Problem Statement_OSEC Work Experience Program.pdf

DOC-PS-24-0001

Problem Statement: A talent shortage coupled with an aging Federal workforce puts significant pressure on federal agencies to expand the talent pool. Realizing the Department of Commerce vision to be a leader in increasing opportunities for diverse talent within the Federal Government begins with ensuring our initiatives are supported by personnel with the requisite skills not only to carry out our mission today, but to prepare the Department for the challenges of tomorrow. The Department, and the Office of Secretary (OS), recognizes the importance in the ability to recruit and retain the most skilled professionals as demonstrated in the DOC strategic goal which seeks to optimize workforce and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. The Office of the Secretary’s objective is to modernize our workforce by participating in fellowships, rotational programs, or other developmental programs. As such, the Office of Secretary is seeking to put in place a fully functioning experiential program where college students are afforded the opportunity to explore working with the Department of Commerce through hands-on experience.

Specifically, to achieve the desired outcome, the Office of Secretary and Bureaus will be participating at the community level through the use of a Contractor that specializes in substantially increasing opportunities for local college students from the DC Metropolitan area and other underrepresented, underserved, and under-resourced areas. The objective is to provide career investigation opportunities and to attract talent to the Department while providing meaningful work experience, mentoring by DOC staff, and supporting students in achieving long-term post-college success. This program is intended to increase student interest in federal careers with the Department of Commerce to support future recruitment and hiring for the next generation of government professionals. The Department seeks a firm to lead a program that would help college and graduate students apply their educational training to both short- and long-term Federal opportunities and make a difference in society and would place a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion in recruitment for this program. The goal of the program is to place students with critically needed skills into internships and to develop a diverse pool of talent for the government.

Please provide answers to the following questions. Contractor responses for all questions below should be submitted in one response package. That package should not exceed eight single-spaced pages (total).

Please note, a cover page and table of contents are not required. If submitted, they will count towards your ten- page limit. Contractors shall use Times New Roman, single-spaced paragraph format, 1 inch margins, and no less than size 11 font. All responses shall be sent by email to bharrell@doc.gov. Vendors who do not respond directly to the problem statement will not be counted as part of the market research. Vendors must answer the questions below. Capability Statements and/or Past Performance submissions will not be accepted as a valid response and will not be reviewed. Responses after the due date and time will not be accepted.

1. Does your firm have prior experience providing Youth Work Experience services in federal government settings? If so, please briefly describe.

2. Does your firm have experience managing a nationwide application and vetting process? If so, please briefly describe.

3. Does your firm have experience conducting skills training programs or addressing on-going soft skills and professional development training to student personnel throughout the course of their employment? If so, please briefly describe.

4. Does your firm have a curriculum for the soft skills training that you provide to students? If so, please briefly describe.

5. Does your firm have experience with data collection on post program/long-term impact? If so, please briefly describe.

6. Does your firm have any existing relationships with community colleges or university programs for the purpose of reaching underrepresented, underserved, and under-resourced students to potentially participate in your work experience programs? If so, please briefly describe.

DOC-PS-24-0001

7. Does your firm conduct any training for students involving presentation skills or workshops for peers, civic, or community organizations? If so, please briefly describe.

8. Does your firm have prior experience supporting ongoing engagement with program alumni to support future career development? If so, please briefly describe.

9. Should the Government procure this requirement as a Statement of Work, Statement of Objectives, or Performance Work Statement? Please provide rationale as to why.

10. What are some evaluation criteria the Government should consider beyond price? Please provide rationale as to why.

11. What would make your company more or less likely to submit a proposal for these services?

12. Does your company offer these services on a contract such as a GSA MAS, OASIS, HCaTS, NASA

SEWP, etc.? If so, please provide the contract number(s).

13. Please provide your company’s Unique Entity ID and Socio-Economic classification size (e.g., 8(a), WOSB, etc.).