The following information is provided to UMGC HSMN 625 students as a way to establish a real-world, scenario-based learning experience. References to the DHS organization up to the CIRRUS Division are fact-based; that is, real people and existing offices within the DHS organizational structure. References to the CIRRUS Division itself and related CIRRUS information is plausible but fictitious (i.e., not real) and are provided specifically, and solely, to HSMN 625 students as a way to enhance the realism of the learning experience.
NOTE: To potentially increase the diversity of responses to this Urgent Study #2 tasking, each CIRRUS Division member has the option to complete this tasking as an “individual” or “group” project — the choice is yours to make.
TASKING: Develop and submit an analysis — in one of the project formats described below — for DHS Acting Secretary Wolf’s and CISA Director Krebs’ review and acceptance that addresses the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOCs) request of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a critical infrastructure-related assessment framework, and to use this framework to develop an initial critical-infrastructure assessment for the city of Salt Lake City UT and its surrounding region.
BACKGROUND:
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is now accepting worldwide bids from those cities expressing a desire to host the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. As a result, the USOC has officially declared its intent to submit a U.S. bid as the host city for the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
On December 14, 2018, the USOC selected Salt Lake City UT and its surrounding region as the United States representative in a potential bid to host the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games .
The results of the Salt Lake City critical infrastructure-related assessment framework will be used by the USOC as a first step to develop further defined policies and procedures to help ensure the most efficient, effective, and secure critical infrastructure capability for the Salt Lake City region during the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
To prepare for the upcoming IOC selection process, the USOC has subsequently requested DHS to (1) develop an over-arching critical infrastructure-related assessment framework that can be used as a tool to evaluate a city and its surrounding region from a critical infrastructure perspective, and (2) use this developed critical infrastructure-related assessment framework to provide an initial evaluation of the critical infrastructure capabilities you deem as “most critical” for Salt Lake City UT and its surrounding region.
Based on the IOC’s request, DHS senior leadership has now designated the CIRRUS Division as the responsible agent to lead this effort within DHS.
TASKING:
The tasking is to develop the requested preliminary over-arching critical infrastructure-related assessment framework and then use your developed assessment framework to make an initial evaluation of the critical infrastructure-related capabilities you deem “most important” for Salt Lake City UT and its surrounding region.
As part of your approach, recommended contents consider to consider — but are not necessarily limited to– include the following:
From a big-picture perspective, describe how you’ve structured your “assessment” framework…i.e., what’s the outline and why the approach you’ve taken
What are the major “elements” of your assessment framework…i.e., what did you consider needed to be included as part of a comprehensive “assessment” framework such as risk, threat, vulnerability, consequence, resilience, recovery, etc.
How were the various CI sectors handled within the developed assessment framework…include a prioritization ranking of importance for those CI sectors you used as part of your developed assessment framework
Describe how your framework addresses the cybersecurity aspect
Discuss how some of the major DHS governing documents, Congressional acts, Presidential directives, etc. that you relied upon were used to develop your assessment framework
Did you use the Risk Management Framework as initially described in the NIPP 2013 document…if so, how…if not, why
What did your developed assessment framework consider being some of the more prevalent challenges, threats, and limitations to be faced by the critical infrastructure capabilities/equipment/facilities associated with the city of Salt Lake City and its surrounding region
What were your assessed findings and actionable recommendations as listed in the priority order
Consider videos or other media as examples within your presentation format…not required to do so but if used, make sure the links are accurate and hyperlinked (Word document) or embedded (PowerPoint presentation) properly
Anything else you thought the assessment framework needed to address to ensure the most reliable assessment framework possible for USOC use
In addition to your earlier CIRRUS Division reading materials and lecture notes, and your own research to develop your final submission, here are some other initial — but by no means inclusive — resources that provide some preliminary background information that might be related to your research efforts:
As you develop your project submission, keep in mind the CIRRUS guiding philosophy of “Heads in the Cloud, Feet on the Ground.” Ensure your project submission represents critical thinking and “out-of-the-box” perspectives yet maintains a realistic picture that’s grounded in a fact-based, non-emotional, logical, and questioning approach.
My staff and I will integrate your various inputs to develop a final CIRRUS Division submission to Acting Secretary Wolf and Director Krebs (with a ‘cc’ to the other DHS Directors/Assistant Directors as a courtesy information copy)
URGENT STUDY “INITIAL” OUTLINE:
Each individual must email me an “initial” outline of your thoughts regarding the submission’s major sections/topics to be addressed. This initial outline is due no later than Week 6.
URGENT STUDY “FINAL” FORMAT:
Your Individual Urgent Study #2 final submission is due no later than the end of Week 8. The submission should be formatted in one of the following options.
MS Word written document
Length = at least 8 – 10 pages of text
The following do not “count” towards a written Word document receiving 100% credit for the Length criteria: title page, table of contents (not required), abstract (not required), executive summary (not required), illustrations (tables, figures, graphs, pictures, etc.), or reference list
References = at least one (1) academic or professional reference per written page
Organization by section corresponding to the assignment requirements
Paragraph = 1.5 paragraph spacing … no right-justification
Font = 12-point
Margins = 1-inch
PowerPoint presentation
Length = at least 10 slides
The following do not “count” towards a PowerPoint presentation receiving 100% credit for the Length criteria: title or section slides, table of contents slide (not required), abstract slide (not required), executive summary slide (not required), or reference list slide
Should include “notes” accompanying most – if not all – slides that expand/explain the “bullet points” found on the actual slide itself…these notes should be annotated on each slide using the Notes section option within PowerPoint…these notes should be considered detailed “speaker” notes
Organization by section corresponding to the assignment requirements
References = at least one (1) academic or professional reference per slide
Written papers and presentations must adhere to the requirements as set forth by APA 7th Edition.
Each submission should include the following:
(a) in-depth discussions and analyses that align with your “initial” outline
(b) significant research that lends support to your discussions and analyses
(c) a comprehensive summary that captures the main findings and “take-aways” from the content presented within your submission…think of the summary as those main findings and takeaways you want your senior leadership to remember
(d) relevant, realistic, and actionable recommendations that result from the submission’s content…these are your “calls to action” that you’re advocating of senior leadership — the steps and/or actions to improve or resolve any issue(s), challenge(s), problem(s), etc. that were identified as part of your research focus…what you’re asking senior leadership to help “fix”
Each urgent study submission — whether paper or presentation — needs to include in-text citations and a reference list formatted in accordance with the latest APA Style Guide standards.
As always, let me know if you have any questions about this tasker.
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