STARBASE Cherry Point

The STARBASE Cherry Point funding opportunity, issued by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) under the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), is currently published as a Request for Information (RFI) for a potential cooperative agreement. This opportunity is associated with the DoD STARBASE program, a well-established initiative aimed at enhancing youth engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The STARBASE program is designed to provide students—particularly those in underserved communities—hands-on learning experiences that promote STEM literacy and career awareness. The specific implementation site for this opportunity is the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina. This RFI seeks input from nonprofit organizations, in line with DoD Instruction 1025.07, to gauge the feasibility of awarding a cooperative agreement to a nonprofit for the operation and management of the STARBASE program at this site. While this is not a solicitation, the responses will help the government assess interest and capability in the nonprofit sector. The selected nonprofit would be expected to carry out educational and administrative responsibilities required to maintain program continuity and quality in alignment with STARBASE program objectives. According to the draft Performance Requirements Statement (PRS), which is attached to the notice, eligible organizations must be able to demonstrate relevant technical and programmatic capacity, including previous experience managing educational or STEM-related programs. Responses must address their technical approach, prior relevant experience (including scale, scope, timeframe, and client type), certifications, and any teaming or subcontracting strategies. Specific guidance is provided on how this information must be formatted and submitted, including a strict five-page maximum limit and formatting guidelines. This opportunity is open only to nonprofit entities, with or without 501(c)(3) IRS status, that are not institutions of higher education. The organization must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at sam.gov to be considered eligible for any potential future funding. All responses should be submitted in either PDF or Microsoft Word format and must remain under a 10MB file size due to email limitations. The RFI is due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on May 16, 2025. Submissions should be directed to two government points of contact: Jessica Franceschini at jessica.d.franceschini.civ@us.navy.mil and Kara Ridgell at kara.m.ridgell.civ@us.navy.mil. Although submissions received after this date may still be reviewed, they are not guaranteed to be included in the initial assessment. No cost or pricing information should be submitted, and any such content will be discarded. Because this is an RFI and not a formal grant solicitation, there are no funding amounts, award dates, or application start and close dates currently provided. The government has not made any commitment to issue an award or proceed with the opportunity beyond this RFI. However, interested parties are encouraged to respond to facilitate program planning. All materials will be treated as proprietary if so marked, but they will not be returned to the submitter.

Follow format: 12-point font, single-spaced, max 5 pages. Submit in PDF or Word, under 10MB. No pricing info allowed.