Appellate Advocacy Training Legal Writer

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is for market research purposes to gather information on industry capabilities for providing legal writer training. It is not a solicitation, RFP, IFB, or RFQ, and no contract will be awarded based solely on this RFI. The government is seeking information to refine its acquisition strategy for training personnel in strategic and written appellate advocacy skills relevant to criminal cases for the Air Force Appellate Defense Division.

• Provide a two-to-three-day in-person training course.
• Train two to eight personnel per session.
• Conduct training two times a year.
• Focus on strategic and written appellate advocacy skills relevant to criminal cases.

Respondents must demonstrate:

• Possession of a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.

• Substantial legal practice experience in reviewing appellate records and written appellate advocacy (specify years of experience).

• Experience in appellate advocacy in criminal cases.

• Prior teaching skills in written appellate advocacy.

• Ability to teach legal writing, mentor, and provide constructive feedback on appellate strategy and development of appellate issues.

• Capability Packages must be submitted by 17:00 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, 16 May 2026.

• Submissions must be electronic, via one email, in Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf).

• File size must not exceed 5MB.

• Submissions must contain only UNCLASSIFIED data.

• Submissions are limited to 8 total pages.

• Submit to Mr. Winston Allen (winston.allen.1@us.af.mil) and MSgt Irinieta Abuyaqona (irinieta.tabuyaqona.1@us.af.mil).

Not specified in this RFI.

• The NAICS Code for this RFI is 541110 (Offices of Lawyers).
• Respondents must also provide company name, address, point of contact information, small business status, information on GSA/FSS MACs/ESI IDIQ/BPAs, and three recent performance samples within the last three years.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To provide a two-to-three-day in-person training course on strategic and written appellate advocacy skills relevant to criminal cases for two-to-eight personnel annually.

• Conduct a two-to-three-day in-person training course each year, typically in late August or early September.

• Instruct on strategic and written appellate advocacy skills for criminal cases.

• Skills covered include analyzing trial records, developing case theories and persuasive appellate stories, formulating appellate strategies, and writing persuasive appellate briefs and statements of facts.

• Instruction will blend theory with interactive application using reviewed cases.

• The training should preferably focus on the defense perspective of criminal appeals.

• The training should preferably qualify for Continuing Legal Education credit.

• Training duration: Provide a two-to-three-day in-person training.

• Training quality: Meet customer's documented expectations 90% of the time, based on a scaled questionnaire. Re-performance required within 6 months of notification if expectations are not met.

• The training is to be conducted annually during the contract period, around late August or early September.

• Place of performance is Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

• Contractor qualifications: Must hold a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school, possess substantial legal practice experience in appellate records and advocacy (especially in criminal cases), and have prior teaching experience in written appellate advocacy.

• Contractor must demonstrate ability to teach, mentor, and provide feedback on appellate strategy, issue development, and writing techniques.

• Government will not furnish property or services; contractor will not be required to acquire property.

• Contractor personnel will have access to Government facilities three to five days per week, eight hours a day, conforming to customer agency operating hours.

• Contractor must comply with all security instructions, including physical security, access control, and identification requirements.

• Contractor employees are prohibited from possessing weapons, firearms, or ammunition on base.

• Contractor must report all labor hours via the secure Contractor Manpower Reporting Application (CMRA).

• Contractor must provide a Transition-In Plan at the Kickoff Meeting and a Transition-Out Plan 60 days prior to contract expiration.

• Contractor must develop and maintain an effective quality control program.

• Contractor personnel must present a professional appearance and demeanor.

• Contractor must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including FOIA, Privacy Act, and OSHA standards.