Science and Technology Fellow(s) needed to help agency obtain technical expertise to contribute to more effective application of science and technology in the international development and foreign affairs activities of the U.S. government. | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

This opportunity is a Sources Sought Notice from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), meaning it is a market research request rather than an actual grant solicitation. MCC is collecting information about which organizations might be capable of running a fellowship program on MCC's behalf. No applications or proposals are being accepted at this stage, no award will be made from this notice, and MCC will not reimburse any costs incurred by organizations that respond. The notice was posted to both Grants.gov and FedBizOpps specifically to reach the widest possible range of potentially qualified organizations.

At a program level, MCC is exploring the creation of a Science and Engineering Fellowship Program that would place highly trained experts into MCC's Washington, DC headquarters and into overseas MCC missions. The idea is to bring current, high-level technical expertise directly into MCC operations so the agency can apply science, engineering, and related disciplines more effectively in its international development and foreign affairs work. From the fellows' perspective, the program is framed as a chance to work at the intersection of science and public policy, gain experience in international science policy, and contribute to solving real-world development problems.

MCC intends to model its program after USAID's long-running Science, Engineering and Diplomacy, Security and Development Fellowship program, which began in 1982 and has placed nearly 400 fellows over roughly three decades. That USAID program is highlighted as proof that a fellowship mechanism can be an effective way for a development agency to access up-to-date expertise in areas like climate change, biotechnology, infectious diseases, and energy, while also strengthening ties to the broader scientific community. MCC notes that USAID's program is administered through a cooperative agreement with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), signaling the type of experienced intermediary MCC likely expects to find for its own effort.

The organization MCC ultimately selects (if a future solicitation is issued and awarded) would be responsible for recruiting, competitively selecting, placing, and administering fellows across MCC offices in Washington and in overseas missions. MCC is looking for an organization capable of attracting candidates from a wide range of technical and disciplinary backgrounds, including scientists, medical doctors, engineers, and also political scientists and social scientists. The expected placements are meant to align with MCC operational needs, which the notice lists as including agriculture, engineering, education, environment, social science (including gender), health, land programs, economic analysis, and monitoring and evaluation. In other words, MCC is not seeking a narrow fellowship focused on a single specialty; it is considering a flexible program that can supply expert talent across many parts of its development portfolio.

In terms of scale and structure, MCC indicates the recipient organization should be able to place and oversee about two fellows per year during the life of the award, which is anticipated to be about five years. Oversight would cover new incoming fellows, fellows renewing for a second year, and overseas fellows. Individual fellowships are described as typically one to two years in MCC/Washington or in an overseas mission, with a statement elsewhere in the notice that fellowships could last up to four years, suggesting MCC is contemplating multi-year pathways for at least some placements. The program would therefore require sustained administrative capacity rather than one-time recruitment.

The notice places strong emphasis on recruitment breadth and diversity. MCC wants the recruiting organization to be able to advertise widely and solicit candidates from different regions, different kinds of institutions (universities, industry, nonprofit organizations, and similar), and a range of gender and cultural perspectives. Candidates are expected to be highly competitive in their fields, current on the latest technical developments, and able to tap broader professional networks to support MCC's mission. This implies MCC values not just technical credentials, but also the fellow's ability to serve as a bridge between MCC and external scientific and engineering communities.

Beyond recruitment and placement, the managing organization would also need to deliver the professional infrastructure around the fellowship. That includes developing and running an orientation for new fellows, providing mentoring support to help ensure productive assignments, and offering structured networking and career development opportunities that expose fellows to national and international issues related to science and technology. The organization is also expected to implement an evaluation process to improve the program over time, and to collaborate closely with MCC in supporting fellows and aligning assignments with agency needs.

Security requirements are a notable operational piece of this notice. The recipient organization would be required to maintain or obtain a valid facility security clearance and also to facilitate the federal security clearance process for each candidate. That requirement narrows the pool to organizations with experience operating in federal environments where cleared access, background investigations, and secure handling procedures may be necessary.

Administratively, the notice identifies the applicable NAICS code as 561110 (Management Services), which aligns with MCC's view of this as a managed services and program administration effort rather than a traditional research grant. The funding record associated with the posting lists an estimated total funding amount of $2,100,000 with an award ceiling of $2,100,000, an award floor of $0, and an expectation of one award, with no cost sharing or matching requirement. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to the specific details in the full notice. The opportunity is labeled as discretionary and the instrument type is listed as "Other," consistent with the fact that this is not a typical research-and-development grant competition but a mechanism to bring technical talent into MCC through an administered fellowship.

Key dates in the posting show it was posted April 22, 2011, with a response deadline of May 11, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, and an archive date of June 10, 2011. The funding opportunity number is MCC 11 9036 RFA 64. The point of contact listed is Patrice Lopez, Agreement Officer, with phone number 202-521-2635 and email lopezpa@mcc.gov.

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