2027 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program Selection Grant
Open Posted
- Opportunity number
- DFOP0019974
- Agency
-
Bureau of Human Resources
Department of State
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $85,855
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Employment, Labor and Training
- Eligible applicants
-
- 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- For Profit Organizations
- Non-501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
- Points of contact
-
- Katherine Wright wrightka@state.gov (771) 204-1230
- Kate Wright dosfellows@state.gov
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Human Resources, is soliciting applications for a single cooperative agreement, with an anticipated award of up to $85,855 and mandatory cost sharing, to manage operational, logistical, and administrative functions for candidate selection under the 2027 Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program. Questions are due November 15, 2026, and the NOFO sets applications due November 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST, though the listing record shows November 23, 2026.
Eligible applicants are U.S.-based nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), higher education institutions, and for-profit entities. The cost-sharing requirement is mandatory, and the budget must include a cost-sharing breakdown.
The period of performance runs December 2026 through March 2027 (3 to 6 months). Final evaluation panels are D.C.-based, with a 3.5-day interview panel and a 2-day essay panel in February and March 2027. The recipient must screen 100% of applications by January 2027 against candidate criteria (U.S. citizenship, 3.2+ GPA, financial need, master's program plans), provide secure portal access to 18 panelists, and deliver 90 semi-finalists by February 2027. Other required activities include managing BEX-led panelist training for 100% of panelists, paying honoraria at $500 per day within per diem guidelines, issuing selectee and alternate notifications within 2 working days of HR/OFI approval, and delivering a rank-ordered list of 10 primary Fellows with alternates within two weeks of selection completion.
Applications are scored on a 100-point scale across five criteria, each worth 20 points: quality and feasibility of project design; organizational capacity and performance record; program planning and ability to achieve objectives; financial capacity and cost-effectiveness; and monitoring, evaluation, and sustainability. Submissions require SF-424 forms, a proposal narrative capped at 15 pages, a line-item budget with cost-sharing breakdown, a monitoring and evaluation plan, and key personnel bios.
The opportunity falls under Assistance Listing 19.013 (funding opportunity DFOP0019974), within the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program. The program record states it is currently not making new awards, so active solicitation status should be confirmed through Grants.gov and HR before committing resources.
Synopsis
Background & Goal:
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Human Resources, Outreach, Fellowships, and Internships Division (HR/OFI) announces an open competition for an eligible organization to manage operational, logistical, and administrative functions for the candidate selection process of the 2027 Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program. Authorized under 22 U.S.C. 2719 and 22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq., this 3-to-6 month Cooperative Agreement (December 2026 - March 2027) aims to execute a rigorous, standardized, and merit-based evaluation cycle to identify 10 premier Pickering Fellows and qualified alternates dedicated to Foreign Service careers.
Problem Statement:
Identifying top diplomatic talent requires multi-stage candidate evaluation on a condensed timeline. Without dedicated administrative support, the Department risks operational delays, inconsistent scoring, and logistical bottlenecks. The Recipient must execute screening, maintain secure scoring platforms, manage Washington, D.C. panel interviews, and handle honoraria and travel logistics under strict federal standards to ensure high-caliber candidates are evaluated without delay.
Key Objectives & Outcomes:
Application Screening & Semi-Finalist Selection: Screen 100% of applications by January 2027 against eligibility criteria (U.S. citizenship, 3.2+ GPA, financial need, master's program plans). Provide secure portal access to 18 selection panelists to score applicants and select 90 semi-finalists by February 2027.
Panel Management & Evaluation: Coordinate D.C. final evaluations (3.5-day interview panel, 2-day essay panel), manage mandatory BEX-led panelist training, and disburse per diem-compliant panelist honoraria ($500/day).
Final Selection & Data Transfer: Compile rank-ordered scores, issue selectee/alternate notifications within 2 working days of HR/OFI approval, and transfer complete selection data packages within 2 weeks of completion.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Budget_Template_FY26_with_MTDC_Calculation_Final_1.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| PKG00294461.docx | DOCX document | |
| Pickering_2027_SOW_Selection_1.docx | DOCX document | |
| 2027_Pickering_NOFO_Selection_1.docx | DOCX document |
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