Request for Information - National Study of Teens’ Encounters, Knowledge, Understanding and Attitudes about the Holocaust

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to understand the marketplace for conducting a nationwide study of American teens’ knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust, their encounters with it and their attitudes and perceptions toward it. While USHMM knows Holocaust history and has expertise in Holocaust education, we do not have the capacity or internal expertise to design and undertake a study of this size and scope.

It is therefore crucial to gain information from experts and research professionals who have undertaken similar projects (including engaging with young people) and possess the training and expertise to help us shape the focus and expectations of our proposed research and its approach. The information gathered through this RFI will be used by USHMM to understand the marketplace’s capability and gain knowledge on how we might draft a realistic and achievable proposal (or proposals) to undertake this study. The overarching goal of the study, discussed in more detail in the attached PDF, is to gather and analyze data relating to three key questions:

Question 1: In 2026, where, how and in what ways do American teens, aged 13 to 17, encounter and learn about the Holocaust?

Question 2: What do they know and understand about this history (historical events, causes, and consequences)?

Question 3: How do they perceive and think about the Holocaust, its contemporary relevance and the value of learning about it?