APPLICATION due Monday March 6, 2017 by 4:00 pm

2017 Request for Proposals

Summer Employment Opportunities for Youth

Proposal Response Packet

RESPONDENT ORGANIZATION
Name:
Address:
Phone: / Fax:

YOU MUST FILL OUT ALL INFORMATION REQUESTED BELOW

This proposal is being submitted to:

Workforce Solutions of Providence Cranston Area: Providence Cranston

Number to serve
Age Group(s) / 14-15 16-18 19-24
School Status / In School # Out of School #
Amount Requested
Cost Per Person

AND/OR

Workforce Partnership of Greater RI Area: East Bay West Bay Washington County Northern RI

Number to serve
Age Group(s) / 14-15 16-18 19-24
School Status / In School # Out of School #
Amount Requested
Cost Per Person

Program Dates Planned Start Date: Planned End Date: 50/50 Waiver Requested: Yes No

Total Requested Total Cost Per Person

Note: Your program may be longer than six weeks, but our funding will be limited to 120 hours per participant

This proposal includes signed Partnership Agreements with the following:

Internal Use Only

Proposal Number
PC JDF-SUM-17
Proposal Number
GRI JDF-SUM-17

TITLE PAGE

Complete all requested information and include all required signatures

1. Agency Organizational Structure: (Check any that apply)
Non-Profit / Public Sector / Educational Institution
For-Profit / Private Sector / Other ______
2. Agency Fiscal Year End Date:
3. Name and Title of Agency Administrator:
Name: / Phone:
Title: / FAX:
Email:
4. Proposed Program Contact Person:
Name: / Phone:
Title: / FAX:
Email:
5. Name and Title of Person authorized to sign financial invoices:
Name: / Phone:
Title: / FAX:
Email:
6. Agency Fiscal Management Contact Person: (If different from above)
Name: / Phone:
Title: / FAX:
Email:
7. Internal Revenue Service Employer I.D. Number (F.E.I.N.):
8. Agency's Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Registration Number (ten digits) :

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL CERTIFICATION

On behalf of the respondent organization, I approve this proposal submittal to the Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston and/or Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island

Signature: ______Date: ______

Typed Name: ______Title

CERTIFICATIONS

1. DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY AND VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION CERTIFICATION

Lower Tier Covered Transaction

This certification is required by the regulations implementing Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension, 29 CFR Part 98, Section 98.510, Participant’s Responsibilities. The regulations were published as Part VII of the May 26, 1988 Federal Register (pages 19160-19211).

1.a. The Agency attests that neither it, its principals, nor its partners are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded by any federal department or agency from applying for or receiving federal funds.

2. NONDISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION

This certification is required by regulations implementing WIA Section 188, “Nondiscrimination”, and as promulgated in 29 CFR Parts 31 and 32. 2.a. The Agency attests that it:

(1) Shall not exclude any individual from participation in, deny the benefits of, subject to discrimination under, or deny employment in the administration of or in connection with any of its programs/services because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or political affiliation or belief.

(2) Shall not employ participants on the construction, operation, or maintenance of so much of any facility as is used or to be used for sectarian instruction or as a place for religious worship.

(3) Shall not discriminate, with respect to terms and conditions affecting or rights provided to participants in activities supported by funds provided under this Act, against such individuals solely because of their status as such participants.

(4) Shall ensure that participation in programs and activities financially assisted in whole or in part under this Act shall be open to citizens and nationals of the United States, lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens, lawfully admitted refugees and parolees, and other individuals authorized by the U.S. Attorney General to work in the United States.

3. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION

3.a. The Agency attests that it is in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and shall make any and all reasonable accommodation to provide access and equity of services to disabled persons applying to or enrolled in any program controlled by this contract.

4. CERTIFICATION REGARDING DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS

4.a. The Agency attests that it will provide a drug free workplace in accordance with 29 CFR Part 98 by:

(1)Publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the grantee’s workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such prohibition.

(2)Establishing an ongoing drug-free awareness program to inform employees about:

(a) The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace;

(b) The grantee’s policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace;

(c) Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation and employee assistance programs; and

(d) The penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.

5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST CERTIFICATION

The Agency attests that it and its principals are in compliance with the provisions of the Rhode Island “Conduct of Employee and Code of Ethics Law” (R.I.G.L. 36-14) as well as all applicable federal, state, and municipal ethics guidelines.

6. LOBBYING

The Agency attests that it and its principals must comply with the restrictions on lobbying which are codified in the Department of Labor Regulations at 29CRF Part 93.

8.  BCI

I/WE certify that all staff working directly with youth in programs funded under this grant will obtain a Background Check Information (BCI). I further understand that my failure to do BCI checks will adversely affect my ability to continue to do business with the State of Rhode Island.

The Agency hereby certifies, by signature of its authorized representative affixed below, to all attestations identified above.

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED AGENCY REPRESENTATIVE / DATE
TYPED NAME / TITLE

PROPOSAL CHECKLIST

Proposals with incomplete or missing sections will not be eligible and will not be considered. Please take the time to complete this checklist to make sure that all of the necessary information is included in your proposal packet.

PROPOSALS ARE DUE by MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2017 by 4:00 PM

Hand Deliver proposals to:

Adrianna Dextradeur

Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston

444Westminster St. Third Floor

Providence, RI 02903

Each copy of the proposal must include the following in the order listed:

Response Packet Cover Sheet

Signed Title Page

Signed Certifications Page

Proposal Checklist

Executive Summary

Section A: Agency Information

Section B: Program Information

Section C: Budget Forms – Excel file provided with the RFP and Budget Narrative in MS Word

50/50 Waiver (if applicable)

Partnership Agreements (if applicable)

One original signed proposal and eight copies.

Attach one copy of the past year’s organizational audit, including the accompanying financial statements to the original copy of the proposal.

Attach one copy of the agency’s cost allocation plan to the original copy of the proposal.

Electronic copy – an email or disk with an electronic copy of the proposal and the budget narrative in MS Word format and a copy of the budget in MS Excel format. No flash drives accepted.

RI Youth Workforce Development JDF Summer 2017 Request for Proposals Response Packet Page 4 of 19

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - This summary will be submitted to members of the local Youth Councils and Workforce Boards. Using 12 pt. font, provide a one-page overview of the proposed program answering the questions below. You may remove this header.

1) Brief description of the program, including target populations to be served:

2) GWB Industry sectors to be targeted (http://www.gwb.ri.gov/Ipartners.htm)

or Real Jobs RI http://www.dlt.ri.gov/realjobs/ImpGrantWin.htm

3) Program activities & Work Experience Placements


SECTION A – AGENCY INFORMATION

Organizational Information – Maximum 3 Pages

1.  Provide a profile of the applicant organization including a brief history, organizational mission, programs and services and population served.

2.  Provide information on organization’s experience providing a proven performance-based workforce development program model for youth and low-income youth in particular.

3.  Describe your internal monitoring system to ensure compliance with all aspects of the contract.

SECTION B: PROGRAM DESIGN
Part One: Target Population

Planned Number of Enrollments: ______By This Date: ______

Include the percentages of participants that you expect to have the following characteristics (required):

PLANNED PERCENT / PLANNED
PERCENT / PLANNED
PERCENT
Male / Disabled Individual / Veteran
Female / Limited English Speaking / Homeless or Runaway
Student / Pregnant/Parenting Teen / Offender
H. S. Dropout / Single Head of Household / Foster Care
Basic Skills Deficient / TANF Recipient

Summer contractors will recruit applicants, who must come through the YouthWORKS411 youth center in their local area. Youth center staff will determine when the eligibility requirements have been documented.

Participants may not receive program services before they are determined eligible for the program.

A minimum of 50% of the youth accepted into each program will be referred from the local youth center to the individual programs. The purpose of this is to not penalize youth that have come to the youth centers independently in search of summer jobs.

WAIVERS: You may apply for a waiver of the 50/50 policy under 2 conditions:

Waiver #1: If you are proposing to serve a specific population of at-risk youth (offenders, homeless, pregnant/parenting teens, etc.) and cannot get 50% of your target population in referrals from the youth center, request a waiver of the 50%:

Specific at-risk population: ______

# Youth in this target group you plan to serve? ____ # Referrals from youth center? ______

Waiver #2: If you offer a year-round workforce development program which provides support to youth both before and after the summer program and it is similar to the services provided by the youth center system, you may apply for a waiver of the 50%. Please fill out the Waiver #2 Form on pages 15 & 16 submit it with your proposal (original and each copy). Please note: If you receive a waiver from accepting the 50% referrals from the youth center, the youth centers will still need to verify eligibility for your participants.

Accessibility to People with Disabilities:

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in "places of public accommodation" (businesses and non-profit agencies that serve the public) and "commercial facilities" (other businesses). Program facilities are expected to be accessible to persons with disabilities. Respondents are expected to demonstrate full compliance with all applicable aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended and must have a recent accessibility survey completed and on file. Delegate Agencies who are not fully compliant with ADA are required to submit an "accessibility plan" outlining the steps that will be taken to become both programmatically and physically accessible and the planned implementation dates. This accessibility plan must meet the criteria set forth in the ADA.

For a full copy of the Americans with Disabilities Act, please visit: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm

For the ADA Title III Technical Assistance Manual please visit: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/taman3.html

Where will your proposed program take place?

Is this space accessible in accordance with ADA? YES NO If no, describe your plans for accommodations:

Performance Measures / Planned Performance
Participants to be served
Work Readiness Standard
(a minimum of 94% of participants must achieve a measurable skill gain in work readiness)
Work Experience Completion (90% completion of work experience)
Attendance (At least 85% of possible hours)

PROGRAM DESIGN Part Two Program Description

1)  Program Description: OVERVIEW - Maximum 5 Pages
Describe your proposed program including:

i.  An explanation on how all program requirements will be met

ii. Outreach Strategy

iii.  Capacity: Number of Youth to be served

iv.  Tiers: Number of proposed work experience slots with an explanation of how the job responsibilities correspond with the tier level(s).

v. A list of proposed partners acting as a worksite and a description of the organization/company (if you have already secured placements please indicate here)

vi.  Description of the proposed work activities for the youth and explanation on how they connect with high-growth, high-demand industries as discussed in this RFP. Please describe career pathway and industry focus of the summer placements.

vii.  Describe the year-round educational, employment and youth development services participants will be connected with by the end of the summer program.

viii.  Describe the workplace portfolio youth will develop by the end of the program (Statement of Work page 8)

ix.  Describe how the services you provide will include development of cultural competencies and ensure that trainees

1.  Become aware of their individual world view

2.  Develop positive attitudes toward cultural differences

3.  Gain knowledge of different cultural practices and world views

4.  Develop skills for communication and interaction across culture

RI Youth Workforce Development JDF Summer 2017 Request for Proposals Response Packet Page 4 of 19

PROGRAM DESIGN Part Three: WORK READINESS / WORK MATURITY SKILLS The Skill Gains required for this summer program are listed below. Please describe the information requested in bulleted format. Use as much space as you need. Applicants selected under this RFP will be required to provide a copy of all teaching materials prior to signing of the contract. Submit a completed work readiness outline for each age group you will serve.

AGE GROUP:

Topic / Expected Gain(s) for youth to achieve during this program /

Describe Materials and Activities

/

Specific Measurement of Gains

Basic Job Search Techniques, including Labor Market Information. / Exposure to leading employment websites and job banks.
Knowledge of labor market information, understanding of high growth industries and the ability to conduct research on related occupations.
Resume Development or Updating an Existing Resume. Creating effective Cover Letter and Thank You Letter. / Understanding the importance of a well written resume. Learn how to create and maintain a professional resume, as well as how to develop a cover letter and thank you letter.
Interview Skills, including Good Hygiene and Appropriate Workplace Attire. / Knowledge and understanding of the importance of preparing for an interview, including company research, punctuality and honesty. Ability to present oneself and resume/materials appropriately and how this relates to the employer’s decision in selecting new employees.
Professional and Ethical Behavior, including Conflict Resolution and Interacting Appropriately with Others in the Workplace. / Understanding appropriate workplace behavior including conflict resolution, professionalism and the importance of interacting positively at the workplace. Understanding of how workplace behavior relates to becoming a valuable employee.
Post-Secondary Opportunities / Understanding post-secondary training opportunities and how to access them. Includes exposure to college, internships, entrepreneurship and introduction to apprenticeships.
Financial Literacy For Youth / Understanding how to be pro-active and make well-informed money-management decisions.
The importance of savings and goal-setting.
Financial consumer rights and how to avoid predatory financial products
Health, Safety and Rights on the Job / Overview of youth health safety and rights on the job with specific emphasis on RI Labor Laws regarding youth employment. / DO NOT FILL IN THIS SECTION. This element will be provided by the Institute for Labor Studies and Research. Providers will coordinate the trainings with ILSR and provider staff must attend trainings with participants.


PROGRAM DESIGN Four: SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES/ WORK EXPERIENCE PLACEMENT