What guidance should federal agencies follow before buying AI in 2026?
NIST’s Playbook is voluntary guidance, while GSA says agencies should define the mission need, test AI, protect data, and manage FedRAMP and costs.
AI-assisted and automatically checked against the linked primary sources.
What guidance should federal agencies follow before buying AI?
According to NIST’s AI RMF Playbook, the Playbook provides suggested actions for achieving outcomes in the AI Risk Management Framework Core and is aligned to the Govern, Map, Measure, and Manage functions. NIST says the Playbook is neither a checklist nor a complete set of steps, and its suggestions are voluntary, so organizations may borrow only the parts that fit their use case. NIST also says the AI RMF 1.0 is being updated, the Playbook will be updated after the RMF is revised, and updates are expected about twice per year. GSA’s Buy AI page adds the procurement side: agencies should start with the mission problem, test solutions in sandboxes or pilots, manage data inputs and outputs, coordinate with CIO, CAIO, CDO, CISO, and CPO officials, and monitor usage costs. GSA also says cloud service providers must be FedRAMP-authorized or in the process of obtaining authorization, and agencies should consult their IT security team about an Authority to Operate or provisional ATO.
Is the NIST AI RMF Playbook mandatory for agencies?
- NIST’s Playbook is voluntary guidance, not a required checklist.
- GSA says agencies should define the mission need before choosing an AI tool.
- GSA recommends testing AI in pilots or sandboxes, managing data and costs, and coordinating key security and privacy officials.
- Cloud service providers must be FedRAMP-authorized or in process, and agencies should consult IT security on ATO or provisional ATO.
Review the agency mission need and procurement path against GSA’s Buy AI guidance and NIST’s AI RMF Playbook before any AI purchase.
Process
- 1
Define the mission problem
Start with the specific task or process the agency wants AI to improve, not with a vendor or tool name.
- 2
Test before buying at scale
Use a pilot, sandbox, or testbed to evaluate whether the solution meets the need.
- 3
Check data handling and security
Confirm what data can be shared, how it is protected, where it is stored, and whether the provider is FedRAMP-authorized or in process.
- 4
Coordinate the right officials
Engage CIO, CAIO, CDO, CISO, and CPO offices before implementation.
- 5
Set usage and cost controls
Monitor consumption, set usage limits, and review reports so AI service costs do not grow unexpectedly.
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