OPPORTUNITIES

Request for Proposals

Executive Training Program: Leading for Strategic Effect in the Marshall Islands

1. Background & Scope of Work

Lawyers Without Borders (LWOB) seeks to engage a qualified consultant, consulting firm, academic institution, or training organization to design and deliver a customized National Security Leadership, Crisis Management, and Strategic Decision-Making Training Program for the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Office of National Security (ONS). This engagement forms part of LWOB's broader RMI National Security Frameworks and Strategy (RMI-NSFS) project funded by the U.S. Department of State.

The selected consultant will work closely with LWOB and the Director of National Security (DNS) to develop a tailored curriculum that reflects the institutional realities, security priorities, and operational environment of the RMI. The consultant will be expected to conduct planning consultations prior to delivery, review relevant project documents and national security materials, and incorporate feedback from ONS and LWOB into the final curriculum design.

The training should be tailored to ONS leadership and staff, members of the Security Coordination Unit (SCU), and, where appropriate, National Security Council (NSC) members and other senior officials, with content adapted to their respective roles and decision-making responsibilities. The curriculum should strengthen leadership and organizational capacity in national security institutions, covering strategic leadership, interagency coordination, crisis management, decision-making under uncertainty, accountability, resilience, and change management, with particular attention to the challenges facing small-island states and emerging security institutions. Training should also address contemporary security threats relevant to the Marshall Islands and the Pacific, including foreign interference, corruption, cybersecurity, transnational crime, narcotics trafficking, maritime security, illegal fishing, strategic competition, and other emerging risks identified by ONS, drawing on practical regional case studies and lessons learned. A core component of the engagement should be a tabletop exercise or crisis simulation that tests interagency coordination, decision-making processes, and existing SOPs, followed by an after-action review and recommendations for improvement. Consultants are encouraged to incorporate sustainable learning components, such as e-learning modules, and will be responsible for developing all training materials and submitting a final report summarizing activities, key findings, participant feedback, lessons learned, and recommendations for future capacity-building efforts.

The period of performance is anticipated to occur between August 2026 and October 31, 2026. Training dates will be coordinated with LWOB and ONS. LWOB will provide support for logistical arrangements, including coordination with government counterparts. LWOB may also provide venue space, training equipment, supplies, participant support, travel, lodging, meals, and incidental expenses as appropriate. Offerors should clearly identify all anticipated costs in their cost proposal and indicate any logistical or administrative support expected from LWOB to facilitate delivery of the training.

2. Curriculum Development

The consultant will:

• Meet weekly for planning consultations with LWOB and ONS leadership.

• Review relevant project documents, including the National Security Act, National Security Strategy, ONS Strategic Plan, and other related policies or SOPs.

• Identify priority training needs.

• Develop participant materials and facilitator guides.

• Incorporate Pacific-specific examples and case studies.

• Ensure training reflects the institutional realities of small-island developing states.

3. Required Training Components

The training program should be designed to strengthen leadership, decision-making, crisis management, and national security coordination capabilities among personnel from the Office of National Security (ONS), members of the National Security Interagency Working Group, and other senior government stakeholders involved in national security governance and response.

A. Leadership for National Security Professionals

The training should address strategic leadership within government institutions and national security organizations, including leadership in complex and resource-constrained environments, building trust, legitimacy, and institutional credibility, interagency leadership and coordination, leadership during periods of uncertainty and crisis, ethics and accountability, and organizational development and change management.

B. Strategic Decision-Making

The training should strengthen participants’ ability to make effective decisions in complex and rapidly evolving environments. Topics should include decision-making under uncertainty, crisis decision-making frameworks, risk assessment and prioritization, information management and intelligence-informed decision-making, cognitive bias and decision traps, executive decision-making processes, and whole-of-government approaches to national security.

C. Crisis Management, Response, and Coordination

The training should provide participants with practical knowledge and skills related to national crisis management structures, crisis leadership principles, incident response coordination, interagency communication and information sharing, strategic communications during crises, and crisis recovery and lessons-learned processes.

As a core component of this training, the consultant shall design, develop, and facilitate a tabletop exercise (TTX) intended to strengthen national security coordination, crisis management, and decision-making capabilities within the RMI. The exercise should present participants with a realistic national security scenario relevant to the Marshall Islands and involve representatives from the ONS, the National Security Interagency Working Group, and, where appropriate, members of the National Security Council and other key decision-makers. The exercise should test existing coordination procedures, communication channels, decision-making processes, and implementation of relevant SOPs, while helping to clarify the roles and responsibilities of participating agencies and officials.

The scenario should reflect realistic threats and challenges facing the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the broader Pacific region. Potential scenarios may include foreign influence or interference activities, significant cybersecurity incidents, maritime security events, transnational criminal activity, or other multi-agency crises requiring senior-level national security decision-making. Following the exercise, the consultant shall facilitate a structured after-action review and provide recommendations to support refinement of existing SOPs, crisis response procedures, and interagency coordination mechanisms. Offerors should describe their proposed exercise design process, methodology, and approach to incorporating lessons learned into practical recommendations for institutional improvement.

D. Regional Security Threat Environment

The training should provide practical insights into contemporary security challenges affecting the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Pacific Island countries more broadly. Topics may include foreign influence and interference, corruption and governance vulnerabilities, cybersecurity and cyber warfare threats, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking and illicit networks, maritime security challenges, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, strategic competition in the Pacific, and climate- and disaster-related security risks. Training should incorporate real-world case studies, lessons learned, and practitioner experiences drawn from across the Pacific region and comparable jurisdictions.

E. Tabletop Exercise and Crisis Simulation

The training program shall include the design, development, and facilitation of a tabletop exercise (TTX) intended to strengthen national security coordination, crisis management, and decision-making capabilities within the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The exercise should present participants with a realistic national security scenario relevant to the Marshall Islands and involve representatives from the Office of National Security, the National Security Interagency Working Group, and, where appropriate, members of the National Security Council and other key decision-makers. The exercise should test existing coordination procedures, communication channels, decision-making processes, and implementation of relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs), while helping to clarify the roles and responsibilities of participating agencies and officials.

4. E-Learning Component

LWOB encourages applicants to incorporate sustainable learning solutions that extend beyond the in-person training program. Preference will be given to proposals that include the development of one or more self-paced e-learning modules that can be utilized by Office of National Security personnel following completion of the engagement. These modules should be designed to reinforce key concepts introduced during the training, support ongoing professional development, and contribute to long-term institutional capacity building within the Office of National Security and associated interagency partners.

Proposed e-learning content may address topics such as introduction to national security governance, strategic decision-making, crisis management fundaments, interagency coordination, and contemporary security threats affecting the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the broader Pacific region. Offerors are encouraged to propose additional topics they believe would enhance the long-term effectiveness and sustainability of the training program.

5. Deliverables

The successful consultant shall provide:

1. Training needs consultation with LWOB and ONS.

2. Detailed curriculum and agenda.

3. Training materials and participant handbook.

4. Facilitator guide.

5. Regional case studies.

6. Tabletop exercise package.

7. After-action review report identifying lessons learned and recommendations.

8. E-learning modules (if proposed).

9. Final engagement report.

6. Period of Performance

The period of performance for this engagement will run from approximately July 6, 2026 through November 30, 2026. Curriculum development, planning consultations, and coordination activities may commence as early as July 6, 2026. The in-person training program must be delivered between August 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026, on dates to be coordinated with LWOB and the Republic of the Marshall Islands Office of National Security (ONS).

7. Logistics

LWOB will provide coordination with the Republic of the Marshall Islands Office of National Security (ONS) and other relevant government stakeholders to facilitate planning and delivery of the training program. Subject to availability and project requirements, LWOB may also provide venue arrangements, training equipment, supplies, participant coordination, international travel, lodging, meals, and incidental expenses (M&IE) necessary to support implementation of the engagement. Applicants should clearly identify in their cost proposals all anticipated expenses associated with the engagement and indicate any logistical, administrative, or technical support expected from LWOB.

The consultant shall be responsible for all professional services associated with the engagement, including curriculum development, preparation of training materials and exercises, facilitation, reporting, and any specialized technical requirements necessary to successfully deliver the program. LWOB anticipates engaging one or two lead trainers or facilitators for this assignment, although applicants may propose alternative staffing arrangements if they can demonstrate that such an approach would enhance the quality or effectiveness of the training.

8. Desired Qualifications

The ideal consultant or team will demonstrate:

• Significant national security leadership experience.

• Experience advising governments on national security institutions or strategy.

• Experience conducting crisis management exercises and tabletop simulations.

• Expertise in Pacific regional security issues.

• Experience delivering executive-level training.

• Strong understanding of interagency coordination and governance systems.

• Former senior government officials, national security practitioners, military officers, crisis management professionals, and academic experts are encouraged to apply.

9. Proposal Submission Requirements

Applicants shall submit the following:

1. Technical Proposal describing the applicant’s understanding of the assignment, proposed approach, methodology, and work plan for designing and delivering the training program, including curriculum development, stakeholder engagement, training delivery, tabletop exercise design, and post-training follow-up activities.

2. Preliminary Curriculum Outline providing a detailed draft agenda and description of proposed training modules, learning objectives, training methods, and any proposed e-learning components.

3. Personnel Qualifications and Experience, including curriculum vitae (CVs) for all proposed personnel who will be involved in the engagement. CVs should identify each individual’s role in the project and include relevant education, professional certifications, subject-matter expertise, training experience, and experience working on national security, crisis management, leadership development, interagency coordination, or related programs.

4. Relevant Organizational and Project Experience, including examples of similar assignments completed within the past five years and at least three professional references who can speak to the applicant’s performance on comparable projects.

5. Detailed Budget Proposal that clearly identifies all anticipated costs associated with the engagement, including professional fees; curriculum development, training materials, tabletop exercise development; travel expenses, e-learning development (if applicable), and any other relevant costs.

6. Availability and Proposed Training Dates, including the availability of key personnel during the period of performance and proposed dates or date ranges for delivery of the in-person training between August 2026 and October 31, 2026.

7. Sample Training Products, if available, such as training agendas, participant materials, facilitator guides, tabletop exercise materials, e-learning modules, or other examples demonstrating the applicant’s approach to executive-level or national security-related training.

10. Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be judged based on the quality of their technical proposals and alignment with the parameters outlined in this RFP. LWOB reserves the right to request edits to the proposal prior to its implementation. Candidates should anticipate working closely with LWOB staff to ensure tight alignment with stated goals.

To apply, please submit an application packet including all of the aforementioned components in section 9 to jobs@lwob.org with the subject line “RMI Training Program Proposal” no later than July 2, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis while this RFP remains posted. If this RFP is removed from the Lawyers Without Borders website, the solicitation has closed and no further applications will be accepted. Please note that LWOB reserves the right to close this solicitation prior to the stated deadline if a suitable candidate is identified.

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