IREX, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization and implementing partner of the U.S. Department of State on the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship Program, requests information and preliminary proposals for short-term housing for 250 YLAI Fellows across 18 cities across the United States.

Purpose

A maximum of 14-16 YLAI Fellows will be placed in each city during a 4-week professional placement across the United States. IREX will consider extended-stay housing vendors providing contracts for accommodation in single cities or multiple cities, depending on local market competitiveness. 

Eligibility requirements

Cities for housing include:

Companies interested in providing this service must submit a proposal, including a breakdown of total cost by city, including estimated costs per unit and additional fees, which demonstrates the company’s capacity to provide housing that meets the following specifications: 

• Short-term apartment, corporate housing, or long-term hotel units, for up to 250 Fellows with 14-16 Fellows in each city, which can be:
  • Individual studio or efficiency units
  • 2+ bedroom apartments (to house multiple Fellows of the same gender, each with their own bedroom) with other shared space, such as a bathroom, kitchen, living room, etc.  Multi-bedroom units must also meet the following criteria:
    • Each bedroom must be of similar size and contain commensurate furniture and clothing storage options, including a closet and/or wardrobe.
    • Each bedroom must contain at least a full/double size bed (single/twin beds are not acceptable).
    • If a multi-unit apartment has only one bathroom, it must be accessible via common living spaces, not only via the master bedroom.
    • If a vendor’s multi-bedroom units do not meet these criteria, the proposal should include an explanation and proposed solution to bring the unit(s) up to meet these specifications.
• Fully furnished (e.g. bed, dresser, table, couch, chairs, etc.)
• Kitchen facilities with appliances, cookware, utensils, and dinnerware
• Linens included (e.g. sheets, comforter, towels, etc.)
• Laundry facilities in unit or on-site
• Building(s) central to downtown or main business area and within walking distance of and/or short distance via reliable public transportation grocery stores, restaurants, libraries, and other community amenities. Preference given to locations with higher Walk Scores (in the 70-100 range per www.walkscore.com)
• Building(s) centrally located within walking distance of and/or provides shuttle to reliable public transportation (please specify if public transportation is bus, metro, light rail, etc. – Fellows will not have cars while in the U.S.)
• Building(s) located in a safe neighborhood with a low-crime rate
• Building(s) well maintained with designated maintenance staff
• All utilities and fees included in price, including water, gas, electric, heat and air conditioning, and internet (wired or Wi-Fi), and basic television service
• All estimated state and local taxes included in proposal, including notes on possible tax refunds or waivers based on IREX’s 501(c)3 status (certificate provided upon request) and/or local laws on occupancy duration (30+ days) 

Proposals should also include a vendor’s capacity to provide ADA-compliant or similar units that meet the following specifications for Fellows with disabilities (specific accommodations required to be provided by individual programs at a later date): 

• Wheelchair and/or scooter accessible
• Suitable for residents with a variety of mobility issues, such as grab bars, handicap accessible shower, lowered countertops and cabinets, etc.
• Suitable for residents who are deaf or hard of hearing, such as lighted doorbells and alarms, systems for communicating with building staff, etc.
• Suitable for residents who are blind or have reduced sight 

Deadline

Issue Date: September 29, 2025 

Proposal Due Date: October 29, 2025 

Anticipated Award Ceiling: $20,000 – $900,000 (depending on number of contracts provided) 

Reservation Request Dates: April 23 – May 24, 2026 (32-nights)  

How to submit a concept note

Please download the Request for Proposals (RFP) to see the full description and requirements.

All proposals should include a bid in the form of a PDF document outlining the rates and accommodations, as well as a completed spreadsheet using the downloadable template provided in the RFP.

Proposals must be accompanied by a website link and/or photos and floor plans of the property(ies) proposed that show building features, representative units, and the surrounding area; description of building and community amenities in the vicinity or short distance via public transit, such as grocery stores, restaurants, and libraries. If this information is provided via hyperlinks, those links should not expire. Proposals may also include a list of 2-3 similar projects, with contact information for the clients. 

IREX reserves the right not to accept proposed properties if they do not meet the necessary requirements for Fellows. 

If you are interested in furnishing this service, please e-mail a proposal to Giselle Gonzalez at ggonzalez@irex.org. Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the closing date indicated above. Questions may also be directed to Giselle Gonzalez in advance of the proposal submission deadline.  All proposals submitted must be valid for a period of not less than ninety (90) calendar days from the proposal due date indicated above.  

Questions?

Giselle Gonzalez 
Program Coordinator 
IREX 
1350 I Street, NW #1100 
Washington, DC 20005 
GGonzalez@irex.org 
+1 (202) 628 2261