April Bidders Conference Notes -Posted.doc

RFR DYS POS 2023-07

SINGLE SERVICE PROVIDER

SKILL UP: CAREER, TECHNICAL AND WORKFORCE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES REQUEST FOR RESPONSES (RFR) TO SUPPORT DYS YOUTH IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS

BIDDERS CONFERENCE NOTES

From April 4, 2023 Opening Statements:

Handout entitled ‘Bidders Conference Handout - Skill Up Rolling RFR (003)’ (see Icon at bottom of last page) was distributed and discussed in detail. Specifically:

· RFR TIMEFRAMES and DATES

· PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

· RFR OVERVIEW

· STATEMENT OF NEED

· WAYS TO RESPOND TO THE RFR

· PURPOSE: DESIRED PROGRAM SERVICES

· SINGLE SERVICE PROVIDER or CONSULTANT

· ANNUAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES

· RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

· EVALUATION CRITERIA

· PERIODS OF PERFORMANCE

Questions and Answers:

The following questions were asked at the Bidders Conference and/or submitted electronically:

Q:

What computer access and resources do the DYS youth in secure settings have at their disposal, including restrictions, for participation in potential Skill Up programming?

A:

Youth have access to computers that are on a student network that includes a security firewall. Many sites can be approved for. student network. Security issues are often raised for sites that have communication features (chat, email, etc.).

Q:

Are any existing digital skills or IT certifications programs offered to the youth residents?

A:

There are not any programs which are exclusively offering digital skills or IT certifications to the youth residents, currently.

Q:

Is there a preferred template for the requested proposed formal budget with line item breakout?

A:

Yes. This Question is currently under review and the budget template will be posted shortly.

Q:

What is the process to receive a Vendor code for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to enable billing through a DYS contract?

A:

This Question is currently under review and will be answered shortly.

Single Service Provider Skill Up: Career, Technical and Workforce Training and Employment Services Request for Responses (RFR) to Support DYS Youth in Residential and Community Settings

RFR # 2023-07

BIDDERS CONFERENCE

Event

Date

Time

RFR Release

TBD

Bidder’s Conference

The First Tuesday of Every Quarter (if holiday, meeting will be held the following Tuesday)

10:00-11:00

New to State Business Informational Meetings

At the end of the Quarterly Bidders Conference

11:00-11:30

Proposals Due by:

Rolling

Representatives from the Department are available to respond to both programmatic and fiscal questions specific to this RFR. All questions must be sent via e-mail to: sandra.r.stearns@mass.gov.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Electronic Submissions - Effective July 1, 2014, all procurements posted on COMMBUYS, known as Bids, require the submission of electronic responses, known as Quotes. To submit an electronic Quote Respondents must register and maintain an active COMMBUYS Seller subscription account. Questions regarding COMMBUYS should be directed to the COMMBUYS Help Desk at commbuys@state.ma.us.

1. All pages must be consecutively numbered to facilitate review and cross-referencing during the proposal review process.

2. A Table of Contents must be provided to assist the reviewers in finding relevant response information.

The RFR on CommBuys included a job aid with instructions on how to submit a quote.

RFR OVERVIEW

The Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (“the Department” or “DYS”) is the juvenile justice agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that serves youth committed as juvenile delinquents or youthful offenders and detained youth awaiting judicial action.

Statement of Need

The Massachusetts Department of Youth Services “Single Service Provider Skill Up: Career, Technical and Workforce Training and Employment Services” Request for Responses (RFR) seeks proposals from vocational and higher education, unions, businesses, nonprofit and community based organizations and other entities that can provide high-quality career, technical, workforce training and employment programs and services for DYS youth in residential and community settings.

Currently, the Department is developing a broad network of Career, Vocational and Employability services under the recent Skill Up procurement ( COMMBUYS - Bid Solicitation) and wishes to regularly examine needs and add to this network. The Department is looking to implement an enhanced, comprehensive workforce development model that will develop youth’s academic, technical and employability skills and lead to meaningful employment in jobs that are in high demand in regional Massachusetts labor markets.

DYS is seeking to competitively procure Career, Technical and Workforce Training and Employment Services for youth up to 22 years of age from entities that include educational institutions, workforce development agencies, community-based service providers and businesses with demonstrated track records of providing quality career, technical and workforce programs and services that will give juvenile justice involved young people transferable work skills and realistic pathways to meaningful employment in the community. The goals of the “Single Service Provider Skill Up: Career, Technical and Workforce Training and Employment Services” Request for Response is to:

Engage entities that can deliver high-quality career development, technical training and workforce programming and services that are aligned with local labor market needs within or across the five DYS geographic regions in Massachusetts.

Reduce recidivism for DYS youth through the provision of high-quality services leading to employment with benefits at family sustaining wages.

Reduce employment barriers and provide career, technical and workforce training that improves opportunities and reduces access and engagement barriers for youth as they transition back to the community from their residential treatment programs.

Increase career, technical and workforce training and employment opportunities for DYS youth by building employer partnerships.

Provide youth with the transferable skills, pro-social behaviors and credentials that will enable them to secure and advance in employment with family-sustaining wages

Through this RFR, DYS seeks expertise from Bidders that can deliver statewide or targeted regional career, technical and workforce programs and services for older youth who are in a variety of residential and community settings, with a range of educational statuses (seeking or attained their high school diploma or Hi-set).

The Department will consider proposals from bidders responding as a Single Service Provider to provide one or more of the below listed Optional Services. Proposals shall include a project plan with dates, tasks and milestones displaying when the proposed program(s) and service(s) will be fully operational.

Optional Service 1: Work-based learning experiences including “hands-on training” and tiered and/or supportive employment opportunities that match youth goals and set them up for success with future family sustaining wages. Proposed activities should include but not be limited to subsidized and unsubsidized internships designed for residential and community settings.

Optional Service 2: Vocational and/or technical training, including on-line or virtual reality courses and authentic experience in shops that align with labor market needs. Proposed activities should include but not be limited to vocational and occupational pathways that are affiliated with vocational technical high school “night schools” or community college opportunities.

Optional Service 3: Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship programs, including technical certifications, that provide access (and eventual membership) to pre-apprenticeship or journeyman training including programs administered by labor or trade unions.

Optional Service 4: Social Enterprises that are located in one or more DYS facility that are designed and operated as small, entrepreneurial businesses that help youth build workforce competencies, skills and experience along with a wage.

Optional Service 5: Consulting for Career, Technical and Workforce Training and Employment Services will be procured to meet a specialized need as identified by the Department. DYS will establish a master list of qualified consultants, both organizations and individuals, from which it will draw on an "as needed" basis. Consultants interested in providing specialized services (such as, but limited to Program Design, Process Development, Implementation Support and Subject Matter Expertise) are expected to work collaboratively with the Department (and provider entities, if appropriate) to define the scope of services including timelines and estimated resource needs.

Selection of Service Providers to Implement “Skill Up: Career, Technical and Workforce Training and Employment Services Career, Technical and Workforce Optional Services”

The Department is seeking proposals that will support existing and new career, vocational and technical workforce development opportunities that can:

a) be adapted to the challenges presented by hardware secure and staff secure juvenile justice settings;

b) be continued upon DYS youth release to the community under DYS supervision;

c) be aligned with vocational and job training options and employment opportunities that currently exist in each of the state’s five DYS regions (Metropolitan Boston, Southeast, Northeast, Central and Western); and

d) be tied closely to local labor markets so youth are able to secure long-term, quality employment.

Ways to Respond to the RFR

Single Service Provider (regional or statewide): Apply to offer one or more services identified from Optional Services 1-5 in one or more of the five DYS regions. These services can be offered in either residential or community programming and should be targeted at the DYS youth population and geographic locations found in Appendix C and Appendix F. Examples of a single optional service provider could be workplace learning opportunities garnered through a MassHire career center, a community-based organization, grassroots, small organizations with limited infrastructure, a church with a nonprofit designation, local business and/or a vocational-technical high school, among other potential providers.

Single Service bidders should submit a short proposal for services using the proposal found in Appendix B of this Request for Responses.

Purpose: Desired Program Services

Programs must be designed and delivered to meet the needs of youth and young adults with multiple barriers to employment who seek training so they may access high demand industries in the region or state.

The purpose of this RFR is to seek specific services and innovations to strengthen and expand DYS’ delivery of career, vocational and training options and employment services. Providers will be expected to provide direct oversight and on-site instruction. Responses must include a proposed staffing model of instructors to support regional programming for Optional Services 1-5.

Optional Service 1: Work-based Learning including focused career mentoring, job shadowing, “hands-on training” and tiered and/or supportive employment opportunities that align with youth Career and Employability Plans. Empower Your Future content and/or on-line modules may be incorporated to provide specific skill building. In partnership with residential program staff and case management teams, the successful bidder will be responsible for the oversight and implementation of these work-based learning and job opportunities as identified and coordinated by the Employment Outreach staff in consultation with the Career Navigation staff. These services can be supported by a range of potential bidders, and where possible, should leverage state and federal funds (Youth Works, WIOA federal and state funds, MassHire Career Centers, etc.) to assist with implementation.

a. Residential Settings: Explore their interests and build, “soft-skills” through “Hands-On” and on-the job training in a DYS residential setting allowing youth to gain work experience and secure a wage as they develop skills and competencies directly relevant to the youth’s Career and Employment Plan. Current opportunities include kitchen assistant, carpenter, maintenance, greenhouse assistants and music studio assistant.

b. Community Settings: Community-based work-based training programs that build upon the Career and Employability Plan and support youth in continued workforce and vocational training. Services should include job readiness instruction, paid employment, intensive case coordination or collaboration and job training. DYS is seeking a more individualized approach to job placement and supportive work experiences. These services are managed in partnership with Career Navigation staff and coordinated with, but not limited to, Employer Outreach staff and the DYS case management team.

Optional Service 2: Vocational and/or Technical Programming in residential and community settings that provides DYS youth with full access to and result in the attainment of a job/career credential that is relevant to local, labor market opportunities. This component of service should include a plan and services to provide:

a. Continued and expanded vocational programming in identified residential programs [see Appendices J & K] that is aligned with 1-3 labor market needs with geographic considerations in each of the five DYS regions.

b. Augmented/virtual reality training components that can be implemented in residential settings during time allocated for educational learning.

c. Training opportunities, from “for profit” or “nonprofit” entities in each region.

d. Access to vocational-technical high school Chapter 74 “After Dark” programming or other programs that serve older youth who have attained their high school diploma or Hi-Set degree.

Optional Service 3: Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Training options that can be customized to secure and staff secure residential settings as well as programs that are accessible to youth in the community.

Optional Service 4: Social Enterprises that provide youth with skill attainment and proficiency in workplace settings.

Optional Service 5: Consulting for Career, Technical and Workforce Training and Employment Services to meet a specialized need as identified by the Department.

Single Service Provider or Consultant: A Single Service Provider or Consultant that submits a proposal for an optional service should have a taxpayer identification number for their organization or business. Bidders, including faith-based organizations should have a separate bank account from church-based activities to receive and expend funds related to any contracted services from DYS. Single Service Providers and Consultants must adhere to current Massachusetts wage and labor laws.

Annual Performance Measures

Suggested performance measures are indicated in the RFR. DYS will work with the successful bidder to benchmark appropriate target percentages and/or the successful bidder may respond with achievable performance measures based on suggested program design. DYS Contracts Unit will also work with the successful bidder to establish additional Quality Assurance measures.

RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

The selected Respondent will be expected to maintain compliance with RFR and contract bid requirements throughout the life of the contract.

Evaluation Criteria

DYS utilizes a consensus model of evaluating proposals whereby the evaluation committee members independently read and review all proposals, then meet as a group to discuss and jointly rate all qualified proposals for the purpose of generating a prioritized award list. The committee members are oriented to ensure uniformity, accountability, fairness, and efficiency in the awarding of purchase-of-services contracts. Committee members evaluate each proposal against the established criteria described in the RFR.

Periods of Performance

Fiscal Year

Period of Performance

FY23

Contract Effective Date – June 30, 2023

FY24

July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024

FY25

July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025

The amounts available to DYS for these services may increase or decrease based on availability of funds allocated to the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and other special grant funds.