Appendix C - Contractor Partnership Program.pdf

Appendix C

Contractor Partnership Program

CONTRACTOR PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

1. General Information - Contractor Partnership Program. The Contractor Partnership Program (“CPP”) was created by the Department to address workforce needs by connecting beneficiaries of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (“TANF”) to jobs while simultaneously helping to fill the hiring needs of employers. The program is a collaborative effort between DHS and its contractors and grantees to lift families out of poverty.

CPP requires entities who are awarded a contract or agreement with DHS to establish a hiring target that supports TANF beneficiaries in obtaining employment with the contractor, grantee, or their subcontractors for jobs within their organizations that may or may not be related to the contract or grant services. The Department encourages selected Offerors to consider TANF beneficiaries not only for employment opportunities that will be created through an award of an contract but also for employment opportunities within the entity. DHS staff will work cooperatively with selected Offerors to assist in meeting their hiring targets by assisting with the identification of qualified job candidates through the Department’s employment and training programs and providing technical assistance as needed. Offerors may also be eligible to receive hiring incentives, such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

Through CPP, DHS expects not only to increase the employment rate for individuals receiving TANF cash assistance, but to continue to contribute to the economic growth of the Commonwealth.

For more information about the Contractor Partnership Program, please contact: RA- BETPCPP@pa.gov or 1-866-840-7214

2. Participation Requirements. Entities who are awarded a contract valued at a minimum of $5 million through a competitive procurement process are automatically included in CPP. To receive credit towards meeting the CPP requirements and maintain good standing, these entities must hire or make good faith efforts to hire individuals currently receiving TANF cash assistance. This includes but is not limited to individuals receiving TANF who are currently participating in Department employment and training programs such as the Employment, Advancement and Retention Network (“EARN”) Program, the Work Ready Program, or the Keystone Education Yields Success (“KEYS”) Program, as well as TANF beneficiaries outside of these programs.

The Department’s vision for CPP participation is that selected Offerors are able to obtain employment for TANF beneficiaries in a number equal to 10% of the average of the annual number of a selected Offeror’s new hires in Pennsylvania over each of the prior three years.

3. RFP Requirements

Offerors must provide a written narrative that addresses the following and must include the information in the CPP Submittal of their application. If the Offeror is applying for multiple Zones, it may submit one CPP Submittal. If the Offeror is presenting different information or is mailto:RA-BETPCPP@pa.gov mailto:RA-BETPCPP@pa.gov proposing different strategies for different Zone(s), Regions or Lots, the Offeror must clearly designate the Zone to which the information or strategy applies.

a. Offeror’s name, telephone number and mailing address.

b. Type of business entity (i.e. not-for-profit, government entity, public corporation, university).

c. Address of the company’s headquarters; if located in the Commonwealth, include county.

d. The name, title, phone number, mailing address, and email of the Offeror’s point of contact for the CPP.

e. Address of all satellite offices located in Pennsylvania, including the county.

f. A list the subcontractors’ name, address, and phone number; if located in Pennsylvania, include the county.

g. Type of services being provided under the contract.

h. Type of services provided by Offeror.

i. Number of Pennsylvania hires over the last three years.

j. Based on the calculation below, the anticipated number of positions that will be established as the hiring target.

The annual hiring target is 10% of the average number of new hires in Pennsylvania over the past three years, The annual hiring target applies to each year of the contract term. The number of Pennsylvania hires for any subcontractor must also be included as part of the average. The hiring target is not specific to the work to be performed as part of the contract rather, it is an organizational hiring target. Hiring targets can be jointly negotiated with the Department’s Office of Income Maintenance (“OIM”) CPP staff, the contracting office, and the issuing office to determine if a waiver or reduction of this requirement is warranted. Any request for a waiver or reduction must be included in the CPP submittal and justification provided ahead of any negotiations.

NOTE: For vendors holding multiple contracts or agreements with the Department, the overall hiring target can be allocated across multiple contracts or agreements but must still follow the hiring target calculation above.

k. Type of positions anticipated to be available during contract term.

l. Describe the strategies that will be used to identify and recruit TANF individuals.

m. Describe the methods that will be used to retain the individuals once they are employed, including opportunities for professional development.

n. Identify the staff and processes that will be used to meet the CPP requirements, including the reporting requirements

o. Provide a brief explanation of any additional efforts that will be made to meet and maintain TANF hiring commitments.

OIM CPP will review the CPP Submittal for accuracy and completeness. All information submitted is subject to approval by the Department.

4. Contract Requirements

The approved hiring target will become a performance benchmark, included as part of the contract.

Hiring goals will apply to the full term of the contract, including any extensions.

After a contract has become effective, selected Offerors must establish a login for the DHS data tracking system, the Commonwealth Workforce Development System (“CWDS”), and create a business folder if one does not already exist. If there is an already existing business folder the individual responsible for data entry will access the Offeror’s business folder, complete data entry requirements, and navigate CWDS. Selected Offerors shall report hires as often as needed but no less than each reporting quarter as seen in the below chart. The Department’s OIM will monitor the submission of hires reported in CWDS and will share the information with the Program Office (contracting office) responsible for the contract. CPP goals will be reviewed on a quarterly basis.

Selected Offerors that fail to report any hires during the previous quarter will be contacted by CPP staff to verify if hires were made or provide technical assistance. Selected Offerors shall fully cooperate with requests to verify hires and shall provide all information the Department, in its sole discretion, deems necessary to monitor compliance with these requirements.

Quarters Begin Date End Date 1 – First July 1 September 30 2 – Second October 1 December 31 3 – Third January 1 March 31 4 – Fourth April 1 June 30

Verification Process Data entered in CWDS will be cross referenced with the Electronic Client Information System (“eCIS”) to confirm TANF eligibility; eCIS will automatically credit the selected Offeror whenever a TANF hire is entered in CWDS. Selected Offerors may use the CPP Hires Search feature in CWDS to track the number of validated CPP hires credited to their agreement(s) or contract(s).