Process-Leading Innovation Study

The Air Force Materiel Command, Enterprise Sourcing Group (ESG/PKS) at Offutt AFB, NE intends to enter into a sole source follow on award with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), 1800 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006 under the authority of 10 USC 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1 to conduct an innovation study of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). DTIC serves the DoD community as the largest central resource for DoD and government-funded scientific, technical, engineering, and business related information available today. Information Analysis Centers (IACs) (http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/iac/) are research and analysis organizations established by the DoD and operated by DTIC to help researchers, engineers, scientists and program managers utilize existing Scientific and Technical Information (STI) to solve their most difficult challenges. This effort examines the steps the DoD can undertake to anticipate new and emerging innovations before they have reached the stage where they can be identified, adopted, and disseminated. This study will identify potential processes that anticipate technology innovation and incorporates it into policy development in parallel with its technical maturation. This process is called "Process-Leading Innovation". Process-Leading Innovation builds upon the earlier efforts of the Better Buying Power and Better Buying Power 2.0 Initiatives. This effort includes first identifying the scope and nature of challenges facing DoD in anticipating technology and process innovations, and then using this knowledge to draft anticipatory procedures. During this process, the contractor shall conduct stakeholder interviews and workshops throughout the DoD to refine and update challenges and technical approach. After establishing options for anticipatory procedures, the contractor shall evaluate each option and provide recommendations. The contractor shall obtain and consider inputs from personnel within the DTIC IAC PMO or other stakeholders as designated by the COR when formulating recommendations. These efforts shall produce additional, improved insights into technology and process innovation at the DTIC and DoD level to supplement the current Defense Innovation Marketplace. The final briefing shall be written and published as a publicly available report. Given the complexities of this requirement, the Government believes that only a contractor with nationally regarded subject matter expertise who possesses decades of high-level, first-hand experience in DoD strategic planning is qualified to conduct this analysis. The contractor must develop meaningful, well-informed and relevant recommendations that will carry credibility throughout the DoD. They must be an expert with an in-depth understanding of current and past military policies, initiatives and interrelationships from the perspective of having served successfully in the highest level senior DoD leadership positions. More specifically, CSIS employs a subject matter expert (SME) uniquely qualified in analyzing and developing potential future policy initiatives to ensure technology innovation does not out pace policy. The Government believes that expertise will substantially benefit this effort. The SME's direct and relevant experience includes: - A 1981 assessment for the Deputy Secretary of Defense of the impact of and lessons learned from the McNamara Cost Reduction Program, the Laird Management-by-Objectives Program, and the Brown Zero-Based Budget Program. The results of the SME's study formed the basis of the Weinberger Economies and Efficiencies Program from 1981-1984. - In 1983-1984, the SME was Special Assistant to the DoD Comptroller, overseeing the implementation of the Weinberger Economies and Efficiencies Program and its incorporation into the DoD budget. - In 1989, the SME was a principal author of the Cheney Defense Management Report (DMR). From 1989-1992, the SME was responsible for implementing 70% of the savings derived from Defense Management Report Decisions (DMRDs). Those savings were later validated by the Odeen panel under Secretary of Defense Aspin. This SME helped create the Defense Contract Management Command (now Agency) and the Defense Commissary Agency. - In 1995-96, the SME was part of the 4-person team that conducted the OSD Management Review for the Deputy Secretary of Defense. This review formed the basis of the Defense Reform Initiative (DRI) and the related Defense Reform Initiative Decisions (DRIDs). - The SME was Executive Secretary of the Defense Council on Integrity and Management Improvement, Executive Secretary of the Packard Commission, and a DoD consultant on both the 1997 and 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and on implementation of the 2005 QDR. - In 2007-2008, the SME was Principal Investigator on Defense Acquisition and Defense Business Transformation for the CSIS study for DoD on "Transitioning Defense Organizational Initiatives". This notice of intent, required by FAR 6.302-1(d)(2), is not a request for competitive proposals. No solicitation is available for this procurement. Any firm that believes it is equally or otherwise uniquely capable of meeting the requirements described herein may submit a capabilities statement (to include contact information, size status under NAICS 541611, DUNS Number, and CAGE Code) which, if received no later than 4:30 PM Central Time on 28 August 2013, will be considered. Responses to this posting must be submitted in writing via e-mail only to Stanley Stearns, ESG/PKS DTIC Flight at stanley.stearns@offutt.af.mil. A determination not to compete the described contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Federal Government. To mitigate the potential for an organizational conflict of interest, CSIS shall be restricted from being a prime or a subcontractor on any of the DTIC IAC contracts. Similarly, DTIC IAC contractors and subcontractors shall be restricted from participating as a prime or subcontractor on this Process-Leading Innovation study.