EDA Seeks Merit Reviewers for the Recompete Pilot Program

As laid out in the Recompete Pilot Program Phase 1 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the Economic Development Administration (EDA) will utilize a merit review process to assess the quality of applications received for this competition. To facilitate this process, EDA will engage a diverse group of economic development practitioners and experts with at least three years of relevant experience to participate as merit reviewers. EDA is seeking practitioners, policy makers and researchers with experience working directly with economically distressed communities and/or experts with rich backgrounds in areas including but not limited to job creation, workforce development, labor force participation, economic mobility, and anti-poverty.

In addition to contracted reviewers, this group of experts will participate in training and subsequently evaluate and score applications using EDA’s published merit criteria for the Recompete Pilot Program. Non-Federal reviewers will receive reasonable compensation for successful completion of this process. 

Participation as a reviewer is a serious commitment and responsibility. To be considered, please send a resume (maximum 3 pages) to [email protected] by August 25, 2023. EDA will contact potential participants by no later than September 1, 2023. Requests to participate as a reviewer will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If contacted for participation, individuals must indicate availability and must comply with conflict of interest and confidentiality certification prior to selection. Federal employees will be asked to provide proof from their manager that they have been approved to participate in the process and that doing so furthers the mission of their office.  

Selected reviewers must make a commitment to be available to review applications from Monday, October 16th to Friday, November 10th for approximately 15 hours/week. Reviewers will also be asked to participate in training in the weeks prior to this period. Please note that EDA staff will provide hand-on technical assistance to all reviewers to ensure successful participation throughout this process.

Reviewers will not be required to travel to Washington, D.C. but will be required to participate in meetings virtually. You are not eligible to be a reviewer if you or an affiliated organization are applying to this competition, if you will be involved in the preparation of a grant application for this competition, or if you would stand to benefit from an application that receives funding through this competition.