RFI-GCMC-Exercise Program Analyst

Request for Information for George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies Exercise Program Analyst 1.0 Introduction The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies (GCMC) is an international educational institution funded by the United States Department of Defense and the German Ministry of Defense. Its mission is to create a more stable security environment by advancing democratic defense institutions and relationships; promoting active, peaceful security cooperation; and enhancing enduring partnerships among the nations of North America, Europe, Eurasia, and beyond. GCMC routinely hosts participants from around the world. Generally, they are members of the military, government or subject matter experts. They have the ability to affect change and are critical to the overall success of GCMC's mission. The GCMC College of International and Security Studies (CISS) specifically supports the GCMC mission by offering resident courses and non-resident activities designed to enhance and improve communication, collaboration planning, critical thinking, strategic leadership, and international cooperation. The CISS resident course program's and non-resident activity's curriculum incorporates security gaming exercises utilizing scenario-driven events as a component of the interactive, participatory educational instruction program for individual participants and collective teams. The security gaming exercises are used to: one, engage program participants in selected topics relevant to current priority national and international security related issues; two, challenge and evaluate decision making processes at the international, strategic, interagency, and high operational levels; and rationalize the use of military forces and other types of governmental assistance to achieve defined security objectives. The CISS utilizes a range of educational security gaming exercises with the objective to address political, military, economic, social, cultural and environmental challenges which could lead to conflict between nations, states, alliances or these entities' citizens. These security gaming exercises may also address senior level decision-making with issues related to budgets, resource and organization management, domestic and international economics, the environment, interagency decision-making processes, national and military strategies, stability operations, homeland security and other similar topics. CISS conducts approximately 24 security gaming exercises each calendar year. These security gaming exercises are a key part of the continuing adult learning experience. Their successful design and execution must be customized, relevant and current for each respective CISS program. These programs include: Program in Applied Security Studies (PASS), Program on Terrorism and Security Studies (PTSS), Senior Executive Seminar (SES), Seminar on Regional Security (SRS), Program on Countering Transnational Organized Crime (CTOC), Program on Cyber Security Studies (PCSS) ad European Security Seminars (ESS) - East/South/North. At the conclusion of each exercise, lessons learned are captured from students and instructors to ensure the exercises remain relevant and current. These lessons learned are then reintegrated and the portfolio of exercises are maintained within an intranet library for future use. This process is critical to GCMC's mission. If these exercises are not updated incorporating current world events for continued relevancy, GCMC's mission is at risk. 2.0 Description & Purpose 2.1 The George C. Marshall Center for European Security Studies (GCMC) seeks sources with Exercise Program Analyst (EPA) expertise. GCMC currently has a contract in place for this requirement and plans to re-compete it to ensure GCMC maintains mission continuity. GCMC's mission is to create a more stable security environment by advancing democratic institutions and relationships; promoting active, peaceful, whole-of-government approaches to address transnational and regional security challenges; and creating and enhancing enduring partnerships worldwide. The EPA creates, updates and maintains scenario-driven security gaming exercises and associated multi-media material to help with the successful delivery of GCMC's mission. In addition, the EPA de-briefs staff and faculty upon an exercise's completion; trains professors and instructors in the conduct of exercises and their associated multi-media material; and maintains the library / database of exercises for continual reference and use. It is expected that the EPA will: a. Research political, military, social, economic, cultural, and environmental issues to support exercise objectives. b. Review and edit political, military, social, economic, cultural, and environmental issues and concepts. c. Provide expertise on issues solely at the strategic and interagency level. Research may require the EPA to examine and review computerized and non-computerized data bases; examine sources on the internet; examine Government and commercial documents and reports; attend conferences and meetings; interview selected experts about topics in question; and to develop a bibliography of sources for a topic or functional area. 2.2 The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to gain market insight on the following: a. Technical criteria the Government should consider when evaluating and differentiating such aforementioned security gaming exercises. b. Comments and recommendations on the structure of Contract Line Items (CLINs) for such a contract. c. Determine if there will be sufficient competition based on the aforementioned details of such a requirement. 2.3 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information 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 Government 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 one is issued. 3.0 Requested Information The Government seeks interested sources which can provide the Exercise Program Analyst services based on current or past performance/expertise. 3.1 Requirement: The Government seeks vendors who can provide Exercise Program Analyst Services based on proven experience in the creation, development and maintenance of gaming exercises. 3.2 Performance: 2.2.1 TBD 2.2.2 Location(s): George C. Marshall Center, Gernackerstr 2, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany and occasional off-site centers for non-resident programs. 3.3 Experience: Provide relevant details in your response providing the same or similar services in the last three (3) years. Vendors may also include URLs to provide demonstrated work experience. 3.4 Capabilities & Industry Insight: Please provide details on the following: 3.4.1 Technical criteria the Government should consider when evaluating and differentiating such aforementioned security gaming exercises. 3.4.2 Recommended criteria the Government should consider when evaluating a specific person's professional capabilities. For example, education, published works, video recordings of a person's presentations / interactions with audiences, and others. 3.4.3 Comments and recommendations on the structure of Contract Line Items (CLINs) for such a contract. 3.4.4 Determine if there will be sufficient competition based on the aforementioned details of such a requirement. 3.5 Recommendations: The responder is invited to provide information and recommendations for fashioning this proposed acquisition. Recommendation areas may include the type of contract, anticipated contract terms & conditions, incentives, variations in delivery schedule, price and/or cost proposal support, and data requirements, contract pricing, CLIN structure and any other areas that the responder believes is relevant for the Government to achieve its stated objectives. 4.0 Responses 4.1 Interested parties' responses shall be in Microsoft Office/Word or compatible format and shall not exceed 10 pages. A page is defined as each face of an 8" x 11" sheet with information contained within a one inch margin on all sides. Font type shall be Times New Roman 12 point. 4.2 Responses are due no later than 11:00 am Central European Time on December 21, 2017. Responses shall be limited to and submitted via e-mail only as a message attachment to steven.dyer@marshallcenter.org and Nathan.pauly@marshallcenter.org with the message subject line "RFI Response: GCMC Exercise Program Analyst". 4.3 Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 5.0 Meetings and Discussions The Government representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential RFI service providers. Such meetings and discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential technical enhancements or limitations. 6.0 Questions Questions regarding this RFI should be submitted in writing by e-mail to steven.dyer@marshallcenter.org and Nathan.pauly@marshallcenter.org. Questions should be submitted no later than Noon Central European Time on December 15, 2017. 7.0 Summary This RFI is only intended for the Government to identify sources that can provide the needed services to fulfill the Government's requirement. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding to the Government. The Government has not made a commitment to procure any of the RFI requirements discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.