REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Transcription

1 OFFICE OF ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3315 Oakland, CA REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) For WORKFORCE INVESTMENT AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (WIOA) ON-CALL EMPLOYER SERVICES (BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT and SERVICES) FISCAL YEARS Due Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 2:00 PM Pacific JANUARY 27, 2016 Oakland Rising Together! 1

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION... 1 A. Overview of Application Requirements... 1 B. Goals of the RFP... 2 C. Eligible Bidders... 2 D. Funding Availability and Duration of Contracts... 2 E. Background Information... 3 F. OWIB RFP Goals... 5 G. Priority Industry Sectors and Career Pathways... 5 H. Stakeholder Engagement Informing the RFP... 6 II. SCOPE OF SERVICES... 8 A. Overview of Solicited Services... 8 B. Eligibility and Desired Qualifications of Bidders... 9 C. Collaboration... 9 D. Contract Period E. Funding Availability and Budget F. Required Match and Leveraging of Resources G. Scope of Services H. Businesses to Be Served I. Required and Recommended Partnerships J. Staffing Structure K. Performance Measurement and Accountability III. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS A. General Information B. Proposal Review Process C. Submittal Requirements D. Required Proposal Elements and Format E. Rejection of Proposal Elements F. Evaluation of Proposals G. Interviews of Short-listed Firms H. RFP Timeline I. Contract Negotiations and Award J. Appeals Process IV. APPENDICES A. Required Proposal Checklist B. Required Proposal Forms C. Summary of WIOA Employer Services Requirements and Definitions D. OWIB Training Services Policies and Procedures... 49

3 E. Sample City of Oakland Grant Agreement F. Sample Quarterly Program Report G. Stand-Alone Schedules Required Before Full Contract H. City Schedules and Policies The Combined Contract Schedules will be collected from the successful proposer before a final decision is made and up to full contract execution. It may be viewed at: dex.htm or at 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza Suite 3341, Oakland, CA Contracts and Compliance Division. Also request a copy by from isupplier@oaklandnet.com.

4 I. Introduction A. Overview of Application Requirements This Request for Proposals (RFP) is being issued by the City of Oakland, Office of Economic and Workforce Development/Workforce Investment Board (OWIB). Pre-proposal Meeting Date and Time (Highly-Recommended): Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 2:00 PM at Hearing Room 2, City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 1 st Fl., Oakland, CA Deadline for Questions: Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 2:00 PM by to owdbrfp@oaklandnet.com. No questions will be answered by phone or in person, except at the highly-recommended Bidder s Conference. Answers to questions regarding the RFP will be posted by Monday, February 29, 2016 on the OWIB website at and on isupplier as an addendum. Proposal Due Date and Time: Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 2:00 PM submissions should be sent to owdbrfp@oaklandnet.com and hard copies should be delivered to: Office of the City Administrator, Contracts and Compliance Division, 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza 3 rd Floor, Suite 3341, Oakland, CA Phone: (510) Proposals Must Be Received and Time Stamped by Contracts and Compliance Staff No Later Than 2:00 PM on March 8, The Contractor shall be required to comply with all applicable City programs and policies. Details are presented in the project documents and will be discussed at the pre-proposal meeting. Discussions will include, but may not be limited to: Equal Benefits for Registered Domestic Partners Campaign Contribution Post-project Contractor Evaluation Prompt Payment Arizona Boycott 50% L/SLBE (not applicable but 50% L/SLBE participation is strongly encouraged) Dispute Disclosure and Living Wage Minimum Wage Registration in isupplier: Contractors who wish to participate in the RFP process are required to register in isupplier in order to receive addenda, updates, announcements and notifications of contracting opportunities. We recommend updating your firm s primary address regularly and periodically confirming that the Products and Services section fully represents the scope of products and services provided. If you have any questions, please isupplier@oaklandnet.com. For further information and detailed isupplier registration instructions, please visit the following link pdf Free copies of the RFP documents and Addenda are available in isupplier. Hard copies will NOT be available for purchase from the City. Please consult the City website for the Plan Holder list. isupplier Registration/Login: VendororContractor/index.htm. 1

5 New registrants can for registration instructions. Allow 3 working days for approval to access bid documents through isupplier. isupplier Plan Holders List: Login for Organizations Previously Registered in isupplier: Contact Information: The following City staffs are available to answer questions regarding this RFP. 1. Project Manager: John Bailey at JBailey@oaklandnet.com or (510) Contract Admin: Paula Peav at ppeav@oaklandnet.com or (510) Contract Compliance Officer: Vivian Inman at vinman@oaklandnet.com or B. Goals of the RFP The City of Oakland, Office of Economic and Workforce Development / Oakland Workforce Investment Board (OWIB) seeks experienced organizations to provide business engagement and other services to businesses under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), with the ultimate goals of: Helping adults and dislocated workers develop the skills, attain the knowledge, and access the resources needed to thrive in their careers; and Providing employers with the skilled workers needed to sustain and competitively grow their businesses. OWIB will evaluate all timely submissions in response to this Request for Proposals (RFP) and competitively award contracts to bidders whose submissions are most responsive to the need for services described herein. C. Eligible Bidders All 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, public or private educational institutions, government units, public agencies, or private for-profit organizations properly organized in accordance with Federal, State, and local law and in business for at least one year are eligible for funding. This RFP is one of three being issued simultaneously by the Oakland Workforce Investment Board. Bidders to provide Business Engagement and Services may not bid to provide Youth Services or Adult and Dislocated Worker Services. D. Funding Availability and Duration of Contracts OWIB anticipates funding contracts for the one-year period from July 1, 2016 through June 30, Pending performance, compliance, and available funding, each contract will be renewable on an annual basis until June 30, Bidders are asked to submit budgets for a one-year period. At the time of the issuance of this RFP, OWIB has not been informed of the local WIOA allocation for the year. The WIB anticipates awarding one contract of up to $275,000 to provide Business Engagement and Services for the contract year. This amount is subject to change based upon the actual allocation and/or changes approved by the OWIB. 2

6 E. Background Information 1. OWIB Overview and Vision The Oakland Workforce Investment Board (OWIB) was established in 1998 as the fiscal agent responsible for the administration of federally-funded employment and training funds for the City of Oakland. WIB membership is appointed by and works in partnership with the Mayor to set policy and oversee the integration of programs and services to meet the needs of employers and job-seekers. OWIB is currently comprised of business leaders and representatives of labor, education, economic development, social services, rehabilitation agencies, and other community entities. The OWIB s mission is to establish and direct a results-oriented workforce development and business services system that: Assists individuals in developing the skills, attaining the knowledge and accessing the resources needed to thrive in their careers; Provides employers with skilled workers needed to sustain and competitively grow businesses. 2. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Overview On July 22, 2014, President Barack Obama signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. WIOA provides new authorizing legislation for programs previously authorized under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The Act began implementation on July 1, WIOA provides a catalyst for an important transition for federally-funded workforce development programs and services in the United States. OWIB and its contracted service providers will play critical roles in realizing the vision of WIOA for Oakland businesses and job-seekers. Documents issued by DOL in relation to WIOA identify seven important features of high-quality, jobdriven training and employment services. WIOA partners are required to integrate these elements into their strategic planning and program operations. These elements include: Employer Engagement: Work up-front with employers, industry associations, and unions to determine local hiring needs and design responsive training and services, and seek employer commitments to provide work-based learning opportunities and to hire program graduates. Earn-and-Learn: Offer work-based learning opportunities like on-the-job training (OJT), internships, and apprenticeships as training paths to employment. Use of Data: Gather, analyze, and make use of labor market data to inform program offerings, guide job seekers, and improve provider accountability. Outcome Measurement: Measure and evaluate employment and earnings outcomes to inform job-seekers and to help programs continuously improve. Career Pathway Stepping Stones : Support job-seekers progression from one step to another toward education, credentials, and employment goals. Opening Doors: Provide supportive services such as transportation, child care, financial and benefits counseling, and career guidance, as well as accommodations for persons with disabilities, to allow all individuals to benefit from workforce opportunities. Regional Partnerships: Coordinate among One Stop Career Centers, employers, education and training providers, economic development agencies, labor, philanthropy, community-based 3

7 organizations, and other private and public entities in order to leverage resources, design and implement sector strategies, and provide a network of employment, training, and related services. WIOA maintains many of the service provisions included in WIA, with several important changes that will impact the Business Engagement and Services provider contracted under this RFP. Bidders are encouraged to review Appendix C, Summary of WIOA Employer Services Requirements and Definitions. WIOA legislation includes heightened emphasis on addressing the needs of local and regional businesses and aligning service strategies with regional labor markets and economic development activities. Business Services under WIOA may include: Marketing of business services to area employers; Coordinating to improve linkages among the local workforce investment system, other resources not traditionally offered through the system, and employers; Informing the use of WIOA training funds to connect employers with skilled job-seekers; Developing and implementing industry sector strategies (including strategies involving industry partnerships, regional skills alliances, industry skill panels, and sectoral skills partnerships); Developing and delivering innovative workforce investment strategies for employers, such as career pathways, skills upgrading, skill standard development, and apprenticeships; Assistance to area employers in managing reductions in force in coordination with Rapid Response activities (see Section II.G.2 below). Unlike WIA, WIOA requires the tracking of business-related performance measures, which are expected to be defined in the coming year. Bidders under this RFP should be cognizant of WIOA changes and align proposals toward the implementation of WIOA. Temporary guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has been issued in the form of Training and Employment Guidance Letters (TEGLs) and Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs), which are directing employment and training system changes as of July 1, The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has also issued draft directives on WIOA implementation. Following are resources that may be of value to bidders. U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration WIOA Information State of California Employment Development Department WIOA Information USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter WIOA No , Vision for the Workforce System and Initial Implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 3-14, Implementing a Job Driven Workforce System Tuning In to Local Labor Markets: Findings from the Sectoral Employment Impact Study, Public/Private Ventures A New Measure Deserves a New Way of Measuring: An Idea for the WIOA Measure of Effectiveness in Serving Employers, Aspen Institute Workforce Strategies Initiative At the time of issuance of this RFP, formal regulations have not yet been approved. Programs funded by OWIB under this RFP will be expected to make adjustments in programming to comply with future WIOA regulations. 4

8 F. OWIB RFP Goals OWIB s RFP process will identify contractors for delivery of services between July 1, 2016 and June (with possible annual extensions to 2019) in three areas: Adult and Dislocated Worker Services Youth Services Business Engagement and Services The approach to service delivery described in OWIB s RFPs emerged out of a participatory process responding to local need, regional opportunity, and national policy change. OWIB, its Committees, staff, contractors, and diverse community stakeholders contributed to the development of OWIB s Strategic Plan, which lay the groundwork for the RFPs. Subsequently, OWIB and its Committees met to define policy principles and conceptual frameworks for the service models described in these RFPs. Concurrently, OWIB s participation in regional initiatives informed the alignment of strategies with the regional labor market, other WIBs, and opportunities to leverage additional resources. WIOA legislation, summarized in Section I.E.2 above, made imperative many of the system changes already prioritized locally by OWIB. OWIB envisions a system of seamless coordination among providers and partners in the workforce system that can connect residents, particularly those with barriers to employment, to career pathways leading to family-sustaining jobs in growing industries. On March 26, 2015 OWIB approved a set of policy principles reflective of the priorities in WIOA to guide the selection of contractors and the allocation of funding through the RFP process. These include: A results-oriented system that delivers high-quality training, placements, retention, and other outcomes; Services and performance metrics tailored to the needs of Oakland s population; Strong strategic partnerships and leveraging of other public and private funds; Increased and improved employer engagement, particularly through sector strategies; and Increased opportunities for employer-driven training. G. Priority Industry Sectors and Career Pathways OWIB is committed to participating in and advancing regional sector partnerships and strategies. Sector partnerships are regional, employer-driven partnerships of industry, education and training, and other stakeholders that focus on the workforce needs of key industries in a regional labor market. Youth Services providers along with OWIB and other partners -- will contribute to developing career pathways within priority sectors and connecting students, job-seekers, and businesses to related services and opportunities. OWIB has identified four industry sectors to be prioritized for service strategies under contracts. 1 These sectors were identified in OWIB s most recent strategic plan and have been validated by regional sector engagement and labor market analysis. Criteria for the selection of priority sectors include total sector employment, projected sector employment growth, and availability of entry-level and mid-level jobs. The WIB s priority industry sectors are: 1 The West Oakland Job Resource Center (WOJRC) is an established Access Point for the building and construction trades, OWIB s fifth priority industry sector. 5

9 Advanced Manufacturing Healthcare Information and Communications Technology (ICT)/Digital Media Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics The Business Engagement and Services provider selected through this RFP will coordinate with OWIB staff, the Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center (COSCC), Sector Access Points, Youth Services providers, and regional partners to serve businesses in these sectors and to provide opportunities for job-seekers and workers to enter and advance in careers in these sectors. Bidders for the Business Engagement and Services contract are encouraged to describe collaborative and innovative approaches to aligning with sector initiatives, leveraging resources and strengthening career pathways in OWIB priority sectors, such as: Convening employers to identify in-demand skills, competencies, and certifications in targeted sectors; Co-hosting sector-focused events; Engaging business associations, labor organizations, and others representing priority industries; Collaborating with education and training providers to align curriculum and work-based learning with industry need in targeted sectors; Using sector data to inform and improve employer engagement strategies; and Otherwise coordinating services with regional sector strategies and career pathways. OWIB s training policy states that Inasmuch as possible, training services shall be directly linked to occupations that are in demand in the Oakland metropolitan area or in another area to which an adult or dislocated worker receiving training services is willing to relocate. To the greatest extent possible, training should be linked to a career pathway in high-growth sectors that have entry-level and midlevel occupations leading to self-sufficiency. For this reason, the Business Engagement and Services provider will be responsible for identifying employer skill needs in the priority industry sectors, approving training services contracts submitted by the Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center and Sector Access Points, collaborating with Sector Access Points to develop sector-specific cohort-based and customized training, collaborating with Youth Services providers to develop Work Experience opportunities for youth, and ensuring that subsidized training is job-driven and furthers OWIB sector strategies and at least 50% of training funds are spent for training in the priority industry sectors. H. Stakeholder Engagement Informing the RFP Between March and June 2015, OWIB conducted a stakeholder engagement process to inform and solicit input from employers, service providers, job-seekers, and workers. The goal of the stakeholder engagement was to identify opportunities for growth and improvement to incorporate into planning for future services. This process reached over 500 people and gathered input from 230 Oakland employers, workers and job-seekers through the following activities: An online survey, circulated through OWIB newsletters, City of Oakland website and s, publication in local media, and the CalJobs enrollment list; In-person surveys, conducted at four OWIB-funded locations by Mills College MBA students in English, Spanish and Cantonese; Executive interviews with a dozen prominent CEOs and human resources professionals in Oakland; and 6

10 Speakers Bureau presentations by OWIB leaders and board members at community and business organizations, offering comment cards as well as the online survey. The following key themes emerged through the stakeholder engagement process and have been incorporated into OWIB s FY RFPs: Oakland job-seekers, workers and employers are navigating a new world of work, where rapidly changing technology, recruitment and training systems shift opportunity. Job seekers ranked paid and unpaid internships, support groups, opportunities to interact with employers, information about industries and employers, and direct referrals to job openings as important services. Oakland employers see a bottom-line benefit from hiring locally, and nearly two-thirds of respondents plan to hire in the next six months. They reported recruiting through community contacts, industry trade groups, and employee networks. Oakland employers in every sector surveyed noted the importance of customer service skills, including communications, empathy and problem-solving at all levels, in all areas of specialization. Employers indicated the importance of workforce services to their future success, and offered to host tours of their facilities, serve on short-term committees or task forces, and make Oakland hiring commitments. 7

11 II. Scope of Services A. Overview of Solicited Services OWIB seeks an experienced organization to provide Business Engagement and Services (BES) under WIOA, with the ultimate goals of connecting businesses with a qualified workforce and helping jobseekers gain employment. OWIB will evaluate all timely submissions in response to this Request for Proposals (RFP) and competitively award contracts to the bidder whose submission is most responsive to the need for services described herein. OWIB intends to establish a BES function within Oakland s workforce development system that: Establishes OWIB and its provider network as trusted and dependable partners addressing the talent and service needs of businesses; Is specialized in and focused on meeting the needs of businesses; Builds long-term relationships in order to better understand and address business needs; Refers businesses to a network of services to support human resources development and business growth; Uses online platforms to facilitate communications and connections across service providers; Contributes to designing and implementing regional, industry-driven sector strategies; Reflects deep understanding of the needs of local job-seekers; and Establishes linkages between employers and job-seeker services by coordinating closely and intentionally with the WIB s One Stop system. Until now, business services in Oakland have been delivered by the One Stop Career Centers and City staff. This RFP solicits proposals for a new service delivery approach that establishes a physical and online presence for BES delivery; dedicates specialized BES staff; and supports the City s and the region s workforce development system with professional services addressing the needs of industry. Bidders are encouraged to refer to effective and evidence-based practices in designing their approach to the service model or models. Several of these practices are referenced in the RFP as examples; bidders are not limited to inclusion of these practices and are encouraged to justify their selection of these and other practices in the proposed service design. Bidders are also encouraged to involve employers, job-seekers, and other community members in program design. Together, the BES provider contracted by OWIB and their partners will deliver a system of coordinated workforce services for Oakland businesses, in partnership with OWIB staff and OWIB-contracted providers of Adult and Dislocated Worker Services and Youth Services. (For additional information, please see Section I, Required and Recommended Partnerships, below.) At the time of the release of this RFP, WIOA guidelines and regulations are forthcoming. Nothing in this RFP is intended to limit the services required to be provided under the WIOA guidelines for the operation and management of services under a WIOA-mandated comprehensive one stop career center or the regulations and guidelines for registration, eligibility and enrollment, basic career services, individualized services, training, tracking, exits, and follow-up; and to the extent not stated in this Scope of Services, those are incorporated by reference. 8

12 B. Eligibility and Desired Qualifications of Bidders All 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, public or private educational institutions, government units, public agencies, or private for-profit organizations properly organized in accordance with Federal, State, and local law and in business for at least one year are eligible for funding. In addition, bidders must exhibit desired qualifications, including the experience, demonstrated track record, and current capacity to: Align services with OWIB s Business and Engagement Services model and other OWIB goals and strategies; Deliver high-quality services resulting in high customer satisfaction; Partner with OWIB, employers, training providers, the Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center, Sector Access Points, Youth Services providers, and other entities to implement a coordinated system of business and job-seeker services; Manage contract to achieve objectives and meet or exceed WIOA performance standards; Maintain appropriate and auditable records; Self-monitor for contract and regulatory compliance; In the case of a collaborative proposal, manage and demonstrate results as the lead in a collaborative service delivery model; Maintain separate accounting records for the OWIB contract, and track costs in sufficient detail to determine compliance with laws and contract requirements; Maintain fiscal controls, accounting procedures, and financial reporting in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and City of Oakland requirements; Respond effectively to changes in fund availability; Make available accounting records upon request for examination, audit, and determination of compliance. Provide information for past and current performance on workforce development contracts. C. Collaboration Bidders are encouraged to propose collaborative service strategies, which may or may not involve the sub-contracting of funds to partner entities. Entities that do not meet the minimum or desired qualifications described above may choose to establish such a partnership with a qualified bidder. While a bidder may only submit one proposal in response to a RFP, a proposal that includes the bidder as a subcontractor will also be considered. When a Business Engagement and Services (BES) contract includes sub-contracts to partner entities, the lead contractor will serve as fiscal agent and will be responsible for ensuring compliance with all terms and conditions of contract administration; fiscal management of the contract; and accountability for program outcomes and budgeted expenditures. Bidders that propose to subcontract any portion of BES funds must clearly identify in the proposal narrative the sub-contractor organization, the services they will provide, justification for sub-contracting to the organization, assurance that non-wioa funds are not available for the provision of these services, and the subcontractor s documented previous success in providing similar services and meeting all contractual obligations, including contractual outcomes. Sub-contractors will be required to report outcome data and to participate in program and financial monitoring, as requested by OWIB and in compliance with WIOA requirements. 9

13 D. Contract Period OWIB anticipates funding contracts for the one-year period from July 1, 2016 through June 30, Pending performance, compliance, and available funding, each contract will be renewable on an annual basis until June 30, Bidders are asked to submit budgets for a one-year period. E. Funding Availability and Budget At the time of the issuance of this RFP, OWIB has not been informed of the local WIOA allocation for the year. OWIB anticipates awarding a single Business Engagement and Services (BES) contract of up to $275,000 for the contract year. This amount is subject to change based upon the actual allocation and/or changes approved by the OWIB. Among the responsibilities of the contracted BES provider will be approval of training fund allocations (including Individual Training Account and On-the-Job Training contracts submitted by the Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center and the Sector Access Points) and development with the Sector Access Points of industry sector-specific Cohort-Based Training and Customized Training. However, training funds should not be included in the bidders proposed budgets. Training funds will be accessed on an as-needed basis through arrangement with the OWIB. F. Required Match and Leveraging of Resources The BES contractor must demonstrate leveraging of non-wioa resources for the delivery of services to Oakland businesses. Committed or projected cash match equivalent to no less than 15% of the amount requested of OWIB must be included in each bidder s budget and described in the budget narrative section of the proposal. Cash match is defined as funds at the disposal of the contractor and to be used specifically for BES activities as described in the contractor s proposal and consistent with the allowable activities of the funding source. Possible sources of cash match include employer or other private contributions, foundation grants, local government contracts, public education funds, and federal grants of non- WIOA funds. Committed cash match must be documented by an attachment to the proposal (e.g., copy of award letter or relevant page of contract document); documentation of projected cash match will be required at the time of contract execution. In-kind, non-cash match will not fulfill the OWIB s 15% match requirement; it should be referenced in the proposal narrative, as appropriate, but should not be included in the Budget Form or Narrative. 10

14 G. Scope of Services 1. Business Engagement and Services OWIB is seeking to identify a Business Engagement and Services (BES) contractor to conduct the following activities toward attainment of the goals and measurable objectives defined below: Goals Employers are aware of resources available through OWIB s workforce investment system Employers identify and hire workers with the necessary skills Measurable Objectives Collaborate with OWIB staff to develop and implement an effective outreach and marketing plan to engage employers Align training opportunities to meet the needs of employers Connect jobseeker and business services to facilitate placements Activities Hire/identify staff with expertise in sales and strategic communication Develop staff knowledge of WIOA, OWIB, and the OWIB network of resources and providers In Year One, establish BES visible presence at a physical location in the City of Oakland (as approved by OWIB) and schedule co-location at the COSCC, Access Points, and Youth Services providers; with a goal of later establishing more regular and integrated presence at the providers Establish virtual presence, including toll-free number and website Collaborate with OWIB staff to develop and implement outreach and marketing plan Assist with Oakland and regional job fairs Develop relationships with and conduct needs assessment of businesses in OWIB priority industry sectors Utilize CalJOBs and the region s customer relationship management (CRM) database to track and disseminate information on employers and employment opportunities Beginning in Year Two, co-host business-focused events Identify training and educational barriers that hinder local hiring and job creation Facilitate partnerships with educators, training providers and employers to develop and market training opportunities to meet the employment needs of businesses Broker, design, and market Customized Training Market and connect employers to On-the-Job Training subsidies, in coordination with the COSCC Actively identify employers with permanent, work experience, and summer job opportunities in priority sectors, and utilize CRM to post job orders Serve as primary point person re: job orders for COSCC, Access Points, and Youth Services providers Conduct initial pre-screen of job-ready candidates per job qualifications Refer appropriate and pre-screened candidates to employers Maintain employer contact to support job retention Contribute to development of strong accountability metrics, and track outcomes 11

15 Regional Collaboration Meets the Needs of Regional Economies Employers Service Needs are Met Employers Provide Work- Based Learning (WBL) Opportunities that Develop the Future Workforce Establish responsive system to meet the needs of priority industry sectors in the region Develop and implement a comprehensive business services strategy Encourage business participation in WBL Facilitate WBL placements Contribute to design and customization of the regional CRM database Gather and synthesize information on business needs and labor market trends, including coordination of labor market studies Serve as resource to One Stops, Youth Services providers, and regional sector strategies on business needs and labor market trends Participate and provide leadership with OWIB staff in regional sector strategy and career pathway initiatives and development Facilitate BES-related communication and coordination among providers Recommend changes to the workforce development system in order to improve employer satisfaction Build relationships with regional business services providers in order to link business customers to available resources and services, i.e. business start-up assistance, loans, industry roundtables, human resources assistance, etc. Develop strong partnership and align strategies with the City of Oakland, Office of Economic Development Refer businesses to a network of services and supports, through required and recommended partnerships (as described in Section II.I below) Refer and connect businesses to appropriate incumbent worker training Deliver Rapid Response and Layoff Aversion services to businesses (as described in Section II.G.2 below) Promote and facilitate sector strategies, career pathways, and apprenticeship programs among businesses Market opportunities for businesses to coordinate with OWIB, its contracted service providers, and education partners to provide WBL Identify employers with interest in providing WBL, and utilize CRM and other means to communicate these to OWIB Youth and Adult and Dislocated Worker service providers and to education partners The Business Engagement and Services (BES) contractor will work in close coordination with OWIB staff to achieve the goals and objectives stated above. In Year One, the contractor and OWIB staff will define policies and procedures related to the BES function, referral mechanisms, and integration with Adult and Youth Services. The BES contractor and OWIB staff will also work to establish on-line systems, including contributions to the development of the region s CRM database and protocols. Specific deliverables related to the scope of services will be defined in contract negotiations. In Year One and subsequent years, the BES contractor and OWIB staff will work together to continuously adapt a business engagement and services function that is responsive to the changing needs of industry and the regional economy. 12

16 Bidders must describe strategies that will be employed to effectively conduct the activities and achieve the goals and measurable objectives described above. Bidders are encouraged to involve employers, job-seekers, and other community members in program design. Bidders are also encouraged to refer to effective and evidence-based practices in designing their approach to the service model or models. 2. Rapid Response/Layoff Aversion Services Rapid Response Services, as mandated by the EDD Directive WSD14-3, are services delivered to businesses and employees of companies that are experiencing downsizing through layoffs or closure and may have also been impacted by a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) issued by the State of California. These services include, but are not limited to, on-site contact with employers, representatives of the affected workers (including labor unions), and the local community, providing information on and facilitating access to: appropriate short- and long-term resources for finding new jobs and/or upgrading skills; assistance with applications for Unemployment Insurance; and job search workshops and other needed group intervention activities. The Business Engagement and Services (BES) contractor will serve as the lead and primary contact for businesses issuing WARN notices, in conjunction with the activities of the City of Oakland s Department of Economic and Workforce Development Agency (DEWD) Economic Development staff. BES will coordinate layoff aversion and rapid response services and convene partners to provide those services. If requested, the Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center (COSCC) and the Sector Access Points will be responsible for providing Rapid Response Services to employees of these businesses. Services that may be requested by BES and provided by the COSCC and Sector Access Points include: Review affected workers assistance needs. Coordinate and conduct Rapid Response workshop presentations to assist with career transition, job search tools and skills, résumé preparation, and interviewing techniques. Assess re-employment prospects for workers in the local community, working in collaboration with the WIB s Business Engagement and Services contractor. Provide information on resources to meet the short and long-term needs of affected workers. Establish a process of referring affected employees to the COSCC, Sector Access Points, and other OWIB resources. OWIB s BES contractor will deliver comprehensive engagement and layoff aversion strategies and activities for businesses in transition in order to prevent or minimize unemployment. These services include: Ongoing engagement, partnership, and relationship-building activities with businesses, in order to create an environment for successful layoff aversion efforts; Providing assistance to employers in managing reductions in force, which may include early identification of firms at risk of layoffs, assessment of the needs of and options for at-risk firms, and the delivery of services to address these needs; Immediately contacting an affected employer, workers or their representatives, and the local community, to assess the layoff situation and develop a strategy to address it; Convening service partners, such as the Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center and appropriate Sector Access Points, to deliver services to affected businesses and workers; Connecting businesses to resources such as loans, business assistance programs, market analyses, and economic development activities to address needs and prevent layoffs; 13

17 Connecting businesses and workers to short-term, on-the-job, or customized training programs and apprenticeships before or after layoff; Developing systems and processes for identifying and gathering information for early warning of potential layoffs or opportunities for layoff aversion; Analyzing, and acting upon, data and information on dislocations and other economic activity in the state, region, and local area; Developing and maintaining partnerships with other Federal, State and local agencies and officials, business associations, technical councils, industry councils, labor organizations, and other public and private organizations, as applicable. Tracking outcome and performance data and information related to the activities of the Rapid Response program. 3. Training Services The Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center (COSCC) will partner with the contracted Business Engagement and Services (BES) provider to administer Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) for Adults and Dislocated Workers. ITAs will be assigned to eligible, WIOA-enrolled customers according to their Individual Career Plans. The COSCC will provide customers with information about training providers on the Eligible Training Provider List to inform the choice of training. The COSCC will also assess participant skills, interests, and readiness for training to ensure appropriate referrals to training services, which must be approved by the BES provider. The COSCC will secure and maintain on file all necessary paperwork related to the ITAs and will coordinate with OWIB staff, the BES provider, and the contracted Sector Access Points to assure the strategic use of ITAs within priority industry sectors. At minimum 50% of ITAs will be applied toward training leading to credentials in OWIB priority sectors. The COSCC will also partner with OWIB s BES provider to administer On-the-Job Training contracts (OJTs). OJTs will be allocated to employers identified by the BES provider that are committed to meeting WIOA requirements and delivering high-quality on-the-job training to enrolled individuals. OJTs will be assigned to eligible, WIOA-enrolled job-seekers and workers according to their Individual Career Plans. The COSCC will assess participant skills, interests, and readiness for training to ensure referrals to appropriate OJT opportunities, which will be administered by the BES provider. The COSCC will also secure and maintain on file all necessary job-seeker and worker paperwork related to the OJTs and will coordinate with OWIB staff, the BES provider, and the Sector Access Points to assure the strategic use of OJTs within priority industry sectors. The COSCC will coordinate with OWIB staff, Sector Access Points, and the Business Engagement and Services contractor to facilitate customer access to WIOA-funded cohort-based training delivered by the Access Points and Customized Training administered by the Business Engagement and Services contractor. The COSCC will demonstrate regional partnerships with providers of the full range of training services needed by clients to enter and advance along career pathways, with an emphasis on OWIB priority industry sectors. 4. Marketing The Business Engagement and Services contractor will conduct outreach and marketing activities with the goal of informing businesses particularly those in OWIB priority industry sectors about services available through BES and its partners. Outreach and recruitment methods may include phone calls, site visits, formal advertising, electronic media, flyers, brochures, word- of-mouth and other methods of dissemination. The BES provider must ensure that the outreach and recruitment is coordinated with 14

18 Adult and Dislocated Worker and Youth Services providers, as well as OWIB staff. All outreach and recruitment materials must feature approved OWIB branding and must be approved by the City as System Administrator prior to publication. 5. Location of Services OWIB s contracted Business Engagement and Services (BES) provider will represent OWIB in a variety of community settings, at the Oakland Small Business Assistance Center, at the Comprehensive One- Stop Career Center (COSCC) and Sector Access Points, at Youth Services facilities, at employer locations, and virtually. The BES contractor must establish a physical presence at a location within the City of Oakland and branded as OWIB s BES location. The bidder is asked to propose a physical location in the proposal narrative. Possible locations include the City of Oakland s Small Business Assistance Center, colocation with another OWIB contractor or partner, or at the contractor s own facility. Selection of the BES location will be subject to OWIB approval. The contractor s Business Engagement Liaison(s) must establish co-location agreements with the COSCC, each Sector Access Point, and as appropriate each Youth Services provider. OWIB staff will facilitate dialogue among the system providers to determine the most mutually beneficial co-location strategies for the system. The BES contractor also must establish a virtual presence that is branded as OWIB s BES and approved by OWIB. This must include a page on the OWIB website created and maintained by the contractor, as well as an active social media presence. The contractor must also maintain a toll-free phone number that is available to businesses with interest in or in need of services. The bidder is asked to describe a plan to meet these requirements in the proposal narrative. H. Businesses to Be Served The Business Engagement and Services (BES) contractor will serve primarily Oakland businesses. Outreach, marketing, and engagement of businesses in the larger East Bay region may occur in fulfillment of regional sector strategies. The BES contractor will target small, medium and large businesses in OWIB s priority industry sectors (see Section I.G above) in accordance with OWIB priorities and strategies and in collaboration with the Sector Access Points. The BES contractor will support the Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center s engagement of out-of-sector businesses in response to individual job-seeker needs; however, this will be limited to the sharing of marketing materials and alignment of strategies, while the BES contractor s direct engagement and services will be focused on OWIB s priority industry sectors. However, the BES will respond promptly and provide high-quality service to businesses from all industry sectors who contact it seeking services. I. Required and Recommended Partnerships 1. Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center, Sector Access Points, and Youth Services Providers OWIB s Business Engagement and Services (BES) contractor, together with the Comprehensive One Stop Career Center (COSCC), Sector Access Points, Youth Services providers, and OWIB staff, will work together to create and maintain a comprehensive system of workforce development services serving 15

19 Oakland s job-seekers, workers, and businesses, with a focus on OWIB priority industry sectors and career pathways. Bidders are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the RFPs for the other system components to inform the BES design and coordinate strategies. Representatives of the BES, COSCC, Sector Access Point, and Youth Services contractors will be required to participate in mandatory biweekly meetings, for the purpose of relationship-building, information-sharing, design and implementation of collaborative programming, individual case review, service referrals, and realization of a coordinated system of service delivery. OWIB staff will convene these meetings, which will rotate among the contractors service locations. 2. Education and Training Providers OWIB s BES contractor will be expected to establish working relationships with education and training providers, in order to inform training content aligned with industry needs and connect employers with graduates of appropriate training programs. Training may be delivered by public, private, or non-profit providers. The BES contractor must demonstrate a training partnership with, at minimum, Oakland s community college district partner, the Peralta Community College District. Letters of commitment that include detailed information on intended collaboration may be included as attachments to the proposal. 3. Regional Initiatives WIOA places enhanced emphasis on regional workforce development strategies and partnerships. Local WIBs are required to engage in regional planning, establish and coordinate regional service strategies, develop sector initiatives for in-demand sectors or occupations in the region, and collect and analyze regional labor market and performance data. OWIB and its regional WIB partners Alameda County WIB, Contra Costa County WIB, and Richmond WIB participate in the EASTBAY Works network. The mission of EASTBAY Works is to advance the economic well-being of the region by developing and maintaining a skilled workforce. EASTBAY Works supports customer-focused collaboration among employment, training, economic development, and educational partners working together to meet the needs of employers, job-seekers and workers. Each OWIB contractor will be required assign a representative to participate in monthly meetings of EASTBAY Works. OWIB contractors will be expected to align service delivery strategies, share information on available resources, and take active roles in the design and implementation of regional initiatives facilitated by EASTBAY Works. To avoid duplication and maximize efficiency in outreach, OWIB s Business Engagement and Services (BES) provider will also be expected to coordinate employer engagement strategies and activities with BES providers from the other participating WIBs. OWIB is an active participant in multiple regional initiatives, including East Bay Career Pathways, East Bay Slingshot, Design It Build It Ship It, and others. The BES contractor will join OWIB in leading and supporting these initiatives, coordinating services, leveraging funding, sharing and utilizing data, and connecting businesses to resources. Bidders are encouraged to describe commitments to this regional work, and to demonstrate understanding of and/or involvement in regional initiatives. Letters of commitment that include detailed information on initiative involvement and service, co-location, and resource-leveraging commitments may be included as attachments to the proposal. 16

20 4. Other Required Partnerships The Business Engagement and Services (BES) contractor will also be required to partner with the following entities: City of Oakland Office of Economic Development: To coordinate business outreach and engagement and align with the City s economic development priorities. City of Oakland Small Business Development Center: To enable coordination and referrals of businesses in need of services provided through the Center. Oakland WIB Employer Strategies Committee: To deliver periodic updates on BES activities, and to receive and respond to guidance and oversight provided by the Committee. 5. Other Partnerships In addition to the partnerships described above, the Business Engagement and Services (BES) contractor may propose to partner with additional organizations for the benefit of job-seekers and businesses. These may be described in the proposal and detailed in signed MOUs or Letters of Commitment, as attachments. J. Staffing Structure The WIB requests that Business Engagement and Services (BES) bidders describe in their proposal a proposed staffing structure for the delivery of the solicited services. The WIB recommends a structure that aligns with the following distribution of functions and job responsibilities: Business Services management staffing: In close coordination with the OWIB manager of strategic regional initiatives, participate in strategic and regional work to advance the OWIB s business services goals. Supervise business engagement staff, and oversee overall contract compliance at attainment of performance outcomes. Business engagement liaisons: In close coordination with Comprehensive One-Stop Career Center, Sector Access Point, and Youth Services staff, conduct transactional employer engagement, outreach and marketing, identification of job leads, information and referrals, coordination of job fairs and hiring events, brokering of training, and pre-screening of job candidates. Specialize and focus employer engagement in OWIB priority sectors, and coordinate activities with other regional and City counterparts serving these sectors. Administrative/finance staffing: Administer and support BES activities. BES staff must be highly familiar with and experienced in the local business community, and able to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in interacting with and marketing services to businesses. Staff with prior expertise related to OWIB s priority industry sectors are strongly recommended. Bidders are encouraged to describe a commitment to staff development and training, both to maintain the high quality of direct business services and to ensure an exceptionally coordinated and integrated workforce system of Adult and Dislocated Worker, Youth, and Business Engagement and Services aligned with priority industry sectors. K. Performance Measurement and Accountability WIOA establishes core performance measures for Adult and Dislocated Worker services (including Title II, Title III, and Title IV) and Youth Services; a business-services-related measure is expected to be developed. WIOA performance measures are designed to measure the effectiveness and continuous 17

21 improvement of the workforce service delivery system, and the contracting agency will be required to collect and report data pertaining to these measures. Performance measures are subject to change at any time, and the OWIB may set performance benchmarks or implement additional measures in response to regulations or local need. A measure of effectiveness in serving employers (such as employee retention rates, rates of repeated employer use of program, and share of all employers in a labor market served) is expected to be developed and implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) by July USDOL s Notice of Proposed Rule-Making also considers tracking of supplemental customer service indicators; the Aspen Institute Workforce Strategies Initiative has also suggested possible business engagement and services performance measures. Additionally, the OWIB develops local performance measures and will set specific targets to evaluate Adult and Dislocated Worker Services providers effectiveness at serving local populations. The BES contractor will be responsible for providing business client and program data under policies and guidelines established by WIOA, OWIB, the State of California and the federal government, and administered by the City of Oakland. It will be the contractor s responsibility to ensure on-going staff expertise and cooperation with data management requirements. The contractors will be required to: Utilize a customer relationship management (CRM) database and other data management systems as specified by OWIB to track and report on activities; Ensure complete, accurate and timely data entry in compliance with WIOA; Report performance measurement information, including data on WIOA employer services performance measures yet to be defined; Prepare monthly and quarterly performance reports as required by WIOA and as may be requested by City staff, OWIB, and OWIB committees; Prepare monthly financial and training expenditure reports, along with supporting documentation as required by the City. OWIB staff will monitor, audit, and evaluate program activities throughout the funding period. The BES contractor must allow OWIB staff access to all files and records relating directly to WIOA funds, including database records, fiscal documents and other related records. 18

22 III. Proposal Requirements A. General Information 1. The successful proposer selected for this service shall obtain or provide proof of having a current City of Oakland Business Tax Certificate. 2. The City Council reserves the right to reject any and all bids. 3. Local and Small Local Business Enterprise Program (L/SLBE)- not applicable but 50% L/SLBE participation is strongly encouraged a) Requirement For Professional Services, 50% Local and Small Local Business Enterprise Program (L/SLBE): there is a 50% minimum participation requirement for all professional services contracts over $50,000. Consultant status as an Oakland certified local or small local firm and subcontractor/subconsultant status as an Oakland certified local or small local firm are taken into account in the calculation. The requirement may be satisfied by a certified prime consultant and/or sub-consultant(s). A business must be certified by the City of Oakland in order to earn credit toward meeting the fifty percent requirement. The City has waived small local business enterprise (SLBE) subcontracting requirements for Oakland certified local businesses that apply for professional services contracts as the prime consultant with the City. The SLBE requirements still applies for non-certified LBEs and non-local business enterprises. b) Good Faith Effort - In light of the fifty percent requirement, good faith effort documentation is not necessary. c) Preference Points Preference points are earned based on the level of participation proposed prior to the award of a contract. Upon satisfying the minimum fifty percent requirement, a consultant will earn two (2) preference points. Three additional preference points may be earned at a rate of one point for every additional ten percent participation up to eighty percent participation of the total contract dollars spent with local Oakland certified firms. d) A firm may earn up to five (5) preference points for local Oakland business participation and additional preference points for being a long term certified business in Oakland regardless of size and for having an Oakland workforce. e) In those instances where Very Small Local Business Enterprise (VSLBE) participation is evident, the level of participation will be double-counted towards meeting the requirement. f) Additional Preference Points for Request for Proposals (RFP) may be earned for having an Oakland resident workforce. Prime consultants seeking additional preference points for having an Oakland resident workforce must submit a completed Schedule E-2 titled the Oakland Workforce Verification Form no more than 4 days after the proposal due date. A copy of Schedule E-2 is found on index.htm. g) Earning extra preference points for having an existing work force that includes Oakland residents is considered added value. The Request for Proposal evaluation process allows for additional preference points over and above the number of points earned for technical expertise. Typically 100 points may be earned for the technical elements of the RFP. Preference points are awarded over and above the potential 100 points. 19

23 h) The Exit Report and Affidavit (ERA) This report declares the level of participation achieved and will be used to calculate banked credits. The prime consultant must complete the Schedule F, Exit Report and Affidavit for, and have it executed by, each L/SLBE sub consultant and submitted to the Office of the City Administrator, Contracts and Compliance Unit, along with a copy of the final progress payment application. i) Joint Venture and Mentor Protégé Agreements. If a prime contractor or prime consultant is able to develop a Joint Venture or Mentor-Protégé relationship with a certified LBE or SLBE, the mentor or Joint Venture partners will enjoy the benefit of credits against the participation requirement. In order to earn credit for Joint Venture or Mentor-Protégé relationships, the Agreement must be submitted for approval to the Office of the City Administrator, Contracts and Compliance Unit, prior to the project bid date for construction, and by proposal due date for professional services contracts. Joint Venture Applications and elements of City approved Mentor Protégé relation are available upon request. j) Contractor shall submit information concerning the ownership and workforce composition of Contractor s firm as well as its subcontractors and suppliers, by completing Schedule D, Ownership, Ethnicity, and Gender Questionnaire, and Schedule E, Project Consultant Team, attached and incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement. k) All affirmative action efforts of Contractor are subject to tracking by the City. This information or data shall be used for statistical purposes only. All contractors are required to provide data regarding the make-up of their subcontractors and agents who will perform City contracts, including the race and gender of each employee and/or contractor and his or her job title or function and the methodology used by Contractor to hire and/or contract with the individual or entity in question. l) In the recruitment of subcontractors, the City of Oakland requires all contractors to undertake nondiscriminatory and equal outreach efforts, which include outreach to minorities and women-owned businesses as well as other segments of Oakland s business community. The City Administrator will track the City s MBE/WBE utilization to ensure the absence of unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, marital status, religion, gender, sexual preference, race, creed, color, national origin, Acquired-Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-Related Complex (ARC) or disability. m) In the use of such recruitment, hiring and retention of employees or subcontractors, the City of Oakland requires all contractors to undertake nondiscriminatory and equal outreach efforts which include outreach to minorities and women as well as other segments of Oakland s business community. 4. The City s Living Wage Ordinance This Agreement is subject to the Oakland Living Wage Ordinance. The Living Wage Ordinance requires that nothing less than a prescribed minimum level of compensation (a living wage) be paid to employees of service Contractors (contractors) of the City and employees of CFARs (Ord , 1998). The Ordinance also requires submission of the Declaration of Compliance attached and incorporated herein as Declaration of Compliance Living Wage Form; and made part of this Agreement, and, unless specific exemptions apply or a waiver is granted, the contractor must provide the following to its employees who perform services under or related to this Agreement: 20

24 a) Minimum compensation Said employees shall be paid an initial hourly wage rate of $12.53 with health benefits or $14.40 without health benefits. These initial rates shall be upwardly adjusted each year no later than April 1 in proportion to the increase at the immediately preceding December 31 over the year earlier level of the Bay Region Consumer Price Index as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Effective July 1st of each year, Contractor shall pay adjusted wage rates. b) Health benefits Said full-time and part-time employees paid at the lower living wage rate shall be provided health benefits of at least $1.87 per hour. Contractor shall provide proof that health benefits are in effect for those employees no later than 30 days after execution of the contract or receipt of City financial assistance. c) Compensated days off Said employees shall be entitled to twelve compensated days off per year for sick leave, vacation or personal necessity at the employee's request, and ten uncompensated days off per year for sick leave. Employees shall accrue one compensated day off per month of full time employment. Part-time employees shall accrue compensated days off in increments proportional to that accrued by full-time employees. The employees shall be eligible to use accrued days off after the first six months of employment or consistent with company policy, whichever is sooner. Paid holidays, consistent with established employer policy, may be counted toward provision of the required 12 compensated days off. Ten uncompensated days off shall be made available, as needed, for personal or immediate family illness after the employee has exhausted his or her accrued compensated days off for that year. d) Federal Earned Income Credit (EIC) - To inform employees that he or she may be eligible for Earned Income Credit (EIC) and shall provide forms to apply for advance EIC payments to eligible employees. For more information, web sites include but are not limited to: (1) and e) Contractor shall provide to all employees and to Contracts and Compliance, written notice of its obligation to eligible employees under the City s Living Wage requirements. Said notice shall be posted prominently in communal areas of the work site(s) and shall include the above-referenced information. f) Contractor shall provide all written notices and forms required above in English, Spanish or other languages spoken by a significant number of employees within 30 days of employment under this Agreement. g) Reporting Contractor shall maintain a listing of the name, address, hire date, occupation classification, rate of pay and benefits for each of its employees. Contractor shall provide a copy of said list to the Office of the City Administrator, Contracts and Compliance Unit, on a quarterly basis, by March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 for the applicable compliance period. Failure to provide said list within five days of the due date will result in liquidated damages of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each day that the list remains outstanding. Contractor shall maintain employee payroll and related records for a period of four (4) years after expiration of the compliance period. h) Contractor shall require subcontractors that provide services under or related to this Agreement to comply with the above Living Wage provisions. Contractor shall include the above-referenced sections in its subcontracts. Copies of said subcontracts shall be submitted to Contracts and Compliance. 21

25 5. Minimum Wage Ordinance Oakland employers are subject to Oakland s Minimum Wage Law whereby Oakland employees must be paid the current Minimum Wage rate. Employers must notify employees of the annually adjusted rates by each December 15th and prominently display notices at the job site. The law requires paid sick leave for employees and payment of service charges collected for their services. For further information, please go to the following website: 6. Equal Benefits Ordinance This Agreement is subject to the Equal Benefits Ordinance of Chapter 2.32 of the Oakland Municipal Code and its implementing regulations. The purpose of this Ordinance is to protect and further the public, health, safety, convenience, comfort, property and general welfare by requiring that public funds be expended in a manner so as to prohibit discrimination in the provision of employee benefits by City Contractors (contractors) between employees with spouses and employees with domestic partners, and/or between domestic partners and spouses of such employees. (Ord (part), 2001) The following contractors are subject to the Equal Benefits Ordinance: Entities which enter into a "contract" with the City for an amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) or more for public works or improvements to be performed, or for goods or services to be purchased or grants to be provided at the expense of the City or to be paid out of moneys deposited in the treasury or out of trust moneys under the control of or collected by the city; and Entities which enter into a "property contract" pursuant to Section (D) with the City in an amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) or more for the exclusive use of or occupancy (1) of real property owned or controlled by the city or (2) of real property owned by others for the city s use or occupancy, for a term exceeding twenty-nine (29) days in any calendar year. The Ordinance shall only apply to those portions of a Contractor s operations that occur (1) within the City; (2) on real property outside the City if the property is owned by the City or if the City has a right to occupy the property, and if the contract s presence at that location is connected to a contract with the City; and (3) elsewhere in the United States where work related to a City contract is being performed. The requirements of this chapter shall not apply to subcontracts or sub-contractors. The Equal Benefits Ordinance requires among other things, submission of the attached and incorporated herein as Schedule N-1, Equal Benefits-Declaration of Nondiscrimination form. For more information, see 7. Prompt Payment Ordinance OMC Section Prompt Payment Terms Required in Notices Inviting Bids, Requests for Proposals/Qualifications and Purchase Contracts This Agreement is subject to the Prompt Payment Ordinance of Oakland Municipal Code, Title 2, Chapter The Ordinance requires that, unless specific exemptions apply. Contractor and its subcontractors shall pay undisputed invoices of their subcontractors for goods and/or services within twenty (20) business days of submission of invoices unless the Contractor or its 22

26 subcontractors notify the Liaison in writing within five (5) business days that there is a bona fide dispute between the Contractor or its subcontractor and claimant, in which case the Contractor or its subcontractor may withhold the disputed amount but shall pay the undisputed amount. Disputed payments are subject to investigation by the City of Oakland Liaison upon the filing of a compliant. Contractor or its subcontractors opposing payment shall provide security in the form of cash, certified check or bond to cover the disputed amount and penalty during the investigation. If Contractor or its subcontractor fails or refuses to deposit security, the City will withhold an amount sufficient to cover the claim from the next Contractor progress payment. The City, upon a determination that an undisputed invoice or payment is late, will release security deposits or withholds directly to claimants for valid claims. Contractor and its subcontractors shall not be allowed to retain monies from subcontractor payments for goods as project retention, and are required to release subcontractor project retention in proportion to the subcontractor services rendered, for which payment is due and undisputed, within five (5) business days of payment. Contractor and its subcontractors shall be required to pass on to and pay subcontractors mobilization fees within five (5) business days of being paid such fees by the City. For the purpose of posting on the City's website, Contractor and its subcontractors, are required to file notice with the City of release of retention and payment of mobilization fees, within five (5) business days of such payment or release; and, Contractors are required to file an affidavit, under penalty of perjury, that he or she has paid all subcontractors, within five (5) business days following receipt of payment from the City, The affidavit shall provide the names and address of all subcontractors and the amount paid to each. Contractor and its subcontractors shall include the same or similar provisions as those set forth above in this section in any contract with a contractor or subcontractor that delivers goods and/or services pursuant to or in connection with a City of Oakland purchase contract. Prompt Payment invoice and claim forms are available at the following City of Oakland website: Administration/d/CP/s/FormsSchedules/index.htm or at Contracts and Compliance, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3341, Oakland, CA Invoice and claim inquiries should be directed to Vivian Inman, City of Oakland Prompt Payment Liaison, or vinman@oaklandnet.com. 8. Non-Discrimination/Equal Employment Practices Contractor shall not discriminate or permit discrimination against any person or group of persons in any manner prohibited by federal, state or local laws. During the performance of this Agreement, Contractor agrees as follows: a) Contractor and Contractor s sub-contractors, if any, shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, marital status, religion, gender, sexual preference, race, creed, color, national origin, Acquired-Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-Related Complex (ARC) or disability. This nondiscrimination policy shall include, but not be limited to, the following: employment, upgrading, failure to promote, demotion or transfer, recruitment advertising, layoffs, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship. b) Contractor and Contractor s Sub-contractors shall state in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of Contractor that all qualified applicants will receive 23

27 consideration for employment without regard to age, marital status, religion, gender, sexual preference, race, creed, color, national origin, Acquired-Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-Related Complex (ARC) or disability. c) Contractor shall make its goods, services, and facilities accessible to people with disabilities and shall verify compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act by executing Declaration of Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, attached hereto and incorporated herein. d) If applicable, Contractor will send to each labor union or representative of workers with whom Contractor has a collective bargaining agreement or contract or understanding, a notice advising the labor union or workers representative of Contractor s commitments under this nondiscrimination clause and shall post copies of the notice in conspicuous places available to employees and applicants for employment. e) Contractor shall submit information concerning the ownership and workforce composition of Contractor s firm as well as its subcontractors and suppliers, by completing the Ownership, Ethnicity and Gender Questionnaire. f) The Project Contractor Team attached and incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement, Exit Report and Affidavit, attached and incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement. g) All affirmative action efforts of Contractors are subject to tracking by the City. This information or data shall be used for statistical purposes only. All Contractors are required to provide data regarding the make-up of their subcontractors and agents who will perform City contracts, including the race and gender of each employee and/or Contractor and his or her job title or function and the methodology used by Contractor to hire and/or contract with the individual or entity in question. h) The City will immediately report evidence or instances of apparent discrimination in City or Agency contracts to the appropriate State and Federal agencies, and will take action against Contractors who are found to be engaging in discriminatory acts or practices by an appropriate State or Federal agency or court of law, up to and including termination or debarment. i) In the recruitment of subcontractors, the City of Oakland requires all Contractors to undertake nondiscriminatory and equal outreach efforts, which include outreach to minorities and women-owned businesses as well as other segments of Oakland s business community. The City Administrator will track the City s MBE/WBE utilization to ensure the absence of unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, marital status, religion, gender, sexual preference, race, creed, color, national origin, Acquired-Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-Related Complex (ARC) or disability. j) In the use of such recruitment, hiring and retention of employees or subcontractors, the City of Oakland requires all Contractors to undertake nondiscriminatory and equal outreach efforts which include outreach to minorities and women as well as other segments of Oakland s business community. 9. Arizona and Arizona-Based Businesses Contractor agrees that in accordance with Resolution No C.M.S., neither it nor any of its subsidiaries, affiliates or agents that will provide services under this agreement is currently 24

28 headquartered in the State of Arizona, and shall not establish an Arizona business headquarters for the duration of this agreement with the City of Oakland or until Arizona rescinds SB Contractor acknowledges its duty to notify Contracts and Compliance Division, Office of the City Administrator if it s Business Entity or any of its subsidiaries affiliates or agents subsequently relocates its headquarters to the State of Arizona. Such relocation shall be a basis for termination of this agreement. 10. Pending Dispute Disclosure Policy: Contractors are required to disclose pending disputes with the City of Oakland or Redevelopment Agency when they are involved in submitting bids, proposals or applications for a City or Agency contract or transaction involving professional services. This includes contract amendments. Contractor agrees to disclose, and has disclosed, any and all pending disputes to the City prior to execution of this agreement. The City will provide a form for such disclosure upon Contractor s request. Failure to disclose pending disputes prior to execution of this amendment shall be a basis for termination of this agreement. 11. City of Oakland Campaign Contribution Limits This Agreement is subject to the City of Oakland Campaign Reform Act of Chapter 3.12 of the Oakland Municipal Code and its implementing regulations if it requires Council approval. The City of Oakland Campaign Reform Act prohibits Contractors that are doing business or seeking to do business with the City of Oakland from making campaign contributions to Oakland candidates between commencement of negotiations and either 180 days after completion of, or termination of, contract negotiations. If this Agreement requires Council approval, Contractor must sign and date an Acknowledgment of Campaign Contribution Limits Form. 12. Nuclear Free Zone Disclosure Contractor represents, pursuant to the combined form Nuclear Free Zone Disclosure Form that Contractor is in compliance with the City of Oakland s restrictions on doing business with service providers considered nuclear weapons makers. Prior to execution of this agreement, Contractor shall complete the combined form, attached hereto. 13. Sample Professional Service Agreement This Agreement is subject to the attached Sample Professional Service Agreement. 14. Insurance Requirements The Contractor will be required to provide proof of all insurance required for the work prior to execution of the contract, including copies of the Contractor s insurance policies if and when requested. Failure to provide the insurance proof requested or failure to do so in a timely manner shall constitute grounds for rescission of the contract award. The Contractor shall name the City of Oakland, its Council members, directors, officers, agents, employees and volunteers as additional insured in its Comprehensive Commercial General Liability and Automobile Liability policies. If Contractor submits the ACORD Insurance Certificate, the additional insured endorsement must be set forth on a CG form and/or CA Designated Insured Form (for business auto insurance). Please Note: A statement of additional insured endorsement on the ACORD insurance certificate is insufficient and will be rejected as proof of the additional insured requirement. 25

29 Unless a written waiver is obtained from the City s Risk Manager, Contractors must provide the insurance as found at htm (Schedule Q). A copy of the requirements are attached and incorporated herein by reference. Liability insurance shall be provided in accordance with the requirements specified. When providing the insurance, include the Project Name and Project Number on the ACORD form in the section marked Description of Operations/Locations. When providing the insurance, the Certificate Holder should be listed as: City of Oakland, Contracts and Compliance, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3341, Oakland, CA City Contractor Performance Evaluation At the end of the project, the Project Manager will evaluate the Contractor s Performance in accordance with the City Contractor Performance Evaluation program. 16. Violation Of Federal, State, City/Agency Laws, Programs Or Policies: The City or Agency may, in their sole discretion, consider violations of any programs and policies described or referenced in this Request for Proposal, a material breach and may take enforcement action provided under the law, programs or policies, and/or terminate the contract, debar contractors from further contracts with City and Agency and/or take any other action or invoke any other remedy available under law or equity. 17. Contractor s Qualifications Contractor represents that Contractor has the qualifications and skills necessary to perform the services under this Agreement in a competent and professional manner without the advice or direction of the City. Contractor s services will be performed in accordance with the generally accepted principles and practices applicable to Contractor s trade or profession. The Contractor warrants that the Contractor, and the Contractor s employees and sub-contractors are properly licensed, registered, and/or certified as may be required under any applicable federal, state and local laws, statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations relating to Contractor s performance of the Services. All Services provided pursuant to this Agreement shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Contractor will promptly advise City of any change in the applicable laws, regulations, or other conditions that may affect City s program. This means Contractor is able to fulfill the requirements of this Agreement. Failure to perform all of the services required under this Agreement will constitute a material breach of the Agreement and may be cause for termination of the Agreement. Contractor has complete and sole discretion for the manner in which the work under this Agreement is performed. Prior to execution of this agreement, Contractor shall complete the Independent Contractor Questionnaire, Part A, attached hereto. 18. All responses to the RFP become the property of the City. To withhold financial and proprietary information, the bidder must label each page as "confidential" or "proprietary". Although a document may be labeled "confidential" or "proprietary", information is still subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act or Sunshine Ordinance, and is, at the City's discretion, based on the potential impact of the public s interests whether or not to disclose "confidential" or "proprietary" information. 19. The RFP does not commit the City to award a contract or to pay any cost incurred in the preparation of the proposal. 26

30 20. The City reserves the sole right to evaluate each proposal and to accept or reject any or all proposals received as a result of the RFP process. 21. The City reserves the unqualified right to modify, suspend, or terminate at its sole discretion any and all aspects of the RFP and/or RFP process, to obtain further information from any and all Contractor teams and to waive any defects as to form or content of the RFP or any responses by any contractor teams 22. The City may require a service provider to participate in negotiations and submit technical information or other revisions to the service provider s qualifications as may result from negotiations. 23. Once a final award is made, all RFP responses, except financial and proprietary information, become a matter of public record and shall be regarded by the City as public records. The City shall not in any way be liable or responsible for the disclosure of any such records or portions thereof if the disclosure is made pursuant to a request under the Public Records Act or the City of Oakland Sunshine Ordinance. 24. The Fair Political Practices Act and/or California Government Code Section 1090, among other statutes and regulations may prohibit the City from contracting with a service provider if the service provider or an employee, officer or director of the service providers firm, or any immediate family of the preceding, or any subcontractor or contractor of the service provider, is serving as a public official, elected official, employee, board or commission member of the City who will award or influence the awarding of the contract or otherwise participate in the making of the contract. The making of a contract includes actions that are preliminary or preparatory to the selection of a Contractor such as, but not limited to, involvement in the reasoning, planning and/or drafting of solicitations for bids and RFPs, feasibility studies, master plans or preliminary discussions or negotiations. B. Proposal Review Process All proposals received will be screened initially for compliance with RFP requirements. Proposals that are not received by the submission deadline; fail to follow the required format; or fail to include all necessary information as requested will not proceed in the review process. All proposals that pass the initial compliance screening will be evaluated based upon consistent selection criteria. Only information submitted as part of this bid will be considered in the review process. Proposals will be evaluated by an Independent Review Panel comprised of individuals with relevant expertise from outside the Oakland area. Short-listed applicants may be invited to participate in an in-person presentation/interview. OWIB staff will conduct reference checks on finalists. The Independent Review Panel will score the proposals received and recommend the most qualified bidder(s) to the full OWIB for a decision, and the Oakland City Council will give final approval of contract awards. C. Submittal Requirements Proposals must be submitted both via and in hard copy. submissions should be sent to owdbrfp@oaklandnet.com and must be sent no later than 2:00 PM on Tuesday, March 8, In addition, proponents must submit six (6) hard copies of the proposal. Hard copies of proposals are due on March 8, 2016 at the Department of Contracts and Compliance, Office of the City 27

31 Administrator, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3341, Oakland, CA time stamped by no later than 2:00 P.M. All proposals submitted via U.S. Mail or common carrier must be delivered in a sealed package with the project name, submittal date, time and location of the proposals on the outside of the package or the documents. D. Required Proposal Elements and Format A proposal checklist is included as Appendix A. Bidders should refer to and organize the proposal packet in the manner outlined in this checklist. 1. Cover Sheet The Cover Sheet form (Appendix B-1) must be completed by the bidder, signed by the bidder s authorized representative, and submitted as an attachment. 2. Proposal Narrative The Proposal Narrative must provide a straightforward, concise delineation of the proponent s ability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP, with emphasis on conformance to the RFP instructions, responsiveness to the RFP requirements, and completeness and clarity of content. 3. Workplan/Timeline The Workplan/Timeline form (Appendix B-2) must be completed and submitted as an attachment. The Workplan/Timeline should concisely detail the proposed activities and timeline related to startup, implementation and reporting, including roles and responsibilities of individual staff and subcontractors. 4. Service Elements Delivery Plan The Service Elements Delivery Plan form (Appendix B-3) must be completed and submitted as an attachment. The Service Elements Delivery Plan indicates which of the required service elements will be provided directly by the bidder, or whom the bidder will partner with or subcontract to deliver these services. The Plan also indicates whether a Letter of Commitment is included with the proposal as an attachment. 5. Business Customer Flow Chart The bidder is asked to create and submit as an attachment a Business Customer Flow Chart that illustrates the sequence of services to be received by Business Engagement and Services customers. 6. Performance Outcomes Form The Performance Outcomes Form (Appendix B-4) must be completed and submitted as an attachment. 28

32 The Performance Outcomes Form indicates the bidder s proposed one-year outcomes for each OWIB outcome measure provided. 7. Proposal Budget Form The Proposal Budget Form (Appendix B-5) must be completed by the bidder and by each subcontractor and submitted as an attachment. Information in the Form should describe a one-year program budget. 8. Budget Narrative The Budget Narrative must concisely and clearly describe all program costs for which OWIB funds are requested, including proposed contractor and subcontractor costs. Each line item amount should be described with clear and sufficient cost rationale, including the figures (number of hours, rates, %, etc.) used to determine the cost. (For example, rationale for staff wages may be: 37.5 $26/hour for 41 weeks = $39,975. Rationale for benefits expenses may be: 32% of salaries, including 20% medical insurance, 7% disability, 5% dental.) Leveraged funds (such as the cash match requirement of 15%) should also be described, including source, amount, proposed use, and whether the funds are secured or proposed. This section should describe: a. Other costs listed in the Budget Detail Form b. Justification of the percent of total funds spent on participant expenses c. Budget assumptions d. Sources of other resources e. In-kind resources f. Other budget information you would like the review committee to know 9. Past/Current Contracts Form The Past/Current Contracts Form (Appendix B-6) must be completed by the bidder and submitted as an attachment. The Past/Current Contracts Form provides information on up to four current and four past contracts received by the bidder; the funders; amounts; dates; outcomes attained; and contact person. Subcontractors are not required to provide past/current contract information. 10. Schedule E - Project Consultant Team Schedule E (Appendix B-7) must be completed by the bidder and submitted as an attachment. An interactive version of this form can be downloaded from the City of Oakland Contracts and Compliance website: or a copy may be requested from Paula Peav at ppeav@oaklandnet.com or (510) The Project Consultant Team listing must list the addresses, telephone numbers and areas of expertise for each proposed subcontractor. It must identify which contractors are MBE, WBE, Local Business Enterprises (LBE) and Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE). All LBEs/SLBEs, whether the bidder or a proposed subcontractor, must submit a copy of the current business license and date established in Oakland. 29

33 11. Resumes/Job Descriptions The bidder is required to submit a resume or job description for all key personnel, including staff of the bidder and any proposed subcontractors. Each resume or job description must not exceed 2 pages. 12. Organizational Chart The bidder is required to create an organizational chart that indicates all positions described in the proposal; the relationships between these positions and the bidder s organizational structure; and the relationships between the bidder and subcontractors. 13. Letters of Commitment/Memoranda of Understanding The bidder is required to document the proposed relationship with each subcontractor by submitting either a signed Letter of Commitment from each proposed subcontractor, or a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the bidder and the proposed subcontractor(s). The Letter of Commitment or MOU must detail the roles, responsibilities and commitments of each partner. General letters of support are not permitted. 14. Schedule O - Campaign Contribution Limits Schedule O (Appendix B-8) must be completed by the bidder and submitted as an attachment. An interactive version of this form can be downloaded from the City of Oakland Contracts and Compliance website: or a copy may be requested from Paula Peav at ppeav@oaklandnet.com or (510) Acknowledgement of Addenda If an addendum to the RFP has been issued, the bidder must sign the addendum and submit it as an attachment. E. Rejection of Proposal Elements The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, whether or not minimum qualifications are met, and to modify, postpone, or cancel this RFP without liability, obligation, or commitment to any party, firm, or organization. The City reserves the right to request and obtain additional information from any candidate submitting a proposal. A proposal may be rejected for any of the following reasons: Proposal received after designated time and date. Proposal not in compliance with the City of Oakland Local/Small Local Business Enterprise Program. Proposal not containing the required elements, exhibits, nor organized in the required format. Proposal considered not fully responsive to this RFP. 30

34 F. Evaluation of Proposals Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria: Criteria Organizational Experience and Capacity Application must provide evidence that the applicant and its required partners have the fiscal, administrative and performance management capacity to administer funding streams. Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which applications provide: o Ability to manage and maintain fiscal records, including experience with federal funds and cost allocation. o Adequate and qualified staff o Capacity to track required deliverables and generate the required reports Mission, history, accomplishments Organization structure and staffing (see Org Chart) Relevant programs and services, and their recent outcomes Administrative and data management experience and capacity Fiscal management experience and capacity Facilities Experience related to OWIB system and providers Summary information on proposed subcontractors Program Description Proposal must demonstrate that the applicant has experience serving target population. Applicant must provide program evaluations or reviews and previous contract experiences. Summary Target population, outreach and marketing plan Effective strategy to recruit eligible participants Proposed client services and flow (see Client Flow Chart, Service Elements Delivery Plan) Description of follow-up services and tools to measure customer satisfaction. Proposed sector strategies and business engagement Proposed Work Plan and Timeline (see attached) Previous contract experience Innovative approaches Existing and Proposed Program Staffing Roles and experience, by position (see attached Resumes, Job Descriptions) Training plan Subcontractors and Other Partners Proposed subcontractor capacity, experience, and ability to contribute to performance outcomes (see attached Letters) Partnerships with OWIB system providers Contributions of other proposed partners (see attached Letters/MOUs) Partnerships with employers Maximum Point Value

35 Outcomes, Data Collection, Reporting and Monitoring 25 Proposed performance outcomes (see attached), including justification if not consistent with past/current performance on similar contracts Proposed data collection systems and procedures Proposed quality assurance and monitoring of subcontractors Proposed evaluation and continuous improvement strategies Past/current performance on similar contracts (see Past/Current Contracts Form) Proposal demonstrates provider understands WIOA performance measures. Budget and Budget Narrative 20 Applicant must show a strong understanding of WIOA financial procedures and fiscal management. Scoring criteria for this section will be based on the following categories: o Description of process to support proposed activities with sufficient project operational budgets. o Description of fiscal management experience and the use of fiscal controls. o Describe budget justification and demonstrative sufficient understanding of WIOA cost definitions and cost reimbursement contracts. Budget Form Budget Narrative, including: o Justification of costs o Sources of non-wioa funds, including whether proposed or confirmed TOTAL 100 In addition to the criteria detailed above, proposals will be evaluated based upon the following: Bidder must demonstrate the ability to provide the solicited services at a reasonable cost per customer served. Costs will be evaluated in terms of competitiveness, as well as in terms of the quality and impact of services to be delivered. Bidder must demonstrate management capacity necessary to effectively and efficiently deliver the solicited services, including capacity to: o Deliver high-quality services resulting in high customer satisfaction o Achieve contract objectives o Meet or exceed state WIOA performance standards o Maintain appropriate and auditable records o Self-monitor for contract and regulatory compliance Bidder must demonstrate financial capacity necessary to manage and track multiple funding streams, including capacity to: o Maintain separate accounting records for the WIB contract, and track costs in sufficient detail to determine compliance with laws and contract requirements o Maintain fiscal controls, accounting procedures, and financial reporting in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and City requirements o Respond effectively to changes in fund availability o Make available accounting records upon request for examination, audit, and determination of compliance 32

36 G. Interviews of Short-Listed Firms Interviews of short-listed qualified bidders may be held if a selection is not made from the evaluation phase. Bidders selected for an interview will be notified in writing and may be required to submit supplemental materials prior to the interview. Interviews will last approximately 60 minutes, with time allocated equally between the team s presentation and a question-and-answer period. The teams should be prepared to discuss at the interview their specific experience providing services similar to those described in the RFP, project approach, estimated work effort, available resources, and other pertinent areas that would distinguish them. Interviews will be held at a City of Oakland office or via phone (exact location to be determined). Interviews will be evaluated according to the following criteria: Criteria Maximum Point Value Presentation 35 Relevant Experience Qualifications Organization Approach Other Factors Proposal Score (Points up to a maximum allowance of 40 points will be 40 allocated proportionally based upon initial proposal scoring) Interview/Question-and-Answer Period 25 TOTAL

37 H. RFP Timeline (All dates are subject to change) RFP Release January 27, 2016 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Bidder s Conference February 10, 2:00 PM Deadline for Submission of Questions February 18, 2:00 PM Responses to Questions Posted on Oakland WIB Website February 29, 2016 Proposal Submission Deadline March 8, 2:00 PM Evaluation of Proposals Week of March 14, 2016 Notification of Interviews March 21-24, 2016 Interviews, if Requested March 25-31, 2016 Award Recommendation to OWIB April 7, 2016 Award Recommendation to City Council CED Committee June 14, 2016 Award Recommendation to City Council June 21, 2016 Contract Negotiations June 22-28, 2016 Contract Document Distribution July 1, 2016 Anticipated Contract Start Date July 1, 2016 Any changes to the RFP Timeline will be noticed to all Bidder s Conference attendees, through isupplier in an addendum, on the OWIB website and lists. I. Contract Negotiations and Award 1. The completion of this evaluation process will result in the contractor being numerically ranked. The contractor ranked first will be invited to participate in contract negotiations. Should the City and the first ranked contractor not be able to reach an agreement as to the contract terms within a reasonable timeframe, the City may terminate the negotiations and begin negotiations with the contractor that is next in line. 2. The contract amount (including reimbursements) shall be a not to exceed amount, to be established based upon a mutually agreeable Scope of Services and fee schedule. 3. The City will withhold the final 10% of contract amount pending successful completion of work. 4. Upon successful completion of the negotiations, the City Administrator will award the contract to the selected contractor. 5. A sample City standard grant agreement is included in the RFP as referenced as Appendix E: Sample City of Oakland Grant Agreement. The selected contractor will be required to enter into a contract that contains similar terms and conditions as in the standard agreement. Please note that the City Attorney s Office is typically not inclined to make any modifications to the standard agreement terms and provisions. 6. Upon award the City will issue a Notice to proceed. 7. The selected contractor and its other members will be required to maintain auditable records, documents, and papers for inspection by authorized local, state and federal representatives. Therefore, the contractor and its other members may be required to undergo an evaluation to demonstrate that the contractor uses recognized accounting and financial procedures. 34

38 8. If at any point between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2019 and for any reason a contractor s contract is terminated or not renewed, the City may begin negotiations and contract with the bidder that is next in line. J. Appeals Process Only the failure of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development to follow a procedure, requirement, or evaluation criterion set forth in this request for proposals may be grounds for appeal. All appeals must be in writing and must specify the grounds for the appeal, the facts and evidence in support thereof, and the remedy sought. Written appeals must be hand-delivered to the Executive Director of OWIB within five (5) business days after the announcement of the award recommendations. Each appeal will be reviewed and a decision delivered in writing within ten (10) business days after the deadline for the submission of appeals. END OF RFP 35

39 Appendices A. Required Proposal Checklist B. Required Proposal Forms 1. Proposal Cover Sheet 2. Workplan/Timeline 3. Service Elements Delivery Plan 4. Performance Outcomes Form 5. Program Budget Forms 6. Past/Current Contracts Form 7. Schedule E - Project Consultant Team 8. Schedule O - Campaign Contribution Limits C. Summary of WIOA Employer Services Requirements and Definitions D. OWIB Training Services Policies and Procedures E. Sample City of Oakland Grant Agreement F. Sample Quarterly Program Report G. Stand-Alone Schedules Required Before Full Contract Execution 1. Schedule E-2 Oakland Workforce Verification 2. Schedule Q Insurance Requirements H. City Schedules and Policies 36

40 Appendix A: Required Proposal Checklist Cover Sheet Program Narrative Workplan/Timeline Form Service Elements Delivery Plan Client Flow Chart Performance Outcomes Form Program Budget Forms (for bidder and each subcontractor) Budget Narrative Documentation of Committed Cash Match Past/Current Contracts Form Schedule E Project Consultant Form Organizational Chart Resumes/Job Descriptions Letters of Commitment/Memoranda of Understanding Schedule O Campaign Contribution Limits Acknowledgement of Addenda 37

41 Appendix B-1: Cover Sheet o Contact information for office, CEO/ED, Program and Fiscal contacts o Tax ID # and year incorporated o Type of organization (for-profit/non-profit/public, SLEB/etc.) o Total project budget, amount requested, amount leveraged o Program name o Program summary (400 words or less) o Program model (if appropriate for RFP) o Proposed service and training #s by geography and by sector o Certification and signature 38

42 Appendix B-2: Workplan/Timeline Applicant will be asked to complete a grid detailing activities and timeline related to start-up, implementation, and reporting; including roles and responsibilities by partner. 39

43 Appendix B-3: Service Elements Delivery Plan Applicant will be asked to indicate whether it will directly provide each of the requested WIOA service elements, or whom the applicant will partner with to deliver the service and if a Letter of Commitment is attached. 40

44 Appendix B-4: Performance Outcomes Form Applicant will be asked to propose one-year outcomes for each OWIB outcome measure provided. Also include cost per total businesses served. 41

45 Appendix B-5: Program Budget Forms BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT AND SERVICES: PROGRAM BUDGET TEMPLATE Date Submitted: Date Received: APPLICANT INFORMATION Organization Name: Federal Tax ID Number: Type of Business: Administrative Address: City: Service Address: City: Executive Director/CEO/President: Phone: Fiscal Contact: Phone: Program Contact: Phone: PROGRAM BUDGET I. Direct Costs Staff Wages Staff Fringe Duplicating/Copying Equipment Space Costs Postage Materials and Supplies Telephone/Internet/Comm Travel/Transportation Staff Training Other (please identify) TOTAL WIOA BUDGET $0 Total Program Cost Cash Match (15% of funds requested) WIOA Share of Cost % of Program Cost Allocated to WIOA TOTAL $0 $0 $0 0% 42

46 Program Budget Forms Continued II. Indirect Costs *An organization's indirect cost plan must be developed and submitted along with this budget if funds are budgeted in the indirect costs category. Please attach a copy of the agency's Indirect Cost Negotiation Agreement. Staff Wages Staff Fringe Insurance Outside Audit Duplicating/Copying Equipment Space Costs Postage Materials and Supplies Telephone/Internet/Comm Travel/Transportation Staff Training Other (please identify) III. Administrative Costs *Administrative costs are capped at 10% Staff Wages Staff Fringe Duplicating/Copying Equipment Space Costs Postage Materials and Supplies Telephone/Internet/Comm Travel/Transportation Staff Training Other (please identify) Total Program Cost Cash Match (15% of funds requested) WIOA Share of Cost % of Program Cost Allocated to WIOA TOTAL $0 $0 $0 0% Total Program Cost Cash Match (15% of funds requested) WIOA Share of Cost % of Program Cost Allocated to WIOA TOTAL $0 $0 $0 0% 43

47 Staff Wages and Benefits Organization Name: Position Title (Staff) (List each position separately) Direct Client Staff (Y=Yes) Wage* % of Time (FTE)** Total Benefits Percent of wage TOTALS Total % 0 0 Direct Client Staff: Mark "Y" (Yes) if staff is responsible in providing direct client services. This would not include MIS staff, administrative staff, supervisors, monitors, clerical, IT staff, etc., that provide "administrative and/or support" functions. * "Wage" is the net amount charged to this budget. This should equal the base wage rate for the position multiplied by the FTE %. ** "% of Time (FTE)" is the FTE (full time equivalency) for this position. For multiple staff in the same job classification the FTE % is presented as a sum of the FTE percent for the positions (e.g., One full-time case manager and one half-time case manager would have an FTE as 1.50% If additional rows are required, insert rows beginning at least two rows above "Total Staff Costs". Copy formulas from an existing row to the newly inserted rows. 44

48 Appendix B-6: Past/Current Contracts Form Include funder, amount, dates, outcomes obtained, contact for reference 45

49 Appendix B-7: Schedule E Project Consultant Form 46

50 Appendix B-8: Schedule O Campaign Contribution Limits 47

51 Appendix C: Summary of WIOA Employer Services Requirements and Definitions Local areas retain a great deal of flexibility to define the services to employers that will be provided under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA): Local areas have significant flexibility when providing services with adult and dislocated worker funds. In addition to the required career and training services, local areas may use these funds to provide additional job seeker services, business services, as well as facilitate enhanced coordination between other partner programs and entities at the State and local level. The Oakland WIB will need to define the strategies and services that will be used in the local area: (i) To facilitate engagement of employers in workforce development programs, including small employers and employers in in-demand industry sectors and occupations; (ii) To support a local workforce development system that meets the needs of businesses in the local area; (iii) To better coordinate workforce development programs and economic development; (iv) To strengthen linkages between the one-stop delivery system and unemployment insurance programs; and (v) That may include the implementation of initiatives such as incumbent worker training programs, on-the-job training programs, customized training programs, industry and sector strategies, career pathways initiatives, utilization of effective business intermediaries, and other business services and strategies designed to meet the needs of regional employers. Coordination activities are expected to include: (v) Improving services and linkages between the local workforce investment system (including the local one-stop delivery system) and employers, including small employers, in the local area. Employer services may include: (i) Customized screening and referral of qualified participants in training services to employers (WIOA sec. 134(d)(1)(A)(i)); (ii) Customized employment-related services to employers, employer associations, or other such organization on a fee-for-service basis that are in addition to labor exchange services available to employers under the Wagner-Peyser Act (WIOA sec. 134(d)(1)(A)(ii)); (iii) Activities to provide business services and strategies that meet the workforce investment needs of area employers, as determined by the Local Board and consistent with the local plan (see and WIOA sec. 134(d)(1)(A)(ix)) Regarding performance measures for employer services, WIOA states that, The Secretaries of Labor and Education will jointly develop and establish one or more primary indicators of performance that indicate the effectiveness of the core programs in serving employers before June 30,

52 Appendix D: OWIB Training Services Policies and Procedures CITY OF OAKLAND OFFICE OF ECONOMIC AND WORKFOCE DEVELOPMENT OAKLAND WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD DIRECTIVE No: TO: WIA Service Providers EFFECTIVE: July 1, 2012 SUBJECT: Training Services Policies and Procedures REFERENCES: Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Section 134 WIA Regulations at 20 CFR Subpart A Delivery of Adult and Dislocated Worker Services through the One-Stop Delivery System (Sec to ) Senate Bill 734 EDD Workforce Services Directive WIAD06-17 (Changes to WIA Requirements - SB 293, The Workforce Training Act) EDD Workforce Services Directive WSD11-9 (WIA Training Expenditure Requirements) EDD Workforce Services Directive WSD12-3 (Quarterly and Monthly Financial Requirements) EDD Workforce Services Draft Directive WSDD-72 PURPOSE: This policy directive provides guidance on eligibility for training services, financial assistance towards training, and related procedures under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Programs. The Oakland WIB s Strategic Plan supports the implementation of a sector-focused approach to the delivery of training services. The Oakland WIB also has a Supportive Services policy which requires the use of the Self-Sufficiency Standard to assist job seekers with training and employment goals. ELIGIBILITY FOR TRAINING: Training Services under WIA may be established for an individual; that individual may then be referred to any number of training options. In Oakland, training services may be made available to employed and unemployed adults and dislocated workers who: 49