Five contractors this week secured another chunk of a $10 billion global law-enforcement project of the U.S. State Dept., which is deploying hired guns and consultants worldwide.
Although the department yesterday (May 11) identified the companies to whom it awarded new contracts, it did not specify the destination or mission assigned to the respective vendors. Rather, it will pay the vendors on an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity, or IDIQ, basis.
DynCorp International, Justice Services International, MPRI, PAE Government Services, and Civilian Police International will provide a variety of “civilian police” (CIVPOL), corrections, and advisement services to clients of the State Dept.’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). The contractors on their websites are vigorously recruiting applicants in preparation of carrying out "task orders" that the State Dept. may submit.
According to a modified solicitation for the program, one of INL's responsibilities is:
the provision of a wide array of support to criminal justice sector development programs worldwide. Program countries/areas include Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Liberia, Sudan, and the West Bank… The contracts provide criminal justice advisors and life and mission support (LMS). LMS includes office and living facilities, subsistence, vehicles, and associated equipment and supplies.
Contractors must be able to deploy staff to targeted nations with as little as 72 hours notice from the State Dept., the Statement of Work (SOW) says.
Below is an excerpt from Section “C” of the SOW, titled “General Program Description and Requirements Overview.
The need for law and order - as well as justice and respect for human rights - is paramount in a world of growing transnational threats including terrorism, crime, porous borders, and violent internal conflict. Unfortunately, many nations around the world lack capable police forces and transparent criminal justice systems to counter these growing threats in a manner that upholds Rule of Law principles. This poses a major problem not only for those countries and regions, but also for the United States. Countries with weak law enforcement can serve as breeding grounds for crime and extremism, while abusive and corrupt law enforcement may lead to human rights violations and potential political instability. Tackling these challenges is paramount to U.S. national security. This may include creating criminal justice structures where none previously existed, restructuring structures to provide criminal justice systems consistent with internationally recognized principles of democratic policing and the rule of law, or substantially enhancing criminal justice capabilities in countries or regions emerging from conflict, or attending training or consulting trips. For these reasons, the development of efficient, fair, and effective criminal justice systems around the world is among the most important U.S. national security and foreign policy goals.
The Department of State (DOS) Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is mandated to pursue these goals by furnishing assistance to countries and international organizations for the control of narcotic drugs, controlled substances, and other anticrime purposes, including strengthening foreign police and criminal justice systems, countering the flow of illegal narcotics, and minimizing transnational crime. INL’s authorities are found in Chapter 8, Part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), as amended. In furtherance of its counternarcotics and anticrime mandates, INL has assumed an increasing role in stabilizing post-conflict societies and strengthening democracies through the institutional development of criminal justice systems. INL designs, implements, coordinates, and oversees approximately $3 billion in funding each year. Since 1994, INL has deployed over 7,000 U.S. law enforcement personnel to 14 post-conflict and conflict missions throughout the Department’s six geographic regions (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Palestinian Territories/West Bank, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Haiti, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Lebanon and Liberia).
Today, INL plays a central role in guiding the DOS on current and future post-conflict international police and criminal justice missions. INL frequently implements its programs in partnership with the U.S. inter-agency and military, as well as international organizations including the United Nations (UN), the European Commission and European Union (EU), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
This contract will serve as a key vehicle for INL in implementing civilian police (CIVPOL) and criminal justice assistance programs overseas, both as contributions to broader international peacekeeping missions (i.e. “multilateral missions”)and as stand-alone U.S. missions (i.e. “bilateral missions.”) This contract builds on a similar outgoing INL contract and incorporates evolving U.S. requirements and methodologies in the field of international civilian police and criminal justice assistance.
For multilateral missions, INL provides – or “seconds” – U.S. civilian police and criminal justice personnel to a larger mission which has operational control. This contract will serve as a mechanism for providing such personnel and supporting them in country as required. Multilateral missions draw their mandate and authorities from UN Security Council resolutions and/or other international bodies. Direction of such multilateral missions (including goals, areas of focus, timelines, and operational considerations) is handled by the relevant multilateral entity to which the U.S. support personnel, such as the UN, EU, or OSCE. These multilateral missions may be focused solely on providing civilian police officers who provide law and order training or serve as law enforcement officers. They may also focus solely on reform and development of criminal justice systems including the police, prosecution, defense, judicial, and corrections services. Increasingly, such multilateral missions provide a combination of the above. As a contributor to such missions, the U.S. (i.e. INL) plays a supporting role, not an operational leadership role.
In addition to contributions to multilateral missions, the U.S. also implements assistance programs aimed at improving police and criminal justice systems on a bilateral basis (i.e. directly between the U.S. and the host country). This form of assistance comes under the authority of the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Ambassador to the host country, with responsibility for implementation delegated to INL in Washington and at the Embassy. For bilateral missions and programs, INL is responsible for setting overall mission/program policy, goals, budgeting, implementation, direction, and oversight. Consequently, INL support to bilateral missions may require more than just the provision of personnel and in-country support. As required and directed by the Contracting Officer (CO), task orders for bilateral programs may include work plans that guide all in-country assistance activities (vice in-country support activities). The Contractor shall identify, hire, deploy, and provide in-country support for U.S. and other task order personnel for bilateral criminal justice missions.
INL on Feb. 15 had awarded the first round of contracts to four other vendors: BlueLaw International, Bering Strait Orion Management Joint Venture, Team Crucible, and Navigator Development Group.
That took all of two minutes.