Summary of Specifications:
Washtenaw County ETCS is releasing this Request for Proposals (RFP) for the provision of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services in the Washtenaw County area. WIA funds are authorized by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) under three (3) funding sources: Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth. WIA funds are distributed through the State of Michigan’s Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth (DELEG) and allocated to local Michigan Works! Agencies (MWAs), including the Washtenaw County MWA/ETCS. ETCS administers WIA programs in Washtenaw County in conjunction with the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners (BOC) and Workforce Development Board (WDB).
This RFP is based on current WIA Law, DELEG Policy and any subsequent changes that apply specifically to WIA funds. Additional information can be found online through the following links: WIA http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/wia/wialaw.txt DELEG http://www.michigan.gov/dleg
The Washtenaw County MWA/ETCS reserves the right to make necessary changes or adjustments on any statements made in this RFP upon receiving guidance from the USDOL or DELEG. If any additional information is received by the MWA/ETCS that fundamentally alters the description provided in this RFP, the MWA/ETCS will provide written notification to each agency that has expressed interest in receiving updates regarding this RFP.
Bidders may propose to serve WIA Adults, Dislocated Workers and Youth (Younger Youth or Older Youth or both) or limit their proposal to serve targeted populations unless otherwise stated in this RFP. ETCS reserves the right to negotiate the associated activities and services that are deemed most appropriate and necessary to serve the targeted populations.
If the proposal is only for a specific allowable WIA activity, the bidder will not be required to determine or document WIA eligibility. Instead ETCS shall designate a separate agency to handle eligibility determination and other specific WIA requirements that might not be provided by the bidder such as WIA registration, objective assessment, Individual Service Strategy development, participant file maintenance, Management Information System (MIS) data entry and perhaps other requirements. The bidder will be required to work cooperatively with the agency designated by ETCS to handle those requirements.
Bidders are encouraged to collaborate in the delivery and coordination of services in order to maximize efficiency and create the greatest possible community impact. If your proposal involves a partnership, you should provide a letter of agreement generally outlining the partnership and the activities or services of each of the partners. Before funding, partnerships will have to be firmly established by means of formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU, whether developed as an umbrella agreement with a variety of agencies, or independently with a particular partner must contain, at a minimum, the following information: • A description of what customer services will be provided by each partner • How the costs of services and operating costs of the partnership will be funded • Method of referral between partners • Duration of the Memorandum and procedures for amending the Memorandum • Other provisions as agreed upon by the parties to the MOU
In the interest of maximizing available funds, the WDB encourages proposals that reduce levels of overhead/management systems that will result in a more streamlined and efficient structure aimed at increasing services. Contracted services or activities will be expected to produce a qualified labor pool allowing job seekers to transition to employment as quickly as possible, yet have the opportunity to access services to improve income and/or advance in their careers.
