WDB16 Request for Proposals (RFP) One Stop Operators

Questions Received prior to noon 3/10/17 for

Response at the Mandatory March 13, 2017 Bidders Conference

SECTION 1

  1. Section 1 page 2 of 14:Award of contract(s) in May 2017 will allow the selected One Stop

Operator(s)to participate in the MOU. Is there funding for this?

Response: As the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) becomes the budget for which the One Stop Operator is funded, it is in the selected One-Stop Operator(s) interest to be active with the MOU finalization as possible. The MOU process will begin around mid-April, and the state expects MOUs to be in place by May 31, 2017 for July 1, 2017 implementation. The MOU will be the ultimate basis for the final negotiated contract with the selected Operator. There is no additional funding available to pay for this pre contract work.

  1. Section 1 page 2 of 14? How will the award of Career Services be done? Will there be contracts? Who will be responsible for writing these contracts?

Response: The Workforce Development Board (WDB16), as allowed under State of Ohio WIOAPL 16-08, determined that they would first work with the selected One Stop Operator to provide Career Services for which they are qualified. The final determination in this regard, rests with the Board. If any Career Service gaps are identified that the successful One Stop Operator cannot provide, as determined by the Board, then a competitive RFP process will be pursued for those “gap” services. The WDB16 Staff to the Board will be responsiblefor this RFP process. Contracts with the WDB16, prepared by Board staff and approved by the fiscal agent, will be required for One Stop Operator and any other service providers.

  1. Section 4 Scope of Work page 5 of 14: We are talking an OMJ Center Operator for 4 OMJ Centers. How is the funding for this going to flow? We have a fiscal agent and OMJ partners in each county. Currently the Fiscal agent takes care of billing for the State agencies and the OMJ Center bills partners. How will this work with one OMJ Center Operator?

Response: County Financial Information Systems (CFIS) has developed a new One Stop Module (MOU Module) just released in March 2017 by the State of Ohio. This new Module will require MOU expense and revenue entries through the Workforce Development Agency Sub Area. As this is a new process, with details and training forthcoming, it is our intention to try to keep the County based entry and funding distribution system as close to current practice as possible. As this RFP is ideally looking for a single provider, some coordination between sites may be required by said provider to meet any new requirements.

  1. Section 4 Scope of Work page 6 of 14: How will the Operator execute and assume a lease agreement for use at the OMJ sites?

Response: The RFP requires the Operator to be responsible for rent and utilities and related liability insurance at the One-Stop sites. While the RFP does identify preferred locations for the One Stop Centers in each County, there is a one-mile radius for bidders who cannot secure current locations. It is the responsibility of the bidder to identify the site they propose to operate the One-Stop. On or before entering into a contract for One Stop Operator services, the successful bidder(s) will need to provide WDB16 with documentation that they do control the One Stop Center locations, which meet the requirements set forth in the RFP.

  1. Section 4 Expected Outcomes page 7 of 14: Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Can hours of operation and specific requirements be different per OMJ Center?

Response: The WDB16 has approved this RFP, and the requirement for an SOP to help guide and direct the four (4) One Stop Centers in Area 16 to operate in a more similar fashion so that a job seeking or employer client would experience similar interface with One Stop services and procedures at any of the four (4) locations. That said, it is not expected that each One Stop Center be “cookie cutter” identical with each other. Where differences are needed, the WDB16 Board will be considerate. Still, one of the overall intentions of this RFP is to uniform best practice services and procedures across all four (4) One Stop Area 16 centers.

  1. Section 4 Expected Outcomes page 7 of 14: What is the state computer tracking system for the One Stop?

Response: The KIOSK Module within the County Finance Information Systems(CFIS) will be the State Tracking system for the One Stops. KIOSK now automatically links and populates data fields with the Ohio Workforce Case Management System (OWCMS).

  1. Section 4 Expected Outcomes page 7 of 14: No mention of CFIS for one stop Referrals, shouldn’t it be part of this RFP?

Response: County Finance Information Systems (CFIS) will be the core data entry and tracking system used by the One Stops.

  1. Section 4 Organizational Flow page 8 of 14: OMJ Jefferson has the wrong address should be 114 not 1114?

Response: The correct address for the Jefferson Co OMJ is 114 North 4th Street Steubenville OH 43952.

  1. Section 4 MOU page 9 of 14: If the Area and State are finalizing a template will the OMJ operator have it by May 31st or will they utilize the current MOU in the event that the template is not ready?

Response: The draft Memorandum of Understanding has been released by the State and is now posted on with the other One Stop RFP documents. The WDB16 Board does have the right to modify this MOU, but most of it will be utilized as presented. Staff to the Board will review this draft document and make any format change recommendations to the WDB 16 Board at their 4/21/17 public meeting.

  1. Section 5 RFP Submission Instructions Page 10 of 14: Item 4 what happens if partners do not agree to cost?

Response: Ohio has an Infrastructure Funding mechanism, as outlined in State of Ohio WIOAPL 16-06. This policy is intended to be implemented by the State when “a WDB area fails to reach a consensus with required partners”. There is no expectation that such a process will be required in WDA16.

  1. Section 5 RFP Submission Instructions Page 10 of 14: Item 7 How is the final contact award based upon funding through the One Stop MOU when the MOU isn’t completed until after the contract?

Response: The WDB16 Board and the Council of Governments (COG) are anticipated to approve the selection of the One Stop Operator by April 28, 2017. An award announcement is expected by May 2, 2017, with the contract protest period ending May 12, 2017. We anticipate that most of the MOU partners will have made a tentative financial commitment by then, with their formal commitments secured by May 31, 2017. None the less, the actual One Stop Operator contract (s) will include a provision for renegotiation based on funding availability. It is the WDB16’s intent to fully fund the One Stop Operator at the fullest level supported by the MOU partners.

  1. Section 5 Equipment, Inventory, supplies and Date Page 13 of 14: What about equipment not purchased with other than One Stop funding does it become one stop assets? (Reed Act) (Enhancement funding)? 100% of ALL Harrison & Jefferson Counties One Stop Equipment/ Inventory is property of the County DJFS’s and on their Inventory listing per our Contracts.

Response: WDB16 would maintain ownership of any and all items purchased with Federal WIA or WIOA funding, regardless of the agency who purchased the item, or whose inventory is currently tracking such items. Reed Act funding was provided to the Workforce area for One Stop purchases, and as such, Reed Act purchases are also the ultimate property of WDB16.

  1. Section 6 Evaluation Page 13 of 14: 10 points assigned to SOP yet SOP is not required to be implemented until Dec 1, 2107. What exactly is being rated? (Note you have two pages 13 of 14). Also, the signatures state page 14 of 14, what page is this supposed to be?

Response: The response to this question should be a narrative or outline which identifies what items the operator believes they can standardize between sites. The WDB16 Board has determined that they would like to see more standardized operation of Area16 One Stop sites and this narrative/outline is intended to flush out the proposer’s thoughts in this regard. While it is not the intention that each One Stop be a “cookie cutter” of each other, there is a genuine desire have each Area 16 One Stop to have similar procedures, safety standards, client interactions, all based on best practices.

SECTION2

  1. Is it permissible to include other attachments such as letters of support from employers, our one-stop procedure manual, etc.?

Response: While the RFP did not address additional attachments, each applicant is permitted to submit up to 20 pages of supportive materials at their discretion.

  1. I see in the RFP that both Belmont and Jefferson are to be certified as Comprehensive One Stops. Previously, the State would not allow this. Has this changed and if so, why?

Response: The State has indicated to the Staff of WDB16 that it is a local Workforce Board decision on how many comprehensive sites exist in each area. The State mandates at least one (1) comprehensive site in each area. The WDB16 Board determined that Jefferson and Belmont Counties are both well suited to be comprehensive sites, and that comprehensive sites can offer more services to job seekers and employers. Given the proposed 55% increase in Area 16 WIOA 2017 funding due to lagging employment statistics (compared with the rest of Ohio),WDB16 strongly believes that our job seekers and employers need the highest level of services possible.

  1. What is the objective criteria regarding organization and staff experience to determine if a proposing entity is “qualified”?

Response: A qualified entity would be one who demonstrates to the WDB16 Board that they have experience with client based, case managed, government funded programing, with a demonstrated level of accomplishment. This is a pass/fail question as determined by the WDB16 Executive Board, who will review all applications and make a recommendation to the full WDB16 Board. The suggested Narrative response, staff resumes etc. to this question will provide the evidence as to whether an applicant is qualified or not.

  1. Staffing the one-stop and how absences will be addressed. Please clarify what is meant by this (absences). Staffing the one-stop also includes partners. Please clarify.

Response: The key to this question, is addressing how the One Stop Operator will use their own staff and partners staff to assure consistently high staffing levels to serve clients. The RFP response should address how scheduled and unscheduled absences would be covered by the Operator to assure consistent and high quality client services.

  1. Section 5: Please explain what you are looking for here regarding “hardest area to achieve and why”.

Response: One of the primary functions of the One Stop Operator is to coordinate all of the partners affiliated with the One Stop and/or required under WIOA. In fact, of the 100 point selection scale, 50 points are allocated to Partner Coordination. Question 3 of Section 2 is seeking a reflective response: that the applicant has fully thought through how they will coordinate all of the partners, and what concerns, obstacles or issues they think they may encounter while implementing this primary task.

Section 3 Budget:

  1. Is this a combined 4 county budget or an individual budget?

Response: The ideal RFP response is for the combined budget to deliver services for the 4 counties. For any respondent just looking to serve a single county or less that all four (4), please note the counties proposed to be served on your budget. It would also be acceptable to use this format to create individual county budgets, along with a summary budget which would include all four (4) counties.

  1. The RFP Excel budget attachment has 2 tabs…each of the budgets are the same. Is there only one budget form?

Response: This is duplicative due to a computer glitch. There is only one (1) budget form to complete and submit.

  1. On the budget, it asks about marketing/outreach cost. Wouldn’t this have to be agreed upon by the partners and part of the MOU? Please clarify.

Response: This budget information is intended to have the Operator think through how much funding will be needed for a successful marketing/ outreach effort to our two (2) primary audiences: job seekers and employers. While MOU partners would be responsible for some of the marketing and outreach expense, the WDB16 Board will be considering allocating a portion of WIOA funding, as allowed by law, to support marketing and outreach. The draft SE Ohio Regional Workforce Plan and the corresponding Local Plan (both viewable at and open for public comment until March 22, 2017) address the need for improved client outreach.

One Stop Certification:

  1. Since Jefferson County has been identified as being a comprehensive job center what is the time frame to have the Phase 1 completed?

Response: Based on the timeline it took for Belmont Co One Stop Certification, Jefferson Co One Stop should be able to complete a Phase 1 Certification within 4-6 months of award. WDB16 Staff will be available to help facilitate this process along that timeline.

Subcontracting Disclosure:

  1. Doesn’t mention procurement procedures. Doesn’t this type of service have to be competitively procured?

Response: A Subcontractor Disclosure Form is included in the bidding package. It explicitly says, and the bidder is agreeing with their signature, that “The Provider shall not subcontract any of this agreement unless expressly authorized to do so by resolution of Area 16 WDB.” This form and the presented language is intended to assure the applicant is not subcontracting any work, which may be a violation of WIOA procurement requirements.

Computer Capabilities:

  1. Shouldn’t this document also include CFIS access?

Response: Computer capacities should include County Financial Information System (CFIS) capacities. CFIS will be the primary reporting and tracking tool used by the One Stop Operator.

End

Responses prepared by Rob Guentter AICP, Staff to the WDB16 Board 3/12/17

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