REQUEST FOR APPLICATION

ILA0010

Project SEARCH®

Issued: July 8, 2020 Responses Due: July 23, 2020 at 4:00PM CST

Issued by:

STATE OF WISCONSIN

DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE REJECTED

For further information regarding this RFA Contact:

Meredith A. Cook

Phone: 608.266.0625

E-Mail: MeredithA.Cook@dwd.wi.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Introduction and background

1.2 Project Overview .............................................................................................................................. 3-6

1.3 Additional Project SEARCH® information

1.4 Coordinating Agency

1.5 DWD Project SEARCH® Administrator

1.6 Clarifications and/or revisions to the specifications and requirements ............................................. 6-7

1.7 Reasonable Accommodations

1.8 Calendar of Events ............................................................................................................................ 7-8

1.9 Memorandum of Agreement

1.10 Program Delivery

2.0 PREPARING AND SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

2.1 General instructions

2.2 Incurring costs

2.3 Submitting the application

2.4 Application organization and format ................................................................................................ 8-9

2.5 Multiple applications

2.6 Withdrawal of applications

3.0 APPLICATION SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS

3.1 Preliminary evaluation

3.2 Application scoring

3.3 Evaluation criteria

3.4 Eligibility

3.5 Notification of Applicants

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 Application Requirements ............................................................................................................ 10-11

5.0 ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A – Applicant Warranties and Representations

Attachment B – Evaluation Rubric and Score Sheet

Attachment C – Memorandum of Agreement

1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Introduction and Background

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is seeking applications for Community Vocational Rehabilitation Partner(s) at current Project SEARCH® sites in Wisconsin. Through this Request for Applications, DWD intends to fund the training and technical assistance services that are required to establish new Community Rehabilitation partners and Education partners at five existing (5) Project SEARCH® sites:

Andis Company - Racine

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin - Wauwatosa

Waukesha Prohealth - Waukesha

Froedtert - West Bend (Adult Only Site)

Froedtert - Wauwatosa (Adult Only Site)

This initiative is led by the DWD Division of Operations, on behalf of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), which assists people with disabilities to get jobs, keep jobs, or get better jobs.

Project SEARCH® is an internationally recognized, trademarked model of employment training for young adults with disabilities. It is intended for transition age high school students in their last year of high school and at some sites includes other young adults. At other sites it consists solely of young adults who have completed high school. Project SEARCH® consists of a nine month to one-year internship program at a business site. An onsite instructor provides training on employment readiness and independent living skills in a classroom setting. Students participate in worksite internship rotations based on their interests. Rotations teach complex, systematic skills that prepare students for jobs in their chosen business field. Students are given support through job coaching services and worksite accommodations.

Project SEARCH® was developed in 1996 by Nurse J. Erin Riehle, then the Director of the Emergency Department at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). As the flagship program, CCHMC provides technical assistance for replication and overall leadership to Project SEARCH® worldwide. During the first two years of planning and implementation, all sites are required to participate in significant training and technical assistance from CCHMC.

Project SEARCH® is a trademarked and copyrighted program. All Project SEARCH® sites must be licensed through the Project SEARCH® program at CCHMC. Project SEARCH® sites must adhere to model fidelity standards and receive program audits to ensure compliance. The program tracks its success with an international web-based database that collects information from all licensed Project SEARCH® sites. These measures assure that the Project SEARCH® model will continue to maintain standards of excellence in both implementation and outcomes.

1.2 Project Overview:

1.2.1 The purpose of this initiative is to select Community Rehabilitation partner(s) for the five business sites identified in 1.1. DWD intends to make awards through this Request for Application.

NOTE: Applicants may apply for one, multiple, or all sites.

1.2.2 Successful implementation of Project SEARCH® requires a strong collaboration among a partnership representing long term support agencies, such as DVR, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' contracted Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) and Include, Respect, I Self-Direct (IRIS) providers, vocational service providers (a/k/a community rehabilitation partners), school representatives (a/k/a educational partners), families, students and businesses. A Project SEARCH® partnership must have representation from all the following groups:

Community Rehabilitation Partner (a/k/a Vocational Provider): Provides skills training and job development for student interns at the host business site and job coaching in their initial job. Services are provided through service agreements with DVR. NOTE: The Community Rehabilitation Partner is the only partner eligible to apply for this award.

Education (school district, career technical school, educational service center, community college, etc.): Provides an instructor, employability skills curriculum, and student interns. Educational partner(s) are required for three of the sites:

o Andis Company;

o Children's Hospital of Wisconsin; and o Waukesha Prohealth.

NOTE: The Community Rehabilitation Partner selected for each of the student-based sites will be responsible for forming a partnership with Educational partners for each of the three student sites (see 1.2.4). The Community Rehabilitation Partner selected for each of the adult only sites will hire the instructor (see 1.2.5).

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation: DVR provides individual career guidance, job coaching, and other support to help each student gain competitive employment.

Long-term Supported Employment Provider: This is an organization that provides long-term job-retention services and support for eligible interns once they secure employment.

Host Business: Provides an on-site training room, a business liaison, and a variety of internships that teach core competitive skills.

1.2.3 Selected applicants will receive an award of training and technical assistance services to successfully serve as the Community Rehabilitation partner following the Project SEARCH® model for transition age and young adults at the five existing sites. Training and technical assistance will be provided for the period of September 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 to all site partners. See 1.2.10 for more information on Training and Technical Assistance. In addition, partnerships may be eligible for annual continuation of training and technical assistance. All future training and technical assistance are contingent upon the availability of funding.

1.2.4 If selected under this Request for Application, DWD will not provide the selected partnership with any direct funding or a cash award.1 Instead, awardees will receive pre-paid training and technical assistance, which is required for all Project SEARCH® initiatives. The training and technical assistance services are valued at up to $15,000 per site including the cost of attending the National Conference.

1.2.5 Andis Company, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Waukesha ProHealth Project SEARCH® sites primarily serve high school transition age students, age 18-21. All 3 sites require an educational partner in addition to the Community Rehabilitation partner. As indicated in 1.2.2, the Community Rehabilitation partner selected at each site will be responsible for securing an educational partner for the site.

1.2.6 Both Froedtert Sites are adult only sites (non-high school students), which typically serve adults up to age

30. As indicated in 1.2.2, the Community Rehabilitation partner selected at each site will be responsible for hiring an instructor for the site. DVR has partnered with UW Whitewater to provide adult continuing education credits for non-students enrolled in the Project SEARCH® program.

1.2.7 The site will be licensed through CCHMC. The license is a legal contract between CCHMC and the Project SEARCH® site. Any of the required partner agencies may sign and hold the license on behalf of the partnership.

1.2.8 Selected applicant partnerships will be required to arrange funding for all other components of planning, implementing, and operating the Project SEARCH® model. All partners typically contribute to funding these other components. In general, the business provides the classroom, a business liaison, and internship

1 The Community Rehabilitation partner selected for the five sites will also receive per participant payments for services provided during placement at the Project SEARCH® site. Fee and payment information can be found at: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/programs/project-search/. If the participants require long-term supports, either DVR, the MCO, or an IRIS may pay for services provided. The service providers working with the intern after they complete Project SEARCH® could be the same one(s) associated with the established Project SEARCH® sites or could be other providers selected by the intern.

rotations. The school or the long-term service provider typically pays for the instructor depending if the intern is a student or an adult. Usually, one educational entity hires the instructor and then bills for any interns that are not part of that entity. Per intern cost is determined by dividing the total cost of instruction by the number of students enrolled at each site. DVR pays for the vocational rehabilitation services.

Transportation is generally paid by the school or the long-term service provider, but DVR can help to pay for these costs in some circumstances. The following provides more information on how a Project SEARCH site is typically funded:

Partner Personnel and Supports Source of Funding

Education Instructor, curriculum, supplies (sometimes a

Teacher’s Assistant or paraprofessional)

FTE for each student from state and local funding.

(Typically need 8–12 student interns to pay for an instructor)

Division of

Vocational

Rehabilitation

Sponsors student interns to support skills training and job development. (This is true in many states;

however, some states will not fund skills training for young adults still in high school).

State/Federal funding – Student interns must be eligible for

Vocational Rehabilitation.

Community

Rehabilitation

Partner

Provides skills training and job development Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicaid, WIA, etc.

Developmental

Disability

Agency

(Long-Term

Service

Provider)

Provides long-term employment support for retention and career advancement

Possible sources:

Medicaid Waiver

DD Support

CMH Board

Ticket-to-Work

Business

Business Liaison (approximately 10% FTE);

onsite classroom/training room; internship sites;

hosting of some marketing events, such as open houses and fairs. Typically the Business Liaison is a manager of a large department or from Human

Resources, Training and Development, etc.

In-Kind

1.2.9 Project SEARCH® has established elements of model fidelity. These are components of the project that must be in place in order to maintain a Project SEARCH® license. Eligible applicants will be required to adhere to all components of Project SEARCH® model fidelity. More information on model fidelity is available at https://www.projectSEARCH.us/core-model-fidelity/

1.2.10 Comprehensive technical assistance will be provided to the awardee(s) including access to the Project

SEARCH® Program Specialists from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Training and technical assistance plans will be designed to meet the needs of the partnerships. Individual team trainings may look different based on their needs and the needs of the host business. Selected partners will be required to participate technical assistance opportunities which may include:

Securing vocational provider to support skills training and job development;

Securing educational partner to provider program instructor;

Completion of 2-day overview training;

Skill-assessment and selection day; and/or Internship development.

Training and technical assistance events will be arranged for the five sites and will be located in the partnership's home communities. Partnerships will be expected to arrange suitable meeting space for all of their local partners and technical assistance providers to work together.

Applicants are required to show that they are prepared to fund expenses related to training and technical assistance not covered by this award such as travel and lodging for its staff, if necessary.

Statewide technical assistance conference calls and quarterly statewide meetings for all sites and partners are also provided.

1.2.11 Selected partnerships must agree to send at least three representatives of the partnership to the International Project SEARCH® Annual Conference, if held, the first year of the partnership (see Attachment C). DWD may be able to help with conference costs if funding is available, see d. below).

a. Selected partnerships will send representatives from multiple partner agencies, including school, host business and provider to the Annual Conference.

b. Selected partnerships must plan to fund at least 50% of the expenses related to the conference, including food, travel expenses, and any expenses incurred as part of the conference requirements.

c. Applicants are required to show that they are prepared to fund conference participation in the financial commitment section of this application. Information about the conference and related expenses are available at http://projectSEARCH.us/.

d. A portion of conference funding (up to 50%) for the selected partnerships will be covered as part of the award(s).

1.3 Additional Project SEARCH® information

1.3.1 Project SEARCH® Websites:

National - https://projectSEARCH.us/ Wisconsin - https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/programs/project-SEARCH/

1.3.2 Project SEARCH® Videos:

Project SEARCH® 101 Video and Overview is available at:

Part 1: https://projectSEARCH.us/project-SEARCH-academy/ Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8juNYG6nP1U&t=36s

1.3.3 Current Locations:

Project SEARCH® is currently established at thirty (30) Wisconsin businesses. These sites have been implemented in three (3) different phases:

Started prior to 2017 – 14 sites Started 2017 – 7 sites Started 2018 – 3 sites Awarded 2020 – 3 sites

The sites are located throughout the state as identified on the Project SEARCH® webpage for DVR:

https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/programs/project-SEARCH/locations.htm

1.4 Coordinating Agency

This Request for Application is issued by DWD, which is the sole point of contact for the State of Wisconsin during the selection process. The person responsible for managing the process is Meredith A. Cook, Application Agent.

Contact with anyone other than the individual managing the process may disqualify your application.

1.5 DWD Project SEARCH® Administrator

As a result of this Request for Applications, DWD and the selected applicant will enter into a Memorandum of Agreement, where DWD will agree to fund the training, technical assistance, and licensing necessary for the continuation of the Project SEARCH® site and the applicant will agree to comply with the terms of this Request for Application and the Project SEARCH® Program. The MOA will be administered by DVR. The designated agency representative for the MOA will be Diana Kiesling. The selected applicant shall meet with the designated agency representative as requested to resolve problems that arise in establishing the Project SEARCH® site. Any problems which cannot be resolved between the designated agency representative and the applicant will be referred to the DVR Administrator. The Project SEARCH® Administrator, Diana Kiesling, or her designee will inform the applicant in writing of the unresolved issues and the applicant will respond with proposed corrective actions within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter. The state and/or the applicant can request meetings to address unresolved agreement issues.

1.6 Clarification and/or revisions to the specifications and requirements

Any questions and general inquiries must be submitted in writing on or before July 15, 2020 to the Application Agent.

Meredith A. Cook, Application Agent

E-Mail: MeredithA.Cook@dwd.wi.gov

No phone questions or inquiries will be acknowledged to ensure fairness to all applicants in receiving information related to this Request for Application.

Applicants are expected to raise any questions, exceptions, or additions they have concerning the Request for Application at this point in the Request for Application process. If an applicant discovers any significant ambiguity, error, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other deficiency in this Request for Application, the applicant should immediately notify the above-named individual of such error and request modification or clarification of the Request for Application.

All questions posed to the DWD will be published on VendorNet, only after the DWD has had the opportunity to formulate the correct response(s). All applicants are encouraged to check VendorNet on a regular basis for posted questions and answers.

In the event that it becomes necessary to provide additional clarifying data or information, or to revise any part of this Request for Application, revisions/amendments and/or supplements will be posted to VendorNet.

Each application shall stipulate that it is predicated upon the requirements, terms, and conditions of this Request for Application and any supplements or revisions thereof.

Any contact with State employees concerning this Request for Application (except with or authorized by the Request for Application Agent) is strictly prohibited between the time that the Request for Application is released and the release of the Notice of Award. Any applicant who fails to adhere to this provision will be disqualified and their application will be rejected.

1.7 Reasonable accommodations

The Department will provide reasonable accommodations in the Request for Application process, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Any applicant in need of reasonable accommodations should contact the Application Agent, Meredith A. Cook, at

(608) 266-0625 or MeredithA.Cook@dwd.wi.gov.

1.8 Calendar of events

Listed below are specific and estimated dates and times of actions related to this Request for Application (Request for Application). The actions with specific dates must be completed as indicated unless otherwise changed by the State. In the event that the State finds it necessary to change any of the specific dates and times, it will do so by issuing an amendment(s) to this Request for Application. It is the applicant's responsibility to check VendorNet regularly for any Request for Application amendments. There may or may not be a formal notification issued for changes to target dates and times.

DATE EVENT

7/8/2020 Date of issue of the Request for Application.

7/15/2020 Last day for submitting written inquires.

7/17/2020 Responses to questions, and/or Notification to applicants of supplements or revisions to the Request for Application

7/23/2020 @ 4:00PM CST Applications due from applicants.

7/29/2020 (est.) Notification of intent to award sent to applicants.

8/3/2020 (est.) Memorandum of Agreement start date.

1.9 Memorandum of Agreement

Applicants who are selected for the Project SEARCH® award shall enter a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department incorporating the terms described in this Request for Application and their application materials. The MOA shall be effective on the execution date and shall run for two (2) years from that date, with a completion date of June 30, 2022. There are no extensions to this MOA.

It is the intent to award all 5 sites a Community Rehabilitation partner for the 2020-2021 school year and thereafter.

1.10 Program Delivery

Due to COVID-19 the Project SEARCH® programming for Fall 2020 may look different than in previous years.

Selected applicant(s) will be required to work with all site partners, National Project SEARCH®, and DVR to develop a plan that will work for the site. The plan may include virtual instruction or reduced internships. Each site is expected to complete a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) (template provided by National Project SEARCH®) to develop strategic options for the delivering services in 2020-21.

2.0 PREPARING AND SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

2.1 General instructions

The evaluation and selection of an applicant to receive an award will be based on the information submitted in the applicant's application plus references. Failure to respond to each of the requirements in the Request for Application may be the basis for rejecting a response.

Elaborate applications (e.g., expensive artwork), beyond that sufficient to present a complete and effective application, are not necessary or desired.

2.2 Incurring costs

The State of Wisconsin is not liable for any cost incurred by applicants in replying to this Request for Application.

2.3 Submitting the application

Applicants can submit a response via email of all required materials for acceptance of their application (noted below). Scoreable Requirement submission must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Financial Commitment submissions must be submitted in Microsoft Excel/Word or Adobe PDF format. All elements of the application must be emailed in one email.

Scoring Requirements must be typed and submitted via email to DOProcurement@dwd.wi.gov. In the subject line include the following information:

ATTN: Meredith A. Cook Response to Project SEARCH® RFA

2.4 Application organization and format

Submissions must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. The responses to each section should be clearly titled and respond to the referenced sections listed in Item B of Section 2.4 Applicants responding to this Request for Application must comply with the following format requirements: the scoring requirements are a narrative section and are not to exceed 15 single spaced pages with one (1) inch margins for responses to Section 4.1 and be in Times New Roman, size 12:

A) Attachment A – Applicant Warranties and Representations

a. Signed and Dated

B) Scoring Requirements (Narrative Section)

a. Community Rehabilitation Contact Information (4.1.1)

b. DVR Statewide Service Provider (4.1.2)

c. Educational Partnership (4.1.3)

d. Qualifications of Personnel (4.1.4)

e. Letters of Support (4.1.5)

2.5 Multiple applications

Multiple applications from a vendor will be permissible; however each application must conform fully to the requirements for application submission. Each such application must be separately submitted and labeled as Application #1, Application #2, etc. on each page included in the response.

2.6 Withdrawal of applications

Applicants may withdraw an application in writing at any time up to the application closing date and time or upon expiration of 2 days after the due date and time if received by the Application Agent. To accomplish this, the written request must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant and submitted to Application Agent. If a previously submitted application is withdrawn before the application deadline, the applicant may submit another application at any time up to the application deadline.

3.0 APPLICATION SELECTION AND ELGIBILITY PROCESS

3.1 Preliminary evaluation

The applications will be reviewed initially to determine if all application requirements are met. Failure to submit a complete application may result in rejection of the application. In the event that all applicants do not meet one or more of the application requirements, DWD reserves the right to continue the evaluation of the applications and to select the application which most closely meets the requirements specified in this Request for Application.

3.2 Application scoring

Accepted applications will be reviewed by an evaluation committee and scored against the stated criteria. An applicant may not contact any member of an evaluation committee except at the State’s direction. The committee may review references.

3.3 Evaluation criteria

The applications will be scored using the following criteria:

Description Points

General Requirements (Section 5.1)

a. Community Rehabilitation Contact Information Pass/Fail

b. DVR Statewide Service Provider Pass/Fail

c. Educational Partnership 10

d. Capacity and Commitment during COVID-19 30

e. Qualifications of Personnel 20

f. Letters of Support 20

TOTAL 80

See requirements in Section 4 and Attachment B. Applications with a total score of less than fifty (50) will not be awarded.

3.4 Eligibility

The State will compile the final scores for each application. The award(s) will be granted to the highest scoring responsive and responsible applicants. At its discretion, the State may choose not to award to applicants scoring less than 60 even if they are the highest scoring, responsive and responsible applicants.

3.5 Notification to Applicants

All applicants who respond to this Request for Application will be notified in writing of the results of this Request for Application.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

It is strongly recommended that applicants consult the Evaluation Rubric and Scoresheet to address all criteria when writing applications. The Evaluation Rubric and Scoresheet is Attachment B.

4.1 Application Requirements

4.1.1 Community Rehabilitation Contact Information

The applicant must designate a single point of contact for the Community Rehabilitation partner. The applicant must provide contact information for that person in the application, including address, phone number, and email. The point of contact will receive correspondence regarding the application, awards and if selected, any technical assistance details. After award, the single point of contact must be willing to provide all necessary program and financial reports if requested. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will not be selected.

4.1.2 DVR Statewide Service Provider

The Applicant must have submitted a Statewide Service agreement and must include Job placement and Development, Job and Task Analysis and Systematic Instruction as well as Supported Employment services for 2020-2022. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will not be selected.

4.1.3 Educational Partnership

The application must provide information on all potential or confirmed Educational partners or plans for instruction. If applying for one of the students sites the educational partner should be a school district, career technical school, educational service center, community college, etc. If applying for one for one of the adult only sites, the applicant should describe the process they will use to hire an instructor. Confirmed partnerships are preferred to potential partnerships. Contact information for all potential and confirmed Educational partners must be provided and a description of meetings and/or conversations that have taken place about a partnership between the applicant and the educational entity must be included.

4.1.4 Capacity and Commitment during COVID-19

The application must indicate the capacity and commitment of the applicant to provide services to the site(s) and to sustain a Project SEARCH® program during the COVID-19 pandemic. In describing the capacity and commitment, the application must address the following:

The applicant's ability to develop and maintain partnerships through COVID-19;

A detailed description of the applicant's ability to continue service provision to customers during COVID-19;

A summary of the applicant's plans for continuity of operations through the pandemic and planning for reintegration;

The applicant's ability to staff the site with vocational professionals while maintaining services in the community as a Statewide Service Provider;

A summary of the applicant's current or past successful collaborative partnerships including any at Project SEARCH sites; and

A summary of any communications or meetings held with confirmed or potential site partners including; DVR, Educational Partners, Long Term Support Partners (IRIS or MCO) or business partners.

4.1.5 Qualifications of Personnel

The application must describe the capacity and technical expertise of the community rehabilitation agency management and key personnel to successfully plan and implement the Project SEARCH® program.

Biographies of key personnel and a description of their role in Project SEARCH® site must be included in the application. More points will be given if personnel assigned to program management or assigned to work at the Project SEARCH® site(s) have experience working in a transition program or Project

SEARCH®.

4.1.6 Letters of Support

The application must include letters of support from the confirmed and anticipated partners of the Project SEARCH® site(s). The letter(s) of support must come from the:

DVR Director for the Workforce Development Area (WDA) the Project SEARCH® site is in; and

All long-term support partner(s) in the area (MCO and IRIS).

The applicant may provide letter(s) of support from others including the confirmed or anticipated educational partner or the host business.

Letters must be attached to the application and will not be counted toward the 15-page limit.

5.0 ATTACHMENTS

5.1 Attachment A – Applicant Warranties and Representations

5.2 Attachment B – Evaluation Rubric and Score Sheet

5.3 Attachment C – Memorandum of Agreement Template