DISA to Broker Defense Cloud Contracts

Defense Department Chief Information Officer Teri Takai has designated the Defense Information Systems Agency as DoD's cloud service broker, meaning any department component must receive DISA's approval before moving to the cloud.

DoD agencies could bypass DISA if they receive a waiver from Takai.

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"As the DoD enterprise cloud service broker, DISA is tasked with making it easier, safer and more productive to navigate, integrate, consume, extend and maintain cloud services, within the department, from other federal and commercial cloud service providers," Takai says in a memorandum dated June 26 and made public July 10.

"The broker provides an organizational focus point to consolidate cloud service demand at an enterprise level, and negotiate for the best service usage rates across the DoD," she says. "The broker will enable DoD components to tailor the availability and delivery of cloud services based on technical and mission requirements."

DISA, as the joint enterprise cloud service broker, will help other departments to use commercial cloud services that meet the FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) low and moderate control levels, and make them available to other DoD entities through standardized contracts and leveraged authorization packages.

In addition, DISA will help ensure compliance with departmental information assurance and cybersecurity policies to include the secure configuration, continuity, resiliency and operations of externally provided services. It also will help integrate commercial computer network defense operations with U.S. Cybercom defense operations.

A cloud broker manages the use, performance and delivery of cloud services and negotiating relationships between cloud providers and cloud consumers. Takai says DISA, as DoD's broker, will enable the department to best leverage cloud services to increase secure information sharing and collaboration, enhance mission effectiveness and decrease costs.

DISA is a combat support agency within DoD and provides, operates and assures command and control, information sharing capabilities as well as a globally accessible enterprise information infrastructure to support warfighters, Pentagon leaders and other mission and coalition partners across the full spectrum of operations.