Research services in Swindon – Framework Lead

The current contract for Research services in Swindon is projected to end on 27/12/2017 and may be available for re-tender.The current contract for Research services in Swindon included Research services. The Ministry of Defence seeks to engage an academic institution of international reputation (the Provider) to support the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC), located within Defence Academy at Shrivenham, near Swindon. The Provider will be required to demonstrate and have the in-house expertise, facilities, reputation and an international network of contacts necessary to support the DCDC in delivering products and activities to improve strategic thinking and decision making within the UK MoD. One of the DCDC objectives is to enable the education and training of strategic thinkers across Defence, to include the understanding and use of creative thinking and evidence based analysis. Consequently, one of the DCDC’s priorities is to promote strategic, critical and creative thinking in Defence. The DCDC Strategic Portfolio supports this work. It is anticipated that from the outset the Provider will be available to DCDC as an immediate source of expertise and guidance in strategic, defence and security studies, critical thinking and research methodology. The Provider will also be required to work with the DCDC to deliver a number of specific deliverables:— Strategy Forum – DCDC is responsible for managing the ‘Strategy Forum’, 3 events per calendar year. The Provider will be required to work with DCDC to provide the intellectual and academic framework for the Forum. Additionally, the Provider will be responsible for the administration in organising the Forums. The provider will require to facilities to host the Forum but also the capability to liaise directly with other Defence institutions as one or more of the annual conferences may be held at the DCDC or in a Defence location in London;— New Strategist – a new DCDC managed Defence journal. The Provider will be responsible for publishing, administering and advertising the DCDC-managed journal. The journal is published twice per year; largely digitally;— Research Projects – the Provider will participate in a smaller number of bespoke research projects in collaboration with the DCDC and its international partners by providing in-house academic expertise to comment on terms of reference, research methods, and be willing to undertake a critical scrutiny of completed products;— Research Essays – the Provider will produce research essays of variable lengths either by in-house capabilities or utilising external academics who have an international reputation in the fields of strategic studies, security studies and war studies;— Internships – the Provider will be responsible for providing the DCDC with extremely high-calibre student interns from multiple institutions, including foreign universities.