NIH Gateway to Research Opportunities for the Workforce (GROW) Program

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), under NIH Office of Acquisition, seeks institutions to deliver a two-year training program under the NIH Gateway to Research Opportunities for the Workforce (GROW) Program, with quotations due June 29, 2026 at 9:00 A.M. EST. The procurement has no set-aside, awards zero to five per track (up to ten total) as firm-fixed-price purchase orders below the simplified acquisition threshold, and anticipates award on or about July 6, 2026.

Place of performance is Bethesda, Maryland. The GROW Program operates two distinct tracks: a high school track for rising juniors and seniors from American Indian/Alaska Native communities at institutions near such populations with demonstrated service experience, and an undergraduate track for rising freshmen and sophomores from resource-limited institutions (those awarding biomedical science undergraduate degrees, receiving less than $6 million annually in NIH R01 support over the preceding three fiscal years, and enrolling at least 25% of undergraduates on Pell grants). Quoters may submit only one track.

Performance spans a 12-month base period (July 6, 2026 through July 5, 2027) and one 12-month option period (July 6, 2027 through July 5, 2028). Contractors must host 10–15 students annually and deliver a seven- to eight-week summer curriculum (late summer/fall with Contracting Officer approval for base year only; summer for option year) plus fall and spring enrichment activities, including hands-on research, seminars, professional development, and curriculum-specific content (Traditional Knowledge for high school; community health for undergraduate). All work must be Year 2000 compliant. Quotations are submitted in two volumes via email: business (pricing and past performance) and technical (maximum 30 pages, size 12 font, covering program approach, personnel qualifications, recruitment and retention plans, and schedules). Evaluation emphasizes technical capability, personnel qualifications, recruitment and retention plans, and past performance significantly more heavily than cost. Amendment 00001, issued June 24, 2026, addresses 15 offeror questions and clarifies that institutions may use their negotiated indirect cost rate; stipends and housing cannot be contract-funded, but local transportation can.