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Here are a few suggestions based on TWC’s extensive experience for anyone currently developing a contract vehicle to launch an internship program, recruit excellent students and ensure a high quality experience for all involved.

Develop the Scope of Your Internship Program

• Identify your overall goals for the internship program; for example, determine whether you’re filling mission-critical needs, diversify your workforce, or attracting specific skills.
• Determine how many students would you would like to sponsor.
• Set a length (semester, summer, year-long) that is most appropriate for your agency.
• Identify the most appropriate majors or skill sets for your organization.
• Choose where will the interns will be based (Washington, D.C., or regional locations).
• Determine the cost (look at GSA schedule or speak to The Washington Center for an unofficial quote).

Develop a Statement of Work (SOW) and Project Description

• Detail what you are expecting the contractor to deliver.
• Consider what will make a successful internship program.
• Consider what institutional experience the contractor should have.
• Identify other services you would like to provide to your students. For example: housing, travel facilitation, supplemental training activities, facilitation of academic credit, etc.
• Summarize the tasks students will work on in the project description.

Contact your Contracting Officer

• Provide them with SOW and the scope of your internship program needs; they will give you instructions on next steps.
• Please let them know that TWC currently holds a GSA schedule contract that simplifies contracting with the government.
• They will develop a Request For Quote (RFQ).

The Contracting Officer will then solicit bids from two to three likely sources

• We suggest that agencies solicit their bids through GSA Ebuy. We have found this enables us to submit the quotes much more quickly and easily.
• The Washington Center will respond to the solicitation on Ebuy.

Once the Contract is Approved, a Purchase Order (PO) is Created and Sent to the Vendor

• If The Washington Center is the chosen vendor, targeted recruiting efforts begin at this point.
• One contract vehicle you may want to consider when talking with your Contracting Officer is the Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). We can provide more information on the BPA upon request.