FAST Act

The Flexible Acquisition of Software Technology Act (FAST Act) would give the Secretary of Defense explicit authority to acquire and modify software and data through modern delivery models to support the development and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems for the Department of Defense (DoD). Specifically, it allows DoD to procure software as a service (SaaS) or software as a product, data as a service (DaaS) or data as a supply, and to modify software and conduct R&D, testing, and evaluation of such software. The bill also authorizes funding for these activities from existing appropriations, requires DoD to issue regulations to implement and supervise these procurements, and provides definitions for key terms to guide implementation. The overall aim is to provide flexible, rapid access to AI-capable software and data while establishing oversight and clear terms.