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Request for Proposal Opportunity Opens February 15, 2023
New America’s PIT-UN is seeking proposals from its member institutions’ Career Placement or Career Counseling Service staff for career fair(s) to connect students with employers and community partners who are designing, developing and/or deploying technology that serves the public interest – a growing and diverse field known as public interest technology (PIT).
A successful PIT Career Fair should be a collaboration between Principal Investigators and/or Designees of PIT-UN grants within your institution, and outreach to regional employers and/or employer organizations, to ensure that the event facilitates opportunities related not just to technology, but explicitly to public interest technology.
Successful proposals will connect students with businesses, non-profits, and/or government agencies who can provide extended learning opportunities related to PIT. These opportunities should have defined objectives and provide flexible instruction or study outside of the classroom, including but not limited, to:
Internships
Apprenticeship
Community service
Work-based learning
Job Shadows
PIT-UN, funded through New Venture Fund, anticipates making multiple awards as a result of this Request for Proposal. Eligible institutions may submit applications for up to two (2) distinct projects. The purpose of the grant is to empower PIT-UN member institution’s Career Services staff to become key players in growing and diversifying the PIT pipeline.
Core Elements and Outcomes
Core Element 1: Career Pipelines
The proposed Career Fair articulates a strategy for strengthening the PIT pipeline by making clear connections between PIT-related coursework, research centers or programs at your institution, and the standards, competencies and needs of regional employers. Career pipeline programs offer a clear sequence of education coursework and/or training credentials aligned with employer-validated work readiness standards and competencies, and integrate academic and occupational skills training.
Core Element 2: Strategic Alignment with the Workforce System and Other Stakeholders
Successful applicants will demonstrate that they have performed outreach to, and gathered information on, efforts to align technology with the highest social good including entities that can provide data on the characteristics and skill needs of Public Interest Technology and services in the community. For purposes of this RFP proposal, a “community” or “region” is a city, county, or other political subdivision of a State or a group of post-secondary institutions of a State or of adjacent states. Applicants will also provide evidence of outreach to ensure that the project complements and does not duplicate existing programs in the region, and that plans to strategically leverage supports will further increase and ensure participant success in the classroom and the workplace.
Eligibility
Grantees should be affiliated with PIT-UN member institutions’ career services and must be the primary applicant.
Eligible single institutions of higher education that identify and engage partners outside of the institution and within a defined region that will contribute to the project. The scope of proposals should reflect the individual institution’s ability to implement this project, and must include appropriate and necessary infrastructure and equipment costs for a successful regional or multi-institution PIT career fair. PIT-UN encourages single institution applicants to focus their proposed project on one specific project strategy that can be fully implemented within the grant period, with a scope that appropriately reflects the size of the requested funding amount, as opposed to implementing a series of complex strategies that may be challenging to complete within the grant period.
Successful applicants will demonstrate that they have performed outreach to, and gathered information on, efforts to align technology with the public interest including entities that can provide data on the characteristics and skills needed by businesses, nonprofits and government agencies in the region. For purposes of this RFP proposal, a “community” or “region” is a city, county, or other political subdivision of a State or a group of post-secondary institutions of a State or of adjacent states. Applicants will also leverage existing resources to ensure that the project complements and does not duplicate existing programs in the region; and strategically leverage support to ensure participant success in the classroom and the workplace.
ONLINE WEBINAR
Building the PIT Career Pipeline
PIT students are preparing to build a better tech future — but what careers can they pursue right now? Join this webinar with Career Services, PIT Faculty and Practitioners to learn how you can help build the PIT career pipeline.
Grant Awards
The range of awards is up to $20,000. The number and size of awards will depend on the number of proposals received and available funds. Career fair activities and final reports must be wrapped up by December 15, 2023.
Issuance of this RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by PIT-UN to make grant awards. Applications will be evaluated after the due date, and PIT-UN reserves the right to issue partial awards, as determined to be in the best interest of the Network.
Opportunity Timeline
RFP submission window opens
Open Office Hours
Open office sessions to answer your RFP questions will be held weekly on Fridays from 12:00 pm (noon) - 12:50 pm EST, until the grant RFP close date on March 30, 2023
RFP Final Questions Submitted
RFP written questions must be submitted to [email protected]
RFP Question Answers Posted
RFP questions & answers posted to the RFP page on PITcases.org
RFP Submission Window Closes
RFP submission window closes all RFP responses are due. No late submissions will be accepted.
Winners Notified
Grant Term
Grant term starts April 15, 2023, and ends on Dec 15, 2023
Final Reports Due
Grant term ends and Final Reports Due
FAQs & Questions
Grant informational sessions will be held weekly on Fridays using Zoom, starting on February 17, 2023, from 12:00 pm (noon) EST through 12:50 pm EST until the grant RFP close date on March 30, 2023.
Questions about this RFP can be sent to [email protected]
RFP Due Diligence Required Forms
PIT-UN Network Members who are current Year 4 2022 Network Challenge grantees do not need to resubmit their institutions: List of Board of Directors/Trustees, the institution’s 990, audited financials, or letter of determination for the Career Fair application process, however, you will need to upload:
- a list of main staff for the project
- a completed W-8BEN-E IRS Form
- AND the NVF Electronic Funds Transfer form if your proposal is selected.
Use these links to blank copies of the W-8BEN-E form and the NVF Electronic Funds Transfer [EFT] form.
If your institution is not a current PIT-UN Year 4 2022 Network Challenge grantee, you will need to upload:
- a list of main staff for the project
- a list of the Board of Directors/Trustees
- the institution’s 990
- audited financials, or letter of determination
- a completed W-8BEN-E IRS Form
- AND the NVF Electronic Funds Transfer form if your proposal is selected.
Use these links to obtain blank copies of the W-8BEN-E form and the NVF Electronic Funds Transfer [EFT] form.
Can we hold a virtual career fair?
Onsite career fairs are easier to recruit employers to; virtual fairs generally draw half of registered students and employees. We discourage holding hybrid fairs, as there is a significant lack of student interest now that total online delivery has ended.
Can I hold a networking event?
No, the funds must be used to meet the core elements of the RFP.
Core Element 1: Career Pipelines
Career pipeline programs offer a clear sequence of education coursework and/or training credentials aligned with employer-validated work readiness standards and competencies and integrate academic and occupational skills training.
Core Element 2: Strategic Alignment with the Workforce System and Other Stakeholders
Successful applicants will demonstrate that they have performed outreach to, and gathered information on, efforts to align technology with the highest social good including entities that can provide data on the characteristics and skill needs of Public Interest Technology and services in the community.
Do we need to provide interview slots?
Interview slots are not required, however we expect features that will make the process easy for employers to speak to participants about available opportunities.
Can funds be used to elevate corporate sponsors by increased social media and highlighting them with webinars or chats or by hyping which employers are attending?
Allowable expenses are expenses directly related to producing the best experience for employers and for students attending the fair.
Can funds be used to provide incentives for small and medium governmental agencies to attend?
Incentives such as travel and accommodations for small to medium companies to attend the fair are acceptable. Allowable incentives also apply to local and state governmental agencies. Incentives can also be used for table space for booths, breakfast and lunch for all employers and special luncheons for other sponsors.
Do our employers need to provide onsite interviews?
Not necessarily, though it is important to create incentives so employers feel invested in the process. Employers should commit to on-campus interviews within 10 days of the career fair, so students can look forward to a possible on-campus interview within a short period of time.
Are costs associated with elevating sponsors allowable?
Expenses to consider to produce the best experience for employers which is best for students attending post-secondary education include:
- Incentives such as travel and accommodations for small to medium companies. (This also applies to local and state governmental agencies.)
- Table space for booths
- Supplying electrical outlets for all booths
- Advertising
- increased social media and highlighting them with webinars or chats or by hyping which employers are attending.
- Paper, banners, and social media adds
- Breakfast and Lunch for all employers
- Marquee Sponsor special luncheon