Pentagon drafts directive for $244M no-bid Palantir contract

Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg signed an August 4 memo, made public August 11, directing Pentagon acquisition and comptroller officials to spend up to $243.9 million on Palantir services through March 31, 2027 without competitive bidding, with the armed forces also told to find funding pathways for the work from April 2027 through December 2028. The memo does not specify how the money will be used, drawing criticism from transparency advocates over the lack of competitive bidding.