Candace BarnetteThe Pentagon is preparing to launch a major expansion of its cloud computing strategy, with plans to open its next multibillion-dollar contract to a broader range of vendors, including smaller and non-traditional companies.
In 2022, the Department of Defense (DOD) awarded its $9 billion Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract to the four major cloud service providers: Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft and Oracle. The contract was intended to deliver enterprise-level, worldwide cloud services covering all security tiers and classification levels—from high-level strategic operations to front-line tactical use.
This expansion comes as federal cloud spending reaches record levels. Deltek data finds the federal government spent a record $16.5 billion on cloud computing in 2023, with projections for cloud spending exceeding $30 billion by 2028. The JWCC contract has awarded more than $3 billion in task orders to the four cloud service providers.
John Hale, chief of product management and development at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), said they had an initial goal to connect the DOD with major hyperscale cloud providers. He said the effort was successful, but they discovered a need to add features to the JWCC agreement, particularly access to third-party marketplaces and vendors.
Officials with DISA said the next iteration of JWCC, named JWCC Next, is planned at an even larger scale, though specific dollar amounts have not been disclosed. JWCC Next is designed to expand access to a wider range of cloud providers, including smaller vendors. Officials are also considering extending the contract term to reduce the frequent transitions that occur every five years.
According to Hale, about 180 cloud providers could qualify for the DOD’s baseline requirements. Many mission partners—such as the U.S. Army, for example—prefer multi-cloud solutions, but the department does not currently have a method of easily gaining access to those providers.
Building on this need for greater vendor diversity, DOD Chief Information Officer Katie Arrington said the department wants to bring in companies that can provide cutting-edge artificial intelligence solutions, space-based technologies and accelerated development processes for both military hardware and operational systems.
DISA Director Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner touted a streamlined contracting process for JWCC Next, promoting increased diversity and faster commercial cloud capability. As JWCC is a 10-year contract set to expire in 2031, there will be overlap between the contracts to ensure a smooth transition.
The Pentagon plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for JWCC Next in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026. Contract awards are expected in early 2027. Officials have not given an estimate of how many vendors could be awarded this contract.
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