ABOUT PACE

Founded in 1975, Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE) is a local community nonprofit dedicated to serving the region's diverse communities. What started as job training for the Asian Pacific Islander communities has grown into a full-service organization serving 40,000+ people annually across programs including:

• Job training & employment
• Business Development
• Early Childhood Education (Head Start)
• Affordable Housing
• Weatherization and Energy Conservation Programs

With 350+ staff. PACE is recognized as a leader in addressing problems of poverty and economic inequity in ethnic minority communities and has a reputation of being responsive to community needs and is known for creating innovative solutions to the myriad of challenges faced by our clients. Learn more at https://pacela.org/

ABOUT PACE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (BDC)


PACE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (PACE BDC) promotes the growth and economic expansion of diverse Los Angeles communities through the infusion of capital and the provision of business consultation services and financial literacy training. Housed in the PACE Business Development Center (BDC), the Procurement Team assists small businesses in securing contracts from government agencies and private sector companies. PACE is the only Southern California Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce to promote the growth and global competitiveness of small and minority businesses. PACE is also partnering with Mayor Karen Bass in administering the City�s ProcureLA program, a procurement initiative connecting small and minority businesses to contract opportunities with an emphasis on preparing for the 2028 LA Olympics.
https://pacela.org/
https://pacelabdc.org/
https://www.procurela.com/

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This summer internship program is designed to give college-level interns a meaningful, hands-on introduction to government procurement and contract readiness. Through working directly with the PACE Business Procurement Team, the intern will contribute to real initiatives that help small, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses across Los Angeles compete for government and private sector contracts.

• Procurement Fundamentals: Learn how government contracting works, from vendor portal registrations (ProcureLA, SAM.gov, Cal eProcure) to certifications (HUBZone, 8(a), SDVOSB, RAMP) and capability statements.
• Research & Analysis: Conduct meaningful research on procurement trends, outreach strategies, or process improvements and present findings in a final deliverable the team can use.
• Operational Support: Assist with internal administrative tasks such as tracking client progress, organizing documentation, and maintaining records, while always keeping the focus on learning, not just doing.
• Nonprofit & Public Sector Insight: Gain a real understanding of how a nonprofit like PACE connects underserved small businesses to government contracting opportunities at the local, state, and federal level.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative Support (Supporting Role)

The intern will assist with day-to-day procurement operations. This is not the primary focus, but it provides essential context for the learning experience.

• Help maintain and organize the procurement client intake tracker and shared drive files.
• Assist with preparing and reviewing SBA-641 enrollment forms and supporting documents.
• Support documentation for client outcomes including portal registrations, certifications, capability statements, and contracts.
• Help prepare materials for weekly procurement team meetings and monthly program reports.

Research & Learning (Primary Focus)

The intern will dedicate the majority of their time to a meaningful research project (see Capstone Projects section) that the procurement team can use after the internship ends.

• Research and benchmark procurement best practices from other Procurement technical assistance center programs and nonprofit organizations.
• Analyze and document current workflow gaps and propose actionable improvements.
• Develop original resources, templates, or guides that can be adopted by the procurement team.
• Present findings and recommendations to the team at the end of the program.

QUALIFICATIONS

Academic

• 2 years or more at a college or university program
• Preferred fields of study: Business Administration, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Economics, Communications, or related fields.

Tech Competency

• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Familiarity with Google Workspace (Drive, Sheets, Docs).
• Basic comfort with online research and data organization.
• Familiarity with government or nonprofit databases is a plus (SAM.gov, Cal eProcure, ProcureLA).

Soft Skills

• Strong research and writing skills: ability to synthesize information and present it clearly.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and reliable with deadlines.
• Genuine interest in economic development, small business, or public sector work.
• Ability to work independently and ask good questions.

PROGRAM FORMAT

Phase I: Orientation & Shadowing

• Shadow procurement team during client sessions
• Review onboarding manual, SOP, and program materials
• Learn government contracting ecosystem and key platforms (ProcureLA, SAM.gov, RAMP)

Phase II: Research and Fieldwork

• Conduct primary and secondary research for capstone project
• Assist with client intake documentation and file organization
• Attend team meetings and outreach events
• Begin drafting research findings and early

Phase III: Development & Build

• Develop final capstone deliverable (guide, tracker, template, or report)
• Present progress update to team for mid-point feedback
• Continue supporting administrative tasks and team operations
• Refine deliverable based on team input

Phase IV: Synthesis & Presentation

• Complete final Capstone Project Report (PPT or written report)
• Deliver formal presentation to the Procurement Team
• Submit all documentation and project files to shared drive
• Internship completion ceremony and certificate award

PROGRAM DETAILS

Duration: 12 � 16 Weeks

Team: Procurement Team, PACE Business

Focus: Government Procurement, Research, Process Improvement

Location: On-site at our PACE DTLA office: 1055 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Compensation: This is an unpaid internship

HOW TO APPLY?

• All applicants must upload resume and complete online application on PACE's website to be considered: https://pacela.org/about/work-at-pace/
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only applications submitted directly on our website will be considered and only candidates who have been selected to move forward in the process will be contacted.