Attachment 1 SOW.pdf

Request for Quote – Attachment 1 – SOW 49100425Q0027

Statement of Work

I. Project Title: Reshaping Public Perceptions of Engineering

II. Period of Performance: date of award through 12 months

III. Background or Overview:

Job growth, an aging workforce, and the mismatch between available and in-demand skills is leading to an unmet need for engineers. Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data indicates that the demand for engineering skills in the U.S. is expected to grow by about 13% from 2023 to 2031—particularly in fields like industrial, civil, software, and electrical engineering, amounting to a staggering 186,000 job vacancies by 2031.

With significant efforts to close the gender gap, the engineering field continues to face a diversity deficit, with men, white and Asian, dominating the workforce. Only 16% of U.S. engineers are women, based on a 2022 BLS analysis, and the computing workforce has the highest percentage of women at merely 24%. The proportion of women among U.S. college engineering graduates has remained stagnant at about 20%, with a nearly flat compound annual growth rate from 2012 to 2022.

Among students who show an interest in engineering during high school, only around 13% go on to complete a university degree in engineering. Furthermore, less than half of the approximately 200,000 U.S. students who earn engineering degrees in the analyzed fields pursue a career in engineering.

With this project, the aim is to broaden public perception of engineering and influence the youngest generation to attract and maintain interest in engineering with aims to broaden the diversity in the future engineering workforce.

IV. Scope of Work, and Acceptance Criteria

a) Phase 1: In the first 2 months, utilize existing research and gather data

(e.g., conduct interviews) from across the United States (U.S.) to understand:

a. the current perceptions of and attitudes towards engineering and engineers amongst stakeholders that influence students in kindergarten through twelfth grade in the U.S.;

b. past and current student exposure to engineering in kindergarten through twelfth grade in the U.S.;

c. challenges that restrict students from being interested in engineering;

d. motivations that encourage students to be interested in engineering; and

e. factors that inspire and influence students in kindergarten through twelfth grade in the U.S. and humanize engineering.

b) Phase 2: Conduct a statistical review of the data and design a strategy that will enhance the understanding of what an engineer does amongst the above-referenced stakeholders while inspiring interest in engineering, including an implementation plan (“Action Plan”) with targeted milestones and communications strategies for reaching specific audiences approved by NSF (months 3 and 4).

c) Phase 3: Pilot the Action plan in strategically targeted communities and monitor the performance among audience segments, modifying the plan as needed to increase performance (months 5-12).

V. Place of Performance: work will be performed remotely with traveling completed as needed for the research. The contractor may need to be at the U.S.

National Science Foundation headquarters as determined by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to present findings. The government will provide office space necessary to perform the duties at NSF if necessary. The NSF is located at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA.

VI. Special Requirements: travel will be required in Phase 1 to conduct research amongst stakeholders across the U.S. and potentially in Phase 3 to launch the campaign.

VII. Contractor Staff, Roles and Responsibilities – Identify contractor staff that are key to the overall project (e.g., Project Manager, Data Analyst). Describe in detail their roles and responsibilities.

VIII. Agency Staff, Roles and Responsibilities: The agency’s Contracting Officer’s

Representative will be ENG’s Chief of Business Operations (Erika Chiang), who has the discretion to assign technical monitors for the project.

IX. Reporting Requirements – Describe reporting processes and meeting frequency (e.g., Work Plan, Quarterly Reports, Progress Reports)

X. Government Furnished Property (GFP) – N/A

XI. Schedule and Milestones - Include any special schedule that the contractor will be expected to meet during contract performance. Provide the estimated dates.

XII. Deliverables – Describe in detail what deliverables will be produced under the project and the associated deadlines. Please see the example below:

Deliverables Due Date

Monthly status report NLT the 7th day of each month

Complete Phase 1 in a presentation and written report to NSF staff as identified by the COR

60 days after award

Conduct Progress Meetings with NSF staff Quarterly Complete Phase 2 with an oral presentation and written Action Plan, including specific target milestones and targeted communications plans, to NSF staff as identified by the COR

120 days after award

Execute milestones and communication activities in the Action Plan

As specified in the NSF-approved Action Plan