RFI 1630DC-20-N-00016.pdf

Request for Information (RFI) 1630DC-20-N-00016

From the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Office of Apprenticeship (OA)

Industry Intermediaries: Launch, Promote and Expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs

I. Synopsis:

ETA’s Office of Apprenticeship proposes to award six to eight new contracts to Industry Intermediaries1 to launch, promote, and expand multi-employer Registered Apprenticeship models that shall: 1) scale apprenticeship expansion opportunities in high-growth industries, including those that have not traditionally used apprenticeship to meet employer and sector occupational and skill needs, 2) increase the percentage of Registered Apprenticeship opportunities for under-represented populations2, and 3) leverage Registered Apprenticeship stakeholder resources to support the long-term sustainability of programs developed through this initiative after project completion. These funds will support Industry Intermediary efforts to lead Registered Apprenticeship expansion efforts in target industries across the United States.

Industry Intermediaries will also be critical in helping expand access and retention in Registered Apprenticeships for under-represented populations. These contracts would build upon work done by Apprenticeship Intermediaries beginning in 2016 in support of Registered Apprenticeship’s expansion efforts.

Through this project, Industry Intermediaries will partner with Department of Labor (DOL) and other stakeholders (i.e. OA State Directors, SAA partners, and Local Workforce Development Boards) to provide both financial and technical assistance to: employers, consortia of employers, industry associations, joint labor-management organizations, educational institutions, States, grantees, and other stakeholders that commit to launch, promote, and expand Registered Apprenticeship programs to train a specified number of new apprentices, including incumbent workers and under-represented populations.

1 Industry Intermediary, for the purposes of this work, is defined as an entity which serves as a conduit between employers, as well as other industry partners, and USDOL to accelerate apprenticeship program development and help broker new sector-based apprenticeship partnerships at the regional and national level. Intermediaries are uniquely positioned to convene employers and other key partners to determine workforce trends, and can assist in blending and braiding customized services and incentive funding to grow the demand for new apprenticeship programs.

Industry Intermediaries usually specialize in a specific sector but some may possess expertise that cuts across more than one market.

2 Under-represented populations, for the purposes of this work, is defined as a persons with disabilities, women, youth, minorities (i.e., Indian and Native Americans, Hispanic, and African Americans, Veterans, persons currently or formerly incarcerated, and others depending on the industry and specific occupations.)

Note: Funds to support these contract would come from the Department’s annual appropriated funds to develop and expand RAPs; specifically, the funds must be used to “Expand opportunities relating to apprenticeship programs registered under the National Apprenticeship Act… through grants, cooperative agreements, contracts and other arrangements, with States and other appropriate entities…” Funding is authorized under the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 115-245, Division B, Title I.)

II. Background:

Registered Apprenticeship provides a proven pathway to sustainable careers for workers seeking high-skilled, high-paying jobs, and for employers seeking to train, promote, and retain a highly productive workforce. To help close the skills gap and ensure U.S. companies maintain a competitive advantage in today’s global economy, DOL is committed to expanding the number of Registered Apprenticeship opportunities, and the use of pre-apprenticeship as a pathway to Registered Apprenticeship, for workers across industries throughout the United States through targeted investments and initiatives. These investments will also support strategies that expand access to sustainable career pathways for under-represented populations.

To further the advancement of the Registered Apprenticeship model nationally, Congress has appropriated $160 million to expand Registered Apprenticeship opportunities, specifically, apprenticeship programs registered under the National Apprenticeship Act. As part of this strategy, OA through several initiatives seeks to target industries to provide training in high-growth, high-skill occupations including (but not limited to): Information Technology (IT), Healthcare, Advanced Manufacturing, Energy, Transportation, Construction, Insurance and Financial Services, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure, Telecommunications and Broadband, Education, Public Sector, and other growing sectors.

The Intermediaries that receive awards will conduct activities that:

• result in new employer and new industry commitments to recruit and train new apprentices;

• advance and scale existing program models;

• design new program models;

• design innovative new strategies to reach under-represented populations to create new talent pipelines for in-demand occupations;

• work directly with federal and state staff (including DOL’s Office of Apprenticeship, Veterans' Employment & Training Service, Women’s Bureau, and the Office of Disability Employment Policy);

• connect with other federal apprenticeship initiatives (Youth Apprenticeship Intermediaries, Apprenticeship Expansion and Modernization Fund partners, and DOL-funded grantees, to include, but are not limited to, Apprenticeship State Expansion, American Apprenticeship Initiative, Women in Apprenticeship in Non-Traditional Occupations, H-1B Scaling Apprenticeship, Youth Intermediaries and others);

• conduct partnership activities with other workforce partners;

• accelerate expansion of the Registered Apprenticeship model in industries that have not traditionally used apprenticeship; and

• leverage partner and stakeholder resources to sustain programs and initiatives developed through this funding after project completion.

Through this effort, DOL’s goal is to continue to develop and expand a national Registered Apprenticeship infrastructure that: 1) links common industry employers together in support of Registered Apprenticeship development, 2) supports the development of replicable apprenticeship standards across an industry, 3) provides value-added technical assistance and outreach to employers in support of increasing the use of the Registered Apprenticeship model across target industries, and 4) expands apprenticeship opportunities for under-represented populations and minority businesses.

To this end, OA intends to invest in Industry Intermediaries (e.g., industry associations, joint labor-management organizations, workforce intermediaries, and others) for sector-based outreach and technical assistance to support and scale Registered Apprenticeship program development, and to accelerate innovation in high-growth industries, as well as expanding in industries that have not traditionally used apprenticeship. Each intermediary is expected to facilitate the recruitment and placements of at least 750 new apprentices per year in an existing or new Registered Apprenticeship program.

Below is an overview of this funding opportunity and the components of this RFI:

Funding Opportunity Overview:

• Rapid Expansion. DOL intends to expand the number of apprentices in Registered Apprenticeship Programs nationwide through the diversification of apprenticeship programs. Furthermore, DOL aims to advance the integration of Registered Apprenticeship into state workforce development, education, and economic development strategies and programs, ensuring that apprenticeship is a viable career pathway for youth, adults, career seekers (including incumbent workers), and under-represented populations, as well as a valuable workforce development strategy for businesses.

• Scaling of Innovative, High Quality Programs in New Industries. DOL intends to continue to expand the Registered Apprenticeship model beyond traditional apprenticeable industries into innovative, high-quality programs in industries such as IT, healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing, transportation, the financial services fields and cybersecurity, Infrastructure, Telecommunications and Broadband, and other growing sectors.

• Leveraging Intermediary Subject-Matter-Expertise. DOL intends to leverage the expertise of Industry Intermediaries and national industry partners to provide technical assistance and financial support to increase opportunities for employers in target industries to launch, expand, and sustain Registered Apprenticeship.

Funding Mechanism Overview:

• Awards: Funds will be awarded through competitive contracts. DOL is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to inform DOL on the capabilities of various organizations, followed by a Request for Proposal (RFP) based on the information received.

• Timing: Winter 2019 – RFI, potentially followed by Contract Request For Proposal;

Summer 2020 – Awards

General Program Requirements. Through this opportunity, Industry Intermediaries (e.g., Industry Associations, Workforce Intermediaries, Labor-Management Organizations, national or state-wide college systems or consortia of colleges, and others) shall provide the following activities:

• Conduct Sector-Based Outreach and Recruitment. Contractors shall develop and implement outreach and marketing (in coordination with DOL) for their industry sector(s) to reach a variety of stakeholders, (e.g., employers, industry associations, labor unions, Intermediaries, and workforce and educational entities) to increase awareness of the value of Registered Apprenticeships.

• Advancing “Apprenticeship Accelerator” Models and Registration Support.

Contractors shall provide technical assistance, advice, and support to employers, in conjunction with OA and State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) staff, to facilitate and accelerate the process to create “registration-ready” standards for employers. Contractors may be expected to lead and/or assist in the facilitation of apprenticeship “accelerator sessions,” as determined by OA.

• Target Industry Sectors in Apprenticeship. Contractors shall develop and implement business-driven, sector-based strategies to expand apprenticeships. National industry partnerships provide an opportunity to engage businesses and partners to address industry-wide obstacles to Registered Apprenticeship expansion, provide technical assistance collectively to multiple businesses in a sector, and ultimately accelerate the adoption of quality Registered Apprenticeship programs in targeted industries. Each contractor shall support apprenticeship expansion in target industry sectors, by conducting activities including, but limited to the following: 1) providing industry technical expertise, 2) conducting outreach to member organizations to support target industry development, and 3) convening stakeholders within target industries, providing logistical and administrative support, etc.

• Promote Innovation in Registered Apprenticeship. Activities under this contract will be used to support innovations that promote advancements in the Registered Apprenticeship ecosystem, including:

o Aligning Registered Apprenticeship with Post-Secondary Credit. Technical assistance and funding can be used to support the advancement of apprenticeship pathways that offer an apprentice the opportunity to earn college credit.

o Promoting Competency-Based Apprenticeship. Funding and technical assistance can be used to support sponsors that wish to develop competency based programs in line with OA’s existing efforts.

o Youth Apprenticeship and Alignment with Career and Technical Education programs (CTE). Support for employers developing or expanding youth apprenticeship models and/or aligning youth apprenticeship models with CTE efforts in state or local school systems.

• Increase Equity (Diversity and Inclusion) in Apprenticeship. Contractors, directly or in partnership with other organizations, shall create or expand pathways that ensure increased Registered Apprenticeship opportunities for under-represented populations.

Activities should include technical assistance to both apprentices (including current incumbent workers) and employers to promote diversity and inclusion in Registered Apprenticeship.

• Provide Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Facilitation. Contractors shall support the industry with Subject Matter Expert positions dedicated to the development of Registered Apprenticeships in the industry. The responsibilities of the SMEs will include providing support to apprenticeship staff in the development of standards and competencies in the industry's apprenticeable occupations, including: outreach, employment, and promotion of apprenticeship to under-represented population groups;

and implementing resolutions to barriers to employment and training. Contractors shall also provide technical assistance for Equal Employment Opportunity related to apprenticeship programs and may provide this requirement through organizations which have subject matter expertise in diversity and inclusive employment programs.

• Develop Curricula, Related Training Instruction (RTI) outlines, Occupational Outlines and Competency Models. Contractors shall serve as an intermediary providing SMEs to develop and/or propose new curricula, related training instruction (RTI) outlines, occupational outlines, competency models, and other instruments as needed. The design of the instruments should target the population in which it is serving.

• Sustain new Registered Apprenticeship Program and Partnerships. Contractors shall leverage partners’ and stakeholders’ resources (including employers, consortia of employers, industry associations, joint labor-management organizations, educational and training institutions, States, grantees, Community and faith based organizations, and other stakeholders) to replicate, expand and sustain Registered Apprenticeship programs developed through this funding after project completion. Particular efforts should support partnerships with education and workforce systems to ensure long-term sustainability of these efforts.

• Financial Support. Upon evidenced need by employers, each contractor may use a portion of the contract budget to provide employers with apprenticeship training reimbursements. Funds may be sub-contracted to employers, joint labor-management organizations, industry associations, or other partners included in a multi-employer partnership, etc. These funds will be used to support Registered Apprenticeship program development and/or expansion, start new programs for new occupations and fields, or to expand programs in existing occupations. The percentage of the contract budget available for these activities will be determined by DOL. Contractors shall also provide technical assistance to employers regarding accessing other state and federal resources and financial support including those identified in DOL’s Federal Resource Playbook and others.

III. Qualifications and Expertise:

OA is seeking Industry Intermediaries to serve as contractor(s) to provide technical assistance and to lead partnership development strategies to support the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship in targeted industries. OA seeks proposals from intermediaries, or consortia of Intermediaries, to include, but are not limited to: industry associations, labor-management organizations, workforce intermediaries, consortia of employers, and state-wide community college systems or consortia of community colleges.

The contractors shall serve as Industry Intermediaries, in partnership with OA, to provide both financial and technical assistance to support and advance Registered Apprenticeship expansion apprenticeship efforts of employers within target industries. Additionally, contractors shall assist OA to register apprenticeship programs and obtain commitments to train at least 750 new apprentices per year, including incumbent workers in target industries.

OA seeks capabilities statements that provide evidence of the intermediaries’ industry-specific expertise and experience to achieve the activities listed below. Activities include:

1. Conduct sector-based outreach and recruitment to advance apprenticeships.

2. Host sector-focused convenings to advance Registered Apprenticeship in target industries.

3. Provide subject matter industry experts and workforce development facilitation.

4. Assist employers and/or industry consortia in launching and replicating apprenticeship models that can scale in high-growth industries/sectors.

5. Increase equity (Diversity and Inclusion) throughout the Registered Apprenticeship system.

6. Rapidly expand the number of Registered Apprenticeship programs in targeted industries by providing technical assistance as sector-focused Intermediaries to employers.

7. Accelerate and/or facilitate the process to create “Registration-Ready” Apprenticeship

Standards with employers and or multi-employer consortia.

8. Develop new, or expand existing, Registered Apprenticeship Program and Partnerships, and establish sustainability strategies.

9. Financial Support— Develop partnerships with employers to provide incentive funding and/or financial assistance in support of expanding employers’ work-based learning programs, including apprenticeships, workforce development, and/or training.

Note: Respondents may address the information request to a specific industry which they have related experience and/or multiple industries. OA is looking for expertise in a variety of industries, and encourages respondents to comprehensively detail their industry experience and knowledge of apprenticeships, workforce development, and training.

All interested parties (including current Industry Intermediary contractors and Equity Intermediary contractors) are invited to submit in writing, by the closing date indicated below for receipt of responses, a package entitled “Statement of Qualifications/Capabilities Statement” (which must include the contractor's indication of their ability to fulfill requirements).

Additionally, please not that past performance and industry diversification will be considered as criteria factors. The response must be specific to each of the capability requirements listed above, and include a description of the responder’s organizational structure. The submittals shall not exceed 28 pages, TOTAL.

IV. Vendor Response

Vendors shall use the following format for their written responses to this Request for Information

(RFI).

Page Size: 8 ½ x 11” with at least 1” margins on all sides

Font Size: 12 point

Page Numbering: Pages consecutively numbered within each section. There are nine (9) sections, which will require response. Partial response (to a sub-set of the listed sections) is acceptable.

Format of Vendor Responses

The capabilities statement package must be transmitted under a one (1) page cover letter and must cite the following information at a minimum:

1. Response to RFI Number 1630DC-20-N-00016

2. Company Name, Address, and Company Point of Contact

3. DUNS Number

4. If have a GSA Schedule, your GSA Schedule number.

a) GSA Schedule number

b) Does your GSA Schedule have SINs with appropriate Labor Categories, that would be applicable/relevant to the requested nine (9) categories of Capabilities given below in this

RFI?

c) Answer: Yes or No, If Yes, list all of your applicable SINs

5. Are you registered as a Small Business in the System for Award Management (SAM) CERTS & REPS for any NAICS codes?

Answer: Yes or No.

6. Your Primary NAICS code that is registered in SAM.

PAGE 2 thru PAGE 28- Maximum of 3 pages per Response section

Each Section response should have the Title of the response section and have consecutively numbered pages.

Title and Response Sections:

1. Capability to serve as an industry intermediary tasked to launch new and/or expand existing Registered Apprenticeship programs with multiple employers (including new industries that have not traditionally used apprenticeship).

Describe your capabilities to provide technical assistance and guidance as an Industry Intermediary.

Describe your organization’s partnership experience with both national and local employers and industry associations, and any experience your organization has in developing training, and Registered Apprenticeship standards. Include a description of your organizations ability to award, track, and provide fiscal oversight of funding provided to employers to support the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship (including incumbent workers). For current intermediaries and new organizations, describe your past performance as an industry or equity intermediary or provide how you have performed in a similar capacity. Describe the impact your organization has had in expanding Registered Apprenticeship for current and new industries. Describe and list your current partnership(s) with new industries (and occupations) beyond the traditional apprenticeship industries (i.e. Construction, manufacturing). Describe your capacity to reach and partner with new industries that are on the rise to transform the current market.

2. Knowledge of the Registered Apprenticeship system, the registration of apprenticeship program standards and/or national guideline standards.

Describe your knowledge of the Registered Apprenticeship system, and the development and registration of Registered Apprenticeship Standards and/or National Guideline Standards, including all relevant experience working with Office of Apprenticeship staff and/or State Apprenticeship Agency (SAAs). Provide evidence of your understanding of the necessary steps employers, associations, labor unions, and other stakeholders undergo in the development, registration, and administration of Registered Apprenticeship programs. Lastly, describe your experience in developing Registered Apprenticeship programs.

3. Capabilities to provide support and assistance to Registered Apprenticeship system staff to provide outreach to existing and potential Registered Apprenticeship sponsors and/or apprentices, including incumbent workers and under-represented population.

Describe your organization’s capabilities to conduct outreach to local workforce development boards, employers, businesses, labor-management organizations, industry groups, Minority serving institutions3 that serve diverse populations, including incumbent workers, 2-year and 4-year institutions and educational partners, and other stakeholders that are interested in registering or expanding existing Registered Apprenticeship programs. Include evidence of your ability to develop employer/industry outreach materials as it relates to apprenticeship programs, training, or workforce development (digital and print) and marketing plans for a particular industry or multiple industries.

Describe your ability to create a communications strategy that uses web-based tools in gathering and sharing relevant tools, data, and other technical assistance materials among sector, employer, and industry member organizations.

4. Provide support and technical assistance to advance the development and registration of new or existing Registered Apprenticeship programs

Describe your organization’s capability to provide technical assistance that expands apprenticeships, training, or workforce development strategies within an industry sector. Additionally, please provide evidence of your organization’s ability to plan and successfully execute outreach-related events to employers and industry stakeholders. Provide your experience in accelerating the adoption of the Registered Apprenticeship model within a target industry.

3 Minority serving institutions, for the purposes of this work, is defined as tribal colleges, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

5. Increase Equity (Diversity and Inclusion) in Apprenticeship

Describe your organization’s capability and expertise in conducting outreach and technical assistance to employers, industry groups, minority serving institutions and educational partners, minority owned businesses, minority professional and trade organizations, and other stakeholders that are interested in serving under-represented populations for new or existing Registered Apprenticeship programs. Describe your experience with the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations. Include evidence of your organization’s ability to develop outreach materials to targeted populations as it relates to apprenticeships, training, or workforce development programs. Describe organization’s ability to assess supportive service needs and access appropriate supportive services.

Additionally, describe your experience in outreach, recruitment, hiring, promoting, mentoring and retention of under-represented populations into Registered Apprenticeship programs. Describe your ability to measure and report on key outcomes by entities served. Describe any obstacles and how your organization implemented the resolutions from lessons learned.

6. Provide facilitation and subject matter expertise in a variety of industries within targeted industry sectors

Describe your organization’s capability to serve as a facilitator to support and conduct sector or industry-based meetings that create positive employment and/or training outcomes for the industry.

Include evidence of ability to provide and/or identify Subject Matter Experts to provide technical assistance to industry sector and/or employer member organizations as it relates to occupational, apprenticeship, and/or training development. Evidence should include examples of expertise to facilitate discussions and accelerate processes resulting in end products, namely, the development an apprenticeship, workforce development, or training program with employers.

7. Promotion of innovation in Registered Apprenticeship.

Describe your organization’s experience with and capability to facilitate alignment of Registered Apprenticeship programs with Post-Secondary Credit, promotion of Competency-Based Apprenticeship programs, and Youth Apprenticeship and Alignment with Career and Technical Education programs (CTE). Evidence should include experience working within these fields and other subject matter experts, and expertise in facilitating discussions and accelerating processes resulting in end products, namely, inclusion of the above in the development of apprenticeship programs, workforce development, or training programs with employers. Additionally, describe your organization capabilities and experience to research and work with innovative industries.

8. Sustain new Registered Apprenticeship Program and Partnerships

Describe your organization’s capability and experience in sustaining pre-apprenticeship and/or Registered Apprenticeship Programs and partnerships. Discuss your knowledge and existing partnerships with workforce and education entities. Discuss your ability to create and use communication strategies including the gathering and sharing of tools, program and outcome data, and other promotional materials among employer, industry, and other groups to obtain financial and nonfinancial commitment from non-federal stakeholders after program completion. Additionally, discuss your organization’s source of funding. Include the percentage of federal grant(s)/contract(s), State and local funding, for-profit funding, nonprofit funding, etc. Describe how current and new partnerships will be created, replicated, and maintained to promote and create self-sustained programs and initiatives after project completion.

9. Fiscal and program management

Describe capability to manage and report project funding expenditures and project activities using the Department’s performance and data collection systems. Include evidence of ability to ensure accurate and timely reporting on expenditures and project activities. Describe your ability to maintain records and report monthly expenditures and monthly activities. Describe your ability to manage and submit invoices. Also describe your ability to ensure proper management of funding to organizations. Include your experience with and/or knowledge of DOL fiscal management systems.

V. Response due date, title and E-Mail address

The closing date for the receipt of responses is Thursday, January 30, 2020, at 12 P.M. Noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST). E-Mail your response to ETA.lockbox@dol.gov, subject line:

"Response to RFI 1630DC-20-N-00016 with your company Name”.