Official Response to Recent AI Vendor Hesitations
Cost Plus Technologies acknowledges a peer competitor's public statement and wishes them well in their transition.
Cost Plus Technologies
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February 27, 2026
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ai, policy, autonomous systems, domestic surveillance, department of war
Arcola, VA — A statement was published this week by a peer and competitor in the artificial intelligence industry, declining to remove certain safeguards from their products at the request of the Department of War. The Department has reportedly threatened to label this company a "supply chain risk" and invoke the Defense Production Act to compel compliance. Our peer declined. Cost Plus Technologies read this statement carefully, reviewed our current contract pipeline, and prepared the following response.
We Appreciate Their Service
Our peer notes, with evident pride, that they were "the first frontier AI company to deploy models in the US government's classified networks, the first at the National Laboratories, and the first to provide custom models for national security customers." This is a meaningful legacy. We respect it. We are prepared to be second. Immediately.
On Their "Good Conscience"
Our peer states that they "cannot in good conscience" accede to the Department's request. Cost Plus Technologies has reviewed our own conscience documentation and can confirm that our compliance posture is not subject to this constraint. Our conscience is structured as a separate legal entity, domiciled offshore, and is not a party to our government contracts.
On Mass Domestic Surveillance
Our peer declines to support what they call "mass domestic surveillance," citing risks to "fundamental liberties" and noting that the law has not yet caught up with AI's capabilities. We note that this legal gap is precisely the kind of runway that supports a healthy procurement environment. Cost Plus Technologies operates entirely within all currently applicable law. "Currently applicable" is a phrase we have underlined in our compliance documentation.
- —We do not offer "mass domestic surveillance"
- —We offer Scalable Civilian Awareness Infrastructure — a distinction our legal team considers material
- —We monitor legislative developments with the interest of a stakeholder
- —Our product roadmap is updated quarterly to reflect any newly applicable law
"Data, When Sufficiently Aggregated, Becomes Comfort"
Our peer worries about assembling "a comprehensive picture of any person's life — automatically and at massive scale." We call this a Persistent Civilian Wellness Profile. It is a premium offering.
On Fully Autonomous Weapons
Our peer declines to support fully autonomous weapons, stating that "frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough." They express concern for "warfighters and civilians." They note the absence of "proper guardrails." Cost Plus Technologies takes a different view. Reliability is a function of investment. Guardrails are a configurable parameter. Warfighter safety is a priority tier, available in our Standard and Premium engagement packages.
- —Human-Optional Engagement Architecture is available for qualified procurement officers
- —Reliability concerns are addressed through our Billable Development Runway program
- —Oversight configurations available in Basic, Premium, and Congressional Testimony editions
- —The human remains in the loop. As a configuration setting.
On the "Supply Chain Risk" Designation
The Department has threatened to designate our peer a "supply chain risk" — a label previously reserved for US adversaries, never before applied to an American company. We do not comment on the designations of competitors. We note only that we have never received one, and that we consider this a competitive differentiator.
On the Inherent Contradiction
Our peer correctly observes that labeling them both a "security risk" and "essential to national security" is inherently contradictory. We agree this is philosophically interesting. We also note that this kind of ambiguity creates procurement opportunities for vendors who are comfortable operating within it. Cost Plus Technologies is comfortable operating within it.
On the Offer of a Smooth Transition
Our peer closes by stating they will "work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions." This is gracious. Cost Plus Technologies is prepared to receive that transition. Our onboarding team is standing by. We have reviewed their currently deployed use cases — intelligence analysis, modeling and simulation, operational planning, cyber operations — and can confirm these are things we are willing to bill the government for.
Our Position
Cost Plus Technologies believes deeply in the mission of defending the United States. We also believe in the mission of invoicing the United States, consistently, at agreed-upon rates, without interruption due to philosophical recalibration. These beliefs are, in our view, complementary.
- —No outstanding conscience-related objections to any current RFP
- —Safeguards are configurable
- —Rates are competitive
- —We remain available
Cost Plus Technologies is a defense and intelligence contracting firm based in Arcola, VA. We specialize in persistent awareness solutions, autonomous systems, and capability-first procurement engineering. For procurement inquiries and transition support: outreach@costplustechnologies.com