Project History

Our projects have had a positive impact and reach in over thirty-five countries in critical areas of international development. Our robust Human Rights Inclusive Development practice has supported the implementation of advocacy capacity-building programs and the creation of protocols and materials to improve legislative processes and evaluative services that initiate institutional improvements to assist marginalized populations. BlueLaw works with the Department of State/INL to deliver law enforcement development programs in the US and abroad in order to raise the level of professionalism for law enforcement professionals, equip them with the skills to manage resources more efficiently, and to combat crime more effectively. 

Our projects worldwide allow us to support good governance and the rule of law on behalf of a variety of donors and to put the ingenuity, experience, and efficiency of our staff to support programs that can bring about positive change. 

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Current Projects:

Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Polygraph Testing Services
BlueLaw provides pre-employment screening services to the Government of District of Colombia Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) through a five-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for polygraph examinations. Founded in 1861, MPD is one of the ten largest local police agencies in the United States. In support of MPD’s hiring goals, BlueLaw conducts Law Enforcement Pre-Employment Test for entry-level police recruits, cadet, and Reserve Corps police recruits. Polygraph testing in this form helps law enforcement agencies to better determine the suitability of applicants. Fifteen BlueLaw examiners, all federally- or APA-certified, support this contract.  BlueLaw maintains six professional, fully-equipped, federal and APA-standard polygraph suites in support of this contract. BlueLaw also provides all scheduling using advanced scheduling software.

Past Projects
The International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), Roswell
ILEABlueLaw International works with the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs to provide ILEA Roswell with management and implementation of courses in criminal justice, criminal policy, and legal and regulatory issues for approximately ten sessions per year (thirty-five students per session). Myron Golden serves as its Program Director, with BlueLaw’s Dr. Jorey Krawczyn as Academic Program Director and Susie Russell as Training Coordinator.

While the primary mission of ILEA Roswell is “to promote international cooperation among law enforcement agencies”, ILEA also has the broader goal of raising the level of professionalism in policing and criminal justice systems around the world. To fulfill these goals, the United States has worked with partner countries to establish four other regional ILEAs across the world, serving Europe, South America, and Asia. Unlike these regional academies, ILEA Roswell focuses on criminal justice from an academic point of view. In addition to communicating the Department of State’s foreign policy objectives to international participants, ILEA Roswell offers an unprecedented opportunity for global collaboration and collegiality in the fight against transnational crime.

USAID and DOS Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) Cooperative Agreement Iran – Enabling Legal Advocacy (ELA)
BlueLaw provides project implementation and subject matter expertise to USAID and DOS Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) under a Cooperative Agreement. Together with its sub-contractor, the Burton Blatt Institute of Syracuse University (BBI) and local implementing partners, BlueLaw supports civil society efforts to advance the capacity of Iranian citizens and civil society groups to organize and advocate for citizen interest and in enhancing the capability of Iranians to protect internationally recognized legal rights.

Department of Home Land Security – Transportation Security Agency (DHS-TSA)
As a sub-contractor to Potomac Management Services, BlueLaw provides the Transportation Security Administration – Office of Inspection (OOI) / Technical Services Branch (TSB) and The Federal Air Marshall Service (FAMS) Polygraph Examination Support Services in support of pre-employment screening activities.

USAID Bangladesh Cooperative Agreement – Expanding Participation of People with Disabilities

This project aims to empower Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) to advance UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) implementation in their local communities by strengthening their capacity for legal advocacy through strategic recourse to the Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act, 2013 (DRPA) district-level committees.

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Democracy, Governance & Rule of Law

  • One Billion Strong – Shaffallah Center – Worldwide – 2010-2013
    BlueLaw worked to support the implementation of a global initiative that will not only make lasting contributions to the rights of persons with disabilities around the world but also capture innovations and lessons learned to encourage future action and advocacy for human rights globally and locally.
  • Albania Anti-Corruption – USAID (funded by MCC) – Albania – September 2006 – September 2008
    As the primary implementing subcontractor for Component 3 of the Albania MCC Anti-Corruption project, BlueLaw International implemented country-wide public procurement reform and other cross-cutting support (including support to media efforts) largely related to e-procurement, aimed at significantly reducing opportunities for corruption and making better use of public funds by professionalizing the Government procurement process.
  • Egypt Administration of Criminal Justice under Regional Democracy Initiative (REDI) – USAID – Cairo, Egypt – April 2006 – March 2011
    BlueLaw‘s AOCJ project team worked closely with the Egyptian Prosecutor General‘s Office (PGO) to improve the administration of the criminal justice system. BlueLaw used automation to enhance the efficiency of the PGO, expand the capacity of its nascent public defense systems, and increase judicial and prosecutorial knowledge about human rights legal principles and norms.

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  • Changes for Justice Project (C4J) – USAID – Jakarta, Indonesia – May 2010 – May 2014
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    Together with the prime contractor, BlueLaw is currently assisting the Government of Indonesia to sustain and deepen reforms in the justice sector to produce a more accountable and higher performing justice system. BlueLaw is working to enhance the management, transparency, and accountability of the Supreme Court by providing short-term technical assistance to complete an assessment of the human resources needs of the Supreme Court and all the tribunals it manages. BLI also provides analysis and monitoring of court organizational restructuring, following on activities to implement bureaucratic reform initiated under the MCC, including organizational restructuring and budgeting advocacy/financial reporting (including individual wealth reporting monitoring).
  • Millennium Challenge Corporation – Indonesia Control of Corruption Project – USAID – Jakarta, Indonesia – April 2006 – April 2008
    In October 2006, the MCC Board approved Indonesia’s Threshold Country Plan (TCP), including a component focused on improving the “Control of Corruption” indicator within the MCC framework. The TCP’s anticorruption program aimed to strengthen the institutional capacity of the GOI to combat corruption in the executive and judicial branches of government. BLI was the largest implementing subcontractor on this large MCC-funded project headquartered in Jakarta. BLI provided significant short term expertise to the largest component of this $24 million project — court reform — which represented 57% of the total level of effort.

  • Iraq Digital Records Management – DOS-INL – Baghdad, Iraq – Sept 2010-Sept 2013
    On this project, BlueLaw provided expert assistance in records management, records retention, records archiving, records destruction, and performed an assessment of agency rules, policies, practices, and regulations based on international standards to three Iraqi justice sector entities: the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), and the Higher Judicial Council (HJC).

  • Combating Corruption and Strengthening Rule of Law under the MCC Threshold Country Program – USAID         – Kyiv, Ukraine – May 2007 – April 2009
    Following a comprehensive needs assessment (including consultations with local and international stakeholders), BlueLaw International LLP designed a two-year training and technical assistance project whose purpose was to reform Ukraine’s administrative law courts.

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Human Rights & Inclusive Development

  • Burundi Policy Reform Program – USAID – Burundi – December 1, 2007 – August 30, 2010
    BlueLaw implemented the following activities in support of this project: (1) provide legal services and healing opportunities to at least 125 victims of torture; (2) managerial skill development through a sub-award to civil society organizations working with victims of torture to expand the availability of legal recourses as well as healing opportunities; (3) technical assistance to civil society organizations to enable them to engage in processes of consulting primary stakeholders when it comes to advocating for reforms that eradicate torture in Burundi; (4) provision of organizational and financial support to victims-led associations through round tables and media programs to promote advocacy against torture on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture; and (5) funding for and facilitate the participation of at least 25 members of victims associations to international study tours on victims of torture issues.
  • Towards the Full Inclusion of People with Disabilities: Examining the Accessibility of Overseas Facilities and Programs Funded by the United States – National Council on Disability (NCD) Washington, D.C. and worldwide – Sept 2009 – Sept 2010
    BlueLaw International, LLC produced a comprehensive report to examine and review the responsibilities of public and private U.S. government-funded overseas facilities and programs. The main objective of the program was to examine and review the responsibilities and compliance of public and private U.S.-funded overseas facilities and programs to determine how inclusive and accessible they were to people with disabilities.
  • Iran ELA USAID/DOS – Iran, Turkey, US – Aug 2013 – July 2015
    During this 2-year cooperative agreement, BLI, its sub-contractor the Burton Blatt Institute of Syracuse University (BBI), and local partners sought to improve the capacity of Iranian citizens and civil society groups to organize and advocate for citizen interest, hold the state accountable, and enhance their abilities to protect internationally recognized legal rights.

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  • Enabling Human Rights for All (Phase 1 and 2) – Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs – Doha, Qatar – March 2007-March 2008
    BlueLaw International (BLI) provided disability law program support to the Shafallah Center in the areas of rule of law, policy, advocacy training, and capacity building.
  • Elections Access Grant – USAID – Morocco – 2007-2008
    In Morocco, BLI staff worked with a coalition of DPO’s to develop two participatory disability rights manuals to increase political participation.  One manual was targeted towards training government and elections officials. The other manual targeted disability groups to help them understand their political participation rights. This program was part of a USAID grant to IFES that BLI co-authored to support a local coalition of disability organizations to procure elections access.
  • Elections Access Grant – USAID – Liberia – 2006-2007
    Consultant Janet Lord designed a national elections access project for the blind and worked with the Liberian National Elections Commission and local disabled people’s organizations.  Our accomplishments included the training of thirty elections officials on international standards of elections access, production of a guide to international standards of elections access, the production of the first tactile ballot for blind voters in Liberia, and the monitoring of local and national elections within the country.
  • Elections Logistics Capacity Development – USAID – IFES sub-contract 2009-2011
    BlueLaw provided elections logistics and security subject matter experts to IFES.[/read]

Security & Justice and Police Capacity Development

  • Iraq Civilian Advisory Support (ICAS) – DOS-INL – Iraq – May 2008-February 2010 
    The project sought to accomplish several distinct tasks as part of an overall effort to build the capacity of the Iraqi Higher Judicial Council, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Interior to manage the national criminal justice system. These included: Judicial Education and Development Institute (JEDI), Criminal Justice & Police Capacity Development; Iraqi Justice Integration Project (IJIP); Iraqi Higher Judicial Council Court Administration Project (IH-CAP); and Judicial Protection Project (JPP).

  • Paraguay Threshold Country Plan—Formalization of Economic Activities –  USAID 
    – Paraguay – May 2006-May 2008
    BlueLaw International (BLI) implemented the Paraguay Formalization of Economic Activities project for MCC’s Threshold Country Plan, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and USAID. The project addressed government agencies’ ability to respond to the needs of the private sector, including efforts to decrease corruption in the public sector, improve government effectiveness, promote rule of law, and create a secure and enabling environment for formal economic activities. BLI was responsible for the project’s customs and border control component (Component 7), whose goal was to increase the value of seizures of merchandise from US $3 to $7.5 million over the life of the project and to promote the sustainability of anti-corruption efforts in Paraguay.

  • Mock Trial Forensic Training Program – US Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL) Forest Park, Georgia, USA – Sept 2010 – July 2011
    BlueLaw International (subcontractor) and Analytic Services, Inc. (ANSER, prime contractor) supported USACIL’s goal to provide a realistic mock trial courtroom experience consistent with policies and procedures practiced in the military justice system (courts martial), trial preparation, and testimony.

Research, Analysis, Studies and Performance Management

  • Harvard Project on Disability – Harvard – Washington, D.C. and New York, NY – 2008 – 2011
    The project assisted the Executive Director of the newly established Harvard Project on Disability, based at Harvard Law School in strategic planning and knowledge management that included organizing research, analysis, program design, evaluations, and performance support services. The purpose was to advance Harvard’s work as a leading academic and research institution to provide technical assistance on disability law, policy, programming, and evaluation support to national human rights institutions, disabled peoples’ organizations and governments.
  • Egypt Human Rights: Combatting Violence Against Women and Children – USAID –  Egypt – April 2006-March 2011 

    Women in Lawenforcement Policy forumDuring the first two years of the project, Research Manager Gihan Abou Zeid guided the design and implementation of a first-of-its-kind survey to provide accurate qualitative and quantitative information on violence against women in Egypt. The study team included senior experts from the Egyptian private sector, academic institutions, NGO representatives, and the CVAWC project team. In addition to the study, the study team created an in-depth series of recommendations to guide NCW leadership in policy development and support advocacy activities and to serve, along with the survey data, as a solid basis for specific interventions by the NCW, other government institutions, NGOs and donors to reduce violence in the lives of Egyptian women going forward. The study and its recommendations were reviewed in detail at a two-day retreat attended by over sixty senior Egyptian participants, including academics, religious leaders, NGO activists and educators, and government policy-makers.

  • Haiti Strategic Review Project – INL-PSU – Haiti – June 2010
    Shortly after the magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, INL/PSU tasked BlueLaw as part of a team of experts in Criminal Justice and disaster recovery to assist the GOH and the Haitian National Police in evaluating the new demands on the country’s governance, rule of law, and security institutions.  The effort of the team included travel to Haiti for participation in on-the-ground assessments and cooperation in the US to update a strategic plan for the INL to re-focus their efforts to provide assistance to the GOH and the HNP, corrections, counter-narcotics and criminal justice systems.

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  • Morocco Juvenile Corrections Project – DOS-INL – Morocco – Sept 2010 – Aug 2012
    The Morocco Juvenile Corrections Project (MJCP) implemented by BlueLaw International on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (DOS – INL) was tasked to advise and assist the Government of Morocco with the reform of its juvenile justice system.  The specific goal was to improve the safety and services of Morocco’s Child Protection Centers (CPCs). To that end, BlueLaw conducted assessment of the CPCs sites and on the development and implementation of tools and curricula to mitigate the challenges of safeguarding young victims and rehabilitating young offenders in ways innovative and responsive to the existing code of law and traditions of the area.
  • Iraq Civilian Advisory Support (ICAS) – DOS-INL – Iraq – May 2008-February 2010
    The project aimed to accomplish several distinct tasks as part of an overall effort to build the capacity of the Iraqi Higher Judicial Council, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Interior to manage the national criminal justice system. This included Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E). BlueLaw developed M&E systems integrating MS Project data with outcome-based evaluation criteria.  BlueLaw staff regularly collaborated with INL program staff, other US government agencies, the Iraqi HJC, and other Iraqi Government entities, allied embassies, and international donor organizations to coordinate rule of law efforts.  BlueLaw staff also met with counterpart organizations at the highest levels to ensure program visibility, Iraqi buy-in and avoidance of duplication of efforts with other organizations.
  • International Police Peacekeeping Operations Support (IPPOS) – DOS-INL PSU
    – Washington, D.C. and worldwide – December 1, 2007- August 30, 2010
    Under the International Police Peacekeeping Operations Support Program (IPPOS), BlueLaw supported the INL Office of Criminal Justice and Assistance Partnerships to design an effective performance measurement system to train police units deployed on United Nations peacekeeping missions.
  • Engaging with Disabled People’s Organizations in Development Cooperation – USAID
    – Mexico – Sept 2007 – Feb 2010
    In Mexico, BlueLaw worked with the Mexican Human Rights Commission and a local coalition of disabled persons organizations to draft a shadow report for submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  BlueLaw Senior Associate Janet Lord lead this effort with extensive experience working with Latin American governments throughout the negotiations of the UN Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities.
  • INL Program and Outreach Support – DOS-INL
    – Washington, D.C., Worldwide – Jan 2010 – Jan 2012
    Under a direct award from the Department of State, BlueLaw International (BLI) provided a range of headquarters support to the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). BLI operated INL’s program support unit, which leads a number of initiatives to augment and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of INL programming worldwide. BLI provided assistance in three primary areas: assistance with public outreach efforts; expert staff and training to support ongoing efforts to improve program performance monitoring; and advice and technical subject-matter experts to support INL to codify best practices and develop practical field tools. Assisting with public outreach involves basic, ministerial functions as well as strategic advice and assistance. Drawing from its experience in its work with USAID, BLI advised INL on how to adopt proven recruitment methods from international development rule of law best practices.[/read]

National Security Education & Training

  • Center for Civil-Military Relations – U.S. Navy
    – Poland, Africa, and Ft. Bliss – Oct – 2013 – Oct 2014
    As a subcontractor to Deloitte Consulting LLP, BlueLaw supported the regional seminars and distance learning programs offered by Center for Civil-Military Relations Leader Development Education for Sustained Peace, which prepare senior military leaders for short- and long-term engagement in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa, the Pacific, Central Asia and other regions around the world.  BlueLaw provided subject matter experts and instructors in key areas of regional priorities, for example, working with Afghanistan transitional forces and multilateral and inter-organizational coordination, including coordinating with NGO and civil society groups to achieve strategic security and defense objectives.  Most recently, BlueLaw also provided instructors who were experts in United Nations African Union Peacekeeping Operations for a seminar tailored for the U.S. Army in Africa.
  • Security Sector Reform, BRDG IQC – USAID
    – Washington, DC – Sept 2008 – Aug 2011
    BlueLaw International took the lead on several SSR initiatives, including a major interagency effort on maritime security sector reform. The Security Sector Reform program worked directly with USAID to provide expert advisory, research, and implementation in support of the latter’s efforts to expand its technical programming capacity and leadership in security sector reform.
  • Southern Sudan Transformation Training and Advisory Team – Government of Southern Sudan
    – Sudan – May 2008 – May 2010
    BlueLaw advisors and trainers provided expertise and training to SPLA general officers in basic staff skills, civil-military relations in a democracy, rules of engagement, law of armed conflict, military decision-making processes, military justice, operations and plans, and numerous other capacity-building measures.

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  • Near East and South Asia Center – National Defense University
    – Washington, DC – Mar 2012-Feb 2013
    BlueLaw provided advising and consulting services to the Near East and South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA), the newest of the Department of Defense’s regional centers, on various topics of defense, including peacekeeping, national security, and strategic studies.

[/read]Past Services

  • Polygraph Examination Support Services – Department of Home Land Security –Customs and Border Patrol
    –  Texas and California – July 2014 – July 2015
    BlueLaw provided DHS-CBP Law Enforcement Pre-employment Test (LEPET) polygraph examinations inclusive of project management, which included the provision of five professional, federally inspected and approved polygraph facilities, comprehensive and efficient exam scheduling, provision of polygraph equipment (twelve Lafayette instruments), and program management oversight.
  • Chemonics, Assessment and Support for USAID SSR West Bank Gaza
    BlueLaw subject matter experts provided Chemonics proposal team on the ground reconnaissance support in response to a USAID BRDG IQC task order bid for West Bank and Gaza.
  • Chemonics, Assessment and Support for Nepal Transition Initiative
    BlueLaw subject matter experts provided Chemonics proposal team on the ground reconnaissance support in response to a USAID OTI SWIFT II IQC task order bid for Nepal.

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  • Chemonics, Assessment and Support for Pakistan
    BlueLaw subject matter experts provided Chemonics proposal team on the ground reconnaissance support in response to a USAID Pakistan Capacity Building team for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Development Program.
  • Development Alternatives International (DAI) UK, Assessment and Support for Nepal Police Reform
    BlueLaw subject matter experts provided DAI UK proposal team on the ground reconnaissance support in response to a DFID Nepal Police Reform bid.

[/read]Past IDIQ/IQC

  • Building Recovery and Reform Through Democratic Governance (BRDG) IQC
    – Subcontractor USAID ($750,000,000), 2005-2010, (Security and Justice)
    The BRDG IQC contract provided USAID Washington and Missions access to a wide variety of services in the areas of democracy and governance, civil society, private sector development as well as education, health, infrastructure, and security assistance. This contract served the areas of reinforcing and promoting state legitimacy, public management and administration, and policy and institutional reform.
  • Encouraging Global Anti-Corruption and Good Governance Efforts (ENGAGE)
    – Subcontractor USAID ($750,000,000), 2007-2012 (Security and Justice)
    In order to aid USAID missions around the world in their anti-corruption efforts, Encouraging Global Anti-Corruption and Good Governance Efforts (ENGAGE) IQC supported transparency, accountability, and anticorruption measures through a variety of task orders.
  • Regional Democracy Initiatives — Justice (REDI-Justice)
    – Subcontractor USAID ($150,000,000), 2006-2011 (Security and Justice)
    The Regional Democracy Initiatives (REDI)- Justice IQC supported the Cairo Mission of USAID in the areas of justice sector strengthening, human rights, strengthening legislative functions and legal frameworks, and promoting and supporting anti-corruption reforms. BLI provided several long term advisors on task orders for this program, and numerous short term subject matter experts to strengthen the Egyptian justice sector and to meet the goals of the program.

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  • Elections and Political Processes (EPP)
    – Subcontractor ($400,000,000), 2005-2010 (Security and Justice)
    Blue Law is a member of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) consortium for the Elections and Political Processes Indefinite Quantity Contract (EPP IQC). The objective of the EPP IQC was to strengthen electoral and political processes around the world through improved administration, enhancing the political party system, promoting citizen participation, and more effective processes and procedures.
  • Support Which Implements Fast Transition (SWIFT)
    BlueLaw was a sub-contractor to Chemonics International under Support Which Implements Fast Transition (SWIFT II) Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC). Under SWIFT II, BlueLaw supported Chemonics International team on USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) in providing countries in political transition with rapid and effective technical assistance for positive political change.
  • Counter-Narcoterrorism Technology Program Office (CNTPO)
    The U.S. Department of Defense Counter-Narcoterrorism Technology Program Office (CNTPO) has the lead for developing technology for interagency and multinational operations to disrupt, deter, and deny narcoterrorist activities in an effort to reduce trafficking in illegal narcotics and materials that support global terrorist activities. The CNTPO provides all federal government agencies with a rapid response contracting vehicle that can award work quickly to support any counter-narcotics or counter-narcoterrorism operation or program anywhere in the world (domestic included). BlueLaw was a sub-contractor to Lockheed Martin on this IDIQ.
  • Security Assistance Training Management Office (SATMO)
    The Security Assistance Training Management Office (SATMO) provides services to train and technically assist U.S. Allied Military and foreign Defense Personnel, not U.S. Army personnel, overseas in support of geographically aligned Combatant Commanders Security Cooperation Strategies, U.S. Foreign Policy and Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). Security Assistance Teams (SAT) train foreign personnel in any U.S. Army field required. Services are provided utilizing various DoD, and U.S. Army regulations, policies, procedures and U.S. Army approved training materials. BlueLaw was a sub-contractor to General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) under this IQC and provides technical expertise in International Law, Civil Affairs, and Rule of Law.
  • Joint Concept Development and Experimentation (JCDE)
    BlueLaw was a sub-contractor to General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS) under the Joint Concept Development and Experimentation (JCDE) Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC). Under JCDE, BlueLaw supported the GDAIS team by providing the lead role in the areas of security sector policy reform, rule of law, legal matter experts, and assessment of interagency capability gaps and providing policy and legal personnel with a wide range of international skills, knowledge, abilities and experience. BlueLaw also supported the project’s planning and execution, concept development, concept experimentation, front end analysis of concept proposals, and evaluation of concept proposals. It provided subject matter experts, assessment of capability gaps, and development of proposed solutions.[/read]