Draft Solicitation 49100425R0001 for the Operational and Technical Support for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted

Solicitation number
DRAFT-49100425R0001
Agency
Responses due
Set-aside
Competitive 8(a)

Opportunity facts

Place of performance
Alexandria, Virginia, United States

Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .

About this opportunity

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is preparing to solicit proposals for Operational and Technical Support services for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). The procurement will involve comprehensive support for NSF's annual fellowship competition, which receives 13,000-15,000 applications and awards over 2,000 fellowships yearly. Key contract requirements include developing and maintaining online platforms, conducting program outreach, managing a help desk, coordinating reviewer recruitment, performing application reviews, and supporting NSF's merit review process. The evaluation will follow a three-phase process: Phase 1 will assess relevant experience and key personnel, Phase 2 will involve an advisory down-select to 3-4 offerors, and Phase 3 will examine technical approach, oral presentations, and budget narratives. Potential offerors must submit questions using the provided Draft RFQ Question Matrix by January 24, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST, with the official solicitation expected to be released after incorporating feedback.

The contract is designated as a competitive 8(a) set-aside, requiring the prime contractor to perform at least 51% of the work, with the incumbent being Professional Management Consulting Services, LLC. The anticipated award will be a combination of Fixed Price and Time & Material contract line items, with a base period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, and two additional 12-month option periods, not to exceed 36 months total. The program operates with a budget of approximately $333 million per fiscal year. Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTAs) are permitted, with key personnel requirements including expertise in evaluation techniques such as bibliometrics, altmetrics, natural language processing, meta-synthesis, meta-analysis, and network analysis for STEM education programs. The contract falls under NAICS category 541611 for Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services, with a Product Service Code of R410 for Professional Program Evaluation and Review Support.

Notice text

2 versions

Update #2 · Latest ·

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is issuing a Draft Solicitation 49100425R0001 - Pre-solicitation Notice to inform potential vendors about an upcoming procurement opportunity for the Operational and Technical Support for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). This notice serves as an advance announcement of the forthcoming “Official” solicitation 49100425R0001. Please note that this is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation (RFQ); the current solicitation and documents are considered in draft form only.

Offerors should use Attachment "DRAFT RFQ Question Matrix" to provide any feedback, questions, comments, or concerns. Only the Prime or Joint Venture Contractor should submit questions on behalf of itself and its subcontracting group. After receiving feedback, NSF will update the Solicitation and supporting documents before releasing the official solicitation 49100425R0001.

Contractors are requested to respond to the Draft Solicitation 49100425R0001 on January 24, 2025, NLT 12:00 PM EST.

The purpose of this draft solicitation is to exchange information to improve the Joint Ventures or Prime Contractor’s understanding of the NSF’s requirements. This process allows potential offerors to assess whether and how they can meet the government's needs, thereby enhancing NSF's ability to obtain quality supplies and services and increasing efficiency in RFP preparation.

Update #1 ·

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is issuing a Draft Solicitation 49100425R0001 - Pre-solicitation Notice to inform potential vendors about an upcoming procurement opportunity for the Operational and Technical Support for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). This notice serves as an advance announcement of the forthcoming “Official” solicitation 49100425R0001. Please note that this is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation (RFQ); the current solicitation and documents are considered in draft form only.

Offerors should use Attachment "DRAFT RFQ Question Matrix" to provide any feedback, questions, comments, or concerns. If a Contractor Teaming Arrangement (CTA) is contemplated, only the CTA Leader should submit questions on behalf of itself and its CTA Team Members in response to the RFQ. If a CTA is not contemplated, only the Prime Contractor should submit questions on behalf of itself and its subcontracting group. After receiving feedback, NSF will update the Solicitation and supporting documents before releasing the official solicitation 49100425R0001.

Contractors are requested to respond to the Draft Solicitation 49100425R0001 on January 24, 2025, NLT 12:00 PM EST.

The purpose of this draft solicitation is to exchange information to improve the CTA Team’s or Prime Contractor’s (if a CTA is not contemplated) understanding of the NSF’s requirements. This process allows potential offerors to assess whether and how they can meet the government's needs, thereby enhancing NSF's ability to obtain quality supplies and services and increasing efficiency in RFP preparation.

Files

File Type Posted
GRFP 2025 OpsCenter Statement of Work.docx DOCX document
DRAFT RFP 49100425R0001.docx DOCX document
DRAFT RFP Question Matrix.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet

Notice history

Notice Type Posted
This notice Latest pre-solicitation Pre-Solicitation
Request for Information for the Operational and Technical Support for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Original Pre-Solicitation

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