Secretary of War's Strategic Thinkers Program (STP)

The General Services Administration is procuring graduate-level educational services for the Secretary of War's Strategic Thinkers Program (STP), a Master's in International Public Policy (MIPP) program designed to develop strategic thinking capabilities among mid-career military officers and government civilians. The program must be delivered by an accredited institution of higher education located within 20 miles of the Pentagon and must incorporate a proprietary "Art of War" curriculum developed by a pre-selected STP Director. Key requirements include delivering 32 credit hours of instruction over two academic terms, comprising four STP-specific core courses and four elective courses, supplemented by twice-annual war games and one annual staff ride, with enrollment of 18 to 24 students per cohort. The evaluation will assess technical approach based on curriculum integration, elective course design aligned with Combatant Command regions and military strategy topics, facility capability, institutional accreditation, and Senior Service College equivalency of expected learning outcomes, with technical merit weighted as more important than price. The deadline for proposal submission is February 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time, with technical questions due by January 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time.

This solicitation carries no small business set-aside, and the incumbent contractor is Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. The contract is structured as a firm fixed-price arrangement with a base period running through July 31, 2026, followed by three 12-month option periods, with an estimated total value of approximately $34.5 million across the full contract period. The program will enroll up to 24 students annually, with pricing on a fixed unit basis for tuition and fees at $24 per cohort annually, plus reimbursable travel costs ranging from approximately $50,618 to $54,749 per option period. All instruction and program activities must take place in the Washington, DC metro area within a 20-mile radius of the Pentagon with accessible Metro transit and a commute not exceeding 30 minutes. Quoters must establish a conditional hiring agreement with the STP Director regarding employment terms and must provide proof of facility ownership or lease agreement, current accreditation documentation, and CMMC Level 2 cybersecurity self-certification.