2025 summer trans, institute - rebid

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is soliciting proposals for the 2025 Summer Transportation Institute (STI) Program, a federally funded initiative designed to expose high school students to career opportunities in the transportation industry. The program targets students in grades 9-11 with a minimum 2.5 GPA, requiring a four-week curriculum focused on STEM education and transportation careers. Host sites must enroll a minimum of 15 students and provide comprehensive academic instruction covering land, air, and water transportation modes, including safety components and enhancement activities. For residential programs, sports and recreation activities are also required. The solicitation requires host sites to submit weekly and post-program evaluations, conduct follow-up student surveys, and provide progress reports 30 days before program start and an annual report after completion. Key submission dates include questions due by November 22, 2024, and responses due by December 20, 2024, at 2:30 PM, with an anticipated award posting on January 15, 2025, and a contract period from January 16, 2025, to January 15, 2026.

The program is funded by the Federal Highway Administration Office of Administration, with a maximum budget of $50,000 per host site. Budget restrictions include personnel plus fringe benefits not exceeding 45% of the total approved budget, indirect costs limited to 10% of program direct costs, and fringe benefits capped at 7.65%. The solicitation allows for resident contractor and resident subcontractor preferences and requires compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act for accessibility. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the program emphasizes broad participation and accessibility. Federal funds cannot be used for entertainment activities, and alternative funding must be secured for such components. The curriculum must be comprehensive, covering multiple transportation modes and providing meaningful exposure to potential career paths in the transportation sector. All costs must adhere to federal cost principles outlined in 2 CFR, Part 200, and the Highway Training and Education guidelines.