Social Capital

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is requesting proposals to design, implement, and scale a credit-bearing internship and career-connected learning initiative for Virginia college students, with proposals due October 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. EST. A preference is given to Small, Women, and Minority-Owned (SWAM) contractors, though this is a preference rather than a set-aside.

The initiative targets first-generation, Pell-eligible, and low-income students, emphasizing bridgeable technical skills gaps and professional network expansion. The contractor will support participating higher-education institutions across Virginia in delivering for-credit internships, career discovery experiences, professional mentorship, and social capital development aligned with workforce and economic development priorities. All core program functions must be fully operational within 90 days of award. Deliverables include training materials, implementation toolkits, career-connected learning resources, student readiness programs, professional engagement strategies, evaluation frameworks, data collection tools, and progress reporting — all subject to Section 508 and ADA accessibility compliance.

The contractor must demonstrate direct expertise in technology-enhanced learning experiences, credit-bearing experiential learning, and internship programs from student, institutional, and employer perspectives. Registration in the eVA database is required. The contractor assumes responsibility for all labor, staffing, technical support, and resources needed to operationalize program components and must participate in regular planning meetings and progress reporting with SCHEV and participating institutions.

The contract term is one year from the negotiated service commencement date (approximately November 15, 2026 to November 14, 2027), with four optional one-year renewals available. Project kickoff is targeted for mid-November 2026. Evaluation weights proposals on methodology and plans (30 points), experience and qualifications of the offeror and proposed personnel (40 points), price (10 points), and small business subcontracting plan (20 points). An optional pre-proposal conference is scheduled for September 30, 2026. Proposals must include a completed vendor data sheet, state corporation commission form, small business subcontracting plan, pricing schedule, and references for at least three similar projects, submitted electronically through the eVA Procurement Portal.