Background
The Homeland Security and Innovation Center (HSIC), located at Joint Force Headquarters–Massachusetts, supports the National Guard by connecting senior-leader education with the evolving challenges of homeland security, emergency management, crisis leadership, and innovation.
The center's education mission includes General and Flag Officer Seminar (GFOS) and Leadership in Homeland Security (LHS) audiences, emphasizing rigorous academic study, case-based analysis, facilitated discussion, critical thinking, and peer networking in a university setting.
The curriculum is designed to address National Guard roles in complex domestic response and intergovernmental coordination while incorporating emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence, cyber threats, small unmanned aircraft systems/counter-sUAS, and innovation.
Work Details
The contractor will provide personnel, academic faculty, subject-matter experts, instructional content, case-study development, facilities, materials, program administration, quality control, and logistical coordination necessary for delivering customized executive education seminars for HSIC.
Specific tasks include:
1. Delivering rigorous instruction by academically distinguished faculty with relevant scholarship and demonstrated success in educating senior executives.
2. Recruiting guest instructors from military and government sectors to enrich academic discussions.
3. Providing suitable facilities that accommodate up to 65 seminar participants plus support staff with appropriate seating and audiovisual capabilities.
4. Ensuring compliance with privacy regulations and maintaining quality control processes.
5. Developing original case studies or adapting existing materials for seminar use while addressing intellectual property rights concerning pre-existing materials versus new Government-funded content.
Period of Performance
The planning baseline is a three-year ordering period with individual GFOS and LHS events ordered through task orders.
Place of Performance
MA UNITED STATES
Bidder Requirements
Bidders must be accredited degree-granting institutions with bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs. Faculty must have tenured Ph.D.-level qualifications with relevant publications and at least ten years of experience educating General/Flag Officers or comparable senior executives. Institutions should also demonstrate capability in areas relevant to homeland security and strategic leadership.
HSIC, located at Joint Force Headquarters Massachusetts, supports the National Guard by connecting senior-leader education with the evolving challenges of homeland security, emergency management, crisis leadership, and innovation. Its education mission includes General and Flag Officer Seminar (GFOS) and Leadership in Homeland Security (LHS) audiences. The seminars emphasize rigorous academic study, case-based analysis, facilitated discussion, critical thinking, and peer networking in a university setting.
The curriculum should address National Guard roles in complex domestic response and intergovernmental coordination and, as appropriate to each seminar, emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence, cyber threats, small unmanned aircraft systems/counter-sUAS, and innovation. Inclusion and emphasis of these topics remain subject to HSIC/GOMO mission validation. The broader HSIC innovation/incubation mission does not automatically expand the scope of this seminar-services requirement.
MARKET RESEARCH FEEDBACK REQUESTED
Institutions are invited to comment on academic capability, delivery and pricing feasibility, and requirements that may unnecessarily constrain participation. Responses should identify the affected section, explain the practical or financial impact, and propose alternatives that preserve HSIC educational quality. Contracting will determine final response instructions.
- Academic institution and faculty qualifications: experience educating GOs or comparable senior executives; relevant faculty credentials; impact of tenured-Ph.D./ten-year criteria.
- GFOS and LHS differentiation: recommended objectives, topics, and approaches appropriate to each audience; capability to address AI, cyber, sUAS/cUAS, and innovation.
- Case-study pedagogy and research: existing course adaptation, case-study counts, original case development, guest speaker access, realistic research and approval timelines.
- Seminar capacity, location, and duration: in-person facilities for 65 plus support staff; viable course lengths; scheduling lead times; capacity for multiple annual iterations.
- Enrollment and pricing: ability to handle 40 Government-funded and up to 25 direct-pay seats; tuition-only versus standard bundled seminar pricing; minimum cohort sizes.
- Intellectual property: rights and restrictions for pre-existing materials versus Government-funded new case studies; possible licensing and reuse models.
- Participation barriers: federal contracting, administrative requirements, location, security, teaming, and any provisions that materially affect willingness or ability to compete.
TARGETED UNIVERSITY FEEDBACK QUESTIONS ACADEMIC AND BUSINESS FEASIBILITY
- Which performance outcomes and academic quality indicators best demonstrate that an executive education program meets HSIC needs?
- Which specific faculty criteria, if any, would prevent your institution from competing, and what evidence of equivalent academic quality could you provide?
- What case-study-based instructional model would you propose, and how would HSIC verify the quality of learning?
- What enrollment, lead time, and annual frequency would make participation financially viable for your institution?
- How would your institution price standard bundled tuition, meals, books, and facilities compared with a tuition-only arrangement, if available?
- Which administrative or payment requirements (including direct-pay seats and federal contracting) would discourage a response, and what alternatives could address them?
- Based on this draft PWS, what specific requirements or business conditions would discourage your institution from competing?
- Would your institution be interested in competing? If not, what changes would materially affect that decision?
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS & INSTRUCTIONS
Interested academic institutions who believe they have the capability to perform this requirement are invited to submit their feedback and Capability Statement.
Please refer to the attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) (File: HSIC_PWS_Draft.docx) when compiling their responses.
To be considered complete, the submission package MUST contain:
1. Administrative Profile (including UEI and CAGE Code)
2. Technical Capabilities Narrative
3. Comments on the 7 Market Research Feedback Areas
4. Direct Answers to the 8 Targeted University Feedback Questions
Please ensure the email subject line reads: "Sources Sought Response: W912SV27SS0001 - HSIC Executive Education Seminar Services"
Responses must be submitted via email to the following points of contact:
Primary POC: Marc Kerrigan (marc.j.kerrigan.civ@army.mil)
Alternative POC: Isao Hattori (isao.hattori.civ@army.mil)
Please note that no phone calls or inquiries will be accepted or acknowledged regarding this market survey.
DISCLAIMER
THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP), REQUEST FOR QUOTATION (RFQ), OR INVITATION FOR BID (IFB). IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT (RFO FAR 15.101(c)).
RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND CANNOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO FORM A BINDING CONTRACT. THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR THE PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, AND ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONDING WILL BE SOLELY AT THE INTERESTED PARTY'S EXPENSE. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.
NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE DOES NOT PRECLUDE PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE SOLICITATION, IF ISSUED. IF A SOLICITATION IS RELEASED, IT WILL BE SYNOPSIZED ON THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (SAM.GOV). IT IS THE POTENTIAL OFFEROR'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR THIS SITE FOR THE RELEASE OF ANY SOLICITATION.
