BRIDGING THE ICAP
speeds, aligning with organizations across the DOD. Its work to prototype and field dual-use capabilities that solve operational challenges makes DIU a gateway for DOD to leading technology companies across the country.
Acquisition professionals will be instru- mental in acting as the bridge between DOD and the private sector to make sure companies are aware of the potential that exists in the federal marketplace and can find opportunities easily. Te aim with the ICAP program, Tamayori said, is to help acquisition professionals learn to “speak commercial” and share this knowledge with their peers so that DOD can better acquire innovative commercial technol- ogies. “Te intent is that ICAP fellows, after graduation, will bring their new
understanding of DIU’s CSO and the OT [other-transaction] authority to their home institutions, enabling them to implement similar processes for future commercial technology acquisitions.”
She said that ICAP fellows are required to develop an action plan for their home institution as part of their graduation from the program.
“[ICAP fellows] are already proving to be exceptional spokespeople for the CSO process and the OT authority—deliver- ing briefings in front of their peers at the National Contract Management Associ- ation World Congress [held July 23-26 in Nashville, Tennessee], speaking at Defense Acquisition University OT learn- ing events, and writing and contributing
to articles to share what they have learned and how CSOs and OTs can help get new capabilities to the warfighter at speed.”
WHAT MAKES IT IMMERSIVE? All training is valuable, but immer- sive experiences take things up a notch. Through the Immersive Commercial Acquisition Program, fellows experience— or are “immersed” in—a combination of service-aligned DIU projects, focused interactions with commercial and nontra- ditional companies, and targeted training that leverages relevant other transaction virtual classroom training with on-the-job experience for hands-on application.
“Learning about OTs in a classroom was much different from gaining hands-on experience,” Gerbasi said. From day one, he was given portfolio assignments and an agreements officer to shadow. Ten, the first 60 days were strictly observing, coupled with formal other-transaction training through DAU and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), onboarding and adjusting to the culture. “Te level of talent at DIU was incredible, and most with industry and tech experience, which brought an incredible perspective.”
FILL ‘ER UP WITH ELECTRICITY
Gerbasi was tasked with negotiating other-transaction agreements with four electric vehicle and battery manufacturers as part of the Jumpstart for Advanced Battery Standardization (JABS) project. (Photo by Kendel Media, Pexels)
Gerbasi said the agreements officer to whom he was assigned supported various projects for the cyber, energy and human systems portfolios. “By month three, I was tasked with negotiating OTs with four electric vehicle and battery manufactur- ers as part of the Jumpstart for Advanced Battery Standardization [JABS] proj- ect, which was created to accelerate the adoption of EV [electric vehicle] batter- ies for DOD,” he said. “Once awarded, I jumped on opportunities to support post- award kickoff meetings, which enabled me to interact with stakeholders and to view EV production lines and testing labs.” Over the next six months, Gerbasi said
114 Army AL&T Magazine Fall 2023
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