47QFHA22K00XX_T10_08 STP -PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (Draft) - Google Docs.pdf

DRAFT PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Readiness), Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Education and Training)

Secretary of Defense Strategic Thinkers Program (STP)

January 21st, 2025

PART 1

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.0 GENERAL :

This is a non-personal services contract to provide a master’s degree granting program, the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) Strategic Thinkers Program (STP) for mid-career military officers and government civilians.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction : The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, other items and non-personal services necessary to deliver the master’s degree granting STP as defined in this Performance Work Statement. The contractor shall perform to the standards set forth in this contract.

1.2 Background : STP: The Department of Defense has long recognized the need to develop and appropriately assign strategic thinkers to Combatant Commander staffs, the Joint Staff and at the Military Services’ Headquarters.

In December 2017, the Secretary of Defense approved the recommendation of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense to establish a 12-month Master Degree program to produce strategic thinkers.

1.3 Scope of Work : Provide a Master’s Degree program of 12 months duration designed to develop strategic thinkers that can accommodate up to 24 professional students.

1.4 Period of Performance/Place of Performance : The period of performance is for 12 months, plus two option years.

The place of performance is Washington DC, specifically within a 50 mile radius of the Pentagon (1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1400). The contractor is responsible for providing a space for the program, either on campus or as a satellite campus.

1.5 Quality Control : The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program (QCP) to ensure services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor’s quality control program is the means by which he assures that the work complies with the requirements of the contract. The QCP shall be delivered via electronic mail within 30 days after contract award. Amendments/changes to the QCP shall be delivered to the task monitor (TM), COR and KO within three business days following any change (Deliverable: Quality Control Program).

1.6 Quality Assurance : The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. This plan, developed by the Government, is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

1.7 Recognized Holidays : The contractor is not required to perform service on federal holidays, a calendar for which can be found at the following link:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/#url=Overview

When the Government grants administrative leave to Government employees, or is closed as a result of inclement weather, potentially hazardous conditions, or other special circumstances, Contractor personnel working at the specific facility/location granted administrative leave should coordinate with their employer to determine whether they will be granted paid time off, required to use leave or sick leave, or can perform their duties remotely (e.g., telework) from their home or alternate location. This decision should be at the discretion of the program manager and on-site manager, and in coordination with the Contracting Officer and/or Contracting Officer Representative (COR), to the extent that the overall performance is not adversely impacted. The Contractor shall at all times https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/#url=Overview maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the government facility is not closed for the above reasons.

1.8 Objectives:

1.8.1 Contract Objective: STP: The program is designed to develop cross-Service strategic thinkers who can operate in unknown environments, deal with unanticipated challenges, adapt non-military developments to security challenges, and seek innovative approaches in order to engage civilian and military leaders on the development and conduct of strategy/operations in the broader context of national policy objectives. Graduates of the STP will be able to synthesize information and ideas from a wide variety of sources, distinguishing between fact and opinion, to offer well-reasoned conclusions and advice to senior leaders.

1.8.2 Learning Outcomes. Graduates of the STP will be able to:

• Master the specialized theoretical and integrated learning processes in war and strategy, joint/combined and coalition operations and command and leadership;

• Investigate, analyze, and critique complex scholarly works and primary source documents relevant to strategy and war in the 20th and early 21st centuries;

• Assess, reassess, synthesize, and adapt to changing strategic, military, and policy conditions;

• Synthesize complex theories relating to the conduct of war, strategy and joint/combined and coalition military operations;

• Design, evaluate, and analyze developments in war, strategy, and joint/combined and coalition military operations and command and leadership;

• Justify and interpret theoretical propositions, methodologies, and conclusions in war, strategy, and joint/combined and coalition military operations, and command and leadership;

• Generate and evaluate the application of complex ideas to practical problems in a contemporary setting and exercise judgment in strategic and policy contexts.

The contracted school will award a Master’s Degree of International Public Policy (MIPP), or an equivalent, upon successful completion of the program.

1.8.3 Program Structure: The STP will have capacity for educating up to 24 Active-Duty military or government civilian students a year. If it is determined at a future date that additional students above the 24 will be advantageous to the objectives of the program, such additions will be negotiated separately between the DoD and the contractor at an agreed upon rate by both parties that is consistent with the current cohort rate per student and then a corresponding modification to the contract will be requested.

1.8.3.1 Each academic year will have a duration of 12 months. The cohorts for Academic Year 2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2029-2030 will consist of 18 students. The program will continue for three years until a competitive contract is awarded.

1.8.3.2 The MIPP curriculum for STP students will contain 32 credit hours of graduate-level work that will include the following:

1.8.3.4 The STP cohort-based core courses will comprise 16 out of the 32 credit hours. The remaining 16 credit hours will be available from the contractor’s curriculum.

1.8.3.5 The Staff Ride and war games will be integrated into the STP core course modules. The war game and staff ride topics and locations will be approved jointly by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Education and Training DASD(FE&T) and the STP Director and will relate directly to course content.

1.8.4 The STP will contain all of the following additional characteristics:

1.8.4.1 Key Course Themes: The STP core curriculum will include substantive course content in the following areas as it pertains to strategy, war fighting and a mastery of the following themes:

- Nature and character of war

- The political objective

- CIV/MIL dialogue/Unity of effort

- Strategic and military culture

- Resources, sustainment, capability, and force structure

- Operational environment and geography

- Leadership and command

- Learning and adaptation

- The international security environment and emerging strategic issues.

1.8.4.2 Proximity: Instruction will take place at the contractor’s campus, with the exception of the staff ride.

1.8.4.3 Durability: The STP is designed to be a sustainable, long term program.

1.8.4.4 Completable: The Master’s degree program will be completed in one year or less. Accordingly, the courses required for the program will be regularly available, with the core STP courses being taught sequentially during the fall and spring semesters to facilitate course scheduling.

1.8.4.5 Distinction. The STP will include faculty who are not only distinguished for their academic attainments and contributions but also through their knowledge of strategic thinking, applied strategy, policy, war gaming, and staff ride facilitation.

1.8.4.6 Assessment. Assessments of student learning will include baseline assessments taken at the beginning of the course (prior to commencement), during the course at various points, and at the end of the course. Assessments will be standardized so as to capture the development of student knowledge, skills, and abilities tapped by the learning outcomes described in section 2.1.2.

1.9 Program Management:

1.9.1 The STP core curriculum will consist of in-resident classroom instruction, two war gaming exercises and one staff ride.

1.9.2 The STP Curriculum and Budget Plan will separately include:

a. Learning outcomes and assessment criteria for all STP core courses;

b. The annual timetable for the delivery of credit hours for all STP core courses;

c. The key subject areas that will be covered by each STP course and the overall credit hours associated with each course, identified as either being syndicate activities, war games, or staff rides;

d. International location(s) of the annual STP staff ride;

e. A list of visiting key personnel and subject matter experts in support of STP courses for travel approval;

f. The annual budget proposal for each CLIN.

1.9.3 The STP Director/Lead Instructor will provide each student with specific and timely feedback on all completed coursework. Additionally, the contractor will carry out its own standard evaluation process to assess academic and curriculum components and will provide feedback to the Offices of the DASD(FE&T) for improving content and methods for learning.

1.10 Special Requirements :

1.10.1 Key Personnel: The contracted university will provide qualified personnel to serve as the STP Director.

The contracted university will ensure that the Director possesses the skills, knowledge, training, and experience required to satisfactorily lead the performance of all services required by the contract.

1.10.1.1 The STP Director will be required to lead and supervise the curriculum development and courses of instruction of all cohort-only courses (STP core) and will also serve as a liaison between the DASD(FE&T) and the contracted university’s leadership.

1.10.1.2 Qualifications: In addition, the STP Director will have a minimum of the following qualifications: Rank and experience at the level of a full time professor of practice; 10-15-years of experience at the collegiate graduate level teaching strategic studies, military history, or a closely related field; a doctoral degree in strategic studies, history, or a closely related field; substantial research and publication in strategic studies, military history, or a closely related field; familiarity with war gaming, particularly its use within the classroom; experience with managing budgets and directing a graduate program; and experience working with Department of Defense organizations is highly preferred. The Director is expected to work 1872 hours broken down as follows:

Program Director

-Teaching in Class: 448 -Teaching (Preparation): 448 -Marking and Assessment: 260 -Staff Ride Preparation: 220 -Staff Ride Leading: 56 -Program Lead (curriculum development; mentorship; reports and research): 440

The contracted university will provide a full-time Program Administrator for the STP. The Program Administrator is expected to work 1872 hours in support of the contract.

1.10.1.3 The contracted university will be required to provide qualified personnel to run the two war games. Each war game consists of 72 hours of work. The contracted university must also provide qualified personnel to assist in teaching STP and with the staff ride. The expected hours for co-teaching the class; support to the STP Director and for assisting with the staff ride is 1176 (See Technical Exhibit 3 below). Honorariums will serve as guest instructors and lectures throughout the academic year. Past Honorariums have included Sir Hew Strachan, former Secretary James Mattis and Professor Risa Brooks.

1.10.2 Student Admissions: The DASD(FE&T) will conduct a thorough screening of all prospective STP students and select only the most highly qualified primary and alternate candidates for admission to the contracted university. The contracted university reserves the right to refuse any prospective STP student based on its admission standards. The contracted university will grant a waiver of admission timelines to accommodate the replacement of any primary STP student applicant with an alternate applicant prior to the beginning of the program each August.

Furthermore, the university will permit withdrawal without penalty to any prospective student who fails admission to the contracted university, as well as any student who must withdraw from the STP during the course of the academic year due to military orders, humanitarian issues, or disciplinary actions occurring prior to the start of the academic year.

1.10.3 Non-STP Degree Completion: If after successful completion of the first half of the STP core curriculum it is determined by both the contracted university and DASD(FE&T) that a student is unable to progress to the second half due to academic performance or humanitarian/family medical issues, the contracted university will afford the student the opportunity to complete the remainder of their MIPP from the integrated university curriculum. This opportunity will be available during the spring semester of the same academic year for any student dropped from the STP due to academic performance and through the end of the following academic year for any student who is withdrawn from the STP due to humanitarian issues.

1.11 Security Classification:

1.11.1 All courses in the STP curriculum will be taught at the unclassified level. No security clearances required.

1.12 Travel:

All Travel must be in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR)

1.13 Type of Contract : This is a firm fixed price contract.

PART 2

DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

2.0 DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS :

2.1. DEFINITIONS:

2.1.1. CONTRACTOR. A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.1.2. CONTRACTING OFFICER. A person with authority to enter into, administer, and or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government. Note: The only individual who can legally bind the government.

2.1.3. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE. An employee of the U.S.Government appointed by the contracting officer to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.1.4. DELIVERABLE. Anything that can be physically delivered, but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports.

2.2. ACRONYMS:

COR Contracting Officer’s Representative

DoD Department of Defense

MIPP Master of International Public Policy

STP Secretary of Defense Strategic Thinkers Program

DASD (FE&T) Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Education and Training

PART 3

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

3.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES : Not-applicable. There are no Government furnished services, facilities, or equipment associated with this contract.

PART 4

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4.0 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

4.1 General: The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, books, equipment, facilities and services required to perform work under this contract.

PART 5

SPECIFIC TASKS

5.0 SPECIFIC TASKS :

5.1. Deliverables: To be delivered by the contracted university to the ODASD(FE&T) in accordance with Technical Exhibit One:

5.1.1 Bi-annual progress and cost reports, Professor Evaluations, Weekly Activities Report, war game report, and staff ride report.

5.1.2 Yearly technical evaluation on the delivery and curriculum.

5.1.3 Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) minutes. At a minimum, a TIM will be held within one month of contract award and within one month of the renewal of each option year thereafter. Other TIMs can be convened as required.

5.1.4 Prior to the beginning of each semester, copies of the lists of courses and descriptions for classes scheduled that semester.

5.2.1 STP Course Development

5.2.1.1 Course curriculum: STP students will participate in two four-hour seminars each week, for a full academic year (56 sessions total). Sessions are to be run as interactive roundtable seminars using case studies, where all students are rigorously engaged in discussion and debate and practicing active learning. Through this framework, students will develop and demonstrate strategic thinking proficiencies in critical analysis of design and the conduct of strategy and operations in the broader context of national policy objectives to assist civilian leaders in understanding the art and science of war. They will learn how others have operated in unknown environments, dealt with unanticipated challenges, and sought innovative approaches to why, how, when, and where we fight.

5.2.3.1 Wargaming. The contracted university will ensure two war gaming sessions provide students with the opportunity to examine historical and contemporary decision making to gain a better understanding of how strategy and operations have evolved over time and how levels of warfare link together. The wars and problems studied shall complement the STP curriculum and provide students with the opportunity to conduct a strategic assessment, develop a theory of victory, and execute a war plan for each war game. The process shall be iterative and allow students to attempt different operations and strategies to practice their war fighting and strategic and critical thinking. Each war game should require 300-500 pages of reading. The war games will emphasize a free-flowing conversation informed by the STP course, additional readings, and the war games themselves.

5.2.3.2 Staff rides. The contracted university will ensure one annual staff ride for STP consisting of systematic preliminary study of a selected campaign, an extensive visit to the actual sites associated with that campaign, and an opportunity for students to integrate the lessons derived from each. The staff ride will be conducted using a historical case and experiential learning to examine through the prism of the overarching STP themes: political objectives; the nature and character of war; civ/mil dialogue and unity of effort; strategic and military culture;

command and leadership; resourcing, sustainment, capability and force structure; operational environment and geography; and learning and adaptation.

PART 6

APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

6.0 APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS:

6.1 The Contractor must abide by all statutes, applicable regulations, publications, manuals, and federal policies, procedures.

PART 7 ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LISTING

ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LIST:

7.1 Attachment 1/Technical Exhibit 1 – Performance Requirements Summary

7.2 Attachment 2/Technical Exhibit 2 – Deliverables Schedule

7.3 Attachment 3/Technical Exhibit 3 – Estimated Workload Data

ATTACHMENT 1/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 1

Performance Requirements Summary The contractor service requirements are summarized into performance objectives that relate directly to mission essential items. The performance threshold briefly describes the minimum acceptable levels of service required for each requirement. These thresholds are critical to mission success.

Performance Objective (The service required – usually a shall statement)

Standard Performance Threshold

(This is the maximum error rate. It could possibly be “Zero deviation from standard”)

Method(s) of Surveillance

PRS#1 The contracted university shall comply with overall program structure and develop the curriculum, war games, and staff rides to achieve the outcomes OSD desires, as per the applicable requirements outlined in this PWS.

PWS: 5.2.1.1, 5.2.1.2, 5.2.1.3

PRS # 2 The contracted university shall ensure that individual, internal assessment mechanisms are addressing learning outcomes for STP, as per the applicable requirements outlined in the PWS.

PWS: 1.8.2

STP: Curriculum designed to develop interagency, cross- Service strategic thinkers who can deal with unanticipated security challenges and seek innovative approaches in order to engage civilian and military leaders on the development and conduct of military strategy/operations in the broader context of national policy objectives.

STP Assessment Mechanism:

Assessment mechanisms that capture learners’ ability to apply knowledge skillfully in actual performance (may be completed through formal, standardized testing, observation of performance during exercises, or expert evaluation).

Zero Deviation from Standard.

Methods below apply to PRS # 1, 2 and 3.

Content (Curriculum) Review not later than 15 July

TIM within 30 days of the awarding of a new contract

Weekly Activities Report

End of program review by 15 July which includes feedback from stakeholders (students, faculty, follow-on units of assignment)

Bi-annual progress report by 31 December

War gaming report within 30 days of the conclusion of the war game

Staff ride report within 30 days of the conclusion of the staff ride

List of courses with a description for each of the SAIS classes selected by an STP student by 1 September

Professor evaluations conducted by the students within 30 days of the end of each semester

PRS # 3 The contracted university shall ensure that students master all course material for STP through weekly assignments, discussions and one on one engagements, as per the applicable requirements outlined for each program in the

PWS.

PWS: 1.8.1

STP: Graduates who possess advanced cognitive and analytical skills necessary to engage civilian and military leaders on the development and conduct of military strategy and operations in the broader context of national policy objectives.

90% or greater

Attachment 2/Technical Exhibit 2

DELIVERABLES SCHEDULE

Deliverable Frequency Number of Copies

Medium/Format Submit To

Semi-annual report

PWS: 5.1.1

31 December and 30 of June

One MS Word Delivered to TPOC and COR via email/ASSIST

Professor Evaluations completed by the STP students

PWS: 5.1.1

Within 30 days of the end of the first term and the end of the second term

One MS Word or

PDF

Delivered to TPOC and COR via email/ASSIST

Annual budget

PWS: 1.9.2

By 15 July One MS Word Delivered to TPOC and COR in person/ASSIST

Curriculum outline including a list of key personnel and subject matter experts

PWS: 1.9.1

By 15 July One MS Word Delivered to

TPOC/ASSIST

Weekly Activities Report

PWS: 5.1.1

Weekly by Close of Business on Wednesday

One Email Delivered to

TPOC/ASSIST

Staff Ride Report

PWS: 5.1.1

Within 30 days of the conclusion of the staff ride

One Email or MS Word

Delivered to

TPOC/ASSIST

War Games Report

PWS: 5.1.1

Within 30 days of the conclusion of the

War Games

One Email or MS Word

Delivered to

TPOC/ASSIST

MIPP

PWS: 1.8.2

1 June One for each studen t

ASSIST

War Games

PWS: 1.8.3.5

Twice ASSIST

Staff Ride

PWS: 1.8.3.5

May ASSIST

Four STP Specific Courses

PWS: 1.8.3.4

ASSIST

Four Course (Each Student) from SAIS Catalog

PWS: 1.8.3.4

ASSIST

Attachment 3/Technical Exhibit 3

ESTIMATED WORKLOAD DATA

For Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Type CLINs The data provided is an estimate of what it may take to perform the requirements listed in the Performance Work Statement. The contractor is not required to propose the hours listed below and is encouraged to use sound judgment and business practices when preparing cost proposal.

BASE YEAR

Labor Category PWS Task Section Number of FTEs Hours Program Director -Teaching in Class:

1.10.1.2 1

-Teaching (Preparation):

-Marking and Assessment: 448

-Staff Ride Participation: 280 -Staff Ride Leading:

-Program Lead (curriculum development; mentorship;

reports and research): 280

Total: 1872

Other Faculty 1.10.1.4 1 Co-teaching:

Lesson prep for all sessions:

War game participation:

Staff ride preparation:

Staff ride: 30 Staff ride leadership: 200 Program duties in support of 200 STP director: 10

Total: 1176

Key Personnel and Subject Matter Experts

1.10.1.4 6 32

Program Administrator 1.10.1.3 1 1872