Iowa National Guard technical instruction services for a Physical Surveillance Basic and Advanced for the Midwest Counterdrug Training Center
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Iowa Army National Guard Midwest Counterdrug Training Center (MCTC) is soliciting proposals for technical instruction services for a Basic and Advanced Physical Surveillance Course. This Total Small Business Set-Aside opportunity requires contractors to design, develop, and instruct law enforcement and military personnel on counternarcotics and counter-transnational organized crime surveillance techniques. Proposals are due April 14, 2026.
Opportunity Overview
The MCTC requires a contractor to provide all personnel, equipment, tools, and materials to design, develop, and instruct a comprehensive Physical Surveillance course. The curriculum focuses on illicit narcotics interdiction, disruption of drug trafficking organizations, and intelligence analysis. Topics include tactical operation preparation, surveillance techniques, legal restrictions, driving tactics, concealment, disguises, de-confliction, confrontation procedures, and takedown techniques. An advanced course specifically addresses counter-surveillance methods used by criminal organizations. Courses are for up to 24 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers and military personnel. Performance standards include achieving 75% or higher on student evaluations and 100% coverage of course topics, tests, and practical exercises.
Contract Details
This is a Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (RFP) for a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) contract. The contract includes a 12-month base period for five course iterations and four 12-month option periods, each allowing for up to ten course iterations. Approximately one-third of courses will be held at the MCTC main campus in Johnston, Iowa, with the remainder conducted across the MCTC service area (54 states and territories). The NAICS code is 611699, with a size standard of $16.5 Million. This is a Total Small Business Set-Aside.
Submission Requirements
Proposals are due by April 14, 2026, at 11:00 AM Central Time. Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) are due by April 13, 2026, at 11:00 AM Central Time. Proposals must be submitted electronically on CD/DVD and as a hard copy. Offerors must have a current NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment (within 3 years) prior to award and acknowledge this in their proposal. Proposals should be structured into four volumes: Proposal Summary, Technical Capability, Past Performance, and Price Proposal (using Attachment 4). Full manuals and slides are required for technical evaluation.
Evaluation Criteria
Award will be based on a Best Value/Tradeoff approach, considering Technical Capability, Past Performance, and Price. Technical Capability and Past Performance, when combined, are significantly more important than Price.
- Offeror Qualifications: Prior experience in designing, developing, and delivering Physical Surveillance (Basic and Advanced) courses to uniformed local, state, or federal law enforcement personnel, with current engagement in similar training.
- Instructor Qualifications: Minimum 15 years of total law enforcement experience, including 10 years as a civilian Narcotics Officer, and 5 years teaching Physical Surveillance (Basic & Advanced) courses to civilian law enforcement.
- Past Performance: Evaluated based on recent (within 36 months) and relevant contracts, with PPQs submitted directly to the government.
Key Clarifications & Responsibilities
The contractor is responsible for providing all necessary personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, quality control, role players, and securing practical exercise locations. Travel costs should be quoted as a firm fixed price estimate per iteration. Contractors must adhere to operational security and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) handling requirements.
Contact Information
Primary contact is Seth Van Steenwyk (seth.a.vansteenwyk.civ@army.mil, 515-252-4615). Secondary contact is Kelsey Letcher (kelsey.l.letcher.civ@army.mil, 515-252-4508).