JUNE 3, 2025 – The Defense Department is accepting applications for the fiscal year 2026 Immersive Commercial Acquisition Program Fellowship — a highly competitive 12-month program designed to deliver a group of contracting professionals proficient in commercial acquisition.
The fellowship is a collaborative effort between the Defense Innovation Unit and the Defense Acquisition University. It aligns with recent efforts to modernize defense acquisitions, including a preference for commercial solutions to create an agile, effective and efficient procurement system.
Applications will be accepted through July 31, 2025.
“In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, the department must be able to swiftly acquire and integrate leading-edge commercial technologies,” said Doug Beck, DIU director. “To ensure our warfighters maintain a decisive advantage, we need contracting professionals who are fluent in both the defense and commercial sectors and who can help their teammates across the department to develop that same fluency. That is what the ICAP fellowship delivers, and we need to keep scaling it — and its impact — for the department’s critical needs.”
The fellowship offers hands-on experience with DIU’s commercial solutions opening process and the other transaction authority. These authorities enable DOD to engage with nontraditional defense companies and access commercial solutions that are not readily available through more traditional acquisition channels.
Beck said the program also provides valuable insight into the commercial market and dynamics-driven commercial organizations that engage with the government and DOD. Additionally, ICAP participants attend virtual classes through DAU’s credential program.
Since its inception in May 2022, ICAP has provided the model for training innovation-fluent contracting officers, he added.
To date, 16 fellows have participated in the program, representing a diverse range of contracting officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, the intelligence community and the Defense Contract Management Agency.
Beck said the current FY24-25 cohort includes six fellows who are actively contributing to DOD’s acquisition mission.
“ICAP represents a key tool in delivering change agents in defense contracting, ensuring that the department has a workforce equipped to best navigate commercial and modern software acquisitions in order to meet defense needs,” said Cherissa Tamayori, DIU acquisition director.
To learn more about the ICAP program, join current fellows for a virtual, live “Ask Me Anything” session, July 8, 2025, 3-4 p.m. EDT.
To apply, visit https://www.diu.mil/work-with-us/immersive-commercial-acquisition-program-icap.
By Devon Bistarkey
Defense Innovation Unit