ARM Institute Issues Two RFPs

ARM Institute Issues Two Requests for Proposal (RFPs) in Support of RoboticsCareer.org

Date: November 8, 2024

The ARM Institute has received funding from Congress to expand capabilities and awareness of the ARM Institute’s national workforce resource, RoboticsCareer.org. To execute upon this funding, the ARM Institute has issued two requests for proposal (RFPs) to execute upon the tasks outlined in the funding agreement. Read more about each RFP below.

Outreach Support RFP

Summary

The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is a non-profit organization, based in Pittsburgh, PA, with a mission is to transform US Manufacturing through innovations and education in robotics and related automation technologies.

The ARM Institute is seeking the services of a marketing firm to provide SEO support and paid outreach support to support our national workforce resource, RoboticsCareer.org. RoboticsCareer.org connects students and workers with opportunities for robotics in manufacturing through (a) a database of training programs that teach robotics skills for manufacturing (2) job listings for robotics careers in manufacturing (3) an Endorsement program that recognizes the nation’s most effective training programs. Educators, students, instructors, and employers are able to create accounts on RoboticsCareer.org.

This RFP solicits for digital outreach support to raise awareness for this free workforce resource.

Proposals are due on November 26, 2024.

RFP Point of Contact:

Livia Rice

ARM Institute Director of Outreach & Engagement

livia.rice[at]arminstitute.org

Download the RFP here

Software Development & Support RFP

Summary

The ARM Institute has created an easily searchable and highly usable website that contains information about educational resources located throughout the United States specific to robotics/AI/advanced technology roles in manufacturing. This website launched in April 2021 as www.roboticscareer.org.

The ARM Institute recently received funding from Congress to add capabilities (described in more detail in this RFP) for integration of additional competency frameworks, user enhancements, endorsement updates and integration of third-party tools.

Per the guidelines from Congress, the ARM Institute is putting this software development project out for competitive bid. ARM is requesting proposals for the creation and implementation of additional functionality for the www.roboticscareer.org website, which is specified in the project description section below.

Note that respondents must be a U.S. based organization with all software development occurring in the United States.

Proposals are due on November 26, 2024

RFP Point of Contact

John Zappa

ARM Institute Director of Product Development

john.zappa[at]arminstitute.org

Download the RFP here

FAQ for the Software Development & Support Budget: Updated Nov. 13, 2024

As we receive questions about our RFPs, we will update our FAQ located below. Additional questions may be directed to john.zappa[at]arminstitute.org.

1. Can the ARM Institute prioritize the scope items/features over the duration of the contract? Are there any target dates by which certain features have to be released into production by?

The ARM Institute is specifying the following proposed priority of the scope/features; target dates would be established after a contract is awarded.

Year 1

    • Enhance the endorsement program functionality including revised administrative features for endorsees and auditors. Enhance the presentation of information on the public-facing portion of roboticscareer.org to showcase the value of endorsed programs. Develop additional enhancements as identified during the funding timeframe. Please access the following link for more information on the ARM Endorsement program.
    • Support updates to existing Robotics Competency Framework as well as potentially integrate new frameworks for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity and Additive Manufacturing. The support includes updates to matching algorithms for training programs and job listings, as well presentation of the competencies on the website. Please access the following link for more information on the ARM Robotics Competency Framework.
    • Work with ARM Institute-specified third-party providers to ensure seamless integration of training and job content. In conjunction with ARM team, refine and optimize the quality of the content for training programs and jobs.
    • Revise homepage to support:
    • additional manufacturing roles informed by the new competency frameworks for AI, Cybersecurity, and Additive Manufacturing.
    • multiple audiences including high school and college students as they pursue next steps in their education/career journey, upskilling of individuals already within manufacturing. individuals transitioning from other industries.
      • Gain familiarity with the existing codebase, make recommendations and implement improvements to ensure optimal performance of the RoboticsCareer platform. It is important that the ARM Institute delivers high-quality user experience and support most favorable SEO status.

Year 2

    • Enhance the email capabilities within the platform to support increased outreach and user engagement.
    • Integrate career adjacency model from CMU Block Center to provide guidance to individuals outside of manufacturing that are seeking information on potential, appropriate roles within manufacturing.
    • Implement AI technologies to provide better user experience on RoboticsCareer.org including chat functionality.
    • Improve the functionality to the education matching to include support for digital credentials; update user profiles to support integration and display of digital credentials.

Year 3

    • Work with ARM Institute-specified third-party providers to ensure seamless integration of training and job content. In conjunction with ARM team, refine and optimize the quality of the content for training programs and jobs.
    • Potentially integrate with a learning management system or similar systems to provide broader outreach and impact, and accessibility to training resources.

2. Can the ARM Institute provide additional details/requirements for the features in the list of scope items (i.e., can you elaborate on what integrating with CMU Block Center Career Agency Model entails or what capabilities you are looking to achieve with AI-based chat functionality)?

    • The CMU Block Center Model Career Adjacency Model (aka Workforce Insights Tool) is part of the CMU Block Center Workforce Supply Chains Initiative, which is accessible through the link. The Workforce Insights Tool quantifies the supply of different types of skills in the U.S. labor market and the potential readiness of workers in one occupation to transition into another. ARM Institute is seeking the capability for a user to enter their current occupation into RoboticsCareer to determine the potential for transferring to a role in advanced manufacturing. This determination is based on skills attained the in current role and skills required in the potential role. Part of the effort of integration will include identifying mechanisms for accessing the tool and returning outputs to RoboticsCareer.
    • AI-based chat – The ARM Institute is interested in a chat feature on RoboticsCareer that provides support to end-users. The chat could answers questions about potential career pathways and refer the user to resources on the site.

3. Is there a target budget set for each year of the contract?

    • No target budget is specified. The ARM Institute is asking the potential suppliers to provide a budget based on the scope/features specified in Question #1.

ABOUT THE ARM INSTITUTE

The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA® network. The ARM Institute leverages a unique, robust, and diverse ecosystem of over 400 consortium members and partners across industry, academia, and government to make robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers large and small, train and empower the manufacturing workforce, strengthen our economy and global competitiveness, and elevate national security and resilience.  Based in Pittsburgh, PA since 2017, with a regional office in St. Petersburg, FL, the ARM Institute is leading the way to a future where people and robots work together to respond to our nation’s greatest challenges and to produce the world’s most desired products. For more information, visit www.arminstitute.org and follow the ARM Institute on LinkedIn and X(Twitter).