04 Jan Request For Proposals Applications and FAQ
8601 McAlpine Park Drive
Suite 130
Charlotte, NC 28211
Attn: Danielle Frazier, President & CEO
Charlotte Works is currently accepting proposals to use federal, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA Title I) funds for the in-school youth program, out-of-school youth program and NCWorks Career Center operator/ service provider of adult, dislocated worker, and business services. Interested parties can find the RFP applications below. Complete proposals (original and 6 copies) in response to the RFP must be submitted by 12 p.m. on March 3, 2023 to the address above.
Here are some common questions that we have answered for your review:
- Should a proposer include the entire budget for the OSY program? It is stated that the funding available is for 2 programs.
The estimated funding in the OSY RFP covered 2 OSY programs via separate providers. Please include a budget indicative of half of the amount included in the OSY RFP.
2. Is it possible for one organization to be awarded all 3 youth contracts?
It is possible for orgs to receive ISY and OSY contracts. However, if budget permits there will be 2 OSY providers and 1 ISY provider.
3. Are proposers able to access the content in the Working Smart Curriculum? There is a program goal to ensure youth graduate from this program.
Due to the proprietary nature that Working Smart curriculum entails, we only provide the curriculum to individuals/organizations that completed training to facilitate Working Smart. Proposer’s that will execute our PY23 contracts will be able to access and facilitate the Working Smart curriculum.
- Confirming that there is no rental or space requirements for the ISY and OSY youth Programs. Space is provided by Charlotte Works?
Charlotte Works does not provide space for the ISY program. Currently, there is one OSY program located in the career center and it could remain that way. Depending on the budget, one OSY program will continue to be located in the career center and other spaces could be negotiated with the budget.
- Do we need to budget for any facility costs at the Career Centers? If so, what is the estimate of operational costs and what expenses are included? Is it allocated on a shared percentage of Center Services?
Charlotte Works pays the lease at the career center where the Adult Dislocated Worker and Business Services provider/s will be located. However, the service provider/s at the career center will be responsible for their own internet, copier repairs, and IT services.
- What have been the supportive services costs ytd? (what are the projected supported services costs/budget)? Are the numeric values listed above inclusive of all participant costs, or only the category of Supportive Services?
The PY22 supportive services budget is as follows:
- Adult : $14,974.57
- DW: $2,852.30
- ISY: $187,420
- OSY: $65,675
These amounts are only indicative of supportive services and change from year to year contingent upon budget allocations.
- Does the current ISY provider utilize program space within the schools they serve, or do they have a separate rented space to deliver program services?
The current ISY provider has career advisors located in the schools that they serve but they also lease an office for their staff and to provide additional program services as needed.
- Is technology provided in all program locations?
Technology is provided within the budget of the contracts.
8. Is TABE the preferred academic assessment for the Charlotte Works ISY and OSY programs?
-
- CASAS is also mentioned in the proposal and is used in other workforce areas.
The primary assessment we use for our ISY and OSY programs is the CASAS Assessment.
- What is the approximate hourly rate for PWEs or OJTs in the area?
$15.00
- What is the number of hours permitted for OJTs/PWE?
OJT = 1040 hours (6 months)
PWE=480 hours (3 months)
- Is the proposer able to create new work sites for PWE?
Yes
- What is the average cost of an ITA?
$4200-$4500
13. Are virtual program services an option to be included in proposed program delivery? If yes, would proposers be able to include technology for participants on an as needed basis?
Yes, virtual and in-person options are preferred. Provision of technology for participants is contingent upon current policies.
14. Is Charlotte Works open to a proposer conducting a site visit?
Yes, we are open to providing a site visit at our career center. Please contact us to coordinate any site visit requests via 2023rfp@charlotteworks.com.
- What is the current staff model including title/function?
Our current staff model is an integrated services delivery model which is a system by which WIOA Title I Adult and Dislocated Worker programs and the Wagner-Peyser (WIOA Title III) Employment services are the operational backbone of our career center. Therefore, our NCWorks career center staff includes state employees and our contracted provider/operator employees. Attached is an organizational chart which highlights titles and the structure of our functional teams.
PY21 Dashboard
- Number of management vs individual contributors?
10 managers, 31 team members
- Will the staff model be designed by Charlotte Works/state or the contractor?
Charlotte Works and our NCWorks team (state and the contracted operator) work together to identify staffing needs and to create the staffing model.
18. Do changes to the staff model need to be approved by Charlotte Works?
Yes
- How many of the 41 current staff are state employees?
15
- Could you share the budget details of prior years?
Charlotte Works is not able to provide budget details at this time. Every year the allocations we receive dictate our budgets.
- There was a metric for 1200 employers. Could you expand on how that will be measured?
We measure various employer service activities which count as a service including hiring events, job orders, candidate screening etc.
- What is the current lease term, and what are the lease costs with utilities we would need to include in the budget?
We have another 4+ years on our current lease and plan to stay in this space long term. Charlotte Works pays for the lease. The Adult/Dislocated Worker service provider and the Business Service provider must be located at the career center and will be responsible for their own internet, copier repairs, and IT services which should be included in your budget.
- The blank budget template (MS Excel) supplied is for the Youth Program. Is there another template for the Operator/Adult and Dislocate Worker Services Provider and Business Services Provider RFPs?
Please use the template provided and only add budget items/make adjustments where needed.
- Thank you for supplying the performance information for year-end, PY 2021. If possible, please provide the PY 2022 December performance dashboard, or equivalent data.
Please see our attached December PY22 dashboard.
- Please provide mid-year PY 2022 (7/1/22 through 12/31/22) total new enrollments (Wagner Peyser, WIOA), and by program (Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth), as applicable.
Please see our attached December PY22 dashboard.
- Please provide the present number of WIOA participants in follow-up by program (Adult, Dislocate Worker, Youth).
Please see our attached December PY22 dashboard. In the case of having a new provider, all case loads will be transitioned to new providers during the transition period.
PY22 December Dashboard
- Are there formatting specifics for the statement of work component of the proposal? I understand the 20-page limitation, but wondered about fonts and sizing.
There aren’t any formatting requirements for the proposal. We just ask that you ensure that the proposal is legible and meets the 20 page requirement.
- To best ensure compliance with the identified page limits, please confirm question prompts may be truncated or removed.
Yes
- Please confirm lines can be added to the budget template, if needed. For example, if proposers have more staff than lines available or additional operational costs.
Yes
- On the project detail worksheet tab of the excel budget template, under the staff fringe benefits section, if proposers have different percentages than those listed on the form, please confirm we can edit to reflect our actual calculations.
Yes, you can edit.
- On the project detail worksheet tab of the excel budget template, under the staff salaries section, please confirm proposers can revise to be reflective of our proposed staffing.
Yes
- Please confirm that attachments D, G, I, J, K, L, and M are informational only and not required to be included in the proposal.
That is correct, those attachments are not required to be included
- The RFP requests a binder with fasteners. Please confirm that a standard 3-ring binder will satisfy this requirement.
Yes, it will.
- Should the General Provisions and Requirements Section be completed and returned with the proposal?
That section is for informational purposes, so you do not need to include in your proposal.
- When comparing the Proposal Format and Required Forms outline on page 37 under “3. Statement of Work” to the order listed in the Proposal Narrative Instructions starting on page 38, we noticed they are in a different order. Please clarify which order is preferred and if we are to follow the page 37 outline, please provide the questions for section d. Adult/Dislocated Worker Services and e. Business Services.
Please use the Proposal Narrative instructions.
- Please confirm that tabs are not necessary so long as each section is clearly labeled with a header.
That is correct.
37. When comparing the Proposal Format and Required Forms outline on page 31 under “3. Statement of Work” to the order listed in the Proposal Narrative Instructions starting on page 32, we noticed they are in a different order. Please clarify which order is preferred.
Please use the Proposal Narrative instructions.
- Is “Section B. WIOA Title I Adult/Dislocated Worker (Job Seeker) Services Statement of Work” (provided beginning on page 35 of the RFP) part of the 20-page narrative limit?
Yes
- Will you share the PY23 bidder’s conference?
Here is the link for the recording of our PY23 Bidder’s conference which was held on January 12.
Passcode: tSE8@es.