Cancelled: NSF Regional Innovations Engines Program Evaluation   3

Background
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is issuing a solicitation for an external evaluation team to assess the impact of the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program. This program aims to create sustainable, inclusive, and diverse regional innovation ecosystems that address significant societal challenges.

The evaluation will inform programmatic decisions and enhance understanding of how these ecosystems are developed and their overall success.

Work Details
The Contractor shall manage and execute key tasks including:

1. Project Plans and Procedures: Conduct a kick-off meeting within two weeks post-award, participate in ongoing meetings with NSF technical leads, and submit summaries of discussions.

2. Focus Group or Key Informant Interviews: Conduct annual focus groups and interviews to understand program dynamics, analyze insights using qualitative methodologies, and compile findings into comprehensive reports.

3. Summative Evaluations: Conduct evaluations at specified phases (after Year 2 and Year 5) to assess short- and medium-term impacts of the NSF Engines program, delivering written reports with recommendations for improvement.

4. Data Imputation and Survey Instrument Validation: Ensure accuracy of collected data through advanced imputation techniques and validate survey instruments used in data collection.

Place of Performance
The primary place of performance will be the Contractor’s location, with some meetings at NSF Headquarters in Alexandria, VA, and other meetings conducted online.