Description

Project Overview
The National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy have partnered to create more opportunities for young people to experience and prepare for careers in conservation and exploration. Together, they have developed the Externship Program, open to young people ages 18-25. The program equips young people from around the world with the knowledge, tools and relationships to seek solutions and take action for nature. Participants: 

• Convene live online over eight weeks and focus on a career area such as marine or freshwater conservation and important skills like GIS and data visualization
• Connect with each other, work with learning coaches, and interact with scientists, Explorers and experts from the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy to build their professional network
• Participate in collaborative workshops on research best practices, presentation techniques, and other career readiness skills and build geographic and conservation knowledge through online courses available at any time
• Select local conservation issues to investigate, applying the methods and skills they learn to create an interactive digital presentation and share it with peers and mentors
• Apply for seed funding to enact the solutions they have identified in their communities

Since the program’s launch in fall 2021, over 88,000 young people from over 130 countries have applied to participate in an externship, with three-quarters from Africa and Asia. 1,700 young people have participated. Demand for the program continues to grow, with an average of 7,000 applications for each cohort of 100.

We are seeking insight into the impact of the experiences of participants of the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy Externship Program and the communities they are supporting.  The ultimate goal is to understand the impact of the Externship Program, as well as strengthen opportunities for young adults from across the globe in their leadership journeys  by offering meaningful, accessible, and scalable opportunities for them to continue learning, growing, and contributing to conservation and exploration.

Project Goals
The goals of this evaluation include but are not limited to:

• Document the impact of the 8-week extern experience for current and past participants and their communities
• Document the impact of the post-externship seed funding opportunity for selected externs, with respect to both participants and their communities
• Utilize participatory methods to center externs’ perspectives, experiences and ways of making meaning
• Measure and evaluate the attitudinal and behavioral learnings and skills of Externship participants including around leadership, educational and career development and progression, networking, and environmental actions.
• Document and measure community benefits and community connections, specifically in community conservation, for all participants with a special focus on seed funding recipients.  
• Update existing data collection and evaluation materials

To reach these goals, the National Geographic Society is now accepting bids in response to this Request for Proposal.

Scope of Work
The National Geographic Society is seeking proposals from individuals or organizations with demonstrated expertise in developing and designing research studies with a focus on youth audiences and conservation topics. 

The scope of this project includes: 

• Collaborate with Externship Program staff from the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy
• Interview staff on learnings to date
• Conduct site visits with select seed funding recipients
• Review and recommend revisions to existing pre- and post-surveys for 8-week externship experience
• Collect data from Fall 2026 externship cohort (September 14–November 8) using revised surveys plus participatory methods
• Collect data from previous externship participants from 2022-2024 using revised surveys and/or participatory methods
• Conduct 1:1 interviews with up to 15 seed funding recipients
• Conduct a landscape scan to identify similar young adult-oriented programs to identify potential improvements to the Externship Program.
• Send a thank you message that includes some research findings to participants of focus groups or 1:1 interviews.
• Develop a report in both prose and PowerPoint formats by December 2026 that consolidates findings and includes recommendations for the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy, to inform the further development of the Externships Program and support resources.
• Present findings and recommendations and answer questions to various groups of National Geographic and The Nature Conservancy staff and key stakeholders, at least five virtual presentations.  

Background on National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a mission-driven, non-profit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. For more than 130 years, we have funded the best and brightest individuals dedicated to scientific discovery who also teach us about the world and inspire us to take action to protect it. Our diverse, global community of National Geographic Explorers are leading a new age of exploration in support of our mission.

We deeply value the importance of planetary stewardship and the urgent need to protect our planet. Of equal importance is our belief that when people learn about our world and have an emotional connection to it, they’ll take action to protect it.

Our Education and Community Engagement portfolio sits at the nexus of our mission to illuminate and protect: it is where education meets exploration. We offer a host of products and services that help to extend the impact that Explorers want to have in the world as well as to cultivate an explorer mindset in young people and educators. We take an intentional, interdisciplinary and globally inclusive approach to our work, centering our efforts on the work National Geographic Explorers do in the field and around the world.  When we teach people about real-world Explorers, and offer immersive experiences that build skills, we not only inspire them to explore a new world of possibilities, but we create the enabling conditions for change.

Such opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• Externships
• Explorer Classroom
• Education Website and Open Education Resources
• Grosvenor Teacher Fellowships
• MapMaker
• MOE (Museum of Exploration)
• Slingshot Challenge 

Our audience reach for these products and services is intentionally broad and inclusive. We engage formal and informal educators in K-12, higher education communities, as well as informal and community based educators in nature centers, museums, libraries and other spaces. In addition to educators, we see our target audiences as adult and career learners, as well as youth ages 13-25.

We achieve impact by infusing core practices and approaches into our work including design and innovation; geography and place-based learning; career-connected learning and skill building; multidirectional learning; and scaling for impact.

Everything we do at the National Geographic Society – from the people and programs we fund to the educational resources, experiences and content  we create, and the stories we tell – aim to inspire the Explorer in everyone. 

Requirements

Evaluation Criteria
The National Geographic Society will evaluate bidders and proposals based on the following:

• Previous experience/past performance history
• Samples and/or case studies from previous projects of a similar scope and scale
• Projected costs within a $60,000 budget
• Experience and technical capabilities designing evaluation studies for large, trusted brands
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive practices
• Demonstrated commitment to conservation and environmental sustainability
• Expertise and experience working with global young adult audiences (especially from Africa and Asia) on community and environmental work
• Individual or organization should demonstrate the ability to integrate the knowledge of informal environmental educational opportunities for young adults and have the capacity for working with youth ages 18-25 across time zones and designing survey and interview questions that are culturally relevant.

We also welcome proposals that include creative ideas and thoughts around the best approach for this endeavor that may not be mentioned in this scope of work. We are particularly interested in youth councils and other participatory methodologies that invite participants to play more active roles in the research process. 

Submission Requirements
Bidders must adhere to the following guidelines to be considered:

• Only bidders who meet all criteria in the evaluation section should submit a proposal
• Proposals must be sent in by May 1st, 2026  to Jonathan Rodkin at jrodkin@ngs.org.
• Include samples with your proposal, which demonstrate the breadth and diversity of your work
• Include the proposed team composition and bios with your proposal

Provide a proposed schedule and budget with your proposal

RFP Principles

Bidder Responsibility—RFP participating suppliers are expected to be thoroughly familiar with all specifications and requirements for this RFP.  Failure or omission to examine any relevant form, article, site or document will not relieve suppliers from any obligation regarding this Request for Proposal unless supplier has raised a written objection.  Objections NGS considers excessive or affecting vital terms may reduce or eliminate your prospects for award.  If at any time NGS discovers deviations in the response that are not identified as instructed, the suppliers will be subject to disqualification from consideration or cancellation of contract.

“No Surprises”—the suppliers will implement no changes in prices, or interpretations of contract terms, without the express, advance concurrence, and consent of NGS.  

Suppliers’ Representations to NGS, whether verbal or written, will be relied upon by NGS in its evaluation of the suppliers as a potential supplier.  By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, the supplier represents that their organization is fully experienced and properly qualified to perform such services as described in the RFP, and that it is properly licensed, equipped, organized, and financed to perform such services, and the supplier will be relied upon by NGS as material factors that will be considered in the decision making process.  

Response Content—In order to enable direct comparison of responses, all must be submitted in strict conformity to the items listed herein.  Failure to adhere to all requirements may result in the supplier information being disqualified as non-responsive.

Contract Award will be made following the issuance of the RFP and following the evaluation of proposed responses.  Award will be made to the responsive, responsible bidder, whose offer conforms to the RFP and is most advantageous to NGS, evaluating quality, services, price and other factors.

This RFP is not a Contract or an offer to enter into a contract, and NGS does not intend to be legally bound to any recipient of this RFP with respect to the potential transactions herein.  Unless and until a written purchase order or other definitive written agreement is delivered and signed by both parties, NGS does not intend to be legally bound.  NGS may discontinue discussion regarding the potential transactions described in this RFP at any time, without notice and for its convenience without liability or obligation to any recipient of this RFP.  

NGS Reserves the Right to negotiate or refuse to negotiate with any supplier responding to this RFP.  In addition, NGS may enter negotiations with more than one prospective supplier simultaneously, and may contact with any prospective supplier without notification to any other suppliers. 

NGS is Not Responsible for Costs incurred by bidder in responding to this RFP, including but not limited to, preparation of the written RFP response, interviews, travel or other related costs.

Confidentiality—The bidder agrees that all information contained in this RFP as well as all non-public information about NGS and National Geographic Partners  that it obtains in the course of the performance of its services should it be awarded a contract shall be kept strictly confidential. This RFP must not be copied, circulated, or forwarded to any third party for evaluation without the written consent from National Geographic Society.   NGS will not consider any bids submitted by suppliers who violate this confidentiality statement.  

All proposals, including pricing and sample contracts submitted by the supplier will be kept strictly confidential by NGS.

Unauthorized Contact—Except as provided herein, should bidder contact or solicit any trustee, officer or employee of NGS or NGP with regard to this RFP, it may be barred from further consideration in NGS’s sole discretion.

Insurance Requirements 
Supplier will carry and maintain comprehensive insurance policies as follows:

Commercial General Liability Insurance.  Requirements: occurrence rather than claims-made coverage with minimum limits as follows: 
- $1,000,000 each occurrence, combined single limit. 
- $2,000,000 general aggregate (including a per location or per project endorsement) 
- $2,000,000 aggregate; products, completed operations
- $1,000,000 personal and advertising injury, each occurrence
- $10,000 medical payments 
Workers' Compensation Insurance. Requirements: workers’ compensation coverage meeting statutory limits and coverages as required by state or states of operation; employers’ liability coverage for bodily injury in the amount of $500,000 each accident, $500,000 disease (each employee) $500,000 disease policy limit.  
Umbrella/Excess Liability Insurance.  Requirements: follows form (i.e., coverages and exclusions reflect those of the primary insurance policies); minimum coverage $5,000,000 for each occurrence and $5,000,000 annual aggregate. 
Automobile Liability Insurance.  Requirements: owned, non-owned, and hired-car coverage; with minimum limit of liability $1,000,000 each accident; bodily injury and property damage. 
These insurance policies must be maintained with insurance carriers rated by A.M. Best as A- or better.  Supplier will maintain coverage throughout the Term and will endeavor to give NGS Legal Notice thirty (30) days before a material change in policy coverage. 

The General Liability, Auto Liability, and Excess/Umbrella Liability must include NGS, its subsidiaries, licensees, partners, directors, and officers, agents and employees as additional insureds. Coverage must apply on a primary and noncontributory basis for ongoing and completed operations. The General Liability, Workers Compensation Policies, Auto Liability, and Installation Floater coverages must include a waiver of subrogation in favor of NGS, its trustees, directors, officers, employees, servants, agents, and the Supplier. 

Certificates of insurance will be provided within thirty (30) days of execution of the agreement, completed by its insurance broker/representative.  The Certificate Holder will be National Geographic Society, 1145 17th Street, NW, Washington DC 20036.  An acceptable certificate must be received before services and/or products can be accepted.

As an independent contractor, Supplier is required to pay at its own expense for the insurance that it is required to maintain under this Agreement.

Supplier waives rights against NGS and NGS’s Indemnitees (as defined in the Indemnification section) and assigns for recovery of damages to the extent these damages are covered by insurance that the Supplier is required to maintain under the terms in this section.