How would like to spend a year consulting the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) on how to inspire Canadian youth as part of the Junior Astronauts initiative?

Today the Canadian Space Agency issued a request for proposals (RFP) for their Junior Astronauts initiative. The contract is valid from the time of the award until June 1st, 2020. A decision will have to be made quickly as the program is scheduled start during the upcoming school year. Proposals are due by August 1.

There is no doubt the CSA has been preparing the way for those who might be interested in bidding for this contract. The value of the contract is up to $400,000, a nice sum for less than a years worth of work. Ah, but what does the work entail?

The start, the CSA expects the program to engage 80,000 youth across Canada during the school year.

The CSA listed the following objectives in the RFP:

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is seeking a consultant to review, distribute and deliver select material and activities to Canadian educational and youth-serving institutions related to the Junior Astronauts initiative announced in February 2019 by the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. The objective of the overall initiative is to engage 80,000 youth across Canada through the Junior Astronauts initiative in the 2019-2020 school year.

The CSA has space content and expertise that can contribute to inspiring youth into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) studies and careers. Through this contract, the CSA is looking for a consultant with an established network of Canadian educational and youth-serving institutions as well as a specific outreach to girls and Indigenous youth to distribute and deliver the material to maximize youth participation in the Junior Astronauts initiative and maximize awareness of STEM’s attractiveness.

The Junior Astronauts initiative will reach young Canadians right across the country and help raise awareness about exciting opportunities available through a career in space and STEM, through a diverse array of content, including web applications and space-related activities.

The Junior Astronauts initiative has three main components:

Webpages with fun space activities targeting K-12 youth, their parents, and educators.
Structured content for youth in grades 6 to 9 (6 to secondary 3 in Quebec) to be run in Canadian educational and youth-serving institutions during the 2019-2020 school year. The activities are linked to what it takes to be an astronaut, with a focus on scientific understanding, physical fitness and nutrition, and teamwork and communication. Astronaut or space expert visits will be awarded randomly to participating groups. Please refer to the following website for more information: www.asc-csa.gc.ca/JuniorAstronauts.
Junior Astronauts Recruitment Campaign for youth in grades 6 to 9 (6 to secondary 3 in Quebec). Participants from across Canada will be invited to the CSA’s headquarters in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, to meet some of our experts and train like an astronaut. The mandate of the consultant is related to the second component of the initiative and includes the review, distribution and delivery of the structured content via the consultant’s youth education network throughout Canada, and in particular in rural regions and Northern communities.