TSA posts solicitation for an intelligence and analysis writing excellence program

On August 6, the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration posted a solicitation for Intelligence and Analysis Writing Excellence Program Services (Solicitation Number: 70T020-18-R-7NOIA216). Proposals are due by 1:00 p.m. Eastern on August 24.

BACKGROUND

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is a principle element of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). TSA is charged with protecting the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement of people and commerce. Transportation systems of interest include aviation (passenger and baggage screening), maritime, and land transportation. Intelligence is an important tool for combating terrorism in all modes of transportation. The Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) office is the TSA element charged with responsibility for the intelligence and vetting function.

Accordingly, the TSA I&A receives, assesses, and distributes intelligence related to threats to transportation, and operates a 24/7 intelligence Watch Operations mission communicating with national intelligence and law enforcement programs. TSA I&A maintains direct connections with TSA’s field operations and security centers of major transportation stakeholders. TSA also collaborates with other DHS components and the Intelligence Community (IC) while continuing to support the transportation customer base regarding transportation security intelligence analysis

As a result of ongoing maturation and increased partnering within the intelligence community, I&A has become the centralized intelligence component within TSA and has commenced initiatives to enhance its intelligence capabilities. This includes producing Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) compliant products. ICD compliance is not optional for Intelligence Community agencies and their components. Intelligence writing is one of the most complex and difficult skills to attain because of the scarcity of IC courses, the significant instructional man-hours and unique instructor skill sets required, and the practical instruction that is needed to tailor the advanced writing skills to support specific TSA I&A product lines.

The TSA Writing Excellence Program (WEP) was created to improve the intelligence writing and analytic product quality and cohesiveness across the TSA intelligence workforce. Key components of the program include general and tailored intelligence writing and analytic tradecraft workshops, intelligence writing and analytic mentorship, product evaluation, intelligence writing and tradecraft performance analysis, and communications.

OBJ ECTIVES

1. Increased I&A analytic impact and mission effectiveness by improving the writing skills of analysts and the presentation quality of I&A written products by close compliance with analytic tradecraft standards, per ICD 203, 206, 208 and 710;

2. I&A analysts successful understanding and capability of demonstrating the art and mechanics of intelligence analytic writing, including language structure, usage, format and grammar, and writing for executive customers via the “inverted pyramid” writing style;

3. Analyst efficient preparation and quality of finished intelligence reports (basic descriptive, current-reportorial, or speculative-estimative), collection plans and manuals, and guides for field collectors and law enforcement agencies; and

4. Increased analyst capability to prepare significant studies or assignments of a highly specialized nature, which are expected to have a serious impact upon the intelligence.

Full information is available here.

Source: FedBizOpps