U099--National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking a contractor to support the National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP), which aims to recruit and place diverse undergraduate and graduate students from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) into internship positions. The solicitation requires the contractor to manage intern recruitment, application processing, housing and travel arrangements, and stipend payments for students currently enrolled in degree programs or recent graduates within one year of graduation. Contractors must help place interns in full-time (40 hours/week) or part-time (20 hours/week) positions across VA facilities during spring, summer, and fall sessions. The evaluation will primarily be based on past performance references, with contractors required to submit detailed performance questionnaires and references demonstrating their capability to manage internship programs. Key dates include a January 10, 2025 deadline for questions and a January 30, 2025 deadline for proposal submissions at 2:00 PM EST.

The solicitation is specifically set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) under NAICS code 561110 with a size standard of $12.5 million. The contract is structured as a multiple-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a minimum order of $5,000 and a maximum ceiling of $3,000,000, consisting of a one-year base period and four one-year option periods. Interns must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and be U.S. citizens or legally eligible to work, with contractors required to successfully place interns in at least two sessions per fiscal year. The place of performance is located at Center Street in Frederick, Maryland. Contractors will be responsible for ensuring interns meet VA vaccination requirements, submit monthly progress reports, and maintain comprehensive documentation of student eligibility and placement data throughout the program.