Forest Service - Job Corps Program Outreach/Admissions (OA) and Career Transition Services (CTS) for 24 US Forest Service Job Corps Centers located throughout the United States

GENERAL INFORMATION: Forest Service - Job Corps Program Outreach/Admissions (OA) and Career Transition Services (CTS) for 24 US Forest Service Job Corps Centers located throughout the United States THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL but a Sources Sought Notice for market research and future acquisition planning purposes. A solicitation document does not currently exist. This announcement does not commit the Government to pay for requested information; issue a resulting solicitation; or award a contract or order. The Government shall retain all submitted documents without returning to the respondent. Further market research may be sought as needed. The US Forest Service contemplates potential contracts reserved for small business within NAICS 611710 Educational Support Services, size standard $16,500,000. Final decisions regarding any specific set aside as well as the viability of NAICS 611710 have not been made. All interested contractors within all size standards and socio-economic statuses are asked to please respond to this Sources Sought Notice in order to better inform the Government's final decisions regarding any potential small business set aside as well as the NAICS that will be used for any solicitation. BACKGROUND: Department of Labor (DOL) and USDA Forest Service (USDA FS) jointly operate 24 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCC) out of 121 Job Corps Centers under an Interagency Agreement. These centers span six Forest Service regions, 18 national forests and grasslands, in 15 states with a capacity to educate and train over 4,000 enrollees. DOL provides oversight and funding to the Job Corps Program which is a free federal career technical training and education program for income-eligible young adults age 16 through 24. The unique combination of services provided in the Job Corps is intended to better prepare youth to become more independent, obtain and hold gainful employment, pursue further education or training, or satisfy entrance requirements for careers in the Armed Forces. In addition, students are provided transition counseling, job search assistance, and referrals and follow-up services after they graduate. Some of the vocations the CCCs offer are hands-on training in over 30 vocational trades including cement masonry, welding, business technology, painting, carpentry, bricklaying, culinary arts, and Conservation Trades such as forestry and wildland firefighting. The 24 Centers are located throughout five Department of Labor regions to include Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco. The FS has issued this Sources Sought for these 24 Job Corps Centers to receive contract support for student Outreach and Admissions, and Career Transition Services (OA/CTS). The Job Corps Program is authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), in accordance with the Job Corps Policy and Requirement Handbook (PRH), which is available at https://prh.jobcorps.gov/Pages/Home.aspx. REQUIREMENT: The USDA FS contemplates establishing a multiple award firm fixed price BPA for a base year period of performance and four (4) one year option periods to address the needs for Outreach and Admissions (OA) and Career Transition Services (CTS) of students for the 24 Centers, broken out by regions which are identified in the attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS). Any Calls placed against a BPA will be by region area rather than each individual Job Corps Center, which are anticipated to be offered on a competitive basis to the BPA awardees for the specific region. Contractual responsibilities include but are not limited to locating and assisting potential students in the outreach and admissions process; coordinating their arrival on Center, career transition support resulting in placement in careers aligned with the training received through Job Corps; along with transition support for Job Corps graduates during the specified service window while remaining within established success rates. Contractors will be expected to provide all material, services, and necessary personnel to provide the specified Job Corps services as set forth in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 and the Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook (PRH). The PRH is available at https://prh.jobcorps.gov/Pages/Home.aspx. At a minimum, the contractor shall be responsible for: A. Outreach/Admissions (O/A) and Career Transition Services (CTS), the contractor shall provide: 1) Trained professional staff; 2) Integration with local workforce development systems; and 3) Project oversight and financial/project management B. Outreach and Admission (O/A), the contractor shall provide: 1) Job Corps outreach to local communities; 2) Recruitment of eligible youth in assigned geographical areas; 3) Information to eligible applicants about the Job Corps program; 4) Eligibility screening and application processing for Job Corps enrollment; and 5) Enrollment and assignment of a specified number of eligible youth to Job Corps centers as assigned by the contract C. Career Transition Services (CTS, the contractor shall provide): 1. Annual placement of graduates and former enrollees in careers aligned with Job Corps training as defined by the PRH and the PWS; 2) Placement of specified number of graduates and former enrollees as defined by the PRH and the PWS; 3) Job development and referral services; 4) Follow-up placement services to graduates and former enrollees; and 5) Transition support with housing, childcare, and transportation for Job Corps graduates during the specified service window. STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS/CAPABILITIES: Interested parties responding to this sources sought will be required to indicate their ability to successfully manage and perform OA/CTS by responding to the capability requirements listed below. Interested parties should also indicate the number of students/program participants serviced for each described contract. All qualified small businesses are encouraged to participate. The submission package shall be entitled - Statement of Qualifications/Capabilities, along with a cover letter, which shall address the capabilities listed below. Submissions shall not exceed 12 pages to include the cover letter in font no less than 12 pitch. PROOF OF THE FOLLOWING CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS MUST PROVIDED FOR CONTRACTORS TO BE DETERMINED QUALIFIED FOR CONSIDERATION: Statement of Qualifications/Capabilities - Outreach and Admission Describe your organization's experience with conducting outreach and admissions services for educational and vocational programs for at-risk and economically disadvantaged youth in a residential setting, providing applicants accurate program information, and arranging for program admissions. Describe how your organization will work cooperatively with various individuals and organizations to attract and enroll eligible at-risk youth. This includes developing and implementing effective marketing techniques to educate the public about the program and to ensure it is viewed as a positive alternative for youth. Describe how your organization will assess, verify, and document applicant eligibility for programs serving at-risk youth. Describe how your organization will provide a regular flow of eligible applicants to ensure full program enrollment. Describe how your organization will develop an Implementation Plan that complies with the Outreach and Admissions procedures outlined in the Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook (PRH) Chapter 1 Enrollment Services. Statement of Qualifications/Capabilities - Career Transitioning Services 1. Describe your organization's demonstrated record of placing at risk youth into employment and post-secondary education. 2. Describe your organization's experience with providing transition and placement services to program graduates and former enrollees (as defined by the Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook). 3. Describe your organization's demonstrated record of locating and establishing employment and post-secondary education opportunities for at risk youth that aligns with their selected career pathways. 4. Describe your organization's experience making linkages between employers and graduates crossing state/district lines. 5. Describe your organization's infrastructure for corporate oversight and support, and management/corporate services. All interested parties are invited to submit in writing by the closing date indicated below for receipt of responses, a package entitled - Statement of Qualifications/Capabilities, along with a cover letter, which shall address the capabilities above. The cover letter accompanying the capabilities statement shall include, at a minimum, the following information: Response to RFI Number 1282A7-12172021 Company Name, Address, and Point of Contact with telephone number and e-mail address Company DUNS Number Business Size Standard/Classification and Socio-Economic Status if applicable NAICS Codes Certifications Any Qualifying GSA Schedule contract number Any Anticipated Subcontracting or Teaming Arrangements The closing date for the receipt of responses is January 20, 2022 at 2:00 pm Eastern Time. Responses shall be e-mailed to Melissa Donato at contact@example.gov. Please note, the subject line of your e-mail MUST STATE - Response to Sources Sought OA/CTS (your company name). All contractors doing business with the Federal Government shall be registered in the System for Acquisition Management (SAM) database which is located at http://www.SAM.gov. If not registered in SAM, please complete the registration process to be eligible for possible future consideration. Registration is free. No questions in connection with this notice shall be accepted. Only submit e-mail responses to the qualifications and capabilities requirements provided above. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. All submissions shall become the property of the Federal Government and will not be returned. DISCLAIMER: Acknowledgment of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will Respondents be notified of the outcome of the review of the information received. However, USDA FS reserves the right to contact one or more Respondents if additional information is required. This notice is not to be constructed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. The Government will not reimburse Respondents for any cost associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this notification. This sources sought is for information, planning, and market research purposes only and shall not be construed as either a solicitation or obligation on the part of the USDA FS. Attachment: Draft PWS