from stakeholders to meet goals aligned with the Secretary of Defense’s priorities to defend the nation, support personnel and foster collaboration.

This formal agreement was signed during a live panel hosted at the Capital Factory as part of the ongoing South by Southwest 2024 programming in Austin, Texas.

President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law a package of six appropriations bills that will provide full-year funding for federal departments and agencies through the end of September.

The signing came a day after Congress passed the package, which includes full fiscal year 2024 funding for transportation and commerce, justice and science, SpaceNews reported Saturday.

The legislation will provide $24.9 billion in FY 2024 funding for NASA.

The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration’s GOES-R geostationary program and the Polar Weather Satellites program will get $276 million and $342.4 million in funding, respectively.

The Space Weather Follow On program will receive $97.2 million, while the Space Weather Next initiative will get $151.6 million in funds under the appropriations bill.

According to the report, the bill will provide $65 million in funds for NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce, which is responsible for the development of a civil space traffic coordination system.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s commercial space transportation initiatives will get $42 million in funding.

The Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act will provide the Department of Veterans Affairs and associated agencies $172.5 billion in mandatory funding and $135.2 billion in non-defense discretionary funding.

The Senate approved the bipartisan package in a 75-22 vote on Friday. The House voted 339-85 on Wednesday to pass the consolidated appropriations measure.