DWDB’s funding guidelines govern the expenditure of all monies (including State and Federal funds) expended by the DWDB and DOL-DET, outlining how the DWDB and its joint administrative entity, DOL-DET, disburse funds. The Funding guidelines work in tandem with DOL-DET Policy 1 “Client Flow,” the Demand Occupation list, the ITA manual, and the RFP process to develop a unified approach to youth activities, adult, and dislocated workers.

Complete copies of both the In-School and Out of School RFPs are available in Appendix J, and online at https://wib.delawareworks.com/index.php

• REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

IN SCHOOL YOUTH PROGRAMS

ISSUED BY DELAWARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD

RFP NUMBER LAB 18 001-INSCHTRNG

Program Year 2018

July 1, 2018-June 30, 2020

I. Overview

The State of Delaware, Delaware Workforce Development Board (“DWDB” or the “State of Delaware”) seeks professional services to provide high quality programming for in school youth with barriers to secondary school completion, employment and post-secondary enrollment. Programs should include career exploration and guidance, comprehensive guidance and counseling, continuing support for educational attainment, and opportunities for occupational skills training in in-demand industries and occupations. Programs should be designed to culminate with a good job along a career pathway and/or enrollment in postsecondary education. This request for proposals (“RFP”) is issued pursuant to 29 Del. C. §§ 6981 and 6982.

The proposed schedule of events subject to the RFP is outlined below:

Public Notice: February 12, 2018

Pre-Bid Meeting, Mandatory: March 7, 2018 at 9:00 AM-12:00PM

Deadline for Questions: March 14, 2018

Response to Questions Posted: March 21, 2018

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals March 29, 2018 at 1:00 PM

Oral Presentations and Clarification: Week of April 30th

DWDB Meeting: May 15, 2018

(Funding Recommendation Vote)

Estimated Notification of Award: Date: May 21, 2018

Mandatory Pre-bid Meeting

A mandatory pre-bid meeting has been scheduled for March 7, 2018 9:00 AM-12:00 PM. The meeting will take place at Delaware Technical Community College, Terry Campus, 100 Campus Drive Dover, DE 19904 in the Education and Technology Building, Room 741 A/B. This is a mandatory meeting. In the event the State of Delaware is closed or has weather-related delays that impact the scheduled Pre-bid meeting, a make-up date is scheduled for March 16, 2018 9:00 AM-12:00 PM at the Buena Vista Conference Center located at 661 South DuPont Highway New Castle, DE 19720. If a Provider does not attend this meeting, they shall be disqualified and shall not be considered for further evaluation. The pre-bid meeting is very important for applicants and those who desire a compliant submission. This meeting will serve to explain the RFP, the RFP process, and address any questions or concerns from potential bidders. To register, email DWDBDETContracting@state.de.us with your name, organization, contact phone number and email, and number of people attending. You do not have to register to attend, but attendance is mandatory.

II. Scope of Services

For definitions of terms used throughout this RFP, refer to Appendix E, Definitions.

A. Funding

Both Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (“WIOA”) and State Blue Collar (“BC”) funds will fund youth served through this program. Successful Providers will be awarded two (2) contracts, one (1) for each funding source to operate the program. Regardless, both contracts will provide the same services to operate one (1) program. The anticipated aggregate amount of WIOA funding available for all programs to be funded through this RFP is $475,000. The anticipated aggregate amount for BC funding available for all programs to be funded through his RFP is $625,000. The funding level identified is an estimate, based on historical information. The estimate is subject to change without notice. This is the anticipated amount for one (1) year. It is expected that the same amount will be available for the second year and Providers should propose services covering a two (2) year timeframe and budget to do so.

B. Population

In School Youth is defined as an individual who is:

1. Attending any school, including an alternative school, when that education leads to a State of Delaware High School Diploma;

2. Not younger than age 14 or older than age 21 at the time of enrollment;

3. Meets the definition of a low-income individual* (see Attachment E, Definitions); and

4. Meets the definition of at least one (1) of the following barriers: • Basic Skills Deficient;

• An English Language Learner;

• An offender;

• A homeless individual;

• A foster child;

• Pregnant or parenting;

• An individual with a disability; or

• An individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.

*Youth served with BC funds do not have to meet the definition of low-income individual but shall meet all other eligibility requirements.

All youth served must be determined and documented as eligible prior to enrolling by the Provider in accordance with the Department of Labor, Division of Employment and Training’s (DET) policies.

C. Program Design

The intent of this RFP is to fund programs that provide services focused on long-term intervention strategies to enable in-school youth with barriers to secondary school completion, employment and post-secondary enrollment to complete High School career and college ready. Programs should offer youth a broad range of services that may begin at age 14. Listed below are mandated program elements. While, programs are not required to directly provide all of the following program elements, programs are required to ensure youth have access to every program element in order to provide a comprehensive program. Proposals should clearly identify which mandated elements will be directly provided and which will be provided by partners, by purchasing (e.g. Occupational Skills Training), or by other linkages. In addition, not all youth are required to receive all mandated program elements. Youth should receive all elements that are appropriate to achieving their education and employment, goals as identified in their individual service strategy plans.

Mandated Program Elements:

1. Tutoring, study skills training, instruction, and evidence-based dropout prevention and recovery strategies that lead to completion of the requirements for a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent (including a recognized certificate of attendance or similar document for individuals with disabilities) or for a recognized postsecondary credential.

2. Alternative secondary school services, or dropout recovery services, as appropriate.

3. Paid and unpaid work experience that have as a component academic and occupational education, which may include - (i) summer employment opportunities and other employment opportunities available throughout the school year; (ii) pre-apprenticeship programs; (iii) internships and job shadowing; and (iv) on-the-job training (“OJT”) opportunities.

4. Occupational skill training-All occupational skills training shall lead to recognized postsecondary credentials that are aligned with in-demand industry sectors or occupations. If the program design is centered around a specific occupation or industry, the training must be in in-demand occupations which can be found in Appendix D. Requests to provide training leading to an occupation not found on the in-demand occupations list in Appendix D may be made. Proposals for occupational skills training in occupations not targeted here are permissible with comprehensive documentation supporting the need for training. The supportive documentation must accompany the proposal.

5. Education offered concurrently with - and in the same context as - workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster.

6. Leadership development opportunities, which may include community service and peer-centered activities encouraging responsibility and other positive social and civic behaviors, as appropriate.

7. Supportive services.

8. Adult mentoring for the period of participation and a subsequent period, for a total of not less than 12 months.

9. Follow-up services for not less than 12 months after the completion of participation, as appropriate.

10. Comprehensive guidance and counseling, which may include drug and alcohol abuse counseling or referrals. Comprehensive guidance and counseling begins at the point of enrollment and continues for the entire period that the youth is in the program. It is the central activity of case management and does not end until 12 months after the youth exits the program.

11. Financial literacy education.

12. Entrepreneurial skills training.

13. Services that provide labor market and employment information about in-demand industry sectors or occupations available in the local area, such as career awareness, career counseling, and career exploration services.

14. Post-secondary preparation and transition activities.

Essential Functions

In order to implement programs, the following are considered essential functions and are required of successful Providers:

1. All Providers are responsible for recruitment, determining and documenting eligibility, and data entry of participant information and activities into Delaware JobLink (DJL) and in accordance with DET policies and procedures.

2. All Providers are required to provide an objective assessment of the academic and skill levels, service needs, and developmental needs of the participant in order to identify appropriate services and career pathways.

3. All Providers will assess reading and math skills. Basic language and numeric skills training will be provided concurrently with skills training as appropriate. Assessments provided by the local education agency (e.g. Smarter Balance, PSAT, and SAT) may be used to assess reading and math skills. Providers may also assess by using an assessment approved by the National Reporting System found here https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/13/2016-29899/tests-determined-to-be-suitable-for-use-in-the-national-reporting-system-for-adult-education under the “Approved Test, Forms, and Approval Periods”.

4. All Providers will ensure that analyzing and solving problems, soft skills, competency in foundation mathematics, reading skills and good attendance is taught and reinforced continually as important and interrelated parts of the program.

5. All Providers are required to develop Individualized Service Strategies (“ISS”) for each participant. The ISS will include an ultimate employment goal, along with incremental work readiness, academic steps and credentials needed to achieve the goal. The ISS should be linked to one (1) or more of the performance measures and identify career pathways including education and employment goals (along with nontraditional employment if appropriate). The ISS should list all appropriate services for the participant based on the assessment(s) conducted. The ISS will be reviewed and updated regularly.

6. All Providers will ensure youth program personnel are available beyond nontraditional hours of operation to provide needed support and services when applicable.

7. All Providers will offer training appropriate to the intended job placement opportunity and demonstrate that the curriculum being offered through proposed training meets the current and projected needs of the local employers.

8. All Providers will offer programming that will allow trainees to earn a Diploma, GED, and/or other Credential.

9. All Providers will provide effective connections to employers, including small employers, in in-demand industry sectors and occupations of the local and regional labor markets in order to: a. Explore careers and industries;

b. Provide work based learning where participants have the opportunity to engage and learn from employers. This can include job shadowing, paid/unpaid work experience/internship, and clinical;

c. Demonstrate linkages between academic instruction and occupational training; and

d. Prepare students for unsubsidized employment opportunities.

10. All Providers will utilize Delaware Job Link to maximize participants’ job search and placement. At a minimum, this will include a current updated resume built in Delaware Job Link.

11. All Providers will provide supportive services to ensure retention and success. Providers that request supportive services will document linkages with other human service Providers.

12. All Providers will provide retention services, as necessary, including during the day and evening to meet performance measures for 12 months following exit of participants.

13. All Providers will maintain documentation for each participant, including eligibility, attendance, assessments, credentials, certificates, measurable skill gains, and outcomes. Providers will provide documentation to DWDB, DET and/or their designees upon request.

D. Bonus Points

The DWDB will award Bonus Points in three (3) areas. They are not required, only desired. Proposals can seek Bonus Points for more than one (1) of these areas, if more than one applies.

They are:

1. Promise Communities-The DWDB encourages service delivery targeted to serve Promise Communities. Up to 10 points can be allotted to proposals that demonstrate service delivery in at least one (1) promise community. This should be described in the proposal. The DWDB defines promise communities as these geographic areas/zip codes:

2. Pathways-The DWDB encourages alignment and support with the Pathways in schools. Up to 6 points can be allotted to proposals that demonstrate program design that focuses on strategies that support students to identify and complete their chosen Career and Technical Education (“CTE”) Program of Study. All CTE programs must be State of Delaware approved and provide youth with the opportunity to earn early college credit, industry credential(s), and participate in meaningful work experiences. This should be described in the proposal. In addition, those who are proposing to receive bonus points in this category may propose to use up to six (6) months for cooperative planning with the local education agency(ies) included in the linkage team.

3. Leveraged Resources-The DWDB encourages the use of braided funding from multiple sources to achieve programmatic goals. Up to four (4) points can be allotted to proposals that demonstrate a collaboration through direct financial or in-kind contributions by other programs, employers, investors, stakeholder, etc. This should be described in the proposal.

For the entire evaluation criteria and points, see section (IV)(C)(4).