SUBSIDIZED AND TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT DEMONSTRATION AND EVALUATION PROJECT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Program Support Center, Division of Acquisition Management intends to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) on behalf of the DHHS, Agency for Children and Families (ACF) for a project entitled, - Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration and Evaluation Project. Purpose: The purpose of this project is to demonstrate and evaluate subsidized and transitional employment approaches for critical low-income populations, including welfare recipients, low-income non-custodial parents, prisoners re-entering the community, low-income youth transitioning to the labor force, low-income individuals with disabilities, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and English Language Learners. The project will examine strategies aimed at successfully transitioning individuals in the aforementioned target populations from short-term subsidized employment to unsubsidized employment in the regular labor market. These strategies will build upon approaches that have demonstrated empirical effectiveness in previous studies, test new and innovative interventions designed to demonstrate promising program components, and adapt to current policy environments at the federal, state, and local levels. Approaches of particular interest include employment programs that offer opportunities for substantive, productive work; strategies that couple work experience with wrap-around support services (e.g., child care assistance, skills training, job search assistance, career advancement services); strategies that incorporate pre-employment activities; and strategies that target specific low-income populations, including welfare recipients, low-income non-custodial parents, prisoners re-entering the community, low-income youth transitioning to the labor force, low-income individuals with disabilities, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and English Language Learners. Additional approaches may also be considered. The goal of this demonstration and evaluation is to increase our knowledge about the efficacy of programs aimed at helping target populations secure and maintain unsubsidized employment. The evaluation component of the project will utilize a random assignment design in up to seven sites in order to assess the effectiveness of a variety of interventions. The project will begin with a short term analysis of what is known about existing or previous approaches to subsidized employment and transitional jobs especially within the context of current TANF policies and requirements as well as recent efforts under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The period of performance for this contract will be a base period of 2 years with 5 option periods, to be exercised at the discretion of the Government, through the Contracting Officer. The RFP will be posted on FBO approximately 15 days after this notice is issued. Only electronic copies will be available. Proposals will be due approximately 60 days after the RFP is issued. THIS IS ONLY A PRESOLICITATION NOTICE. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP).