Employment Connections for Opportunity Youth RFP Bidders Conferences

Transcription

1 Employment Connections for Opportunity Youth RFP Bidders Conferences The Employment Connections for Opportunity Youth RFP was released October 6, This release of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Youth Development (TANF YD) funding is intended to provide workforce development services to Philadelphia s youth and young adult job seekers and employers. Specifically, Philadelphia Works is soliciting proposals for the delivery of services offered for four target populations: 1. Youth identified as having intellectual disabilities and/or autism; 2. Youth who have been adjudicated; 3. Youth who are/have aged out of Foster Care; and 4. Youth who are transitioning out of Philadelphia Career and Technical Education programs. Questions & Answers 1. Will the proposal submission deadline be extended? Yes, the proposal deadline will be extended to Monday, November 20, 2017 at 3:00 pm (ET). 2. Will there be another Bidders Conference? If so, when and where? Yes, there will be another Bidders Conference. It will be held on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 from 10:00 am 12:00 pm (ET) at Philadelphia Works, Inc. (1617 JFK Blvd., 13 th Floor, Philadelphia PA 19103). 3. Is the proposed service structure a new design or are there currently providers who are offering these services for target populations? If currently in place who are the incumbent providers for each of the four target populations? Yes, this is a new design. Philadelphia Works does not currently have providers who run programs targeted to only the outlined populations. Our current providers provide year-round services to Philadelphia youth and young adults as described on our website: Programs for Youth. 4. The RFP states that all organizations responding to this RFP must complete the Budget Form found on Philadelphia Works website. Please provide specific guidance as to where this form may be found? All applicants must complete a budget and submit with their proposal. The form can be found here: Budget Form. 5. Does submission of an LOI bind an organization to submit a proposal? No, the submission of an LOI does not bind an organization to submit a proposal. 6. Is there a projected cost per participant for each of the four target populations? No, there is not a projected cost per participant. Page 1 of 11

2 7. Is there a projected annual number or minimum number of youth participants to be served for each of the four target populations? No, there is not a projected annual amount or minimum number of youth participants to be served for each of the four target populations. 8. What is the required percentage of youth in program that must meet the conditions for the designated target population? All youth enrolled in the program must meet basic TANF YD eligibility requirements: age, residency, Selective Service registration (males 18+ years old or older only), authorization to work in the US, school status, and low-income status. Applicants should aim to enroll youth who are in the target population that they have been awarded. A program s target population must constitute a minimum of eighty percent (80%) of the program s total enrollment. 9. On page 3 of the Employment Connections for Opportunity Youth RFP, one of the target population groups is described as youth who are transitioning out of Philadelphia Career and Technical Education programs. For the purposes of this grant, is this group limited to youth who are transitioning out of Health-related Career and Technical Education programs, or will programs serving other Career and Technical Education programs of study be considered for funding? For the purpose of this RFP, youth who are transitioning out of Philadelphia Career and Technical Education programs, refers specifically to youth who are transitioning out of the Philadelphia CTE health care programs outlined on page 8 of the RFP. 10. SDP offers 120+ Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in 30+ high schools across the district. How many of the 30+ high schools offer one or more of the target healthcare CTE programs (e.g., dental assisting, EMT/Fire Academy)? For detailed information about School District of Philadelphia High Schools, including which schools offer the targeted CTE programs, please refer to this 2018 High School Directory. 11. Are services for the target populations to be provided at One Stop Centers throughout the city, or is the intent for each awarded provider to establish a unique site (or sites) to facilitate program services? No, services will not be provided at the One Stop Centers/American Job Centers (AJC) throughout the City. Applicants should establish a unique site (or sites) to facilitate program services. The AJCs, Philadelphia PA CareerLink, which are competitively procured by Philadelphia Works are not able to co-locate the TANF YD program staff due to available space. 12. Are applicants able to partner with other organizations? Yes, partnerships are allowed. A Lead Applicant should be identified in the proposal and proposals that subcontract more than 30% of program expenses will not be reviewed. Page 2 of 11

3 13. Does offering services that are not required (see Required Services table on p.7 of the RFP) for a target population strengthen a proposal? Not necessarily. All services offered to support the targeted population should do so in a way it makes sense and is part of a comprehensive programmatic strategy that assists the targeted youth meet the programmatic objectives. Philadelphia Works has required elements certain population because these elements are critical to employment success. 14. If we are targeting Youth Identified as having an Intellectual Disability and/or Autism, would we still need to provide high school equivalency completion supports? If yes, what exactly does this refer to? High school equivalency completion supports examples include, but are not limited to: tutoring, study skills training, basic literacy and/or digital literacy instruction, drop-out prevention, connection to alternative education services, and assistance with accommodations. These services should be made accessible to youth participants, in any target population, who are enrolled in programming and have not completed their high school equivalency. 15. How should occupational skills training be provided? As stated on page 6 of the RFP, program designs should include the provision of and/or access to the elements based on participant need. Occupational skills training can be provided directly or indirectly by a program. It is strongly encouraged that all trainings lead to a credential. 16. What is the definition of customized/supported employment for adjudicated youth? Customized employment is a flexible process designed to personalize the employment relationship between a job candidate and an employer in a way that meets the needs of both. It is based on an individualized match between the strengths, conditions, and interests of a job candidate and the identified business needs of an employer. Customized Employment utilizes an individualized approach to employment planning and job development one person at a time... one employer at a time. Customized employment will often take the form of: Task reassignment: Some of the job tasks of incumbent workers are reassigned to a new employee. This reassignment allows the incumbent worker to focus on the critical functions of his/her job (i.e., primary job responsibilities) and complete more of the central work of the job. Task reassignment typically takes the form of job creation, whereby a new job description is negotiated based on current, unmet workplace needs. Job carving: An existing job description is modified containing one or more, but not all, of the tasks from the original job description. Job sharing: Two or more people share the tasks and responsibilities of a job based on each other's strengths. This approach can be applied to any and all populations where appropriate however, it is a required element for adjudicated youth and youth with disabilities. Page 3 of 11

4 17. Are there minimum number hours of work expected for the school year or summer? No, program proposals should reflect work experience and On the Job-Training opportunities that allow an adequate time period to prepare participants for workplace success consistent the overall goals of the program. 18. Are all participants expected to have summer work experiences in 2018? No, all participants are not expected to have summer work experience opportunities in Work experience opportunities should be made accessible and provided based on participant need. 19. Is $500,000 the maximum budget amount? Earlier the RFP stated that budgets should not exceed $500,000. This statement has been modified to include a budget range to provide a guideline for applicants. Budgets can range from $250,000 to $750, Are wages to be included in the budgets? Yes, youth wages can be included in the budgets. 21. Is there a requirement for work experience spending as a percent of total funding requested? No, there is not a requirement for work experience spending as a percent of total funding. 22. What funding supports exist to assist youth participants to secure employment (e.g. transportation vouchers to interviews, supplies or clothing relevant to the job)? What policies, guidelines or standards does Philadelphia Works use to manage and to make available these supports? Does the program budget need to include any supports? If yes, please provide. Supportive services such as assistance with transportation; work, school and/or interview clothing; school or training supplies; and education, training and employment testing are allowable through the funding of this RFP. Supportive services that will be provided to participants should be included in the program budget with an applicant s proposal. Supportive service costs do not have a limit per participant permitted the costs are reasonable, based on the participant need, and in alignment with federal guidelines. Philadelphia Works policies will be shared with all awarded applicants upon contracting. 23. If programs are currently funded through TANF or WIOA, will that prevent being funded by this grant? No, current providers who are funded by TANF or WIOA will not be prevented from funding through this grant. 24. How can applicants leverage other funds either from Philadelphia Works or others to serve these populations? How does this effect staffing? Applicants can leverage other funds from Philadelphia Works or other funders for services including providing additional supportive services, supporting youth payments (incentives or wages), and connecting youth to additional services (training, financial literacy, etc.). There must be staff that are 100% dedicated to the support of these target populations and the oversight of participant employment connections. Page 4 of 11

5 25. Can staff charged to other Philadelphia Works contracts provide support to these projects as long as they are not charged to the Employment Connections for Opportunity Youth funding? Staff who are charged to other Philadelphia Works contracts could provide support to these projects and not be charged to the Employment Connections for Opportunity Youth funding. 26. Can staff currently charged to Philadelphia Works contracts that will end mid-grant period transition to this grant after the previous grant ends? Staff that are currently charged to Philadelphia Works contracts that will end mid-grant period may transition to this grant after the previous grant ends if there is a programmatic need or vacancy. 27. If we submit two applications to work with separate populations (CTE and Foster Care for example), are we able to share staff between the two contracts. In the event that an applicant submits two applications and is awarded, staff can be shared between two contracts if staff provide services that are universally beneficial to both populations. 28. Can an applicant braid this funding with a Summer WorkReady contract or other summer work funding? In the event an applicant is also the recipient of a Summer WorkReady contract through Philadelphia Works or another funding stream, then the applicant may use this funding to support summer paid work experiences for youth enrolled in programs funded by this RFP. In order to ensure compliance, a unique participant s wages should only be included in budgeting and invoicing for one contract. 29. If a provider is awarded services for more than one target population (CTE and Foster Care for example), can youth participants be co-mingled during program activities (e.g. work readiness training, work experience, occupational skills training, financial literacy, etc.)? Yes. Youth participants across target populations (in the event one organizations applies to more than one target population) can participate in appropriate activities that are universally beneficial. 30. Could this funding be used to scale up a program that is currently being funded by other means to support the identified target populations? Yes. However, funds from the Employment Connections for Opportunity Youth RFP cannot be used to supplant expiring funds or continue ineffective programming. 31. If we are targeting Youth Identified as having an Intellectual Disability and/or Autism, would the 70% recognized credential attainment requirement/benchmark be enforced for this population? If so, could you provide a list of approved credentials that will satisfy this requirement? Youth participants who attend training, including youth identified as having an intellectual disability and/or Autism, will be required to meet the industry-recognized credential attainment benchmark. There is not a list of approved credentials that will satisfy this requirement. Page 5 of 11

6 32. How do applicants present performance measures in the proposal if exact levels will not be negotiated until contract period? As stated in the RFP, applicants should expect that all performance measures will be negotiated at a minimum of seventy percent (70%) therefore applicants should plan to meet this target. 33. Do we need to deliver on all outcomes/benchmarks listed on page 11 of the RFP, irrespective of the population we are targeting? Applicants should expect that all performance measures listed on page 11 will be negotiated at a minimum of seventy percent (70%) therefore applicants should plan to meet these targets. 34. Will the existing Philadelphia Works AJC operators / providers share job leads relevant to target healthcare CTE program participants? If no, what protocols exist to coordinate employer engagement (i.e., one employer does not get visited by multiple workforce development system staff)? As common practice, existing American Job Center operators will not be expected to share job leads. Successful applicants will use the same customer relationship management tool used by the AJCs to ensure coordinated employer engagement. 35. Please describe the formal or informal collaborations exist between Philadelphia Works / AJC operators or providers and healthcare industry groups relevant to this healthcare CTE program participant target population. There are healthcare industry groups that may serve as a resource for applicants. RFP respondents are expected to either research those industry groups or already have familiarity. Additional Questions & Answers Philadelphia Works extended the deadline to submit proposals for the Employment Connections for Opportunity Youth RFP. Final proposals are due Monday, November 20, 2017 at 3:00 pm (ET). To support this extension a second Bidders Conference was held on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at Philadelphia Works. Please see below for additional questions answers. 36. Are the organizational charts included in the proposal page count? No, the organizational charts included in the proposal do not count towards the narrative page count. 37. If a letter of intent was submitted prior to November 8, 2017, is another letter of intent required? No, if a letter of intent was submitted prior to November 8, 2017 then applicants do not need to submit another letter. Page 6 of 11

7 38. Letters of support are not included in the attachments, where should the letters reside in the final proposal submission? Letters of support are not required for the proposal. If an organization chooses to submit letters of support, then they will count against the narrative page count. 39. What level of fidelity bond and insurances are required, and when should it be submitted? Fidelity bond and insurances are not required at the time of submission. Required levels for fidelity bond and insurances will be determined based on the award amount. For example, for contracts that do not exceed $1,000,000, one-half the face value of the contract is required. Proof of fidelity bond and insurances are required prior to contract execution. 40. Can we provide audited statements performed under a non-government program audit? Yes, audited financial statements performed under a non-government program audit can be presented in lieu of those performed under a government program audit. However, upon review of non-government audited financial statements, additional information may be requested. 41. Are applicants allowed to utilize an indirect cost rate without a federally approved agreement? No, applicants must have a current federally approved indirect cost rate agreement. 42. Should an applicant s cost allocation plan cover all the agency s programs or only Philadelphia Works funding? Is there a recommended template for this? The cost allocation plan should include all of an applicant s programs/funding streams. Philadelphia Works does not have a recommended template. 43. Is it standard for invoices to be due on the 5 th of the month? Yes, this is the standard deadline used for Philadelphia Works contracts. 44. How far in advance will a grantee receive notification if a contract will be extended? Awarded applicants will need to request a contract extension if needed during the contract period. 45. Will these programs be ongoing? The planned contract period for these programs is January 1, 2018 June 30, Philadelphia Works may extend the length of the contract for an additional year. 46. Will the anticipated twelve awards be separated into four awards per target population? During the planning stages of this RFP, it was anticipated that awards would be given across the target populations. The decision to award applicants will be made based on the number of applicants, evaluation of proposals, availability of funds and the approval of the Philadelphia Works Board. Page 7 of 11

8 47. Was a survey done to determine a general number of possible individuals who may qualify for the targeted areas? Philadelphia Works did not do a survey. 48. Is there any data offering the average number of students served annually per targeted group? Philadelphia Works cannot provide data offering the average number of students served annually per targeted group. 49. Can residing in a high poverty area be used to determine low income eligibility? No, residing in a high poverty area cannot be used to determine low income eligibility for this program. 50. Do students participating in alternative school programming/schools without traditional grade levels qualify? Are these considered out-of-school youth? Yes, students participating in alternative school programming/schools qualify for services and are considered out-ofschool youth. 51. Does DHS signify City of Philadelphia or State DHS/CAO? DHS signifies the City of Philadelphia. 52. Will youth who are in care and placed outside of the county still count as Philadelphia residents? Yes, youth who are in care, have an open case with Philadelphia county and are placed outside of the county are still considered Philadelphia residents. 53. Are providers able to recruit youth outside of DHS referrals (for youth aging out of foster care)? Yes, providers can recruit youth outside of DHS referrals, especially youth who have aged out of foster care. This population may not be connected to a Community Umbrella Association (CUA) or the Achieving Independence Center anymore and will need to be recruited through multiple avenues. 54. Can we serve foster youth who are nearing the end of their senior year of high school? (i.e., they re not technically out-of-school) School status is determined at program enrollment. Foster youth must be out-of-school youth to receive services, but may be recruited while still in-school. A youth is considered out-of-school if he/she has dropped out of school, completed their high school equivalency and is not connected to post-secondary education, or is connected to a high school equivalency or dropout re-engagement program (e.g. GED or alternative education programming). 55. If a program design does not fit into the current timeframe, would providing information or access to resources prior to June 30, 2019 be sufficient? Applicants should plan for all programming, including ninety days of follow-up/retention, to occur within the contract period ending June 30, If an applicant is unable to adjust the program design, an applicant should Page 8 of 11

9 demonstrate how services will be leveraged to ensure all program elements are being made available to a youth participant. 56. For youth with ID/Autism, if youth served will be in school, can a high school diploma serve as a youth industry recognized credential attainment? No, high school equivalency credentials (Diploma, GED, HiSet, etc.) do not count as a youth industry recognized credential. 57. What are the identification criteria for intellectual disability? Documents that can be used to identify an intellectual disability include: a letter from drug or alcohol rehabilitation agency, a letter from Child Study Team stating the specific disability, medical records, a physician s statement, a psychiatrist s diagnosis, a psychologist s diagnosis, social service records/referral, Social Security Administration disability records, and an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). 58. Is the youth who have been adjudicated targeted population only for youth who have been adjudicated? Yes, providers should enroll youth who have been adjudicated for this target population. 59. Is the word wages used as a placeholder meaning a paid opportunity or do you mean the youth must be legally hired on by a site and receive a wage? The word wage is meant to reflect the wage received for hours worked by a youth participant. When placed in a Paid Work Experience or On-the-Job Training opportunity, a youth participant must receive an hourly wage. 60. Is the CDA program for early childhood a targeted program? No, the Early Childhood Education and Childcare program leading toward a CDA certificate is not a targeted CTE Healthcare program. 61. Are we able to link students coming out of healthcare CTE programs to CDA training and placement? Or is the expectation that they are being linked to health care related training and placements? Applicants who plan to serve youth who are transitioning out of healthcare CTE programs should plan to support youth into training and placement related to the healthcare industry. This does not include CDA training and placement. 62. Can providers co-enroll students into other programs services that are available? For example, can youth be coenrolled in other TANF YD programs, such as E3? Yes, students can be co-enrolled into other programs services that are available. Service provision should be unique per program connection. 63. Does all retention need to be completed by June 30, 2019 or is it up to 90 days past June 30, 2019? Applicants should plan to provide retention/follow-up within the grant period and completed by June 30, Page 9 of 11

10 64. May follow-up services be provided beyond ninety days? Yes, providers may choose to provide more than ninety days of follow-up/retention based on a participant s need. 65. Can one assume the denominator for each performance measure will be the total number of participants who will fall within meeting that category? Yes this can be assumed, each performance measure will be further defined and negotiated at contract negotiation. 66. Can the GAIN tool be used to measure skills? Applicants can propose to utilize GAIN as a tool to measure skills. 67. Please provide an example of an industry recognized credential? Examples of industry recognized credentials include licenses or certifications earned to support advanced employment such as A+ Certification, Network+ Certification, Certified Nurse Aide License, Registered Nurse License, Pharmacy Technician Certification and National Retail Federation Certification. 68. Does completing a high school diploma through Penn Foster count as a credential (not to be confused with an industry recognized credential)? Yes, high school diploma attainment via Peen Foster does count as a high school equivalency credential. 69. Does placement in AmeriCorps count as placement in employment for the performance measures? Yes, placement in AmeriCorps does count as placement in employment. 70. How are individuals assessed as it relates to performance measures? For example, if there are 70 individuals served that don t have a high school equivalency, 70% should achieve the goal. All participants may not be held accountable for all program performance measures. Individuals will be assessed at enrollment to determine goals, service plans and potential support needs. Based on participants services and circumstances, programs may be held accountable for particular performance measures. The example outlined would be correct if 70% is the negotiated performance measure. 71. Does the skill gain in literacy, language, or math performance measure apply for youth who already have their high school diploma, or would youth with a diploma not be included in the denominator for that particular performance measure? Will literacy levels be identified for which participants goes into skill gain? Yes, this measure would apply for all participants that are assessed as basic skills deficient which may include those that have attained their high school equivalency. Literacy and numeracy levels should be assessed for all participants at enrollment to support their education and employment goals. All levels will be identified at contract negotiation based on the assessment tool utilized by each program. Page 10 of 11

11 72. Will participants be enrolled into the Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS)? The goal is to have participants enrolled in CWDS eventually. At this time, Philadelphia Works is working in partnership with the Commonwealth to ensure all capabilities are available to track programming. 73. What is required for program data management? All applicants must have systems that provide secure storage of program data including the capacity required to utilize an electronic system of record. Applicants must ensure that any proprietary systems are compatible with Philadelphia Works and state required systems. Data collection may require use of Philadelphia Works prescribed participant tracking systems. Page 11 of 11