The Central Intelligence Agency is looking to speed up its access to breakthrough technologies in an effort to better compete with China.

The US spy agency on Monday announced plans for a new acquisition framework that would cut red-tape and optimize vendor vetting to quicken the ability deploy more innovative tools.

In an emailed statement, CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis said the agency was entering a range of commercial partnerships with startups and industry leaders in areas like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, financial technology and micro-chips. He called on firms "pushing the boundaries of emerging technologies” to help the CIA "stay ahead of foreign adversaries.”

Federal procurement processes are cumbersome and often involve long acquisition times that can deter startups and hinder the agency’s access to the latest technologies. The move seeks to address what CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in his Senate confirmation remarks last year about the agency struggling to "keep pace” with innovation, and echoes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s acquisition reform push at the Pentagon.

Under the new framework, the agency would fast-track the on-boarding of prototypes to allow officers both in the field and at headquarters to test new technology. The spy agency has already partnered with companies like Amazon.com Inc.’s AWS and Palantir Technologies Inc. for cloud computing and data-analysis.

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