Integrated Strategic Solutions

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1. Overview

Innovation Consulting Services, LLC (ICS Advisory) is a strategic advisory consulting firm that delivers unparalleled integrated advisory solutions. We have developed a highly thorough approach to providing strategic vision and tactical support to government and industry leaders.

ICS Advisory has a portfolio of mission, technology, and operational services for law enforcement, international/trade support, and technology innovation, as well as providing business-to-business advisory services. Managing Partner Patty Todaro Bolin is a results-focused INFLUENTIAL LEADER with more than 30 years of government and industry experience.

Bringing progressively broader executive experience in designing, developing, and directing multifaceted transformational projects, programs, resources, staffing, and budgets. We provide full-scope strategic support for large, complex, multi-agency collaborative efforts across diverse regional and national organizations.

ICS Advisory, through its Managing Partner and her team, possesses the right combination of leadership, technical knowledge, vision, energy, leadership, and strategic perspective to design and orchestrate highly effective and efficient Organizations while optimizing and integrating resources.

Our enterprise approach enables ICS Advisory to deliver value as part of an advisory strategy encompassing all dimensions of strategic, research, business, and government relations. ICS Advisory develops capture, proposal, and business development strategies that establish key objectives/milestones that address key agency requirements and anticipated procurement timelines.

These strategies are tailored to each of our clients’ goals and present a variety of execution options. We are confident we can develop an engagement plan for you and assist in its growth and expansion efforts. In the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ) and/or the Department of State (DOS).

ICS Advisory has access to several former DHS, DOJ, and DOS component staff and executives and key Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs) who are available to assist with its engagements.

ICS Advisory possesses a wide set of relationships with the federal government and firms working in those organizations and is active in leadership roles in several federal government-focused working groups and associations. ICS Advisory team members possess multiple years of federal service experience and have successfully transitioned to the private sector while maintaining their knowledge base of federal government experience and relationships.

2. ICS Advisory’s Services

Performance Improvement and Revenue Growth. ICS Advisory provides its clients with the thought leadership and focus to increase both organizational performance and revenue growth. Utilizing its “Playbook Methodology,” ICS advisory completes a strategic review of the organization focused on executive and stakeholder interviews, detailed reviews of current engagements, financial and business forecasting data, and related performance metrics.

Once the review is completed, the client is provided a detailed “Playbook” which provides guidance on implementing recommended changes, recommended business development targets, and other strategic recommendations.

U. S. Federal Government Business Strategy Support. ICS Advisory has a leadership team and associated advisors who have over 30 years of experience identifying, winning, and delivering U.S. Federal Government business. ICS Advisory also possesses the specialized knowledge required to capture and deliver government works in the areas of teaming, understanding federal acquisition regulations and security clearance requirements, developing acquisition strategies for winning contract vehicles, and successfully responding to requests for information and proposal opportunities.

Competitive Analysis, Market Intelligence, and Pursuit Qualification Confirmation. ICS Advisory knows the DHS/DOJ/DOS landscape(s) domain(s) (Functional and Component) and can drive a strategic mapping of appropriate agency components, offices, and programs that will drive a pipeline of opportunities. This can include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Key Market Drivers
  • Contracting and GSA Schedule options
  • Strategic Recommendation for Client Differentiation
  • Targeted Client Identification and Call Plan
  • Budget Priorities
  • Upcoming Opportunities
  • Competitive Landscape

ICS Advisory will assist clients in developing operational and acquisition strategies to meet the operational needs of DHS, DOJ and/or DOS today while addressing the requirements of the future and sustained focus on attaining the most beneficial outcomes for the client.

Advisory Services. Together, we will develop strategies to meet the operational needs of DHS today while addressing the requirements of the future. ICS Advisory seeks to establish a long-term, value-oriented partnership with the client to achieve these aims. Using a strategic and tactically focused approach for this engagement, we propose that ICS Advisory will assist clients by engaging with yet-untapped target DHS, DOS DOJ, and component stakeholders.

ICS Advisory is prepared to assist clients in ensuring that they have the most current and accurate assessment and is open to constructive recommendations to make needed changes in strategy, approach, and outcomes.

Product Review and White Board Sessions. The ICS Advisory team will meet with key client stakeholders to complete a review of the current product suite to gain an understanding of its value proposition to key federal government Clients and chair multiple whiteboard sessions focusing on the identification of prospective DHS/DOJ/DOS and other federal government Clients and develop the necessary “target plan” to land new business.

The product review meeting will also allow ICS Advisory to make suggestions focused on enhancements to the client product suite to create additional buyer momentum.

Strategic Support/Business Development. Includes activities that increase the likelihood that the client will be successful in completing responses or for proposals/challenges. Our support includes brand awareness and market entrance to support the sale of client products to the targeted agencies and their components.

ICS will support clients in penetrating DHS/DOJ and/or DOS and its components. This will include engaging with key stakeholders, supporting client demonstrations, collaborating with the client to continue building brand awareness for all its product lines, and acting as a trusted advisor to the client.

Target Agency Account Planning/Tactical Execution. ICS Advisory will collaborate with Client leadership and account leads to develop and implement targeted account plans utilizing long-standing developed relationships at the targeted agencies in the following focus areas:

  • Identification of specific agency contract vehicles that can be utilized by the client for direct Client buying access. ICS Advisory will work with the current vehicle holder to establish a strategic partnership with the client.
  • Identify key federal agency buyers, including acquisition/procurement offices, and create opportunities for the client to highlight the product suite to those key individuals and
  • Identification and execution of key stakeholder meetings and outcomes executing against call plans as “we go along” and ensuring connectivity with stakeholders and meeting “stretch goals” of the firm, advancing marketing and branding during planning and development.

Proposal Support and Color Team Reviews. ICS Advisory has a long, successful history of providing commercial and federal government contracting firms with strategic advice and intelligence related to tracking and responding to requests for information and requests for proposals.

Our experience also includes assisting Clients in preparing for and successfully delivering oral proposals and “best and final” responses. ICS Advisory has a winning record of providing Clients with strategic pricing support. ICS Advisory will also provide proposal response and pricing support services when requested by the client.

3. Project Initiation, Staff and Communication

Project Initiation. Upon issuance of notice to proceed by the Client to ICS Advisory, the parties will conduct a kickoff meeting to introduce the ICS Advisory individuals directly supporting the client. The client will identify project lead(s) for the development of an engagement strategy.

The joint strategy, objectives, and timelines will be the focus of the collective Client–ICS Advisory effort. ICS Advisory anticipates that the project will require access to the client’s subject matter experts (SMEs) for the products supporting the objectives listed above.

The ICS Advisory approach would start with review sessions, allowing us to quickly understand the capabilities and solutions that the client currently sells and/or manufactures, as well as those innovations that could be incorporated into client’s eventual response(s) to the government.

Engagement Staff. ICS Advisory will assign Patricia Todaro Bolin as the Engagement Lead, who is responsible for managing day-to-day coordination and communication with the client on behalf of ICS Advisory and will provide Executive-level advice and strategy to the client as it pursues opportunities at the referenced organizations.

The ICS Advisory team may be comprised of ICS Advisory subject matter experts, as required. In addition to specific domain experience, these team members bring expertise in technology transformation, strategic planning, acquisition strategy, research and development, and business development and capture skills.

Additionally, they have played key government/contractor roles in building and integrating new technology programs at DHS while building DHS-wide corporate services at the Department of Homeland Security.

Communication. Communication throughout the engagement lifecycle would be conducted in person and via email and telephone with the client’s Principals on current priority issues directly relevant to the client’s proposal development.

Stand-up calls would occur regarding status and deliverables on a schedule developed by the client. ICS Advisory’s core team would participate in all stand-up calls as required by the identified ICS Advisory Lead, Capture Manager and/or proposal schedule.

4. Client Sample Success Case Studies

Client Success Case Study #1. In concert with the principles of a firm, ICS Advisory stood up and launched the Cyber Security Line of Business, which included Cyber Threat Assessment, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Cyber Response, Cyber Hygiene and Pen Testing, Cybersecurity and Social Media Intelligence, and Cyber Crisis Management Training Programs.

Client Success Case Study #2. ICS Advisory was retained to provide guidance and support to assist a global technology and data center firm in strategically entering the U.S. Homeland Security marketplace with key focus areas involving cyber security and software as a service.

ICS Advisory worked with leadership and account executives to develop business development action plans and teaming strategies. The result was bidding and winning a prime position at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security CISA valued at $23 million dollars in less than 8 months.

Client Success Case Study #3. A technology firm retained ICS Advisory to provide business development, capture, and proposal support for its DHS/DOJ lines of business. ICS was required to bid on three deals in a one-year period. ICS worked with Account leadership, business development, Program Managers, and SMEs to perform BD and capture activities, including teaming and working with the Proposal manager to write and perform color team reviews for submission to the government.

ICS was able to bid on ten deals and won seven of those deals for the firm, exceeding the contractual requirement. These included technical demonstrations for SecDevOps, UI/UX Requirements Development, Data Analysis and Integration, and Tactical Infrastructure support opportunities.

Client Success Case Study #4. ICS Advisory represents a client that has developed a hosted Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) emergency management operations software solution that provides critical management in the areas of critical patient tracking, relocation, and recovery needs.

This solution has been utilized during a wide variety of National Security events, such as the 58th and 57th. Presidential Inaugurations, the State of the Union Address, the African Leaders Summit hosted by President Obama, and the January 6th event. ICS subject matter experts completed a review of the current solution and provided an updated business playbook focused on the “software as a service” model, which included branding and marketing plans, the development of an updated pricing model, and a business development pipeline.

5. Board Memberships and Relationship Management

Executive Board, Women in Homeland Security (WHS) since 2014

Executive Board, Homeland Security Technology Consortium (HSTech)-Treasurer since 2016

Border Security Expo Board of Advisors since 2021

Border Patrol Academy Inaugural Member (2014-2016)

Member, DHS HSARPA Apex Engines Consortium Stand Up (2016)

Member InfraGuard since 2017

Border Patrol Foundation (BPF) Board of Advisors since 2018

Government Technology Services Coalition (GTSC) Executive Board Member since 2014

GTSC DHS Business Development (BDE) Chair since 2018

Member, U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce (USWCC) since 2017

Contributing Advisory Member Homeland Security Dialogue Forum (HSDF) since 2019

Member, Women in Security and Resilience (WSR)