§3334n Certification Relating to Information Technology and Software Systems

Summary

Before a head of an element of the intelligence community signs, renews, or extends a contract for information technology or software, they must tell the Director of National Intelligence three things: that the product is the newest version available or explain why an older version was chosen; that it can work with new and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence; and that they checked other options and found none better. The Director of National Intelligence may excuse parts of the intelligence community from these steps if following them would create security or operational risks. The Director must also give written guidance to those heads and send it to the congressional intelligence committees, the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. The guidance must explain how to evaluate the three certification points, encourage adopting new technologies and retiring outdated systems (including possible extra funding), and support training, incentives, and accountability for staff who integrate new technologies.