RFP 6170 - WIOA Youth Program

1.1 Introduction/Purpose The County of Ventura-Human Services Agency (HSA) on behalf of the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDB) is releasing this competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify one (1) experienced and qualified organization to act as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program Operator in Ventura County. The selected contractor will be responsible for: (a) providing workforce services and support to youth in the community, and (b) fulfilling the purpose and intent of the WIOA. All programs must be responsive to WIOA regulations, local labor market demands, local standardized policies, and operational directives. Successful programs will drive and deliver measurable outcomes, provide a quality customer experience, creatively leverage partner resources, and operate with maximum cost efficiency and effectiveness. The program will serve new and carry-in WIOA-eligible in-school (IS) and out-of-school (OS) youth ages 14-24. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act was signed into law on July 22, 2014, and repealed the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. WIOA provides for services and activities to increase the education, educational skill attainment, and employment of participants, in an effort to improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency and enhance the productivity of our community. Section 2 of the Act describes the objectives of the legislation: The purposes of this Act are the following: 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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 the employers need to succeed in a global economy. 4. To promote improvement in the structure and delivery of services through the United States workforce development system to better address the employment and skill needs of workers, jobseekers, and employers. 5. 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. 6. 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. To review the full text, the WIOA can be accessed using the following link: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-113publ128/pdf/PLAW-113publ128.pdf A non-mandatory Bidders’ Conference to answer questions about this RFP, the application process, program specifications, and contract requirements will be held from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. on January 23, 2024. If, as a result of the Bidders’ Conference, there are any significant interpretations, direction, or revisions to the RFP, such changes will be posted to the Bonfire system along with the questions and answers from the Bidder’s conference. Attendance at the Bidder’s Conference is optional, but strongly recommended. Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85187915154?pwd=PYPbqQ1WgdGJFlFKx3K9DBqmobbqbu.1 1.2 Background/Overview Responses to this RFP must include program designs that meet the employment and training needs of our community’s disconnected, in-school and out-of-school youth, the performance outcomes of the WIOA, and the priorities of the WDB. All proposals will be evaluated on the basis of their ability to demonstrate the following: • Provision of service(s) to: o High school dropouts or those at risk of dropping out of school o Runaway youth o Youth who are homeless o Youth in foster care o Youth who are involved with the court/justice system o Migrant youth o Indian and Native American youth o Youth with disabilities o Veterans and veterans’ spouses o Youth with limited English language skills • Emphasis on developing basic skills (reading, writing, math) and preparing youth for careers/career pathways, including non-college options • Creation and maintenance of partnerships with businesses, educational institutions, government entities and community-based organizations • Development of self-sufficiency, motivation, altruism, personal accountability, investment in the future, vision, confidence • In-school youth may be served on a limited basis unless a state waiver is approved. Out-of-school youth must constitute the majority (75%) of expenditures. The Contractor must be able to separately track and report on all expenditures for in-school youth vs. out-of-school youth. Required activities include, but are not limited to, client outreach/recruitment, eligibility determination, case management, training, supportive services, employment and/or placement in higher education and follow-up services, as well as data entry and report preparation as required in the approved CalJOBS automated case management system. Advancing equity to ensure youth have equal access to and outcomes in high quality education and training is a key priority. Equity must be integrated into all activities, from outreach and recruitment to service delivery strategies to partnership development and using data to inform decision making. Equity in the WIOA Youth Program means that not only do youth have equitable access to services and supports but also that youth are achieving equitable outcomes. Proposals must include evidence of employer linkages for subsidized and unsubsidized training and job placement. All program participants must meet WIOA eligibility requirements. The decade between ages 14 and 24 is marked by critical transitions as youth begin to enter adulthood and make decisions about how to continue their education or enter the workforce. The opportunities and support available to young people during this time influences their long-term trajectories into adulthood. Early employment represents one experience that is generally associated with better labor and wage outcomes in the future, potentially because it helps youth to develop soft skills, a job history, and connections to employer networks. Early employment is also an experience that youth and young adults from low-income households have greater difficulty accessing than their higher-income peers. Black and Hispanic teenagers from low-income households experience even greater challenges in the labor market due to structural barriers to opportunities faced by people of color in the American job market. This inherent inequity makes it critical that the WIOA Youth Program provide quality work experience opportunities to participants. The selected contractor will be responsible for providing comprehensive services and activities to participants as required under WIOA, federal and state regulations and local policies. The WDB encourages the formal coordination of services through the use of partners/sub-contractors and the resulting promotion of linkages among educational, for-profit and non-profit organizations. All proposals are expected to leverage such services to augment or supplement WIOA funds. Ensuring the participation of public adult education and community colleges in the provision of training services is a prime consideration of this RFP. Designated Industry Sectors. Under the leadership of the WDB, the region has identified five priority sectors for targeted strategies and actions: 1. Healthcare 2. Manufacturing 3. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 4. Trade, Transportation, and Logistics 5. Agriculture These five sectors include a Clean Green Ventura County Cross-Sector Initiative that was identified through industry meetings and regional data analysis as having ongoing business needs for skilled local talent, potential for growth, and opportunities for living wage jobs with career paths. The industry clusters offer a framework to understand employment opportunities, to engage employers, and to develop career pathways and training opportunities that are consistent with the needs of Ventura County. The Youth Program Operator will be required to ensure connectivity to the designated industry sectors. Additionally, a focus on jobs and training that will support environmentally sustainable business practices and legal compliance is expected. Work Based Learning. The best education and training programs do four things: (1) they work closely with employers, (2) offer paid work experience, (3) teach skills that apply to more than one job, and (4) provide a credential that actually means something in the industry. Integrating equity and job quality principles into the WIOA Youth Program is achieved by ensuring youth have access to quality work experiences, in particular, paid work experience whenever possible, that have on-ramps to career pathways. • Work-based Learning is employer-driven with the goal of unsubsidized employment after participation. Generally, work-based learning involves a commitment by an employer or employers to fully employ successful participants after they have completed the program. It can be an effective training strategy that can provide additional opportunities for participants and employers in both finding high quality jobs and in developing a high-quality workforce. Internships and other work experience opportunities for youth are one of the best ways to ensure there is a quality job at the end of an education and training pathway. • The selected contractor will promote career pathways, enabling progressive skills development through education and training programs, using multiple entry and exit points so that each level of skills development corresponds with labor market gains for those being trained or educated. Career pathways work best within sector strategies by aligning workforce and education programs with leading and emergent industry sectors’ skills needs. • The WDB of Ventura County, in alignment with the California WDB, is committed to expanding pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship opportunities in Ventura County. As such, WIOA-funded youth service providers are encouraged to utilize pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training opportunities for their WIOA training needs for youth. • WDB encourages apprenticeship partnerships to leverage and further expand opportunities that align WIOA Youth Program resources to create quality work and learning opportunities for youth. Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Training Programs must be on the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) to utilize WIOA funds for training, must meet the definition of occupational skills training, and must lead to an industry-recognized certificate, credential, or license upon completion. For more information see http://vcportal.ventura.org/wdb/wdbpolicies/WDBPolicy2021-03ETPL.pdf. Youth Voice. Finding ways to incorporate youth in program development, recruitment strategies, and execution of activities is pivotal. Youth involvement can benefit organizations and their programs as well as the youth themselves. Youth voices assist programs with assessing the resources required to meet the needs of current and future participants. The program operator is encouraged to engage youth in leadership development opportunities to enhance their confidence, employability, self-determination, and other positive social behaviors. Youth engagement and voice will play an important role in strengthening programs and improving youth outcomes and is an expected part of this program. 1.3 Action Dates The following is an outline of the anticipated schedule for the proposal review and contract award. Issue Request for Proposal (RFP): January 17, 2024 Bidder’s Conference (non-mandatory) January 23, 2024, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Last day for vendor questions: February 02, 2024, by 5:00pm Proposals Due February 16, 2024, by 5:00pm Evaluation-award March 22, 2024 Start Work July 1, 2024
1.4 Questions Regarding RFP All questions concerning this Proposal should be submitted online under the “Messages” tab. All other questions may be directed to GSA Senior Buyer Gabriel Piña at +1 (555) 000-0000, or via email at contact@example.gov. The County shall not be obligated to accept the lowest priced proposal. An award, if made, will be in the best interests of the County after all factors have been evaluated. While the County intends to enter a contract for these services, it will not be bound to do so. The County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. The County shall be the sole judge of the successful offers hereunder. Deadline for questions or clarifications concerning this RFP is February 02, 2024, by 5:00pm.