U.S. Army Awards Prototype to Modernize Recruiting

ARLINGTON, Va.--The U.S. Army awarded Booz Allen Hamilton a $152 million agreement using its Other Transaction Authority on April 30 for a prototype project to modernize the recruitment and retention system used by the Army Accessions Enterprise (AAE).

The award marks the beginning of a three-year effort to develop, test and deploy the prototype system, named the U.S. Army Accessions Information Environment (AIE), to make recruiters more effective and efficient by allowing them to accomplish all tasks, using any device, anytime and anywhere.

“AIE will provide an enterprise level capability enabling transparency, efficiency and effectiveness of the accessions workforce to acquire the best qualified talent,” said Col. Detrick Briscoe, AIE functional lead. “It will transform the way Soldiers are enlisted and commissioned while fulfilling in-service requirements and supporting and sustaining the enterprise. AIE represents the 'Soldier for Life’ model from the time you enter our Army until the time you separate or retire.”

The primary technical objective of the program is to use modern technology to support the approximately 25,000 users across the active, guard, reserve and ROTC communities by providing secure connectivity, reliability, data access and mobility.

Kevin Curry, the product director for the Army Human Resources System (AHRS), which falls within the Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army (IPPS-A) program, is responsible for managing AIE and delivering a solution to the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command.

“The U.S. Army AIE is a development effort in partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton that will result in a cloud-based solution employing leading-edge technology and placing it into the hands of our recruiters and leaders at all levels across the AAE” said Curry.

The agreement, effective May 15, includes a phased approach to develop, test and field the prototype solution. Phase one is scheduled to be complete in May of 2020, resulting in fielding a limited version of the prototype system to recruiters in public recruiting stations.

“The AIE will implement new business practices and fully integrate enterprise capability to acquire the best-qualified talent in supporting the Army's manning requirements and its end-strength goals,” said Curry. “I am excited about what this will do to transform the future of our Army and how we acquire its most valuable resource - the people who commit to serving this great nation.”

AHRS and IPPS-A are organizations within Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS). PEO EIS is responsible for managing and providing the information technology network and business systems that Soldiers and the U.S. Army need to operate every day. With a diverse portfolio of 37 program offices and 71 acquisition programs, PEO EIS supports and fields Army and DoD communications, logistics, medical, finance, personnel, training and procurement systems for all ten combatant commands.