These FAQs provide responses to requested information about Needipedia.

1) What is Needipedia?

Needipedia is a process using a website to communicate mission needs to innovators. It is an invitation to collaborative engagement with industry and academia. Needipedia is an unclassified website communicating needs to solution providers. It is a mechanism that enables:

• Linkage of mission needs to innovative ideas and solutions.
• Open engagement with industry and academia.

2) Who are stakeholders for Needipedia?

They include:

• Internal DIA workforce
• Academic institutions
• External industry solution providers
• Other IC partners
• Other government agencies

3) How are DIA needs and requirements derived?

Needs and requirements map to DIA mission areas:

Strategic mission elements:

1. Prevent Strategic Surprise
2. Support Contingency Response
3. Identify New Analysis Technologies and Methods
4. Enhance Counter Intelligence and Security
5. Develop Human Intelligence Capability
6. Enhance Mission-Related Science and Technology
7. Improve Mission Support Capabilities
8. Enhance Technical Collection
9. Increase Organizational Effectiveness
10. Empower Partnerships

Unknown areas:

99. Other Innovative Capabilities - Not Listed Above

4) How are innovative solutions submitted to DIA through the Needipedia process?

A Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) contains the instructions for submitting a proposal. This process meets Federal Acquisition Regulations and is an entry point for the acquisition process.

5) What are the incentives for participating in the Needipedia process?

Incentives include:

• Promotes an agile process for solution responses from industry and academia.
• Enables mission elements to acquire mission solutions rapidly.
• Enables mission elements to point industry and academia to a specific mission area or need, thus limiting responses to unsolicited communications.
• Communicates clearly expectations of review timelines.
• Clearly telegraphs to the interagency and Intelligence Community opportunities to partner on specific needs or existing solutions.

6) How is Needipedia different from current DIA processes and does it replace existing BAAs?

• Needipedia is a rapid and agile process that is responsive to evolving mission needs.
• It is dynamically updated significantly reducing the time required by traditional acquisition practices.
• Needipedia does not replace existing BAAs or preclude the publishing of future BAAs by DIA. Needipedia is just one tool among many acquisition mechanisms available for satisfying DIA needs. It is meant to enable a legal and ethical conversation with industry and academia on needs in timely manner. Needipedia ensures an even playing field for conversations with industry and academia as needs are refined, possible solutions are investigated, and most importantly, mission practitioners discover what they did not know to ask for.

7) How does Needipedia affect the contract practices that take place after a funding decision is made?

Needipedia does not address the contract practices after a funding decision is made. It only provides a mechanism for transitioning to the next stage in the acquisition phase.

8) How does one contact Needipedia for additional information?

Email: Ideas2Action@dodiis.mil