The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office seeks to develop a bespoke training course on International Security and Strategic Affairs for UK civil servants and military officers, focusing on escalation, deterrence, and competition between Great Powers, with delivery planned between October 2025 and February 2026.
The Strategic Affairs Capability Team within the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is responsible for developing and delivering training for HMG civil servants on topics related to International Security and Strategic Affairs. It is reviewing options for the delivery of learning in this area this Financial Year. The Integrated Review Refresh in 2023 and the Foreign Secretary’s Locarno speech in January of this year both highlighted the need to re-learn skills related to escalation, deterrence and the managing competition between Great Powers. Building on learning previously delivered by Kings College London’s Department of War Studies, FCDO is looking at options to further develop and deliver a bespoke two-day, face-to-face training course that will involve lectures, seminars and workshops, covering the areas referenced above. Course content will be developed and delivered by a UK located, higher education institution. A credible provider will need to demonstrate Strategic Affairs expertise and detailed insight to the syllabus. It will need to deliver the training: (i) To approximately 400-500 students in approximately 13 courses (i.e. a single course of 2 days would cover 30-40 students, repeated a fixed number of times). (ii) To an audience composed of UK civil servants and military officers, plus a proportion of military officers and officials from allied NATO countries. (iii) In a window between October 2025 to February 2026. (iv) From a venue in London, United Kingdom, with at least 1 training course occurring outside London but within the UK (probably Scotland) and at least 2 occurring at FCDO establishments overseas. The estimated maximum budget for this requirement is £375,000. The course will not need to contain any classified materials, as we expect it to cover academic concepts well discussed in the public domain. Teaching staff will not need to hold a security clearance, though it would be favourable if they did. Deep familiarity with the UK defence establishment, the UK’s conventional and nuclear deterrent capabilities and policy, its foreign policy objectives and challenges are strongly preferred. This area of academic interest is not new, but it is undergoing renewed interest and challenge in a way not seen since the end of the Cold War. For this reason we would prefer a large academic provider with a strong interdisciplinary track record as well as an excellent administrative support to ensure timely, hassle-free delivery. Proposals that can incorporate alternative or non-traditional challenges, potentially from more than one other institution, are welcome.
Should the Authority proceed with this project and determine to competitively tender requirements, it is probable that the Crown Commercial Service Learning and Training Services DPS (RM6219) will be the procurement route to market with tender exercise likely commencing in July 2025. The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement notice is to signpost academic institutions towards the DPS with view to registration in anticipation of any forthcoming opportunity. Details of the DPS append this link: www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6219. It is your organisation's responsibility to contact the Crown Commercial Service to apply to join it.