R699--Market Research Purposes Only National Diversity Internship Program

Request for Information (RFI) 1.0 BACKGROUND. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) provides internship opportunities to diverse undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled, full-time, or part-time, in a degree-seeking program at an accredited post-secondary institution and recent graduates who have graduated within one year of the internship session which they are applying to. Various internship opportunities are offered during the spring, summer, and/or fall for students from accredited Minority Serving Institution (MSI) categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanics Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) and disability communities. The spring and fall sessions are 15 weeks long, running from January to May and September to December, respectively. The summer session is

10 weeks long, running from June to August. The objectives of the VA NDIP are to: Attract diverse groups of individuals to VA related career fields to build an inclusive and diverse VA workforce talent pipeline. Enable post-secondary institution students to gain valuable work experience and experience working for the Federal Government while contributing to the VA mission. Provide interns with an overview of VA careers to achieve a talented workforce drawn from all segments of society. Offer interns a chance to demonstrate their talents and potential, while offering the organization time to evaluate their skills and abilities, as they benefit from contributions the intern provides their teams. Provide opportunities for non-supervisory employees to gain experience, training, and mentoring new staff, as well as opportunities for students to mentor seasoned staff through reverse mentoring experiences that are engaging and provide meaningful work. Provide paid Federal service opportunities to students from all segments of society and socioeconomic backgrounds. NDIP directly supports President Management Agenda (PMA) Priority 1: Strengthening and Empowering the Federal Workforce, Strategy 1: Attract and hire the most qualified employees, who reflect the diversity of our country, in the right roles across the Federal Government and Goal 1.2: Agencies will build equitable pathways int to the Federal government for early career positions, particularly from underrepresented and underserved communities. NDIP also supports applicable Executive Orders (E.O. s) and regulations listed below: E.O. 14035, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce Establishing a Coordinated Government-Wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce E.O. 13562, Recruiting and Hiring Students and Recent Graduates E.O. 13230, President s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans Executive Order 14045: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics Executive Order 13171 Hispanic Employment in the Federal Government E.O.13592, Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities Executive Order 13779-White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities E.O. 13216, Increasing Opportunity and Improving Quality of Life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Executive Order 13518 Veterans Employment Initiative E.O. 13548' " Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities" Executive Order 14031 Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Public Law 115-46, VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017, Section 206 VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix D Guidance on Promoting Internships and other Student and Early Career Programs in the Federal Government | CHCOC OPM Guidance on Use of Third-Party Intern Providers VA Administrations and Staff Offices shall provide students an opportunity to intern in a variety of career fields including, but not limited to, medical related fields, human resources, communications, business/finance, contracting, Veterans claims examiner, information technology, cemetery administration, and other occupations in the VA. Student skills, knowledge, experience, and abilities will generally be matched with a suitable intern position. It should be noted that NDIP interns are not Federal employees and do not serve in Federal positions. 2.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE All work shall be performed onsite at a government furnished location. 3.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE (PoP) The period of performance for this Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is one (1) twelve-month base period and four (4) twelve-month option periods. Base Period: 1 October 2024 30 September 2025 Option Period One: 1 October 2025 30 September 2026 Option Period Two: 1 October 2026 30 September 2027 Option Period Three: 1 October 2027 30 September 2028 Option Period Four: 1 October 2028 30 September 2029 4.0 TYPE OF CONTRACT FOR BPA ORDERS Orders placed under this BPA will be Firm Fixed-Price (FFP). 5.0 TRAVEL There will be no funded travel for the Contractors on this BPA. At their discretion, VA offices may offer funding for intern travel during the internship. 6.0 APPLICATION DOCUMENTS Intern application package shall consist of at the below application documents: Intern application. All required fields in both the profile and application form, including responses to the following prompts: Personal, educational, and professional goals and interests and explanation of how this opportunity may enable the student to achieve those goals. Description of any experiences or situations that students feel have influenced their interest. Listing of their research, technical and/or professional experience that is relevant to the opportunity. Listing of their professional/technical skills and abilities that are relevant to the intern opportunity, including knowledge/skills related to certifications, specialized laboratory equipment or techniques, computer hardware, software or computer languages and/or applications. Demographic data Resume (PDF, 2-page limit) without photos Academic Records A copy of an official or unofficial transcript or copies of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institutional systems may be submitted. Transcript or academic records must clearly show the student s name, name of the academic institution, enrollment during the academic term at the time of application, current/completed/enrolled courses, grades, most recent cumulative GPA, and degree in progress.ÂSubmitted documents must have all social security numbers, student identification numbers, and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) Academic or Professional Recommendation: Recommendation should address the applicant s academic record and potential for success in an appointment, such as demonstrated intellectual merit, communication and teamwork skills. 7.0 GOVERNMENT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 7.1 NDIP National Diversity Internship Program The National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) is administered by the HCSC. The internship program provides students an opportunity to supplement their academic studies while learning about VA career opportunities and contributing to our mission. 7.2 Primary Mentor The principal POC that shall interact with the intern and provide guidance on project tasks and assignments through direct onsite guidance, approve intern timesheets and invoices, communicating any performance issues with the VA Contracting Office and Contractor. The mentor shall participate and complete all mentor duties outlined in the mentor agreement. Mentors shall submit intern selections to the Contracting Officer (CO)/Contracting Specialist (CS) by required due dates. Failure to return intern selections may result in the request being cancelled by the program office. No changes to the intern s Period of Performance (internship session dates) are authorized without the express written consent of the NDIP Contracting Officer.ÂUpon completion of the internship session, complete and return the NDIP Validation of Services Rendered form provided by the recruiting vendor documenting the period of performance (internship session dates).ÂProvide the intern with the Human Capital Services Center (HCSC) welcome packet, onboarding materials and access to professional development opportunities during the internship. 7.3 Human Capital Services Center (HCSC) The program office assigned to provide program management, marketing, outreach, stakeholder engagement activities and reporting requirements for this contract. HCSC advises and supports the Department in their actions to achieve and sustain a diverse workforce, and to cultivate an inclusive workplace to deliver the best services to our nation s Veterans, their families and beneficiaries. 7.4 Place of Performance All work shall be performed onsite at a government furnished location. Virtual or remote internships are not authorized. Telework is not recommended for trainee or intern positions or during the first 90 calendar days of any probationary period. However, under emergent or extenuating circumstances there may be authorized exceptions on a case-by-case basis and internships shall be administered in accordance with VA Handbook 5011. 7.5 Contract Contracting Officer Representative (COR) HCSC will serve as the NDIP COR for all interns acquired via the NDIP contract. The COR is responsible for receiving, reviewing, approving contract deliverable and communicating with the VA Contracting Office and Contractor on contract administration issues. The NDIP COR will not serve as sponsors for PIV issuance. 7.6 Alternate Mentor The alternate point of contact for the internship. Performs the duties of the primary duties in his/her absence. Responsible for communicating any performance issues with the VA Contracting Office and Contractor. 7.7 Student Students must meet the eligibility conditions outlined for the program by the program start. A candidate must: Be at least 18 years of age. To accept an internship opportunity, the student must be currently enrolled and be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or otherwise legally eligible to work in the United States per FAR Part 22.18. Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Be enrolled during the academic year as a full-time or part-time degree-seeking student in at an accredited Minority Serving Institution (MSI).ÂThe U.S. postsecondary institutions that meet the statutory criteria for identification as Minority Serving Institutions and are eligible for this program are listed here:Â2022-general_minority-serving-institution-designation-list.xlsx (live.com)ÂThe MSI categories include: AANAPISI - Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution ANNH - Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institution HBCU - Historically Black College or University HSI - Hispanic-serving institution NASNTI - Native American-serving nontribal institution PBI - Predominantly Black Institution TCU - Tribal College or University Be available to participate in the full internship session. Additional Eligibility Factors: ÂCandidates selected for an internship appointment will be required to provide proof of enrollment during the preceding internship term preceding they are applying for. Graduating students may intern up to two sessions immediately following their graduation (i.e., students graduating in December are eligible to intern in the spring and summer, students graduating in May/June may intern in the summer and fall). Students may apply for and are eligible to participate in the program at multiple times during their undergraduate and graduate studies. However, there should not be an assumption or expectation of being selected for another internship. 7.8 Student in Good standing A student who meets the minimum required academic status of the accredited post-secondary institution whose cumulative and current Grade Point Average (GPA) does not fall below the GPA required by the institution. Students who are in academic good standing are not on academic probation or suspension. 7.9 Currently enrolled Student is actively enrolled in a degree/certificate-seeking program a minimum of six semester credit hours, or the equivalent in quarter hours, at an accredited post-secondary institution. Currently enrolled does not differentiate between full-time and part-time students. Students who need to acquire less than six semester hours in order to complete a degree/certificate and graduate are currently enrolled for the purposes of this procurement. 7.10 Accredited Post-Secondary Institution A qualifying educational institution recognized by an accreditation service. See Department of Education s website for a full list of accredited institutions: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home. 7.11 Degree Seeking Program A program that leads to a recognized degree or certification by the accredited educational institution. 7.12 Personal Identification Verification (PIV) Sponsor The Mentor s organization POC identified who will be responsible for sponsoring the intern so that the intern may obtain a VA PIV card. This can be the immediate supervisor, manager, program coordinator, or a human resource representative within the mentor s organization. The PIV sponsor determines which type of credential the student will need based on their assignment and duration of required access. The NDIP COR will not serve as a sponsor for PIV issuance. 7.13 NDIP Validation of Services Rendered form This form is provided by the recruiting vendor and submitted to the mentor documenting the period of performance (internship session dates). This form is required to ensure timely, accurate, invoice certification and payment. 7.14 Minority Serving Institution (MSI) MSIs are federally recognized Title IV colleges and universities that enroll high concentrations of minority students. The Department of Education maintains a listing of institutions identified as MSIs. See: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html. 8.0 SCOPE OF WORK The contractor shall provide support with recruiting diverse students from prospective post-secondary and graduate students from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The contractor shall provide students to participate in internship opportunities and gain experience while being exposed to Agency operations, increase their understanding of the Agency s mission, and encourage them to pursue careers with the VA. The Contractor support shall NDIP program recruiting with a focus on underrepresented and underserved communities, application evaluation and processing, data collection and retention, disability support services, professional development training, travel. Housing procurement and reporting. This internship program requires each student to complete 40 hours per week (full-time) or 20 hours per week (part-time) onsite at the VA Headquarters or a field unit facility. Part-time student must be local to the area they are assigned to, and no housing or transportation will be provided. Tasks include, but are not limited to, VA project assignments as will as attending seminars, workshops, training sessions, field trips, etc. Generally, all events shall occur during standard business hours. However, these activities can, and on prior occasions have occurred immediately preceding, or immediately following standard business hours. The Contractor services include recruitment and referral of interns to the agency and. When applicable, procurement of housing and travel. The interns are paired with mentors and their respective assignments based on factors such as, but not limited to, agency needs, student knowledge and skills for the assignment, educational background, career interest and preference for location and type of internship opportunity. It is the contractor s responsibility to ensure that all interns are eligible for placement within VA as based on the opportunity selected for. This includes housing and travel to the internship site and ability to work either full-time or part-time. Contractor shall only submit students for selection based on ability to travel and work the schedule indicated in the opportunity. All VA NDIP information distributed to qualified student shall be reviewed and approved by the COR no later than 30 days before the start of the internship session. NDIP interns will not be assigned to positions such as clinical settings, direct patient care, processing clinical data, or research positions that fall under the purview of the VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA). Interns are permitted to perform administrative duties in clinical setting; however, it cannot be directly related to clinical work or data. VA will not provide NDIP interns academic credit through the NDIP, however the Contractor may offer students academic credit through their programs. The NDIP contract shall provide tasks that meet the following requirements: 8.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying potential students and group affiliates from MSIs as defined in 7.14. 8.2 The Contractor shall be responsible for providing and managing the housing needs and travel logistics of all selected interns and ensuring that student meet the NDIP eligibility requirements, including the definition of a student as defined in 7.7. The Contractor shall maintain official school documentation provided with each application and make it available to VA upon request. Interns must also meet the Contractor s internship eligibility requirements. 8.3 The Contractor shall provide NDIP information to qualified students, including the following: the requirements for an internship with VA and a description of the required components of a complete internship application package defined in 6.0, including any necessary forms. 9.0 TASK AREAS In order to meet the objective of this contract, the Contractor shall perform, at a minimum, the following work tasks each year of the contract s period of performance. 9.1 Task A- Administration Management 9.1.1 The Contractor shall provide a Program Manager. The Program Manager shall serve as the liaison between interns and the Task Order COR, which includes attempting to resolve any issues or problems related to the intern s experience within the program and communicating with the Task Order COR to determine the best course of action to reach resolution. This individual shall 1) receive and respond to all calls and inquiries from the Task Order COR and interns; 2) provide guidance, answer questions, and resolve problems; and 3) respond to inquiries within (1) business day of receipt. The Contractor shall notify the CO and COR within 3 business days of Program Manager changes. 9.1.2 The Contractor shall identify A Program Manager to serve as the primary emergency contact during all intern sessions. This requirement shall be met by an actual person(s) and not a cell phone, answering service, or answering machine. This individual(s) shall be on-call, and shall respond to all intern related emergencies, including, but not limited to, medical and personal emergencies. Medical and person emergencies shall be defined as situations involving one of the following: Immediate threats to life, health, property, or environment. Already causes loss of life, health detriments, property damage; and/or Incidents having a high probability of leading to immediate danger to life, health, property, or environment. 9.1.3 The contractor shall coordinate all correspondence with NDIP applicants throughout the application process, which may include, but is not limited to, notifying applicants of whether their application materials have been received, requesting any missing information from applicants (as necessary), providing applicants with status updates, informing applicants of whether or not they have been selected for the program, answering any applicant questions, and informing selected interns of required documentation and their respective deadlines. 9.2 Task B - Recruitment Support Services. 9.2.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying potential students and group affiliates from MSIs. 9.2.2 The Contractor shall ensure that qualified students meet the minimum requirements as stated in 7.7 above. 9.2.3 The Contractor shall distribute the following NDIP information to all interested, qualified students; program requirement knowledge and skills needed to qualify for NDIP and a description of the required components of a complete internship application package defined in 6.0 including any necessary forms. The Contractor shall ensure the qualified students have access to NDIP information through outreach and the contractor application website. 9.2.4 Selection of interns will be in accordance with qualification requirements as stated within the contract PWS and any additional criteria identified on the individual intern request (e.g., degree program area; skills, ability, and knowledge). 9.3 Task C Program Documentation and Reporting 9.3.1 The contractor shall collect internship candidate applications via an online application portal and meets the needs of applicants with disabilities. Contractor shall ensure that all applicants and candidates with disabilities can access information in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 791, et seq., and can access information about a process for requesting and obtaining reasonable accommodations to support their work in the Federal Government, which incorporates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 12201-12204 and 12210 (as such sections relate to employment). 9.3.2 The contractor shall ensure the student s application collects and include the following information: Name, citizenship status (a lawful permanent resident or otherwise legally eligible to work in the United States per FAR Part 22.18), current address, primary email, secondary email (if available) and a current phone number. Academic status, major, expected graduation year, and Grade Point Average (GPA). Name and type of post-secondary institution the student is enrolled in (e.g., HBCU, HSI, TCU). A copy of their most recent transcript/Grade Record/Report. A letter of reference from a department chair, professor, or academic advisor. A current resume reflecting work experience, volunteerism, awards, leadership, and extra-curricular activities, for Graduate and Doctoral students, CV may not exceed three (3) pages. Demographic info (gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, Veteran s status) Applications packages will be submitted via email. 9.3.3 The Contractor shall ensure internship application packages include all requested information and documentation listed above. Application packages may not contain or refer to the name of the vendor. Only packages that include the necessary information and documentation for participation will be considered complete . Furthermore, only candidates who meet the criteria, as stated in the task order request, will be considered eligible. 9.3.4 The Contractor shall maintain an accurate, secure, and confidential database of applicant information and provide Intern Placement Reports, generated from the database, that include: Name and address of post-secondary school (noting if the school is a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) or Minority Institution of Higher Education (MIHE) while specifying each MSI category, HBCU, HSI, etc.). Mentor, internship site, Mentor email address and phone numbers. Academic status and year. Placement (spring, summer, fall) Session. Grade point average and major. Demographic information (gender, race, ethnicity, Veteran status, disability status, reasonable accommodation needed). CLIN, Order Request. Examine how diverse candidates are represented at each stage of the process. (e.g., application rates, selection rates and completion rates). The Contractor shall provide the COR with the intern placement report no later than two weeks after the start of each session (spring, summer, fall) in which they have placements, to include the above information. 9.3.5 The Contractor shall collect and maintain additional information for those applicants selected as interns, such as mentor s name, title, organization, office, email and work address, telephone number, shall be included. The Contractor shall use this data to develop ad hoc reports for VA as directed by the COR. 9.3.6 The Contractor shall track and maintain intern time sheets (online system, excel spreadsheet, word document, etc.) intended to monitor progress of interns throughout the period of performance. This document must list each intern by name and track the hours worked by each intern from the first week of the program through the end of the session. Timesheets must be approved by the intern s mentor. The Contractor shall provide instructions to the Mentors on completing and signing the intern s time sheets before the first sheet is due. 9.3.7 The Contractor shall provide Monthly Status Reports (also known as the MPR) shall identify any problems that arose and a description of how the problem was resolved. If problems have not been completely resolved, the Contractor shall provide an explanation including their plan and timeframe for resolving the issue. 9.3.8 The Contractor shall deliver Risk Summaries that contain a historical log of issues and risks, their current statuses, their probabilities and impacts, and the responses undertaken by VA and the Contractor to address them. 9.3.9 The Contractor shall provide the COR with a Close Out report in excel format, listing all interns who applied for job opportunities within the VA (identified separately) or other Federal Government by the close of the internship. 9.3.10 The Contractor shall bring actual or potential issues and concerns to the attention of the COR and Contract Specialist (CS) as soon as they are known. Oral reports shall be followed by emailed written reports to the COR within one (1) business day of the original notification, unless otherwise stated by the Contracting Officer (CO). Deliverables: National Diversity Internship Student Timesheets Monthly Progress Reports Risk Summaries Close Out Reports Vendor Welcome Package Recruitment Plan for Contract PoP Recruitment Outcomes Bi-weekly Reports regarding intern placement, invoicing, etc. 9.4 Task D - Intern Requests (Order Request (OR)) 9.4.1 The Contractor shall develop and distribute a Welcome Package tailored to VA that shall be sent to all interns upon intern selection to his/her assigned work location. The package shall include detailed instructions about the NDIP program schedule and other key information including, but not limited to: Dates of the internship, Stipend payment schedule, Payroll tax withholdings, Travel arrangements and instructions Housing arrangements and instructions Local hospital and health care services information, Local transportation information, Leave privileges (i.e., sick), Proposed project assignments, and An internship agreement. 9.4.2 The Contractor shall tailor Welcome Packages for each respective city to which interns are assigned, as travel arrangements, housing arrangements/instructions, hospitalization information and local transportation option vary by location. 9.4.3 The Contractor shall coordinate and procure, on behalf of intern participants, nationwide housing, if needed, that must have reservations for move-in as early as the Friday prior to the start date of each session. The Contractor must oversee move-in on the dates of the Friday through Sunday prior to the start date of the session, unless otherwise given written approval by the COR. The Contractor shall include verification, upon request, that housing is Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) approved and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibilities Guidelines. All housing shall be: (1) an extended stay housing facility with accompanying amenities of a kitchen area, on-site laundry, wireless internet access; (2) furnished; (3) less than 1 hour by local transportation from the intern s assigned worksite; (4) within walking distance of 0.25 miles to public transportation and restaurants; and (5) accessible to medical and emergency services and facilities, places of worship, and local cultural activities. The Contractor shall coordinate and procure housing for the entire term of term of the program (10 weeks for summer, 15 weeks for fall and spring), including any extra days needed for move-in etc. 9.4.4 The Contractor shall arrange and procure all travel, as required for NDIP interns who live outside the commuting areas (more than 50 miles, one way) of their assigned duty locations. The Contractor shall arrange ground transportation for interns from bus/airport/train terminals, ensuring that interns arrive at their assigned housing locations on schedule, and without incident. 9.4.5 The Contractor shall make bi-weekly (every two weeks) stipend payments to interns during the program and withhold appropriate payroll taxes and other required deductions. Stipend payments shall include transportation allowances for the area of the internship. 9.4.6 The Contractor shall provide contractor contact information (email addresses, telephone numbers) to interns and sponsor/mentor information no later than one week prior to the beginning of the session. 9.4.7 The Contractor shall communicate with the program manager and mentors weekly to address any intern related issues reported by the Task Order COR, such as tardiness, non-attendance, poor performance, work conditions and other foreseeable and incidentals with the CO and the Task Order COR and appropriate action will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 10.0 MEETINGS When contract meetings are required, the Contractor shall attend all meetings as required, kick-off meeting, progress meetings, etc. Meetings may occur as either formal or informal and held via onsite at government location, teleconference, video conference or any other format agreed upon between the government and contractor. The Contractor shall attend the mandatory kick-off meeting that may be located onsite at a government location or via a virtual meeting to be determined by the program office. 11.0 TRANSITION ACTIVITIES Transition (End of Contract): The Contractor shall provide services needed to assist in a smooth orderly transition between the Incumbent Contractor and a successor Contractor to ensure minimum disruption to vital Government business. These services may include but are not limited to data and other file transfer, material transfer, coordination with a successor Contractor, and other activities to assist in orderly transfer and establishment of continued operation of the contractual services. The Contractor shall cooperate fully in the transition. 12.0 CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES The Contractor shall provide all deliverables as stated in the chart below: Summary of Deliverable and Milestones (Tasks A-D) Item Deliverable or Milestone Delivery Deadline Deadline for Final Version Welcome Package Deliverable 30 days before start of session 7 days after COR comments Intern Move-In Milestone The Friday through Sunday prior to start of session unless otherwise approved by the COR in writing N/A Start of Summer Program Milestone 1ST Monday in June (Monday) N/A Start of Fall Program Milestone 1st Monday in September N/A Start of Spring Program Milestone 1st Monday in February N/A Stipend payment to interns Deliverable Monday Bi-Weekly (every 2 weeks) N/A Intern Informa...