Cyber Workforce Development, Education, & Credentialing

This Request for Information (RFI) is to gather input from universities, non-profit organizations, and industry experts regarding potential methods for engaging universities to develop and offer curricula that meets our cyber warfare needs. Background. The three service secretaries have been working together with NSA to find a way to partner with American academic institutions to promote a robust network of cyber security education, training and workforce development. We want to benefit from and build upon the work that the Department of Homeland Security has done with NSA with the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber. We need to enhance the availability, comparability, stackability and portability of training and education in cyber knowledge, skills and abilities for our active, guard, reserve and civilian workforce. Objective: The Air Force (in concert with the Army and Navy) seeks to engage a single university or consortium of universities that will: design an easily understood progression and division of credit-bearing and non-credit bearing coursework and content across academia to cover the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) identified in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), DoD Joint Cyberspace Training & Certification Standard, and National Cybersecurity Workforce framework. To fulfill this objective, additional sub-objectives may include: - 1. Make recommendations regarding groupings of coursework that may be useful to cyber certification. - 2. Advise on "Branding" and marketing the mosaic of courses and credentials for students and employers. - 3. Seek to develop a consortium which academic institutions may join to enhance the cyber workforce through cross-recognition of cyber courses and credits taught by other members of the consortium. - 4. Identify a consortium developer who will be responsible for developing and proposing the terms of a consortium of academic institutions who would be willing to accept each other's course work and offer courses and certificates aligned after. - 5. Evaluating and proposing mechanisms by which students can be assessed for their existing cyber knowledge, skills, and abilities, so they can opt out or receive credit for courses when they already know the content. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for informational and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Air Force is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if issued. Responses are 19 March 2019 and submitted via email only to MSgt Theresa Terry and Ms. Amy Case at theresa.l.terry.mil@mail.mil and amy.l.case6.civ@mail.mil The Government anticipates responses to this announcement from interested parties, eligible entities or groups of entities, to include: industry, academic, non-profit, and not-for-profit organizations. The Government is especially interested in feedback from organizations that would potentially be interested in being the project manager. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. - 1. The response must include a cover page, which is included in the three page limitation. The cover page shall ONLY include the following:Labeled with the heading, "Cyber Education" - 2. Name of your organization - 3. Name of your organization's point of contact (POC) - 4. Telephone number, mailing address, and e-mail address for the organization's POC - 5. Identify if your organization has an active System for Award Management (SAM.gov) registration or CAGE Code and provide the information, if applicable. 3.0. Industry Discussions: The Government representatives may or may not choose to hold an Industry Day or meet with potential RFI respondents. Such meetings and discussions would only be intended to obtain further clarification of potential capability. 4.0. Questions regarding this announcement may be submitted in writing by e-mail to theresa.l.terry.mil@mail.mil and amy.l.case6.civ@mail.mil. Verbal questions will not be accepted. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 11 March 2019 will be answered.