For information about a technical topic or related research, contact the IAC that specializes in your area of interest. If you don’t see the answer there, please contact the IAC Program Management Office.
What are IACs and how do they benefit the DoD?
IACs are formal organizations chartered by the DOD to help locate, analyze, and use scientific and technical information. They are centers of excellence within specific technology areas. IACs serve as central points of entry for access to consolidated, joint-focused, expert services in a Defense technology area and/or related scientific and engineering discipline. Because they are available for use by all the DoD components, the Department avoids the expenses that come from of duplication work. In addition to avoiding duplicative efforts, work performed for one customer is added to the appropriate IAC database and can be reused by other customers.
Back to top
What technology areas do the IACs cover?
IAC areas of expertise cover the most critical challenges to the Department of Defense. IACs leverage their individual technical expertise to solve cross-domain challenges, such as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). For a more detailed overview, visit the IACs page.
Back to top
What types of products and services do the IACs provide?
IAC products apply in-depth research to fill critical knowledge gaps and to meet specific operational requirements. Products we offer include:
- Technical inquiry services
- Bibliographies
- Critical reviews/technology assessments (CR/TA)
- State-of-the-art reports (SOAR)
- Referrals to experts
- Handbooks/data books
- Current awareness bulletins
- Models and simulations
- Exercise schedules
- Databases
- Workshops
- Training classes
- Calendars of events
- Support for technical meetings/conferences, and a host of
- Technical Area Tasks (TATs)
Back to top
Who is eligible to use IAC products and services?
IAC customers include researchers, engineers, scientists, and program managers from the DoD, government, industry and academia. You are eligible for IAC services if you are:
- An employee of a DoD organization (civilian and military, including National Guard and Reserves on active duty), a DoD contractor or potential DoD contractor
- An employee or contractor
supporting another U.S. Federal Government agency
- A researcher of a university or college funded by DoD or a U.S. Federal Government agency for conducting research throughout the U.S.
- A participant in the Small Business Innovative Research or Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program
- A faculty member, staff member, or student of a Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) or other Minority Institutions (MI)
Back to top
Do the IACs charge fees for their products and services?
Many IAC products and services are available at little or no cost. Some abstracts and indexes, current awareness products, and up to 4 hours of technical inquiry services may be offered to customers at no charge. Extended inquiry services (exceeding 4 hours), training courses and some products are available on a cost reimbursable basis.
Back to top
May I contact individual IACs directly?
We encourage you to contact the IACs directly when you have a question and/or problem related to their particular technical scope that they can answer/assist you with. For a complete listing of IACs and their web sites, please visit our IACs page
Back to top
Can an IAC be tasked by DOD/other Government Agencies to provide support for specific work efforts?
Yes, one of the objectives of the DoD IAC Program is to provide the capability to provide in-depth analysis, data gathering and other support activities to meet specific DoD research, development, acquisition, operational, and training requirements. The resulting efforts are referred to as Technical Area Tasks (TATs). TATs are analytical and technical in nature and are separately-defined/separately-funded work efforts over and above IAC basic activities.TATs build on the basic activities of the IAC, building on that foundation to enable rapid responses to emerging customer requirements. TATs vary greatly in complexity, cost and duration, ranging from a few months to multi-year efforts.
Back to top
How are TATs funded?
For information on Interagency Agreements (IAA), Support Agreements (1144), Military Interdepartmental Purchase Requests (MIPRS) and for all other finance and budget questions, please see our Financial Management page.
What is RMS and How do I use it?
The Requirements Management System (RMS) is a new web-based program used to streamline the requirements management process. For more information on RMS, the RMS user guide and RMS FAQs, please see our RMS page.
