Project Information

Bid Title

RFA #102919-01-05-2026-001 Research Writing and Publishing in English Course

Issuing Agency

FHI 360

Location

District of Columbia

Published Date

Jan 26, 2026

Closing Date

Mar 20, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

102919-01-05-2026-001-01-05-2026-001_RFA_02

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

RFA #102919-01-05-2026-001 Research Writing and Publishing in English Course
RFA No.: 102919-01-05-2026-001-01-05-2026-001_RFA_02

Issue date: 5 Jan, 2026
Closing date: 20 Mar, 2026

Solicitation file(s):
1. 102919-01-05-2026-001 Research Writing and Publishing in English RFA (397 KB)
2. 102919-01-05-2026-001 Research Writing and Publishing in English Attachment A Submission Instructions (257 KB)
3. 102919-01-05-2026-001 Research Writing and Publishing in English Attachment B Cover Sheet (475 KB)
4. 102919-01-05-2026-001 Research Writing and Publishing in English Attachment C Budget (82 KB)

Modification file(s):
OPEN RFA 102919 01 05 2026 001 Research Writing and Publishing in English Q&A 01.23.26.pdf (374 KB)
4. FY23 OPEN RFA 102919-01-05-2026-001 Research Writing and Publishing in English Attachment C Budget - Additional Subs & Consultants 01.26.26.xlsx (85 KB)

Attachment Preview

Request for Application (RFA)

Online Professional English Network (OPEN) Online Course Development and Delivery:

Research Writing and Publishing in English

RFA #:

Issued on:

For:

Estimated

Period of

Performance:

Application

Deadline:

FY23-102919-01-05-2026-001

January 5, 2026

Development and delivery of an online, university-level Massive Open

Online Course (MOOC) on Research Writing and Publishing in English

July 6, 2026 – December 19, 2026

March 20, 2026

___________________________________________________________________

FHI 360 Brief Background:

FHI 360 is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes research, resources and relationships so that people

everywhere can access the opportunities they need to lead full, healthy lives. FHI 360 serves more than

50 countries around the world.

1

Table of Contents

Background ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Purpose ......................................................................................................................................................... 3

Description .................................................................................................................................................... 4

Course Development .................................................................................................................................... 5

Course Objectives ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Guidelines and Standards ......................................................................................................................... 7

Course Development Process ................................................................................................................... 7

Intellectual Property ................................................................................................................................. 7

Technical Requirements............................................................................................................................ 8

Course Design ........................................................................................................................................... 9

Course Delivery ......................................................................................................................................... 9

Period of Performance................................................................................................................................10

Statement of Work (SOW) and Deliverables .............................................................................................. 10

Budget ......................................................................................................................................................... 11

Instructions to Applicants ........................................................................................................................... 12

Submission Requirements ...................................................................................................................... 12

Cost Application ...................................................................................................................................... 12

Eligibility .................................................................................................................................................. 13

Criteria/Qualifications for Evaluation ..................................................................................................... 14

Terms and Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 15

Attachments................................................................................................................................................ 17

2

Background

The Online Professional English Network (OPEN) Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department

of State with funding from the U.S. government and administered by FHI 360. OPEN is a program

of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of English Language Programs in the Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). OPEN leverages U.S. educational technology to engage

English language teachers, learners and professionals worldwide through free online courses and

learning materials. OPEN’s virtual learning resources are developed in partnership with U.S.

institutions and experts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), educational

technology and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) topics that promote workforce development.

Access to these resources provides educational and economic opportunities to learners in their

home countries, enhancing local educational infrastructures, improving teaching capacities, and

building a variety of professional skills.

Note to Applicants

Thank you for your interest in working with the OPEN Program. Please read this RFA and

associated documents and templates carefully to ensure that you understand all application

requirements and submit any requests for clarification by January 16, 2026. You should also

review this best practices document with tips for responding to the RFA requirements.

Applications that do not respond to the specific requirements and submission instructions

included in this RFA and attachments will be disqualified. Please note that organizations must be

based in the United States to be eligible.

Purpose

OPEN offers a variety of online professional development opportunities to non-native English-

speaking teachers and other learners worldwide. FHI 360 is soliciting applications for an

accredited, U.S.-based university or academic institution with expertise and demonstrated

proficiency in TESOL to develop a five-module asynchronous MOOC on the topic of research

writing and publishing in English. Please see the OPEN website for more information about

MOOCs. The MOOC will be open for participation to an unlimited number of non-native English-

speaking participants around the world over a period of twelve weeks with unlimited open

enrollment. The selected applicant will provide facilitation and content support throughout the

twelve weeks the MOOC is open, and FHI 360 will provide technical support.

This project supports the goal and objectives of the FY 23 OPEN Program to offer English for

Specific Purposes (ESP) courses for professionals, giving them the opportunity to engage in a

distance-learning program using the latest educational technology and providing them with

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direct access to U.S. ESP experts with whom they would not normally have the opportunity to

interact. It also supports the U.S. Department of State’s public diplomacy goals by leveraging

America’s unique convening power to bring together strategic partners to advance U.S. interests,

embracing educational technology as the method of communication. By showcasing American

achievements in English language research writing and publication, this project will reinforce

America’s leadership role while building new networks of relationships between U.S. based

experts and international participants. This project will directly benefit U.S. taxpayers through a

competitively selected grant awarded to a U.S. based university or academic institution to

develop and deliver content that advances America First priorities among rising leaders, students

and foreign publics worldwide. Further, this project supports mutual collaboration and resource

sharing between U.S. based experts and participants that:

• Increases cross-cultural competence and global perspectives;

• Increases the impact that participants and alumni have on their home communities /

countries, thereby multiplying the effect of the program;

• Creates markets for American products and ideas;

• Strengthens engagement among participants, alumni, beneficiaries, and institutions;

and

• Strengthens personal, professional, and technical abilities and aptitudes of participants

and beneficiaries.

Description

Through this asynchronous MOOC on research writing and publishing, non-native English-

speaking professors and graduate students at international higher education institutions will

improve their skills related to writing in English for the purpose of publishing in international

research journals. They will learn about key concepts in academic writing and publishing such as

intellectual property rights, fair use, and citation styles. They will also identify appropriate

journals in their fields they can submit work to. They will be introduced to stylistic elements of

English writing specific to academic articles and identify the typical article structure of their

selected journals. The course will also introduce participants to elements of English academic

writing, focusing on writing compelling paragraphs in academic prose that cohere internally and

signal to readers how each paragraph connects to prior and subsequent paragraphs and sections.

Participants will also be introduced to educational technology tools (examples may include a free

bibliographic tool or organizational tool) that can help them draft and edit their articles. As a

culminating project, participants will outline a research article for publication structured for their

selected journal, including identifying an appropriate citation style.

4

Course Development

Please note that FHI 360 will provide an orientation module for learners that will precede this

course’s content modules. The orientation module introduces the OPEN Program, how to use

the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), strategies for successful online learning,

American academic culture, and how to get support during the course. Applicants should not

propose developing orientation content.

Course Objectives

The selected applicant will be responsible for developing module objectives that support the

following overall course objectives. By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify American higher education/cultural values in relation to research, intellectual

property, fair use, etc.

• Identify appropriate journals in their field to which they can submit research articles and

identify a range of possible types of articles within their field.

• Identify stylistic elements and typical structure of their selected journal articles.

• Recognize elements of academic prose and methods for signaling to readers how each

paragraph connects to prior and subsequent paragraphs and sections.

• Identify appropriate nested section and sub-section headings according to the style of

their selected journal.

• Use educational technology tools at a basic level to draft, edit, and improve their drafts.

• Plan and outline a research article for publication structured appropriately according to

their selected journal, using available relevant online tools. Participants will identify the

appropriate citation style to use for their article based on their discipline.

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Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541720Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
• NAICS 541990All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• NAICS 561410Document Preparation Services
• NAICS 611430Professional and Management Development Training
• NAICS 711510Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers

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