Funding Opportunity DescriptionThe U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Outreach, Fellowships, and Internships (HR/OFI) announces an open competition for a qualified organization to manage the candidate screening, panel review, and selection process for the 2027 Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Program under a Cooperative Agreement. This specialized selection project serves as a crucial gateway to identify top-tier, merit-based graduate talent across the nation for entry into the Foreign Service.Project Goal and ObjectivesThe project aims to establish a rigorous, objective, and standardized multi-phase selection infrastructure that identifies candidates with the technical expertise and leadership required to advance U.S. foreign policy and international development priorities.Key objectives include:Panel Formation & Honoraria Management: Onboard qualified selection panelists (tenured Foreign Service Officers, backstop coordinators, and Senior Foreign Service Nationals) by January 2027 and administer panelist honoraria ($500/day for eligible non-USG panelists).Panel Training & Scoring Execution: Coordinate mandatory panelist training with HR/OFI and the Board of Examiners (BEX) in December 2026/January 2027, and facilitate secure electronic scoring to determine semi-finalists.Finalist Assessment & Selection: Execute the final selection stage in February 2027 by conducting structured interviews, administering essay assessments, and calculating composite scores to select up to 10 Payne Fellows and alternates.Onboarding Transition: Secure acceptance agreements, notify non-selected applicants within two working days, and transfer cohort records to HR/OFI to initiate medical and Top Secret security clearances by late February 2027.
From Grants.gov's public daily extract of Oct 28, 2026. Agency contacts, full eligibility and application packages are on Grants.gov; always confirm deadlines there before applying.
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