The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Human Resources, Outreach, Fellowships, and Internships Division (HR/OFI) announces an open competition for an eligible organization to manage operational, logistical, and administrative functions for the candidate selection process of the 2027 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program. Authorized pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2719 and 22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq., this 3-to-6 month Cooperative Agreement (January – March 2027) aims to execute a rigorous, standardized, and merit-based evaluation cycle to identify top-tier Rangel Fellows and qualified alternates dedicated to Foreign Service careers.

Problem Statement:

Evaluating top diplomatic talent across nationwide applicant pools on a condensed timeline requires specialized administrative expertise. Without a dedicated partner, the Department risks operational delays, inconsistent evaluation practices, and logistical bottlenecks. The Recipient must execute eligibility screening, maintain secure electronic scoring portals, coordinate virtual interview committee sessions, conduct Board of Examiners (BEX) briefings, and manage panelist honoraria under strict federal standards to ensure candidates are evaluated objectively and without delay.

Key Objectives & Outcomes:

Application Screening & Semi-Finalist Selection: Screen 100% of submitted applications by late January 2027 against eligibility criteria (U.S. citizenship, 3.2+ GPA, financial need, master’s degree plans). Provide secure portal access to 18 selection panelists to score applicants and select precisely 90 semi-finalists by early February 2027.

Virtual Panel Management: Coordinate virtual interview and writing panel sessions, facilitate mandatory BEX-led panelist training, manage candidate briefing sessions, and process per diem-compliant panelist honoraria ($500/day) without administrative delay.

Final Selection & Data Transfer: Compile rank-ordered scores, issue selectee/alternate notifcations