We will be extending the timeline for the release of the RFP for the Operations and Management of the America’s Job Center of California (AJCC) Network. The new timing has yet to be determined and the final RFP will not be released until further notice. We will inform you as soon as the updated timeline is finalized in the coming months.
As background, SDWP issued a draft RFP on June 27, 2016 to procure interested bidders for the AJCC network in San Diego County. We invited the community to submit feedback.
We received input related to a number of areas, including the need to finalize and clarify the collaboration with key required WIOA system partners. All workforce boards across the nation have been waiting for this clarification as the regulations for WIOA were still being finalized.
During our draft RFP process, the State of California released draft directive “Regional and Local Planning Guidance for 2017-2020” and the Department of Labor published the WIOA final rules, emphasizing the importance of linking local RFPs to local plans and cost-sharing agreements.
After analyzing the directive, final rules and public comments, we submitted a request to the California Employment Development Department (EDD), the state agency that provides administrative and fiscal oversight and support of our WIOA funded work. The EDD approved our request, citing the importance of aligning our AJCC procurement with local planning and infrastructure negotiations that have yet to be finalized.
The additional time benefits our system and future AJCC network design. We want to ensure that we can design and procure the most modern, innovative and customer-friendly system possible. This will enable us to better align our AJCC system with key partners, comply with local planning directives and the WIOA final rules and create a stronger workforce system that results in reduced infrastructure costs and more funded services and training available to AJCC customers.
Thank you for your input and support. We look forward to engaging our stakeholders on our local plan and vision for our services in San Diego in the coming year. Please let us know if you have any questions.
If you have questions, please contact ajccrfp@workforce.org.