Advancing mission focused capabilities through SBIR Phase III

The U.S. Army has always prioritized keeping its forces up to date, current on technology and prepared to engage in the next conflict. If anything has changed about that, it’s only that it has become an even more urgent pursuit.

In today’s environment, the push to modernize extends beyond weapons systems, back-office technologies and logistics. There is a new emphasis on accelerating contract processes for faster acquisition. The Army is also urging industry partners to team and collaborate to develop and provide ready solutions. The global environment changes quickly, and the Army adapts accordingly.

After a 29-year career in the Army, I recently joined CGI’s Army Sector Mission Support Team. While I’m not new to Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) events or the AUSA Global Force Symposium & Expo (GFSE), I attended the 2026 GFSE in Huntsville for the first time as an industry partner.

At the event, military customers expressed a clear need for immediate, operationally relevant solutions—tools and technologies that they can field quickly and adapt for evolving mission requirements.

Through our engagements, many attendees were surprised to discover that CGI is more than an enterprise IT provider. We offer operational, forward-leaning mission support, including tactical fires integration, aviation platform integration and support, and hands-on support to operational units. Our expertise extends to modernizing systems that coordinate fires, covering traditional, non-traditional, long-range, surface-to-surface, surface-to-air, and rotary wing platforms. As explained by CGI’s Vice President for Army Sector Mission Support, Al Fraser, “CGI has been and remains a trusted partner for our Army customers, and we take extreme pride in our embedded team presence.”

CGI’s commitment to rapid data sharing and informed decision-making is crucial for success in fast-evolving conflicts. By enabling coordinated fires, both offensive and defensive, we facilitate communication beyond line of sight and integrate long-range weapons systems with Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) platforms, driving operational success and convergence.

SBIR Phase III: Accelerating delivery at the speed of mission

Delivering mission-ready capabilities at the speed of need requires streamlined procurement. Historically, federal acquisition, even for the military, has been slow and labor-intensive. Army senior leaders have made it clear that the status quo is unacceptable. The Army is actively reforming acquisition processes, aiming to get capabilities to warfighters faster. The focus throughout 2025 and 2026 has been on these acquisition reforms and major organizational restructures.

In some procurements, CGI can utilize SBIR Phase III authority as a powerful tool to accelerate delivery. This agility is vital in mission-focused domains where requirements and technology evolve daily. The benefits of SBIR Phase III are a tremendous asset to accelerated delivery objectives, including streamlined deployment, flexibility in contracting, compliance with administrative objectives, flexibility in teaming, and resistance to protests.

CGI and mission impact

The dialogue at AUSA’s GFSE confirmed the strong demand for CGI’s advanced capabilities in mission-focused domains and highlighted significant opportunities for expansion. By pairing our mission-aligned expertise with the accelerated acquisition power of SBIR Phase III authority, CGI Federal is uniquely positioned to help military customers modernize faster, with more confidence and greater operational impact. CGI will continue investing in this space, deepening partnerships, and delivering solutions that directly support warfighters and mission owners across the Army enterprise. Our ongoing commitment ensures that CGI remains a vital partner advancing mission success for the U.S. military.

Working together with our Army customers and industry partners, we’re exploring new opportunities to deliver quality products and services to the warfighter, and I’m truly optimistic about the future and the path we’re forging.

CGI Federal works as a partner to the U.S. Army to address its mission-critical needs through comprehensive IT and business solutions tailored to the Army’s unique operational challenges.