23 Jan Request For Proposals 2026 Year Round Out of School Youth Program and FAQ
Request for Proposals
Charlotte Works is currently accepting proposals to use federal, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds for the out-of-school youth program.
Interested parties can find the RFP applications with instructions and deadline information here: Out of School Youth RFP for 2026..
Complete proposals (original and 6 copies) in response to the RFP must be submitted by 12 p.m. ET on March 25, 2026, to the address below.
Charlotte Works
Attn: Anna London, President & CEO
8601 McAlpine Park Drive
Suite 130
Charlotte, NC 28211
Here are some common questions that we have answered for your review:
- Are we correct in understanding that there is a 60 day start-up period before youth will be served, but during which the Proposer can receive payment for start-up activities?
Service delivery for the Out of School Youth (OSY) program is scheduled to begin July 1, 2026. Should Charlotte Works select a new OSY provider, we will discuss the start-up timeframe. As this is a cost-reimbursement contract, the selected provider can bill for allowable administrative and operational expenses incurred during the start-up timeframe. All expenditures must be submitted to Charlotte Works for reimbursement monthly.
- Could oral presentations be done virtually, if they are required?
In-person presentations are required.
3. Can the Funder explain what follow-up services for the 12 months after completion of the program would look like, in terms of the number and types of required contacts?
Quarterly follow-up (post exit) takes place during the months below, and are “activated” based on the date of participant exit:
- March 31st
- June 30th
- September 30th
- December 31st
Quarterly follow-ups begin 90 days after exit from WIOA services Participant exits on 2/24/26, Q1 follow-up would be 6/30/26.
Follow up services include:
- Supportive Services
- Adult Mentoring
- Financial Literacy Education
- Services that provide Labor Market and Employment Information
4. Can electronic copies of documentation suffice for all paperwork?
While we do not have a formal policy regarding electronic vs. hard copies, Charlotte Works adheres to state guidance to maintain electronic copies but does not require hard copy documents to be maintained for WIOA purposes.
5. What is the typical length of time needed to receive approval on marketing collateral?
48 hours
- Is cobranding with the Respondent’s company name and logo permitted?
Yes, but the contracted Out of School Youth provider must adhere to Charlotte Works/NextGen branding guidelines.
- Can the Funder provide the list of occupations in demand?
Here is the Occupations in Demand list which will also be shared with the selected provider. https://www.charlotteworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-OID-2.pdf
8. If a Respondent has it’s own soft skills training, would the Funder consider use of that curriculum instead, provided it meets the Funder’s approval?
Charlotte Works is open to reviewing the selected provider’s curriculum but only as a supplemental tool for enhancement rather than replacing Working Smart.
- If not, will the Funder provide the training curriculum to the Provider?
Yes, Charlotte Works will provide Working Smart training including curriculum/materials to the selected provider.
- Is there a cost associated with becoming trained in the curriculum and delivering it? If so, can you provide those costs?
No, there is no cost associated with Working Smart training for our contracted providers.
- How long does it take to become certified in the curriculum?
That is contingent upon availability of Working Smart train the trainer sessions. Once Working Smart curriculum updates have been completed this year, we plan to resume train the trainer sessions to certify additional trainers.
12. The RFP indicates there are three priority populations. Does the Funder have an expectation of a minimum number/percentage of each population to be served?
No.
- Based on historical data, approximately how many youth carry over from previous contract years into new contract years?
Varies from year to year but, we average approximately 70-100 youth.
- Of the 270 estimated youth to be served, approximately what percentage would be “new,” and what percentage would be carried over?
Approximately 30% will carry over.
15. Will the Funder provide training on how to use the NCWorks database system? If so, when would that happen during the contract?
Yes, Charlotte works will provide required training on NCWorks at the beginning of the program year (July 2026) and further training as needed throughout the program year.
16. Does NCWorks have a confidentiality agreement they would like us to use? If so, can you provide?
There is a confidentiality clause in the contract for the selected OSY provider.
17. The RFP indicates that Charlotte Works “has the authority to re-capture and re-distribute youth funds quarterly based on the specified criteria for any of the following not being met.” Can the Funder provide those criteria by category (staffing levels, enrollments, caseloads, spending levels, performance)?
Charlotte Works will provide specified criteria to the selected provider once awarded the contract.
18. Can you clarify which budget line items qualify as “direct youth services” to meet the 30% minimum spend requirement?
Participant Fringe Benefits, Supplies, ITA’s, Supportive Services, OJT (Adult/Dislocated), Food for Student Gatherings (youth only).
19. Will memoranda of understanding/agreement suffice for “copies of written agreement” from other organizations to provide supportive services?
Charlotte Works federal funding includes supportive services. If we augment our supportive services with another organization, further discussions will be necessary. Be sure to explain any partnerships you plan to explore within your proposal.
20. Are there any specific guidelines to mentorship requirements (e.g., allowed mentor‑to‑youth ratio, any minimum training requirements for mentors, any background checks that Charlotte Works requires)?
Adult mentoring for a duration of at least 12 months may occur both during and after program participation. Click this link for further details: eCFR :: 20 CFR 681.490 — What is adult mentoring?
Charlotte Works strongly recommends that the selected Out of School Youth provider to do their due diligence in properly vetting the mentorship organization and programming; including background checks.
- Is the Respondent required to provide facilities under this contract, or does the Funder have existing locations that a Respondent could use to deliver services?
The selected Out of School Youth (OSY) provider is responsible for securing and maintaining its own service delivery facilities within Mecklenburg county. Charlotte Works does not provide dedicated office space or satellite locations for this contract.
22. If the Funder has an existing location, will the Funder charge rent? If so, how much would that be?
N/A
23. Should the Respondent use Program Year 2025 Planned Outcomes for budgeting purposes?
Yes
- When will the 2026 Planned Outcomes be published?
2026 planned outcomes are not determined until after we receive funding allocations from the state by June 2026. After which, we plan and negotiate the outcomes with the selected Out of School Youth provider.
25. What is the monthly invoice due date, and what is the estimated time for payment of a monthly invoice?
Monthly invoice due date is the 10th of every month. Estimated time for payment of the monthly invoice is 30 days.
- How long is the approval process (typically) for approving non-expendable property with a unit cost of $500 or more?
3 business days
27. What needs to be done with Attachment F? Is Attachment G the only budget document that needs to be included in the application?
Attachment F is a template that should be used to build the proposer’s budget. Attachment G should be used to enter the proposer’s budget.
- Please confirm that a Respondent without an indirect cost rate agreement can use the de minimis to calculate indirect costs.
Yes
- There is an asterisk on Participant Support Costs. What does that tie to?
Participant supportive services include but are not limited to assistance with transportation, uniforms, books, etc.
30. Does Attachment H need to be returned with the application?
No, those are a list of things we take into consideration when selecting our Out of School Youth provider.
31. What is the relative weight of each of the criteria used to conduct the technical evaluations of each proposal? How is probable program effectiveness scored?
Charlotte Works uses a standardized scoring rubric to ensure a fair and objective evaluation of all proposals. Regarding probable program effectiveness, this is scored based on the proposer’s ability to demonstrate a clear link between their proposed activities and their proposed outcomes. The OSY RFP review committee will evaluate feasibility/capacity to serve our youth, program and activity alignment, past and current performance and sustainability, just to name a few categories.
32. Does Attachment K need to be completed and returned with the application?
Yes, only if your organization is for-profit and requesting performance pay.
- Is there a required waiting period for participants who transition from in-school status to out-of-school status prior to enrollment in the OSY program?
There is no “official” waiting period for participants who transition from In-School status to Out of School status. The key is making sure the student is “formally” exited from ISY services prior to enrollment in OSY services as these are two distinct programs which require unique enrollment.
- Are there specific documentation or verification requirements that must be met to confirm ISY ineligibility at the time of enrollment to OSY?
Yes (See Participant Eligibility guide below for OSY).
35. May individuals who were previously served under WIOA Youth either in-school or out-of-school and exited be re-enrolled under the PY 2026 out-of-school contract?
Yes, in this case, the ISY provider would be responsible for completing quarterly follow-up services for the following year (post-exit).
36. Is co-enrollment with Adult or Dislocated Worker programs encouraged or permitted under this contract?
Charlotte Works does not encourage co-enrollment with Adult or Dislocated Worker programs.
- Is the 75% requirement tracked at the contract level or at the local area aggregate level? Are there local policy interpretations that exceed the federal minimum requirement?
Charlotte Works adheres to the federal WIOA mandate requiring a minimum of 75% expenditure on Out of School Youth. While compliance is monitored by the State at the local level, Charlotte Works tracks this requirement at the contract level.
Regarding local policy interpretations, any flexibility or deviation from the 75% threshold is contingent upon the approval of state-level waivers. Unless a waiver is formally issued to the selected OSY provider, the 75% OSY expenditure remains a strict contractual requirement.
- Is the 20% minimum expenditure requirement for work-based learning calculated at the individual contract level or across the local area portfolio?
The 20% minimum expenditure requirement is calculated by Charlotte Works across our youth programs.
- Are target performance rates (credential attainment, measurable skills gain, placement, retention) aligned strictly with state-negotiated performance levels, or are there local performance benchmarks providers are expected to meet or exceed?
WIOA common measure goals (i.e. credential attainment, measurable skills, etc) are performance goals Charlotte Works negotiates with the state. Charlotte Works also has local area performance goals to meet (i.e. occupational skills, WEX, enrollments).
- Are Out-of-School Youth participants also eligible to receive on-the-job-training or work-based learning grants while enrolled in the program?
On The Job Training grants are normally funded under adult programming. However, OJT opportunities can be considered contingent upon funding levels during a youth’s enrollment in our Out of School Youth program.
- Will Charlotte Works provide a list of employers that have previously supported the Out-of-School Youth program through work-based learning, internships, OJT, or apprenticeship placement?
No. The expectation is for the proposer to establish and retain relationships with employers to provide work-based learning, internships and/or apprenticeship opportunities.
- Are current providers expected to leverage existing employer partnerships facilitated by Charlotte Works, or should proposers assume primary responsibility for developing new employer relationships to meet work-based learning targets?
The current Out of School (OSY) provider leverages partnerships facilitated by Charlotte Works but is also responsible for developing and maintaining employer relationships to meet work-based learning needs and goals. Proposers would be expected to do the same.
- A budget format(Attachment F) and a completed budget summary (Attachment G) – Will Charlotte Works be providing the Excel spreadsheet on pg. 42 of the RFP for us to fill out?
Charlotte Works will not provide an Excel spreadsheet. Proposers are responsible for leveraging the Budget Format (Attachment F) and replicating the Budget Summary (Attachment G) to develop their financial proposal.
- Are we supposed to edit any of the information in Attachment F (budget format) in our submission, or should our proposed budget be entirely reflected in the completed budget summary (Attachment G) (i.e., no proposed budget information provided in Attachment F)?
Attachment F is provided as a reference for the required budget format and should not be edited or modified. All proposers must submit their detailed financial proposal using Attachment G (Budget summary).
- Selection of Service Providers – Attachment H; Proposal Review and Evaluation Criteria – Attachment J; and Sample Pay for Performance Matrix – Attachment K – Do we need to edit/provide information within any of these attachments?
Attachments H and J are provided for informational purposes only and do not require edits or submission. Attachment K requires input if your organization is for-profit. If so, proposers must complete the goals section in the first column to align with their proposed program outcomes. The management fee in the third column, will be negotiated with Charlotte Works if selected as the Out of School Youth provider.
- Suggested Format for Letter of Intent – Attachment I – Are we supposed to include this suggested format, or the letter that was submitted by the February 11thdeadline?
The letter of intent does not need to be included in your final proposal submission. The format provided in Attachment I was suggested for the proposer’s convenience.
- Can the 1 original and 5 copies of the application for the Out of School Youth program be hand delivered to the address in the RFP versus mailed?
The RFP can either be mailed or hand delivered to the address in the RFP. Proposals must be received by 12pm E.T. on March 25, 2026 in 3 ring binders as follows:
- One original (clearly marked) proposal and attachments
- Six copies of the proposal and attachments.
- Are you just making one award/contract or will you be awarding funds to multiple entities?
We are only awarding one contract for our Out of School Youth program.
- Is the award(s) being made under this program considered a contract or a grant?
The selected provider will be under contract with Charlotte Works.
- Will travel be allowed within the internship experience?
Yes, travel is allowed and included in the supportive services that we provide our youth.
- On the budget format, it states indirect costs are only allowed if the service provider has an improved indirect cost rate, can providers without an approved indirect cost rate use the 15% de-minimus instead?
Yes, if you don’t have a modified rate, you are allowed to use the 15% de-minimus rate.
- Would a union sponsored apprenticeship program be eligible?
Yes, union sponsored apprenticeship programs are eligible, provided they are officially registered with Apprenticeship NC.
- Provider expected to serve approximately 270 youth for PY26. If the bidding organization does not serve that many, but could with the award, how should they indicate that in the proposal?
Proposals should be developed based on the capacity to serve 270 youth annually. Proposers should provide a detailed operational plan and staffing structure that demonstrates their ability to reach and sustain this service level. The final performance goals including enrollment will be established and negotiated for the contract contingent upon the total WIOA Out of School Youth funding allocations Charlotte Works awards for the 2026 program year.
- Can you discuss how the bidder would complete the Planned Youth Outcomes Data Sheet, in the context of the 270 students?
Proposals should be developed based on the capacity to serve 270 youth annually. Proposers should provide a detailed operational plan that demonstrates their ability to reach and sustain this service level.
- Names of Current Youth Providers:
Charlotte Works Out of School Youth provider is Central Piedmont Community College.
Charlotte Works In School Youth provider is in house (Charlotte Works).
- Do we provide assessments?
Charlotte Works conducts comprehensive Objective Assessment for every Out of School Youth as a mandatory component of the WIOA enrollment process. This evaluation goes beyond basic eligibility to ensure each participant is matched with the right resources for long-term success.