Special Ops Want Agile Experts to Process Top Secret Data

The military's special operations force want to create an "agile development" team that can process top secret intelligence data.

The Special Operations Command is researching vendors comfortable with iterative development methodologies who can use open source software or customize commercially available software for SOCOM purposes. Ultimately, Special Ops wants companies who can visualize the data “so that results and tools can be quickly and intuitively understood by key frontline decision makers and analysts," according to a request for information posted this week. 

The team would be embedded on-site, the notice said. It also listed several characteristics SOCOM seeks in a vendor, including: 

• Proficiency with “agile development” methodologies, but also the capacity to "think ahead and envision how to solve tough problems when key pieces are missing.”
• Ability to process structured and unstructured data, allowing for “search and discovery” across data types and formats
• Programmers who can code in Python, C#, PERL and who have experience with the LINUX, DOS, UNIX operating systems, among languages and systems.
• Experience with “econometrics, statistics, data, modeling, statistical inference, predictive modeling, insight generation and database analysis.”
• Completion of other projects requiring top secret security clearances.

Nextgov has requested comment from SOCOM.

(Image via Maksim Kabakou/Shutterstock.com)