English for Heritage Language Speakers Program Support

The Defense Human Resources Activity, through the Defense Language and National Security Education Office, is awarding a firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract to the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) to administer the English for Heritage Language Speakers (EHLS) Program. Authorized under the National Security Education Act of 1991 and FAR 6.302-5, the program provides professional-level English language instruction and development for U.S. citizens who are native speakers of languages critical to national security. The contractor is responsible for the end-to-end management of the program, including scholarship and grant administration, application review, curriculum development aligned with the Interagency Language Roundtable proficiency scale, and outreach to linguistically diverse micro-communities. The contract is scheduled to begin on August 30, 2026, with a one-year base period and four subsequent one-year option periods, potentially extending performance through August 29, 2030. CAL was selected as the sole source due to its unique institutional expertise and continuous management of the EHLS program since 2005, which the government deems essential to avoid mission-critical disruptions. Performance will primarily take place in the District of Columbia and at the contractor's facilities. While specific pricing is not disclosed, the effort is funded via Fiscal Year 2026 Operation and Maintenance funds and involves the handling of Controlled Unclassified Information.