REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR
CONSORTIUM-OF-PARTNERS or OTHERS
And
Provision of
ADULT & DISLOCATED WORKER CAREER SERVICES
Effective: July 1, 2016
Crater Regional Workforce Development Board
Local Workforce Development Area 15
114 N. Union St.
Petersburg, VA 23803
804.732.7053
Release Date: May 13, 2016
Due Date: June 13, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. EDT
Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program-Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities
TDD/TYY 711
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section / Page Number(s)Introduction/Statement of Intent / 3
Background / 4-5
Disclaimer / 5
Who Can Apply / 5
Proposal Inquiries / 6
Type of Contract / 6
Contract Terms / 6-7
Proposal Due Date and Preparation Guidelines / 7-8
Right to Cancel / 8
One-Stop System / 8-9
Characteristics of a High-Quality One-Stop System / 9-12
One-Stop Operator / 12-13
Scope of Work / 13-19
RFP Resources / 19
Proposal Cover Sheet / 20
Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements / 21
Certification Regarding Indemnification / 22
Certification Regarding Non-Discrimination and EEO Compliance / 23
Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility,
And Voluntary Exclusion Lower Tier Covered Transactions / 24
Disclosure/Certification of Lobbying / 25
General Terms and Conditions / 26-37
1. INTRODUCTION/STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Crater Regional Workforce Development Board (CRWDB)/ Learn to Earn, Inc. (LTE), as the fiscal agent/administrative entity for the Crater Local Workforce Development Area XV (CLWDA 15), is soliciting proposals for a Consortium-of-Partners to create and operate a comprehensive one-stop workforce center system in accordance with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and thereby provide, and/or make available, the provision of career services for adult, dislocated workers, and youth..
The Consortium-of-Partners shall be comprised of three (3) or more partners (organizations and/or agencies) experienced in, and have demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in, the field of workforce development.
The One-Stop Operator:
The Consortium-of-Partners will operate/manage the One-stop system, and may deliver career service activities to adults, dislocated workers and youth, at the Petersburg comprehensive center, 114 N. Union Street; and the affiliate site(s) in the Crater region. One affiliate site presently exist in the Emporia/Greensville area at Southside Virginia Education Center, 1300 Greensville County Circle, Emporia, VA. This solicitation also welcomes non-consortium proposals. those that can identify and propose a Petersburg site that meets the WIOA certification of a comprehensive one-stop center, a center that can accommodate the co-location of mandated partners and that can provide the required services while demonstrating a cost efficient and effective comprehensive one-stop system. One proposal will be selected. The selectee must commit to serving applicants/participants that live in any locality in the region on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Crater region encompasses the Cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, and Petersburg, and the Counties of Dinwiddie, Greensville, Prince George, Sussex, and Surry.
CRWDB is seeking innovative and original program designs from proposers that indicate a clear approach to delivering a broad range of comprehensively designed, fully integrated and coordinated services. A contract will be awarded to the Consortium-of-Partners or selectee that can showcase a creative and groundbreaking approach to serving participants residing anywhere in the Crater region.
CRWDB/LTE serves as the administrative/fiscal agent for WIOA funds and is the contracting agent for WIOA grant awards. This procurement action is expected to award one contract.
All WIOA funded services must be delivered in accordance with WIOA rules and regulations, guidance from US Department of Labor, the State of Virginia and policies set forth by the Crater Regional Workforce Development Board.
Mission of CRWDB
The Comprehensive One-Stop Center(s) are committed to delivering high quality services that are focused on the needs of our customers: employers, job seekers, and the community.
Vision of CRWDB
Every person who comes through the doors of the One-Stop Centers will have improved hope for employment opportunities; and local employers will have access to a highly skilled and dependable workforce in a thriving workforce system that produces highly skilled workers, and enhances the regional economic growth, and promotes a good quality of life for individuals and families with the local communities.
2. background
President Barack Obama signed theWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Congress passed the Act by a wide bi-partisan majority; it is the first legislative reform in 15 years of the public workforce system.
WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Act became effective on July 1, 2015, the first full program year after enactment.
The One-Stop system is the foundational system through which adult, dislocated worker and youth program services are provided to eligible individuals. WIOA merged the categories of core services and intensive services under WIA into the category of career services.
One-Stop centers provide an array of employment services and connect customers to work-related training and education. WIOA furthers a high quality One-Stop center system by continuing to align investments in workforce, education, and economic development to regional in-demand jobs. The new law places greater emphasis on One-Stops achieving results for jobseekers, workers, and businesses. WIOA reinforces the partnerships and strategies necessary for One-Stops to provide job seekers and workers with the high-quality career services, education and training, and supportive services they need to get good jobs and stay employed, and to help businesses find skilled workers and access other supports, including education and training for their current workforce.
The purposes of WIOA are:
· To increase, for individuals in the United States, particularly those individuals with barriers to employment, access to and opportunities for the employment, education, training, and support services they need to succeed in the labor market.
· To support the alignment of workforce investment, education, and economic development systems in support of a comprehensive, accessible, and high-quality workforce development system in the United States.
· To improve the quality and labor market relevance of workforce investment, education, and economic development efforts to provide America’s workers with the skills and credentials necessary to secure and advance in employment with family-sustaining
wages and to provide America’s employers with the skilled workers needed to succeed in a global economy.
· To promote improvement in the structure of and delivery of services through the United States workforce development system to better address the employment and skill needs of workers, jobseekers, and employers.
· To increase the prosperity of workers and employers in the United States, the economic growth of communities, regions, and States, and the global competitiveness of the United States.
· For purposes of subtitle A and B of title I, to provide workforce investment activities, through statewide and local workforce development systems, that increase the employment, retention, and earnings of participants, and increase attainment of recognized postsecondary credentials by participants, and as a result, improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, increase economic self-sufficiency, meet the skill requirements of employers, and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the Nation.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act:
· Ensures that employment and training services provided by the core programs are coordinated and complementary so that job seekers acquire skills and credentials that meet employers’ needs.
· Ensures that Federal investments in employment and training programs are evidence-based and data-driven, and accountable to participants and taxpayers.
· Promotes alignment of workforce development programs with regional economic development strategies to meet the needs of local and regional employers.
· Increases the quality and accessibility of services that job seekers and employers receive at their local American Job Centers (One-Stop Centers).
· Contributes to economic growth and business expansion by ensuring the workforce system is job-driven – matching employers with skilled individuals.
· Helps job seekers acquire industry-recognized credentials for in-demand jobs.
· Ensures that unemployed and other job seekers have access to high-quality workforce services.
· Increases individuals with disabilities’ access to high quality workforce services and prepares them for competitive integrated employment.
· Prepares vulnerable youth and other job seekers for successful employment through increasing the use of proven service models services.
· Increases the performance outcomes and quality of Job Corps.
· Promotes the use of Registered Apprenticeship, a proven model that provides workers with career pathways and opportunities to earn while they learn.
· Makes state and local boards more agile and well-positioned to meet local and regional employers’ workforce needs.
3. Disclaimer
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) signed into law on July 22, 2014 and was implemented on July 1, 2015. Federal regulations are currently being drafted by the US Department of Labor. This request for proposals, and bids submitted by proposers to this request, and any final contracts negotiated with the successful bidder(s) as a result of this proposal is subject to final laws and regulations and may be changed at any time in order to come into compliance with those laws and regulations.
As the Crater Regional Workforce Development Board continues to develop and refine its one-stop system, policies and procedures, or regulatory changes occur from time to time, bidding organizations may be requested to modify program design or the delivery of services. Should a request for a change in program design or service occur, staff of the CRWDB will assist bidding organizations or service providers in the redesign to ensure consistency with the Board’s policies and regulatory requirements.
Changes made to this RFP will be posted on the Crater WDB website: learntoearn.org.
4. who can apply
Respondents are expected to have the technical competence, knowledge and expertise in management and administration, the professional staff, and the administrative and fiscal management systems to accomplish the scope of work and the goals and objectives stated in this RFP, and must meet high standards of public service and fiduciary responsibility. Respondents are responsible for being knowledgeable of all laws, regulations, rules, and policies of the specific funding sources involved and applying them in developing the RFP response.
Any governmental, educational or not-for-profit organization or agency engaged in a public service may apply. Private for profit organizations engaged in providing employment and training and educational opportunities for eligible adults may apply.
Entities that are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal department or agency are not eligible to respond to this RFP or to receive a contract.
Outstanding Monitoring, Audit or Legal Concerns – respondents must disclose and rectify any and all outstanding monitoring and/or audit concerns from any of the respondent’s other contracts prior to receiving a contract resulting from this RFP. Additionally, respondents must disclose any legal judgments, claims, arbitration proceedings, lawsuits or other legal proceedings pending or outstanding (unresolved) against the organization, its owners, officers, or principals.
5. proposal inquiries
There will be a pre-proposal meeting on Monday, May 23, 2016 from 1:00p.m. – 3:00p.m., eastern time at the CRWDB office. Applicants are encouraged, but not required to attend.
During the period of time between the publication date of the RFP and the deadline to submit technical RFP questions, the CRWDB will only respond to technical questions about the RFP submitted via email. All inquiries related to the RFP are to be submitted electronically. E-mail inquiries should be identified by subject as: “Consortium-of-Partners or Others” or as “One-Stop Operator RFP Inquiry”. No inquires will be accepted after Monday, June 6, 2016. Answers to questions or any other clarifications regarding this RFP will be posted on the CRWDB/ Learn to Earn, Inc. website: learntoearn.org without further notice.
Questions regarding this RFP should be addressed to:
Levin C. Sullivan, Sr., Executive Director
Phone: 804.732.7053
The CRWDB or staff will not assist proposers with the actual preparation of their proposal.
6. Type of Contract
Proposers must propose, if applicable, a cost reimbursement contract. A cost reimbursement contract is one that establishes an estimate of total costs for the purpose of obligating funds and a ceiling that the proposer may not exceed (except at contractor’s risk) unless the awarding party agrees to amend the contract to provide additional funds. A line item budget shall be based on all legitimate costs to be incurred by the proposer in carrying out the services. The proposer is reimbursed for actual expenses according to the approved line-item budget.
7. Contract Terms
The initial contract term originating from this RFP will be effective the period of July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017. However, the CRWDB reserves the option to renew the contract for three (3) additional years subject to negotiations, and based upon pending funding availability, contractor compliance and performance. CRWDB’s maximum contract duration may not exceed four (4) years. The type of contract will be cost reimbursement, therefore, all proposers must have sufficient available resources to operate the proposed program, if funded, during both start-up and during the time in which invoices are being processed for payment and until payment is received.
If the proposer is interested in providing adult/dislocated worker services the contract and costs will be negotiated with the WDB. The Board anticipates approximately $380,000.00 will be made available for Case management and Adult & DLW training, with $268,000 of that total being mandated for occupational skills training that produces industry certifications. This projection is based on current year funding received in PY2015-16. This is only an estimate and the exact allocation will not be available until PY 2016-17 allocations are awarded.
8. Proposal Due Date and Preparation guidelines
All proposals must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 13, 2016 by mail, shipping, or in person (no faxes). One original proposal and a thumb/flash drive of that proposal must be submitted together. Responses should be submitted in a sealed envelope, clearly marked on the outside, with the organization’s name to: