Subject:Release of Request for Proposal - WIOA Title II Adult Education Ad Family Literacy

To:Potential Bidders

From:Kinexus

Subject:Release of Request for Proposal - WIOA Title II Adult Education ad Family Literacy

Date:October 19, 2017

Kinexusis issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to seek a subrecipient who will employ Adult Education instructional staff within its Michigan Works! Service Center in Benton Harbor, Michiganlocated at 499 West Main Street.

Funding for this RFP is through Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity ActAdult Education and Family Literacy Services (AEFL.) and is designated to serve residents of northern Berrien county. Approximately $45,000.00 is available under this RFP for services rendered November 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018(9 months)and mayberenewed for year 2, starting July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, dependent upon successful performance and funding availability.

Please note that eligible proposers must be an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in providing adult education and literacy activities and may include:

• a local education agency;
• a community based organization or faith based organization;
• a volunteer literacy organization;
• an institution of higher education;
• a public or private non-profit agency;
• a library;
• a public housing authority;
• a non-profit institution that has the ability to provide literacy services to eligible individuals;
• a consortium or coalition of the agencies, organizations listed above; and
• a partnership between an employer and an entity listed above.

Proposals shall be developed to address activities for the period November 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, with additional years to be negotiated based upon subrecipient performance.

Please note that the purpose of this document is to present the requirements and procedures for consideration of proposals to be contracted under Kinexus.

There will be no mandatory bidder conference. Please email all questions regarding this rfp to . If you are seeking to send inquiries, you are required to fill in the intent to bid form and send along via email with your questions.

NOTE: It will be the responsibility of the bidders to email their responses to:

BIDDERS ARE MANDATED TO CONFIRM RECEIPT OF THEIR PROPOSAL BY CALLING STACY AT 269-927-1064 EXTENSION 1113.

Bids are due: 12:00 NOON EASTERN, October 29, 2017

PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE:*

*Please Note: all bidders must be able to demonstrate flexibility to fulfill staffing levels within 3 weeks of the start date of November 1, 2017.

Intent to Bid form:

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

KINEXUS MICHIGAN WORKS! SERVICE CENTER SYSTEM’s

WIOA TITLE II ADULT EDUCATION SERVICES

I.Framework:

Kinexus is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) which addresses the framework required to provide adult education and workplace readiness services as part of the Michigan Works! Service Center System within its service center located at 499 West Main Street in Benton Harbor Michigan. The Subrecipient and the staff funded under this Request for Proposal will be known as Michigan Works! Service Center Adult Education and Family Literacy staff promoting activities under that designation and will operate at the Benton Harbor Michigan Works! Service Centers. Bidders must reflect their organization’s commitment to deliver services under the mission, vision, values, and franchise requirements of the Kinexus’s Michigan Works! Service Center System that includes the full scope of academic, family literacy, workplace readiness, job training and employment services.

The Kinexus’Mission is as follows:

“We promote economic vitality in our region by creating integrated solutions for business, workforce, and community challenges.”

The Vision for this Mission is as follows:

“For Kinexus to become a preeminent integrated community development organization in order to make our communities economically vibrant.”

The Kinexus Values are:

Be Bold…seize opportunity

Be Inspirational…energize others

Be Entrepreneurial…drive change.

Due to the uniqueness of the WIOA Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy Services and the Michigan Works ! Service Center system, all Team Membersare required to follow the Kinexus’ rules, policies, database systems, continuous quality improvement systems, and standing operating procedures.

The Michigan Works! Service Centers are turnkey operations, in which the Kinexus supplies the building space, utilities, technology/telecommunication infrastructure, all materials and supplies. However, the Kinexus is seeking aSubrecipientwho can provide an added value to the Michigan Works! Service Center System’s adult education and family literacy services beyond traditional academic programs through in-kind and other cash resources.

Funding for this system is through the State of Michigan’s Talent Investment Agency under Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Adult Education and Family Literacy Act(AEFLA.) AEFLA presents an extraordinary opportunity to improve the quality of life for individuals with low skills. Literacy and numeracy are fundamental skills necessary for workforce success, as well as for personal and social well-being. Services provided under AEFLA, including high school equivalency acquisition(formerly GED) are intended to lead to further education, training opportunities, and work, and are to be based on best practices derived from the most rigorous research available. The diversity of individuals who possess low skills requires a broad approach to skills development. As one of six core programs under WIOA, the AEFLA program plays an integral role in the workforce development system by providing access to educational services for adult learners through the one-stop delivery system(Michigan Works! Service Centers.) The program seeks to increase opportunity in the educational and workforce development of adults as workers, parents, and citizens. While playing a critical role in adult attainment of a secondary school diploma, the program also aims to assist in the transition to postsecondary education and training through the use of career pathways

The AEFLA services under the Michigan Works! Service Center system will provide the following critical services and activities to support adult learners with the goal of improving access to education and training opportunities, as well as to employment:

• Assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills for employment and economic self-sufficiency;
• Support the educational and skill achievement of parents and family members to participate in the educational development of their children and improve economic opportunities for families;
• Assist adults with academic instruction, work place adult education and literacy activities, workplace preparation activities and integrated education and training services through the Michigan Works! Service Center system.
• Assist adults with acquisition of High School Equivalency attainment through Kinexus approved curriculums and instruction.

1. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Background:

On July 22, 2014 President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. The WIOA(Public Law No: 113-128), which also amended Title III Wagner Peyser Employment Services of the WIOA, Title II WIOA Adult Education and Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the WIOA Title IV is designed to improve and streamline access to federally funded employment, education, training and support services. Every year these key programs that form the pillars of WIOA help tens of millions of job seekers and workers nationwide to connect to good jobs and acquire the skills and credentials needed to obtain them. The enactment of WIOA provides an opportunity for reforms to ensure the Michigan Works! Service Center System is job-driven, responding to the needs of employers and preparing workers for jobs that are available now and in the future. The WIOA has six main purposes:

1. Increase access to and opportunities for employment, education, training, and support services for individuals, particularly those with barriers to employment.
2. Support the alignment of workforce investment, education, and economic development systems in support of a comprehensive, accessible, and high-quality workforce development system.
3. Improve the quality and labor market relevance of workforce investment, education and economic development efforts.
4. Promote improvement in the structure and delivery of service through integration and enhanced collaboration.
5. Increase the prosperity of workers and employers.
6. Provide workforce development activities that increase employment, retention, and earnings of participants and that increase post-secondary credential attainment and as a result, improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, increases economic self-sufficiency, meets skills requirement of employers, and enhances productivity and competitiveness of the nation.

The successful proposer to this RFP will be expected to remain informed on and comply with all WIOA Title II regulations and requirements

1. Project Scope

This project will require a Subrecipientwho will bring highervalue added performance to the KinexusMichigan Works! Service Center Franchise system that includes adult education and family literacy services. Kinexus is seeking a Subrecipient that is capable and inventive to join us in the ongoing implementation of a high quality businessdriven talentsystem beyond routine academic services.

All outreach, recruitment and marketing materials of the AEFL services will be provided by Kinexus as part of the turnkey operations. All AEFL staff will participate in ongoing outreach and recruitment activities.

All AEFL activities will be integrated with the Michigan Works! Service Center services that will maximize all resources available to adult learners.

The subrecipient will be required to follow the state of Michigan Talent Investment Agency’s Assessment Policy. The Workforce Investment Opportunity Act requires assessment procedures to be valid, reliable, and appropriate to determine the effectiveness of instructional activities. The Assessment Policy provides guidelines for:

1. Using NRS/state-approved assessments in a standardized and consistent manner.
2. Placing a participant accurately into appropriate program and instructional level.
3. Obtaining diagnostic information to guide instruction.
4. Determining educational functioning level at intake (pre-test) and at the end of the instructional period (post-test).
5. Training staff and implementation of test security requirements.

The Subrecipient must also deploy proper testing, scoring, and reporting protocols in accordance with the Assessment Policy and publishers’ guidelines.

The Test for Adult Basic Education(TABE) utilized by Kinexus has been determined to:

 Be appropriate for measuring literacy and language development of adult participants

• Have standardized administration and scoring procedures

 Have alternate equivalent forms for pre-testing and post-testing

 Have evidence linking them to NRS educational functioning levels

 Be NRS approved tests and appropriate forms

An ADULT LEARNING PLANis required for all adult education participants. The ALP is designed to document AEFLA information that tracks participant’s progress towards goals achievement and enhances the academic performance and economic success of the adult education participant. The ALP is initiated at intake and utilized for the entire duration of the participant’s adult education services across program years.

The Subrecipientto Kinexus will be required to workin partnership with the KinexusBusiness Servicesand Talent Development Teamsin developing solutions tomeet the short and long term human resource needs in academic preparation, building career ladders, enhancing career pathway systems, financial literacy training, and occupational skill training for all current and future workers.

The Subrecipient will also be required to fully participate and align to an evolving service structure that will enhance the quality of services to customers. The Michigan Works! Service Center Subrecipient will collaborate in an integrated framework that aligns adult learners and/or jobseekers to services based not on categorical funding sources, but rather through a strategic approach that takes into consideration the collective likeness of their needs. On-going “service after the sale” follow up is required to ensure long term employment needs with a concentration on entrance into high demand high wage jobs over time.

1. Subrecipient Responsibilities:

• Provide routine performance appraisals of their personnel to ensure that standards and benchmarks are exceeded.
• Implement continuous quality improvement systems as outlined by Kinexus.
• Fully utilize all required databases.
• Work with partners in education, economic development, and employment and training organizations to implement a collaborative and integrated workforce system.
• Subrecipient selected must ensure compliance with all security, confidentiality and privacy rules and protocols related to any and all information.

1. Mandated database—Data Entry Requirement:

The data entry requirement is part of a comprehensive performance accountability system. Kinexus requires that all federal and state funded adult education programs must enter data into MAERS for every adult education participant that registers for services and attends one or more instructional hours. MAERS was developed to meet the USDOE data requirements specified in the NRS Implementation Guidelines. Per USDOE requirements, data MUST be entered into MAERS monthly, at a minimum, and no later than the last day of the subsequent month. This includes class functions, registration, daily attendance hours for every participant enrolled in an adult education class, assessments (pre and post-tests), class enrollment(s), program exits, and follow-up data.

1. Performance Requirements:

WIOA establishes common performance accountability measures across six core programs. These measures are applicable to federal and state funded programs and must be reported in the Michigan Adult Education Reporting System (MAERS). These measures are as follows:

• the percentage of program participants in unsubsidized employment in the 2nd quarter after exit;
• the percentage of program participants in unsubsidized employment in the 4th quarter after exit;
• the median earnings of program participants who are employed during the 2nd quarter after exit;
• the percentage of program participants who obtain a recognized postsecondary credential, or a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent during participation in or within 1 year after exit(see clause iii below)
• the percentage of program participants achieving measurable skill gains; and
• effectiveness in serving employers.

*Clause (iii) states that program participants who obtain a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent shall be included in the percentage counted as meeting the criterion only if, in addition to obtaining diploma or equivalent, they have obtained or retained employment or are in an education or training program leading to a postsecondary credential within 1 year after exit from the program.

1. Reporting/Financial/Administrative Requirements and Expectations:

• Financial Reporting: The Subrecipient must ensure that a responsive and responsible accounting system is in place that utilizes generally accepted accounting principles.
• The Subrecipient must have the capability to provide timely and accurate management information system and financial reports to Kinexus, and the Talent Investment Agencyas appropriate.
• Financial Records: The Subrecipient must provide all relevant financial records, including original documentation supporting the Subrecipient cost allocation, invoicing, and other transactions for audit. All financial records must be made readily accessiblelocally for the convenience of Kinexus’ auditors and monitors.
• Budget Controls: The organization has a method for tracking planned expenditures that allowsit to compare actual expenditures to planned or estimated expenditures.
• Cash Management: The organization’s cash draws are necessary and reasonable, and thetiming and amount of such draws appear to be as close as possible to the actual disbursementof federal funds for the payment of allowable and allocable costs incurred under the contract.
• Program Income: The organization is aware of the requirements for earning, spending, andreporting program income.
• Cost Allocation: The organization only allocates costs to the contract to the extent that a benefitwas received.
• Allowable Costs: The organization has a system in place to ensure the program is incurringnecessary and reasonable costs and is only charging allowable and allocable costs to thecontract.
• Internal Controls: Effective control, integrity, and accountability are maintained for Subrecipientcash, personal property, and other federally funded assets.
• Documentation Required for Monitoring and/or as negotiated for Invoice Submittal:
• General ledger;
• Cash receipts and cash disbursements journals/reports or equivalent;
• Bank statements, reconciliation, deposit slips and canceled checks for each bank accountthrough which workforce development funds were received or disbursed;
• All financial reports and documentation supporting requests for reimbursement;
• Payroll records including Individual Earnings Record, Employee Withholding
• Authorization (W-4), FICA reporting forms, federal and state withholding,
• Unemployment taxes, Employee Personnel Files, Time Records
• Time/Salary Allocation plans;
• Invoices and/or supporting data for non-payroll disbursements.
• Compliance: in accordance with GAAP as applicable.

1. Allowable Cost Requirements:

• All expenditures must be consistent with grant, law, regulations, guidelines and contract specifications.
• The Subrecipient must ensure that an acceptable method exists to respond to disallowed costs that may be incurred by the Subrecipient.
• Any expenditure found to be disallowed through monitoring or audit must be paid back from non-grant funds.

1. Staffing:

Subrecipients will be responsible for hiring and retaining personnel.