diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9ecdbb568d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# To get started with Dependabot version updates, you'll need to specify which
+# package ecosystems to update and where the package manifests are located.
+# Please see the documentation for all configuration options:
+# https://docs.github.com/github/administering-a-repository/configuration-options-for-dependency-updates
+
+version: 2
+updates:
+  # Maintain dependencies for nuget
+  - package-ecosystem: "nuget"
+    directory: "dotnet/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "cron"
+      cronjob: "0 8 * * 4,0" # Every Thursday(4) and Sunday(0) at 8:00 UTC
+    ignore:
+      # For all System.* and Microsoft.Extensions/Bcl.* packages, ignore all major version updates
+      - dependency-name: "System.*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+      - dependency-name: "Microsoft.Extensions.*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+      - dependency-name: "Microsoft.Bcl.*"
+        update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+      - dependency-name: "Moq"
+    labels:
+      - ".NET"
+      - "dependencies"
+
+  # Maintain dependencies for pip
+  - package-ecosystem: "pip"
+    directory: "python/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+      day: "monday"
+    labels:
+      - "python"
+      - "dependencies"
+
+  # Maintain dependencies for github-actions
+  - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
+    # Workflow files stored in the
+    # default location of `.github/workflows`
+    directory: "/"
+    schedule:
+      interval: "weekly"
+      day: "sunday"
diff --git a/.github/pull_request_template.md b/.github/pull_request_template.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..33c245efe4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/pull_request_template.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+### Motivation and Context
+
+<!-- Thank you for your contribution to the semantic-kernel repo!
+Please help reviewers and future users, providing the following information:
+  1. Why is this change required?
+  2. What problem does it solve?
+  3. What scenario does it contribute to?
+  4. If it fixes an open issue, please link to the issue here.
+-->
+
+### Description
+
+<!-- Describe your changes, the overall approach, the underlying design.
+     These notes will help understanding how your code works. Thanks! -->
+
+### Contribution Checklist
+
+<!-- Before submitting this PR, please make sure: -->
+
+- [ ] The code builds clean without any errors or warnings
+- [ ] The PR follows the [SK Contribution Guidelines](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md)
+- [ ] All unit tests pass, and I have added new tests where possible
+- [ ] I didn't break anyone :smile:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..06ee8d8d4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# CodeQL is the code analysis engine developed by GitHub to automate security checks.
+# The results are shown as code scanning alerts in GitHub. For more details, visit:
+# https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/code-scanning/automatically-scanning-your-code-for-vulnerabilities-and-errors/about-code-scanning-with-codeql
+
+name: "CodeQL"
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  push:
+    # TODO: Add "feature*" back in again, once we determine the cause of the ongoing CodeQL failures.
+    branches: ["main", "experimental*", "*-development"]
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "17 11 * * 2"
+
+jobs:
+  analyze:
+    name: Analyze
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      actions: read
+      contents: read
+      security-events: write
+
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        language: ["csharp", "python"]
+        # CodeQL supports [ 'cpp', 'csharp', 'go', 'java', 'javascript', 'python', 'ruby' ]
+        # Use only 'java' to analyze code written in Java, Kotlin or both
+        # Use only 'javascript' to analyze code written in JavaScript, TypeScript or both
+        # Learn more about CodeQL language support at https://aka.ms/codeql-docs/language-support
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      # Initializes the CodeQL tools for scanning.
+      - name: Initialize CodeQL
+        uses: github/codeql-action/init@v3
+        with:
+          languages: ${{ matrix.language }}
+          # If you wish to specify custom queries, you can do so here or in a config file.
+          # By default, queries listed here will override any specified in a config file.
+          # Prefix the list here with "+" to use these queries and those in the config file.
+
+          # Details on CodeQL's query packs refer to : https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/code-scanning/automatically-scanning-your-code-for-vulnerabilities-and-errors/configuring-code-scanning#using-queries-in-ql-packs
+          # queries: security-extended,security-and-quality
+
+      # Autobuild attempts to build any compiled languages  (C/C++, C#, Go, or Java).
+      # If this step fails, then you should remove it and run the build manually (see below)
+      - name: Autobuild
+        uses: github/codeql-action/autobuild@v3
+
+      # ℹ️ Command-line programs to run using the OS shell.
+      # 📚 See https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions#jobsjob_idstepsrun
+
+      #   If the Autobuild fails above, remove it and uncomment the following three lines.
+      #   modify them (or add more) to build your code if your project, please refer to the EXAMPLE below for guidance.
+
+      # - run: |
+      #     echo "Run, Build Application using script"
+      #     ./location_of_script_within_repo/buildscript.sh
+
+      - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
+        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v3
+        with:
+          category: "/language:${{matrix.language}}"