- Leverage results of this research across USIP to enable learning and improve decision making at the project, program, and organizational levels.
- Set the strategic trajectory of the Institute's higher education engagement.
- Explore how public institutions and higher education institutions can work together in support of peacebuilding.
- How are peacebuilding organizations globally (government-funded peacebuilding organizations in particular) engaging with higher education institutions to promote peacebuilding?
- What are the workforce development needs of the peacebuilding field? What are exemplars of public institution- higher education partnerships in responding to workforce development from which the Institute can learn?
- What are the needs of higher education institutions in the U.S. and what are the opportunities for USIP to respond to these needs in regard to the development of the peacebuilding field?
- How has the Institute engaged with higher education institutions throughout its history? How is the Institute engaging with higher education institutions at present?
- How can the Institute position itself as a global leader in leveraging and growing partnerships with higher education institutions in developing the analytic and problem-solving competence that is necessary to promote and secure [global] peace?
- An inception report (4-6 pages) that includes: 1.) final research question(s) to be answered through this project; 2.) bodies of literature to explore; 3.) research methodology(ies); and 4.) workplan and timeline for conducting the research. The inception report will be finalized collaboratively with and agreed upon by USIP. (Annexes or appendices will not count toward page limit.)
- An Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval if research includes human subjects.
- A literature review of relevant bodies of research
- A data collection report describing the data collection activities, and any divergence from the plan outlined in the inception report.
- Raw data of any interviews, focus groups, or other data collection processes.
- Draft report or other written materials of no more than 30 pages in total. The outline will be determined collaboratively with and agreed upon by USIP. USIP will provide feedback on the draft report for the contractor to answer or incorporate in the final report. (Annexes or appendices will not count toward page limit.)
- Final report or other written materials of no more than 30 pages in total incorporating USIP's feedback on the draft report. (Annexes or appendices will not count toward page limit.)
- Presentations of the research findings to relevant USIP staff and the Institute higher education partners.
- Presentation materials (i.e. presentation Power Point deck)
- Complete proposals must be submitted by email to and by 11:59 5pm ET on February 16, 2024.
- The Institute is not liable for any costs incurred by offerors prior to issuance of an executed contract with the Institute.
- Submissions must be typed and submitted electronically and must include all submission requirements outlined in the Submission of Requirements section of this RFP. No changes or corrections to a response will be allowed after the deadline.
- All submissions should be in English and US dollars.
- Any questions concerning this RFP should be directed to Illana Lancaster at Pertinent responses will be made available to all offerors by email. No inquiries will be accepted after specified time and date.
- Any proposal not addressing all RFP requirements may be considered non-responsive. Late proposals may be rejected as non-responsive.
- This RFP is not an offer to enter into an agreement with any party, but rather a request to receive proposals from offerors (organizations or persons) interested in providing the services outlined herein. Such proposals shall be considered and treated by USIP as offers to enter into a contract.
- USIP shall not be obligated for the payment of any sums whatsoever to any recipient of this RFP until and unless a written contract between the parties is executed.
- Unless stated otherwise within this RFP, the selected Contractor shall be responsible for providing all equipment and/or supplies required to perform the services.
- The selected Contractor shall not discriminate against any person in accordance with Federal, state, or local law.
- The submission of any materials to USIP in response to this RFP will constitute (i) a representation that the Offeror owns or has unrestricted license to use and license such materials and all intellectual property expressed therein; and (ii) the grant of a non-exclusive license to USIP to use such materials and intellectual property for any purpose, including specifically the evaluation, negotiation, and documentation of a contract with any party.
- Offeror will commit to adhering to the attached USIP Terms & Conditions, else risk removal from consideration. Exceptions to these terms must be clearly outlined in an annex to the Technical Narrative Proposal. Please reach out to to request a copy of USIP Terms and Conditions if they are not attached to the solicitation.
Request for Proposal: Research: The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Making Peace Possible - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - United States Institute of Peace
Description
Request for Proposals
United States Institute of Peace
Research: The Role of Higher Education Institutions In Making Peace Possible
Location: Remote
Release Date: January 12, 2024
RFP Due Date: 11:59 pm ET on February 16, 2024
Refer Questions to:
Submit Proposals to:
Illana Lancaster at
Illana Lancaster at
Do not use the Apply button on this page.
Pertinent responses will be made available to all offerors by e-mail. No inquiries will be accepted after specified time and date.
The response must be submitted by time and date listed above to be considered.
Introduction and Background
The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is a national, nonpartisan, independent institute, founded by Congress and dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible, practical, and essential for the United States and global security. In conflict zones abroad, the Institute works with local partners to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict. For more information, please visit
The Higher Education Engagement (HEE) team is part of the Civic Engagement and Scholarship Unit (CES). The mission of the CES unit is to connect the Institute with the U.S. public and the U.S. public to the Institute's international peacebuilding programs and resources. HEE has four goals in its seven lines of effort: 1.) Develop the next generation of peacebuilders; 2.) Expand the analytic and problem-solving competencies necessary to promote and secure global peace through seeding peace curricula across disciplines within higher education institutions; 3.) Raise the visibility of the Nation's commitment to peace by connecting the higher education community with Institute resources; and 4.) cultivate collaborative, sustainable, and efficacious relationships with the higher education community.
As a public institution, USIP has been engaging higher education institutions in its work of preventing, mitigating, and resolving violent conflict globally throughout its 40-year history. Recognizing the vital role U.S. higher education institutions play in the Nation's commitment to promoting sustainable peace and security globally, the HEE team was established in spring of 2023 to consolidate/ drive/ reaffirm the Institute's engagement with the higher education community.
Purpose of the RFP
HEE is seeking proposals from a research institution, for-profit consulting firm, individual, or a group of individuals to explore how public institutions work alongside higher education institutions in the promotion and development of global peace. HEE will leverage results of this research across USIP to enable learning and improve decision making at the project, program, and organizational levels. This research will also set the strategic trajectory of the Institute's higher education engagement. Additionally, this research hopes to further the field of peacebuilding by exploring how public institutions and higher education institutions can work together in support making peace possible.
The study is expected to take 6-9 months to complete if conducted on a part-time basis.
Scope of Work
Background
USIP was born through a public process, for which the process itself was deemed to be "fundamentally American" by the members of the commission (The Commission on Proposals for the National Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Public Law This open commission process engaged the U.S. public in stakeholder meetings, public seminars, and open invitations for written communications. The question for the public to consider in 1980 was how can the U.S. strengthen the capacity of the Nation to promote and secure international peace?
Higher education institutions play a vital role in the public project of peace. Recognizing the strategic importance of the higher education community to the U.S.'s ability to strengthen the next generation's capacities for peace, HEE deepens the Institute's connections and partnerships with colleges, universities, and related higher education associations. Collectively, USIP and its higher education partners work in service of expanding "the analytic and problem-solving competence that is necessary to promote and secure [global] peace" (The Commission on Proposals for the National Academy of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Public Law 95-561,
Project Goals and Objectives
The goal of this research is for USIP to identify trends, needs, and opportunities for engagement with higher education institutions from which USIP can develop a consistent and sustained approach to stakeholder engagement. As mentioned above, this research will enable HEE to:
Some questions this project hopes to gain insight into include but are not limited to:
HEE requires a Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility (DEIA) lens to be applied to this project.
Expected Contract Type
Fixed firm price.
Scope
The final scope of work will be determined collaboratively between USIP and the selected offeror during the contracting process, based on the proposed methodology(ies) of the proposal selected. Key deliverables and responsibilities are below.
Tentative Timeline
A tentative timeline for the completion of deliverables is provided below. USIP will work with the selected proposer to finalize deliverables and deliverable due dates upon selection.
Deliverable
Estimated Due Date
1. Inception report
April 2024
2. Possible deliverable: An Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval
April 2024
3. Literature review
May 2024
4. Data collection report
June 2024
5. Raw data of any interviews, focus groups, or other data collection processes
June 2024
6. Draft report
August 2024
7. Final report
September 2024
8. Presentations of research findings
October 2024
9. Presentation materials
October 2024
Expected Contract Type
Firm Fixed Price
Submission Requirements
Any proposal that does not contain all items listed below may be considered nonresponsive. For more detail on the selection process, including corresponding evaluation criteria, please see Section V below. To be considered under this RFP, please submit the following:
Technical Narrative Proposal (5-7 pages)
The technical narrative proposal should be no more than 7 pages and include the following sections:
Prior Experience
Describe at least two projects of similar scope and complexity the offeror has worked on previously. Provide a point of contact with telephone number and email address for each of the described projects to serve as references. Be sure to explain how past projects have employed a DEIA lens.
Overall Approach and Methodology
Based on the information provided above, describe how you will accomplish this research. Be specific about what processes and methods will be used to answer the key question described in this RFP including: what secondary research will be used, the proposed approach for primary research, data collection plan, analysis methodology, and how conclusions will be validated. An Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval may be required prior to primary data collection and should be factored in the workplan.
Include in the approach and methodology when convening event(s) will be organized and how it will meet the research purpose—i.e., whether the event or multiple events will be used to advance the data collection, validation, or dissemination purposes of this research. As noted above, the final research methodology and convening event(s) will be developed in consultation with USIP.
Timeframe of Implementation
Offerors will provide a timeframe for the implementation of the research. This includes providing a proposed level of effort needed to complete the project.
Key Personnel, Staffing, and Specific Expertise
Offerors should detail their organizational and thematic capabilities to undertake and fulfill the roles and responsibilities for this research. Describe the key personnel, what their role will be for this project, and how their experience is related and beneficial. Please note that staff may be non-US citizens and do not require a security clearance.
Curriculum Vitae (CV) (1-3 pages)
For each of the key personnel, please provide a CV of no more than three pages. CVs will not count towards technical narrative proposal page limit.
Cost Proposal
The cost proposal shall include a detailed budget and a budget narrative. Please organize the budget according to the timeline for research deliverables (e.g., do not merely list the total days and daily rate of key personnel, but specify in the cost proposal how many days will be devoted to each proposed deliverable). Whether the event(s) are virtual or in-person, include the location, venue, potential travel, and other logistics in the cost proposal. Budget must be in US dollars and in a spreadsheet format (e.g., Excel). Please note that USIP allows nonprofit organizations to include up to 15% indirect cost recovery on total direct costs for contracts.
Financial Management Assessment Form (Organizations Only)
Organizations must complete the Financial Management Assessment Form unless they have received Federal grants, contracts or cooperative agreements in the past two years and can provide their audited financial statement from their most recent fiscal year. Please reach out to Illana Lancaster ) to request a copy of the Financial Management Assessment Form if it is not attached to the solicitation.
Certification Page
Complete and sign the Certification Page below and submit with the proposal.
Selection Process
Schedule
Date
Schedule
January 12, 2024
RFP issued
February 8, 2024
Questions concerning RFP and project emailed to Illana Lancaster at no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time.
February 9, 2024
Answers to questions will be made available to all offerors.
February 16, 2024
Proposals are due no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time. Late submissions may not be accepted.
March 8, 2024
Notification to selected offeror
March 22, 2024
Estimated project commencement date
USIP may adjust dates in the schedule or cancel this RFP at any time prior to contract award.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria below. For more detail on each submission requirement, see Section IV of this RFP. The USIP Selection Committee will review all proposals received on time using the evaluation criteria established below based on the best value offered to USIP. The Selection Committee reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, in whole or in part, to award multiple contracts, and/or to enter into negotiations with any party, in the best interests of the Institute.
Evaluation Criteria
Corresponding Submission Requirement
Weight
Approach and Methodology
Technical Narrative Proposal (the relative rigor and appropriateness of the methodology for the research questions)
40%
Prior Experience
Technical Narrative Proposal, CV, and References
20%
Total Cost
Cost Proposal
20%
Timeframe of Implementation
Technical Narrative Proposal
10%
Specific Expertise
Staff CVs
10%
General Instructions and Terms
Certification Page
(Please submit with the proposal)
A. The Offeror certifies that: (1) Prices in the offer have been arrived at independently without consultation, communication, or agreement with any other competitor; (2) Prices in the offer have not been and will not be knowingly disclosed by the offeror, directly or indirectly, to any other competitor before bid opening or contract award unless otherwise required by law; and (3) No attempt has been made or will be made by the offeror to induce any other competitor to/not to submit an offer for the purpose of restricting competition.
B. Has the offeror received funding from USIP? Yes/No
If yes, provide the grant or contract number and the offeror's main point of contact at USIP:___________________________________________________________________________________
On Behalf of Offeror:
Name of Organization or Independent Contractor
Signature of Authorized Official
Printed Name of Authorized Official
Title
Date