Request for Proposals State Apprenticeship Expansion Grant Facilitator Contract Period 12 April 2019 30 June 2019 RFP Release Date: Friday, 15 March 2019 Program Proposal Due Date: Friday, 29 March 2019 at 11:59 a.m. EDT Email proposals to: participate@nwpajobconnect.org Bidders questions regarding the RFP package should be directed to: e-mail: participate@nwpajobconnect.org This RFP is available for download at https://www.nwpajobconnect.org/grants-rfps reserves the right to change any of the enclosed specifications as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and without prior notice to bidders. also reserves the right to reject any and all proposals in whole or in part and/or not award any of the proposals. Page 1 of 16
Table of Contents Section I Synopsis Section 1A Overview page 3 Section 1B Scope of Services page 3 Section 1C Deliverables page 4 Section II Contract Information Section 2A Period of Contract page 4 Section 2B Eligible Applicants page 4 Section 2C Type of Contract page 5 Section 2D Timeline page 5 Section III Conditions of Solicitation Section 3A Disclaimers page 5 Section 3B Criteria for Proposal Evaluation page 6 Section 3C Appeals Process page 6 Section 3D Certificates, Licenses and Registrations page 7 Section 3E Cooperative Program Participation & Monitoring page 7 Section IV Proposal Instructions Section 4A General Format page 7 Section 4B Narrative page 8 Section 4C Budget page 8 Section 4D References page 8 Attachment I page 9 Attachment II page 11 Attachment III page 13 Attachment IV page 15 Page 2 of 16
Section I: Synopsis A) Overview is a non-profit, government-funded organization, formerly known as the Northwest Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board, serving Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Venango, and Warren Counties. Reference to the region in this RFP refers to the six aforementioned counties. This Request for Proposal (RFP) is to establish a contract with a facilitator that will work with staff to manage logistics associated with the Northwest Partnerships for Apprenticeships project. Value of the contract not to exceed $27,000. Instructions for submitting proposals are included in this RFP. Interested parties must complete the proposal package as instructed and submit without exception by 11:59 a.m. on Friday, 29 March 2019 to participate@nwpajobconnect.org. The selected Facilitator will be compensated with PA Department of Labor & Industry State Apprenticeship Expansion grant funds. plans to fund a proposal that encompasses all or part of the requested activities and services. B) Scope of Services The Facilitator will create a plan for increasing the number of employers in the sixcounty region that offer apprenticeships in traditional and non-traditional occupations. The Facilitator will also build awareness of apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships programs through a campaign of targeted information sessions for students and parents to educate them on the benefits of participation. will establish a contract with a facilitator that will work with staff to manage logistics associated with the Northwest Partnerships for Apprenticeships project. This contract will be structured as a project management and facilitation contract for services rendered. The selected organization will report to the staff. Value of the contract not to exceed $27,000. Essential duties and responsibilities may include: - Developing agendas for meetings with key stakeholders, to include, but not limited to: economic development organizations (e.g. Economic Development Corporations, Chambers of Commerce, Redevelopment Authorities); employers; training providers and other educational institutions (i.e. K-12, postsecondary, Career & Technical Centers); and, students, parents and job-seekers. Page 3 of 16
- staff will work with the facilitator to develop a comprehensive directory of stakeholders and a calendar of outreach events in each of the six counties of the region. The series of meetings will be divided by stakeholder groups, beginning with economic development, then employers, followed by trainers/educators, and finally, parents/students/job-seekers. - Conduct meetings for each of the four identified stakeholder groups in the six counties of the region (Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Venango, and Warren) up to 24 meetings total. - Produce a report of findings from stakeholder meetings. The report will: identify what will be necessary to support an expansion of pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship opportunities in the market that align with traditional and non-traditional High Priority Occupations in the region; and, include a plan for sustaining the work of partnerships and connections created during the process. C) Deliverables - Provide weekly written progress report to staff to meet requirements for reporting to the state. - Successful execution of meetings with stakeholders that will inform and build on awareness of apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships in Northwest Pennsylvania; - A report that identifies gaps and offers reasonable recommendations for increasing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs in High Priority Occupations. - Creation of a systemic and collaborative network of stakeholders, at the county and regional level, focused on apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities in the region. - Ensure that, upon request, appropriate aids and services are generally provided for qualified persons with disabilities to participate equally in the programs, services, and activities of this contract. Section II: Contract Information A) Period of Contract This request for proposals will cover 12 April 2019 to 30 June 2019. B) Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants include individuals, organizations/agencies with demonstrated ability and experience in strategic planning, project management, and/or marketing. Other related field, experience in social services, education and/or community development is beneficial. Page 4 of 16
C) Type of Contract A contract entered into as a result of this RFP will be considered a Fee for Service Contract with a line-item budget. You will be required to maintain the documentation necessary to support your reported costs for seven years and make it available for monitoring by the local board, state or federal government. The successful bidder will enter into a contract with the County of Venango, fiscal agent for, which outlines a detailed project plan and payment structure. D) Timeline Release of RFP: Friday, 15 March 2019 Bidder questions must be submitted in writing no later than 25 March 2019 by 11:59 a.m. EDT to participate@nwpajobconnect.org All answers to bidder questions will be posted prior to proposal due date to https://www.nwpajobconnect.org/grants-rfps Proposal due date: Friday, 29 March 2019 at 11:59 a.m. EDT Anticipated award of contract: 12 April 2019 Contract end date: 30 June 2019 Part III: Conditions of Solicitation A) Disclaimers - This Request for Proposals (RFP) does not commit to award a contract. - All funding is contingent upon the availability of funds and continued state and federal authorization for program activities in the Northwest Pennsylvania Workforce Development Area. - may select a firm based on its initial proposal received, without discussion of the proposal. Accordingly, each proposal should be submitted on the most favorable terms, from a price and technical standpoint, that the bidder can submit to. - reserves the right to request additional information from any applicant, request oral presentations from applicants, or conduct site visits with any applicant before a contract award. - reserves the right to fund portions of a proposal, or to reject any and all proposals in whole or in part. Rejection of a portion of a proposal does not necessarily negate the entire proposal. - No costs will be paid to cover the expense of preparing a proposal or procuring a contract for services or supplies. Page 5 of 16
- All data, material, and documentation originated and prepared by the bidder pursuant to the contract shall belong exclusively to and be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, Right to Know Law, or other applicable legislation. - The contract award(s) will not be final until and the successful bidder have executed a mutually satisfactory contractual agreement. No activity may begin prior to the award and official notice to proceed from. - The submission of a proposal warrants that the costs quoted for services in response to the RFP are not more than those that would be charged any other individual for the same services performed by the bidder. - A submitted proposal may be withdrawn prior to the proposal due date (29 March 2019 11:59 a.m.). A written request to withdraw the proposal must be submitted to. If a bidder does not withdraw a proposal by the due date, the proposal becomes the property of and may be subject to public disclosure. Bidders are advised that most documents in the possession of are public records and subject to disclosure. - may, at its discretion, adjust the level of funding provided to successful bidders under this RFP and/or consider the funding of proposals not initially funded under this RFP at a later date. - All programs and activities are designated as an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. B) Criteria for Proposal Evaluation and Selection, through it s fiscal agent, will contract with a bidder that best demonstrates the ability to meet requirements as specified in this RFP. Bidders submitting a response will be evaluated based on the capacity and experience demonstrated in the proposal, proposal budget, and references. All proposals will be evaluated by a review team. Proposals containing assumptions, lack of sufficient detail, poor organization, and lack of proofreading will be evaluated accordingly. C) Appeals Process Any respondent who has submitted a response to this RFP may appeal an award announcement. The process for appealing an award is as follows: - All protest, appeal or complaints must be submitted in writing to NWPA Job Connect within five (5) working days of the award announcement addressed to the Director for review and to determine merit. In order for an appeal to be found to have merit, it must show that any substantial portion of the RFP process or federal procurement guidelines was violated. Only appeals that cite the specific section(s) of the RFP that have been violated will be considered. Page 6 of 16
- If protests, appeals or complaints are found to have merit, the appeal will be evaluated by the Executive Committee and then by the Board. The decision made by the board will be final. - Appeals received after the established deadline (19 April 2019) will not be accepted. Appeals may not dispute a particular score received by the petitioning agency, or the scores assigned to a competing agency. The scores awarded are final and are not subject to question by an appealing agency. D) Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations The successful organization will be required to travel regularly throughout the six-county region at any time of the year and outside the region as needed. The ability to travel is considered an essential function of the project. Accordingly, the successful organization s representative for this project must possess a current, valid driver s license and maintain private adequate auto insurance. The program provider whose proposal is approved for funding will be required to submit original Certificates of Insurance showing all coverage in force, including liability and workers compensation, and showing or it s fiscal agent as the certificate holder, prior to a contract being signed by County of Venango as fiscal agent. Certificate of Insurance does not have to be submitted with proposal. Documents will be due immediately upon approval of your proposal in order to execute the contract agreement. E) Cooperative Program Participation & Monitoring The reserves the right to monitor and audit all programs which receive funding, at any time and for 7 years following the completion of the contract, to assure proper program management, contract compliance, adherence to the performance standards stipulated in the contract, and any other area deemed necessary by the United States Department of Labor and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Section IV: Proposal Instructions A) General Format Proposals must be submitted in PDF and Microsoft Word formats and not exceed twelve double-spaced pages in 12-point font. Please insert page numbers and assemble the proposal as follows: Attachment I - Proposal Synopsis Form - Narrative (to include items from Scope of Services section) Attachment II - Budget (do not count towards 12-page limit) Page 7 of 16
Attachment III - Statement of Compliance Form (do not count towards 12-page limit) Attachment IV - References (do not count towards 12-page limit) Proposal package must be submitted electronically without exception by 11:59 a.m. on Friday, 29 March 2019 to participate@nwpajobconnect.org. B) Narrative Your Company 1. Briefly describe your firm s history and background. 2. Provide evidence of your firm s financial status and stability. 3. Discuss any impending changes in your organization that could impact the delivery of services. 4. Has your firm been subject to any lawsuits or settlements within the last five years? 5. Identify staff that will be assigned to the project and their experience. 6. Have you or your organization/agency been debarred or suspended from receiving federal or state grants, contracts, or assistance? Performance 1. Describe why your firm is qualified to undertake this project. 2. Describe how the firm proposes to fulfill the duties and achieve the deliverables of the project, as noted on page3 and 4 of this RFP. Please include a timeline. 3. Describe how the firm will track and monitor compliance with deliverables and timeline of this project. C) Budget Contract amount not to exceed $27,000. Itemized budget to include: 1. staff salaries with approximate time allocations 2. mileage 3. stakeholder meeting expenses and report dissemination D) References Provide two references from current or past clients during the last 5 years. For each reference please include: - Organization Name - Contact Name and Title - Address - Phone Number - Email Address Page 8 of 16
Attachment # 1 Page 9 of 16
Proposal Synopsis Form Organization Street Address City, State, Zip Code Contact Person Telephone E-mail Website Amount Requested $ Narrative Your Company 1. Briefly describe your firm s history and background. 2. Provide details of your firm s financial status and stability. 3. Discuss any impending changes in your organization that could impact the delivery of services. 4. Has your firm been subject to any lawsuits or settlements within the last five years? 5. Identify staff that will be assigned to the project and their experience. 6. Have you or your organization/agency been debarred or suspended from receiving federal or state grants, contracts, or assistance? Performance 1. Describe why your firm is qualified to undertake this project. 2. Describe how the firm proposes to fulfill the duties and achieve the deliverables of the project, as noted on page3 and 4 of this RFP. Please include a timeline. 3. Describe how the firm will track and monitor compliance with deliverables and timeline of this project. Page 10 of 16
Attachment # 2 Page 11 of 16
Budget Contract amount not to exceed $27,000. Itemized budget to include: Item Description Amount 1. Staff salaries with $ approximate time allocations 2. Mileage $ 3. Stakeholder meeting and report dissemination expenses: materials (including printing and outreach) associated with stakeholder meetings; final report dissemination $ TOTAL $ Page 12 of 16
Attachment # 3 Page 13 of 16
Statement of Compliance Form As the authorized signatory official for: Organization Submitting Lead I hereby certify: That the above-named proposer is legally authorized to submit this application requesting funding That the above-named proposer does hereby agree to execute all work related to this application in accordance with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, U.S. Department of Labor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry issuances, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, (NWPA Job Connect) policies and guidelines, and any other relevant administrative requirements issued by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. That the above-named proposer will ensure special efforts to prevent fraud and other program abuses, such as but not limited to, deceitful practices, intentional misconduct, willful misrepresentation, and improper conduct which may or may not be fraudulent in nature; and That the contents of the application are truthful and accurate and the above-named proposer agrees to comply with the policies stated in this application and that this application represents a firm request subject only to mutually agreeable negotiations; and that the above-named proposer is in agreement that reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal for funding; and that the above-name proposer has not been debarred or suspended from receiving federal grants, contracts, or assistance; and that the above-named proposer waives any right to claims against the members or staff of. Typed Name of Authorized Representative Title of Authorized Representative Signature of Authorized Representative Date Page 14 of 16
Attachment # 4 Page 15 of 16
References Provide contact information for two current or past clients as references from the last 5 years. For each reference please include: Organization Name; Contact name and Title; Mailing Address; Phone Number; and, Email Address. Reference 1 Organization Name Contact Name and Title Mailing Address Phone Number Email Address Reference 2 Organization Name Contact Name and Title Mailing Address Phone Number Email Address Page 16 of 16