The Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) Undergraduate Scholarship Program is seeking proposals to conduct a one-day Career Development Workshop for 15 undergraduate scholars. The training must be six hours long and occur at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, during the week of May 20, 2024. The EPP/MSI program will consider proposals up to a maximum budget of $6,000.
The training must cover:
- Self-awareness and team development through assessment of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) outcomes.
- How to create and thrive in a hybrid team environment.
- Building trust through virtual relationships.
- Acquiring innovative and novel skills to secure rewarding career pathways in STEM.
Proposals must be submitted by March 4, 2024. Read the full Request for Proposals (RFP), including how to submit, proposal guidelines, and requirements, below or in the attached PDF (146 KB).
Direct questions to Natasha White at natasha.white@noaa.gov. Conference calls to discuss this RFP or to provide additional information may be arranged upon request.
NOAA EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program Request for Proposals: Consultant for undergraduate scholar professional development
Summary of solicitation
The NOAA Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI), Undergraduate Scholarship Program is seeking Career Professional Development training for 12 undergraduate students majoring in Science, Technology. Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. NOAA EPP/MSI scholarship recipients spend the first summer internship as a cohort at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. This proposal seeks on-site professional development training for the recently selected class of 2024-2026.
The objectives of the EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program summer internships are to: immerse students with an interest in gaining hands-on research, management and policy experiences directly related to NOAA’s mission in a 10-week internship; provide hands-on research and operational experience under the mentorship of a NOAA scientist or researcher; and, prepare the students for graduate education and professional employment.
One goal of the professional development training sessions is to provide scholars with insight and guidance to navigate the summer internship virtually as well as in a professional setting during internships. Scholars will be engaging with scientists, policy specialists and managers and encouraged to expand their network while engaging in discussions with NOAA professionals about academic requirements needed to successfully compete for entry into graduate school and the professional workforce. At the end of the mentoring training session, the undergraduate student should have knowledge of:
- self-awareness and team development through assessment of MBTI outcomes;
- how to create and thrive in a virtual team environment;
- building trust through virtual relationships; acquiring innovative/novel skills to secure rewarding career pathways in STEM.
Scope of work
NOAA EPP/MSI is seeking proposals to conduct a 1-day (6-hour) Career Development Workshop during the summer internship orientation period. The trainer is required to provide highly engaging and interactive on-site training (including pre-course materials) that provides tools and skills necessary to be: self-motivated and make informed mature/professional choices while matriculating at the University and engaged in research in a professional environment; how to successfully communicate their expectations (e.g. communicating what they expect to get out of an internship or academic experience) while collaboratively participating in a professional science and/or resource management internship.
The vendor will conduct one (1) training session to provide EPP/MSI undergraduates at the rising junior level with a fundamental understanding of how to navigate challenges and successfully complete a 10-week summer internship. All trainees must be provided hand-out material electronically on each of the topic training sessions prior to the on-site training activity.
Products/deliverables
- Proposals with quotes must be submitted to NOAA EPP/MSI at epp.usp@noaa.gov by March 4, 2024.
- Conduct one (1) onsite training session. The duration of the session shall be 6 hours.
- MBTI assessments shall be distributed to all 12 interns by at least two weeks prior to the session.
- Pre-training session materials shall be distributed to all 12 interns at least one week prior to the session.
- The onsite training sessions shall be conducted in Silver Spring, MD during the week of May 20-24, 2024.
- All training sessions shall be conducted from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST with one hour allotted for lunch.
Project budget
The EPP/MSI program will consider proposals up to a maximum budget of $6,000. Proposed budgets for the RFP response only need to include the planning/implementation for deliverables noted above and associated costs, including travel, printing hard copy materials, and other items necessary for a successful session.
Proposal guidelines and instructions
- A description of how the applicant will approach the scope of work and deliverables and meet milestones.
- A project budget.
- A brief history of your work, including examples of work for similar organizations
- Credentials and qualifications of consultant, including three professional references.
Proposal deadline
All interested individuals/firms must submit a response to this request for proposals no later than 11:59 PM ET on March 4, 2024 to epp.usp@noaa.gov with the subject line: EPP/MSI Professional Development Proposal. Please direct questions to Natasha White at natasha.white@noaa.gov. Conference calls to discuss this RFP or to provide additional information may be arranged upon request.
