Issue Date: August 11, 2025
Proposal Due Date: August 25, 2025
Anticipated Award Date: September 5, 2025

To Whom It May Concern: 

IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) is seeking proposals from qualified respondents to provide technical curriculum development and facilitation in the areas of generative AI, data visualization, GIS mapping and/or education technology for a Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program Summit set to take place in Warsaw, Poland from November 3-7, 2025 [dates subject to shift slightly].

I. Event Information: 

The CEE Tech for Impact Summit: Leveraging Technology to Enhance Community Leadership is a week long summit aimed at supporting civil society leaders from the United States and V4 countries (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Czech Republic) to develop technical skills in key technologies to expand the impact of their community development work.

1. Summit Content: In addition to the 12 hours of training that are the centerpiece of this RFP and the foundation for the Summit, IREX will collaborate with the successful applicant to design three full days of content (24 hours) that includes IREX-coordinated sessions such as participant-led workshops, networking sessions, and expert presentations/workshops or site visits featuring emerging tech for civil society in Poland. Applicants should be prepared to develop and facilitate approximately 12 hours of technical training and advise on IREX designed content.
2. Target Audience: 50 trainees will be non-profit/ civil society early-to-mid-career professionals with low (1-3/5) skill-level in the aforementioned technologies and have a demonstrated interest in growing skills to apply to their community development work.
3. Dates: 1-2 hours of virtual facilitation prior to event on or around October 22nd; In-person facilitation at event from November 3-7; 1-6 hours of virtual training to be scheduled between February – April 2026
4. Location: Virtual via Zoom for pre and post event programming; in-person in Warsaw, Poland during event
5. IREX will Provide: flights, lodging, and meals during Summit (please do not include these costs in price structure)
6. Expected Award: Successful applicant can expect a fixed price award of no greater than $20,000 that will cover preparatory calls, virtual and in-person facilitation (including a second facilitator, if proposed), and delivery of mutually agreed upon training materials/guides/worksheets/slides which IREX may use in perpetuity with appropriate attribution.
7. Milestones: applicants should be prepared to meet the below milestones. Please note that dates will be finalized in the contract issued to the successful applicant
   1. Introductory call to discuss proposal and Summit design by September 10
   2. Revised draft of Summit content overview due for IREX review by September 15
   3. Session plans and materials due for IREX review by October 6
   4. Delivery of virtual pre-Summit session on October 22
   5. Finalized session plans and materials for in-person programming due to IREX by October 24
   6. Delivery of approximately 12 hours of in-person Summit instruction on November 3-7
   7. Delivery of 1-6 hours of virtual post-Summit instruction between February – April 2026

II. Proposal Requirements:

Parties interested in providing this service must submit a typed proposal including the following components:

1. Facilitator(s) information
   1. Indicate who will design and deliver the content (must propose two on-site facilitators or a primary facilitator and a backup facilitator in case the primary facilitator is unable to participate for any reason)
   2. Provide a brief summary of each designer and/or facilitator's professional expertise including specific information about experience facilitating similar trainings
   3. Note: Facilitator(s) must have a passport and be able to secure legal entry to Poland. IREX will not coordinate or fund any expenses associated with passport renewal, visa processing, or medical insurance.
   4. Include learning objectives (by the end of the Summit, participants will be able to...)
2. Include content outline of virtual pre-Summit engagement (1-2 hours), in-person facilitation (12 hours over three days), and virtual post-Summit engagement (1-6 hours in the 3-6 months post-Summit). Leverage your expertise and experience to craft a plan that is highly interactive and likely to produce active use of new technologies post-Summit. In addition to AI basics (e.g., what it is, how it works, bias, data security concerns, ethical considerations, mitigation of environmental impact, etc.), you are welcome to propose sub-themes (e.g., creating dashboards and infographics for organizational growth/impact; utilizing emerging technologies to support training and curriculum design; leveraging data for community mapping etc.) and varied session types (e.g., presentation, workshop, applied learning activity, etc.) to suit the stated audience. Note that all software, examples, and activities should be accessible and relevant to American and Central European audiences (specifically for Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia).
3. Although not required, applicants are welcome to share examples of content that demonstrate applicability to the target audience (American and central European civil society professionals) and the interactive nature of their training.
4. Proposal must indicate what software will be used during the training and how much the software costs per user, if anything. IREX is able to cover modest software expenses, but the applicant should opt for free or low-cost options whenever possible. The applicant should not include participant software costs in their budget as these would be paid by IREX.
5. Budget with clear indication of one or two in-person facilitators that accounts for all preparation, design, and delivery expenses. Please include any assumptions about the preparation and design phase such as number or length of meetings with IREX and the content development and revision process.

III. Proposal Submission:

If you are interested in rendering these services, please email a proposal to Kathryn Shah at kshah@irex.org and Lily Wiggins at lwiggins@irex.org. Proposals must be received by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on the due date indicated above. Late submissions will only be considered if in the best interest of the project, and then at IREX’s sole discretion. All proposals submitted must be valid for a period of not less than thirty (30) calendar days from the closing date indicated above.

IV. Proposal Evaluation:

The criteria for evaluating proposals are listed below:

1. Content quality, applicability, and usefulness to the target audience (40%)
2. Facilitator experience and expertise (30%)
3. Cost (30%)

V. Renewal 

IREX reserves the right, based on availability of funding and vendor performance, to enter into subsequent contractual agreements with the winning vendor(s) for a period of up to three years without issuing a new RFP.

Contact Information:

Kathryn Shah: kshah@irex.org