Objective: The Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) of the United Stated Army War College (USAWC) uses its Academic Engagement Program to seek collaborative and mutually beneficial conceptual research partnerships with distinguished academic and other institutions to address key national security issues. Partnering with the US Army War College will assist selected institutions in becoming or continuing as centers of excellence for the study of national security. Although there are many informal methods for encouraging collaboration, this request for proposal (RFP) solicits specific formal partnership through the conduct of scholarly colloquia designed to produce conceptual research and publishable unclassified works absent copyright restrictions. The normal end products of the academic colloquia envisioned by this RFP are scholarly presentations, research papers, monographs or books published by the SSI. The research products assess and make recommendations on strategic issues and national security policies important to the Army and are used in the professional development of USAWC faculty and students. Additionally, SSI distributes its publications to key leaders in the Army and Department of Defense (DOD), the broader military educational system, Congress, the media, other domestic and international think tanks and defense institutes, and major colleges and universities. Project Goals: The U.S. Army, the USAWC and SSI will obtain value from these colloquia as indicated by the following goals: (1) Engage noted scholars, leading practitioners, and other strategic thinkers in presentation, dialogue and debate of key national security issues important to the U.S. Army. (2) Publish scholarly and influential papers and reports that address critical challenges and initiatives that affect the U.S. Army's future in relation to the key issues. (3) Establish and build upon mutually rewarding relationships with the various organizations represented by colloquia participants, as well as the participants themselves. (4) Engage the US Army in multi-national dialogue with fellow militaries and leading academic researchers. (5) Ensure the freshness and relevancy of the USAWC curricula through timely, critical, and independent research and analysis. (6) Contribute to the strategic thought under-girding U.S. national security policy and strategy and significantly expand the base of knowledge through various publication media including printed products. BACKGROUND: The SSI is the U.S. Army's research organization for the analysis of national security policy and military strategy. SSI is part of the USAWC at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania and its research provides direct analysis for the professional development and use of USAWC faculty and students as well as Army and DOD leadership, and the Institute serves as a bridge to the wider national security intellectual community. SSI employs the Academic Engagement Program to build and sustain relationships between SSI and outstanding scholars in the global strategic studies community while supplementing SSI's research and analysis capabilities to produce products useful to those who study, teach, and practice national security and military strategy, within the Army and DOD. This program seeks premier academic institutions to host colloquia on key strategic issues of interest to the Army that allow SSI scholars and other Army personnel to interact with leading scholars and government officials who are most knowledgeable and influential in the field of study. The purpose of the colloquia is not only to produce publications that have inherent credibility but also to expose scholars and military personnel at the USAWC to a diverse group of expert participants, with whom they would not otherwise be able to interact. REFERENCES / APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS: a. Strategic Studies Institute web site: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/ b. "Publishing with SSI" at: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/publishing/ c. "Key Strategic Issue List" at: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/ksil.cfm Basis for Contract Award: (1) This is a best value source selection conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.3, Source Selection, as supplemented by the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and the Army Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (AFARS). The Government will select the best overall offers, based upon an integrated assessment of Mission Capability, Past Performance, and Price Factor. The Government anticipates awarding more than one contract to the offers who are deemed responsible in accordance with the FAR, as supplemented, whose proposal conforms to the solicitation's requirements (to include all stated terms, conditions, representations, certifications, and all other information required by 52.212-2, Evaluations, of this solicitation) and are judged by an overall assessment of the evaluation factors and subfactors to represent the most advantageous choices to the Government. As part of making the assessment, a best value analysis will be performed determining whether or not exceeding the minimum requirements at an associated price provides the best value to the Government. The government reserves the right to select for award, all, some or none of the offers received and make multiple awards on a best value basis. (2) As a basis for award, trade-offs between price and non-price factors are permitted. Therefore, the Government reserves the right to award contracts to other than the lowest proposed price. However, the degree of importance of price as a factor in determining award could become greater depending upon the equality of the proposals evaluated in the non-price factors. The greater the equality of proposals within the non-price factors, the more important price becomes in selecting the best value to the Government. The Government will evaluate proposed prices for reasonableness using price analysis techniques. Proposed prices evaluated as unreasonable may be grounds for eliminating a proposal from competition. It is estimated that the RFP will be released on or about 26 August 2011 with a closing date on or about 15 October 2011. The actual beginning and closing date will be on the RFP itself. TO REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION, SEND AN EMAIL TO
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