Request for Bids (RFB) — Job Search, Work-Readiness and Occupational Skills Workshops

Due September 23, 2019 at 5 p.m. pacific time

The San Diego Workforce Partnership (Workforce Partnership) seeks to engage one or more vendors to provide job search, work-readiness and occupational skills workshops for clients enrolled in its direct services programs. These vendors will serve as a pilot for a potential larger strategy for contracted workshops for the Workforce Partnership’s direct service programs.

Organizational Background

The Workforce Partnership is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization chartered by the County and the City of San Diego to support workforce development in the San Diego region. The organization’s primary funding is allocated by the Department of Labor under the provisions of WIOA. The organization receives additional funding from the County of San Diego, the City of San Diego and private philanthropy, among other sources. The organization’s mission is to empower job seekers to meet the current and future workforce needs of employers in San Diego County. The vision of the Workforce Partnership is that every business in our region has access to a skilled workforce and every job seeker has access to meaningful employment. For additional information, please visit workforce.org.

Project Scope

The Workforce Partnership seeks to engage one or more vendors to provide job search, work-readiness and occupational skills workshops for clients enrolled in its direct services programs. These vendors will serve as a pilot for a potential larger strategy for contracted workshops for the Workforce Partnership’s direct service programs.

The successful bidder(s) will be asked to conduct in-person workshops on the following topics in classroom spaces arranged by the Workforce Partnership, with approximately 25-50 students in the class. The below topics provide a basis which must be covered to meet minimum qualifications set forth by the Workforce Partnership’s funders, and do not represent an exhaustive list: bidders are strongly encouraged to propose additional topics as well. Bidders may choose to bid for a subset of the below topics if they so desire, with the understanding that this will limit the opportunities available for them to book.

Job Search	Work-Readiness	Occupational Skills
– Building a resume – Elevator pitches – Interview skills – Labor market information – Navigating post-secondary school options	– Confidentiality – Diversity in the workplace – Financial literacy – Mental health at work – Preparing for your first day at work – Setting goals	– Customer service – Retail skills

The Workforce Partnership expects to need approximately the following total instructional hours during fiscal year 2020 (July 2019 – June 2020). These numbers are estimates and are subject to change.

Q2 (October – December): 100 total instructional hours
Q3 (January – March): 75 total instructional hours
Q4 (April – June): 75 total instructional hours

Budget

Bidders should propose either a fee-for-service price structure or a cost-per-instructional hour price structure. The Workforce Partnership expects to spend no more than $25,000 in total on services procured under this RFB in fiscal year 2020.

Bid Format

Submit the following items by email to procurement_DS@workforce.org no later than 5 p.m. pacific time on September 23, 2019 with “RFB RESPONSE: Job Search, Work-Readiness and Occupational Skills Workshops” in the subject line of the email.

A single PDF document containing:
1. Title page
  - Include organization name, address, phone number, website and federal tax identification number, as well as the name, phone number, email, and electronic signature for the person authorized to negotiate the contract and make decisions for the organization.
2. Organizational background and qualifications (no more than 1 page)
3. List of workshop topics proposed, including the number of instructional hours for each workshop topic (no more than 1 page)
4. Pedagogical statement describing your organization’s approach to instructional design and workshop delivery (no more than 2 pages)
  - Bidders are encouraged to demonstrate adaptability to meet the needs of a wide variety of populations (e.g. immigrants and refugees, the formerly incarcerated, opportunity youth, and so on).
5. Proposed project plan for implementation (no more than 1/2 page)
  - Include a description of how Workforce Partnership staff will arrange for and schedule workshops with your organization
6. Proposed fee structure and pricing (no more than 1/2 page)
7. Three references from organizations with whom you have conducted similar work in the past.
  - Include the name of the organization, the name of an individual who we can contact at the organization, the contact’s email address and phone number, and a brief (no greater than 25 words) description of the work performed for the organization
8. Letter(s) of support (optional)
9. Certification(s) of small, minority-owned, women-owned, or labor surplus area business (if available)

In the format of your choosing:
1. Sample of curriculum materials (for example, PowerPoint slide decks, workshop outlines and worksheets)
2. Sample of recent customer service data reflecting the experiences of individuals trained by your organization
  - Third party evaluations are most preferred, followed by reviews posted directly by customers on the internet, and then internal customer service surveys if no other resources are available.

Completed and signed Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (Attachment)

Timeline

Questions are due no later than 5 p.m. pacific time on September 13, 2019.
Responses to questions will be posted on this webpage no later than September 18, 2019.
Bids are due no later than 5 p.m. pacific time on September 23, 2019.
Successful bidder(s) will be notified no later than September 27, 2019.
Services may begin as early as October 7, 2019.

Miscellaneous Requirements

Questions

Questions must be submitted by email to procurement_DS@workforce.org with “RFB QUESTION: Job Search, Work-Readiness and Occupational Skills Workshops” in the subject line no later than 5 p.m. pacific time on September 13, 2019.

Service Agreement Template

By submitting a bid, you are agreeing to the terms outlined in the Service Agreement Template, should you be selected as a successful bidder.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form

Bidders are required to list any and all individuals who contributed to the preparation of the proposal in the Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form. Disclosure of any actual or potential conflicts of interest relative to this Competitive Proposal is required. All bidders must fill this out and submit if even if there are no actual or potential conflicts of interest.

Published Responses to Questions

Responses to questions sent to procurement_DS@workforce.org will be posted below as they become available.

Workshop needs

Regarding the estimated distribution of instructional hours needed: Does this indicate the workshops needed in each quarter may vary? For example, Q2 we might offer a few of the workshops in the Job Search category and a few in the Work-Readiness category but none in the Occupational Skills category? In other words, we are not providing an entire program, rather each workshop will run independently from the others and we’ll be directed as to which workshops are needed in which quarter?

Yes, this does indicate that the workshops needed in each quarter may vary. Respondents are expected to propose a set of workshops which may stand alone if necessary, rather than a predetermined program or course. The Workforce Partnership will request workshops to be integrated into a variety of its programs based on the learning outcomes needed to meet program objectives.