RFP Document.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

ONE-STOP OPERATOR

For the

Fox Valley Workforce Development Board (FVWDB)

Funded through Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

RFP Number ILF0020

Issued Date: October 7th , 2025 Responses Due: November 3rd , 2025 at 2:00 PM CST

Direct all communications about this RFP to:

Luke Steurer, Purchasing Agent Bureau of Procurement and Information Management

Department of Workforce Development Email: lukea.steurer@dwd.wisconsin.gov

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1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

This section provides information about what the State intends to purchase, scope of the project and primary objectives of the solicitation.

1.1 Definitions

For the purposes of this RFP and resulting Contract, words and terms shall be given their ordinary and usual meanings. Where capitalized in this RFP and resulting Contract, the following words and terms shall have the meanings indicated. The meanings shall be applicable to the singular, plural, masculine, feminine and neuter.

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act.

Agency The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Authority means a body created under subch. II of ch. 114 or subch. III of ch. 140 or under

ch. 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, or 279.

Authorized user includes any State Agency, University of Wisconsin campus, or any state or local public body authorized to use statewide contracts, as established in §§ 16.70(1b), (1e), (2), (4) and (8), 16.73 and 66.0301 of the Wisconsin Statutes and PRO-502 of the State Procurement Manual.

BAFO Best and Final Offer.

Commodity means a tangible article of trade or item of merchandise; goods, products, materials, supplies, or finished products. A Commodity is not a Service for purposes of this RFP, but a Commodity may include incidental or related Services.

Contract means the written agreement between the successful bidder and the State covering the commodities and services to be performed pursuant to this RFP.

Contract Administrator means the Procuring Agency employee responsible to oversight of the implementation, administrations, and completion of the Contract.

Contracting Entity means the party that will execute and administer the Contract on behalf of

NCWWDB.

Contract Manager means the employee of an Agency responsible for 1) resolving contractual matters that cannot be resolved with the Contract Administrator; and 2) facilitating and/or completing all official actions under the Contract including, but not limited to, amendments, renewals and termination.

Contractor means the person or entity that has been awarded the Contract as a result of this RFP, and who is required to provide equipment, materials, supplies, contractual services, or leasing real property to the Procuring Agency.

Contractor Employee means an individual provided to the State by the Contractor to perform services pursuant to a contract issued under this RFP.

Contractual Services or Services means an intangible product, including actions, recommendations, plans, research, customizations, modifications, documentation, and maintenance and support, including all related materials necessary to fulfill that which the successful Bidder is obligated to accomplish or provide under this RFP.

DOA Department of Administration.

DWD Department of Workforce Development FVWDB Fox Valley Workforce Development Board.

MOU Memoranda of Understanding

Municipality means any Wisconsin county, city, village, town, school district, board of school directors, sewer district, drainage district, vocational, technical and adult education district, or any other public body having authority to award public contracts (s. 16.70(8), Wis. Stats.).

OSO One-Stop Operator.

Purchasing Agent The point of contact for this RFP who is responsible for managing the procurement process.

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Proposer/ Vendor A firm submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

RFP Request for Proposal

Specification means a descriptive statement of the physical, functional and performance characteristics of the commodity or service required by the Procuring Agency. A Specification may be a description of the physical or functional characteristics, or of the nature of a supply. It may include a description of any requirement for inspecting, testing or preparing a supply for delivery, or the necessary performance criteria.

Subcontractor means an individual or entity contracted to perform part, or all, of the Contractor's contract.

State means the State of Wisconsin and Authorized Users.

WIOA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

1.2 Introduction and Background

DWD, through its Procurement Unit (Procurement) on behalf of FVWDB, is requesting proposals to retain an OSO to coordinate the service delivery of required one-stop partners and service providers to ensure meaningful access to all programs through the one-stop delivery system. The contract resulting from this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be a single award, and it will be executed and administered by either FVWDB or a Contracting Entity. DWD does not guarantee that FVWDB or the Contracting Entity will purchase any specific quantity or dollar amount of services. Proposals that require the Contracting Entity to guarantee a specific quantity or dollar amount of services may be disqualified.

The Contractor is expected to provide a wide range of services across the region. The services include, but are not limited to:

• Facilities management, overall responsibility for building operations (cleanliness, accessibility, coordination of hours of operation, etc.);

• Coordination of Job Center partners within the Workforce Development Area (WDA); and

• Ensuring cohesiveness and effectiveness of American Job Center partner operations within the WDA.

FVWDB is a regional body charged with oversight of the Wisconsin Job Centers and the employment and training programs that comprise the workforce development system in the following 6 counties of Fox Valley area: Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago. FVWDB , comprised of business leaders and workforce development professionals, is the regional body that implements WIOA and is committed to creating a competitive workforce that meets the changing needs of the citizens and businesses of the area.

1.3 Scope of the Project

The OSO will be charged with coordinating the service delivery among partner agencies in One-Stop Job Centers. Duties must include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinate and convene monthly meetings of one-stop partners across all state certified job centers in the Fox Valley Workforce Development Area to optimize service delivery;

• Assist the Board in facilitating the MOU process for each Job Center;

• Manage partner responsibilities as defined in the MOU;

• Ensure compliance with all state and local policies and procedures related to the American

Job Center (for example, serve as complaint officer, conduct ADA, Equal Opportunity, and Accessibility compliance reviews, and arrange technical assistance, as needed);

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• Implement training or staff development, such as customer service training, cross training on Partner services or other community services, for the American Job Center staff;

• Implement and oversee technology solutions to manage and support enhanced cooperation and coordination of all Partner programs (Activities and Resources);

• Assist the Board in ensuring all one-stop partners adhere to the American Job Center branding requirements through quarterly monitoring and staff education;

• Assist the Board in ensuring that each Job Center meets one-stop certification requirements;

• Provide quarterly updates to the Board and, if requested, present updates to the Board at

Board meetings;

• Engage in the expansion of services to targeted, barriered, underrepresented populations while adhering to Equal Opportunity (EO) and accessibility requirements;

• Support and utilize the FVWDB sector partnerships to guide system services and activities;

and

• Support continuous improvement, integration and alignment of FVWDB initiatives.

Further details are provided in Appendix A – Statement of Work, incorporated herein by reference.

The OSO is restricted from performing the following functions:

• Assisting in the development of a local or regional plan;

• Preparing or submitting the local plan;

• Taking responsibility for oversight/monitoring of itself;

• Managing or assisting in the competitive selection process for operators;

• Selecting and/or terminating One-Stop Operators, Career Services Providers, or Youth

Providers;

• Negotiating local performance; and

• Developing or submitting the budget for the local board.

Eligibility:

Eligible applicants may be a single entity (public, private, or nonprofit) or a consortium of entities (that may include a minimum of the three (3) required WIOA Comprehensive One-Stop Center partners with clearly defined roles for each). Proposals from consortia, partnerships or other combinations of organizations must identify one organization as the lead agency and prime contractor (supplier) and must specify the assignment of subcontracting relationships.

1.4 Procuring and Contracting Agency

This Request for Proposal (RFP) 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 procurement process is Luke Steurer, DWD Purchasing Agent. Contact with anyone other than the individual managing the procurement process may disqualify your proposal.

1.5 Contract Term and Funding

Initial Contract term will be for a period beginning December 1, 2025, or date of award, through November 30, 2026, with three (3), optional, one year, performance-based renewals.

The contract shall be effective on the date on which the contract is fully executed by all parties and shall run through November 30, 2026. Each optional renewal, up to three (3), will be based on successful defined performance outcomes of the supplier, availability of funding, and by mutual agreement of the Contracting Entity, Agency, FVWDB and OSO. Neither the Contracting Entity nor the Board is bound to exercise any renewals.

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All prices, costs, and conditions outlined in the proposal shall remain fixed and valid for acceptance for one (1) year and will be considered estimates. The resulting contract will be cost-reimbursement based on agreed-upon expenditures.

The OSO may request an annual inflationary adjustment at the start of each annual contract renewal period. This increase shall be based on quantifiable and documented market rate increases; annual pay increases is not justification for an increase. Consideration will also be given to changes in scope of the various programs.

Any contract that is awarded to the local area Workforce Development Board for the OSO is subject to the approval of the Governor, or designee, and local elected officials.

1.6 Contract Documents

In the event of Contract award, the contents of this RFP (including all attachments), RFP addenda and revisions, the successful proposal, and terms agreed to by the Agency and the successful Proposer shall become part of the Contract. Failure of the successful Proposer to accept these terms as a contractual agreement may result in cancellation of award. In the event of conflicts or disputes between the parties related to the meaning of any part of the Contract, the following priority of documents will be used to resolve the conflict or dispute:

• Final Signed Contract including any attachments, amendments, and all terms and conditions.

• Request for Proposal (including any amendments, exhibits and attachments); and

• Proposer’s response as accepted by the State of Wisconsin and the Contracting Entity.

1.7 Contract Quantities/New or Deleted Items

The Agency reserves the right to add new products/services to this Contract based on technology changes or changes to standards unknown at the time of this solicitation. The Contractor's prices must be comparable to current contract pricing for like products/services. The Contractor shall promptly notify the Agency of new or discontinued products.

The Contractor shall not have exclusive rights to provide all products or services covered under this Contract during the term of the Contract or any extension of the Contract.

1.8 Purchasing Agent

During the RFP process, all correspondence is to be made through the Purchasing Agent, Luke Steurer. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the disqualification of your company's

RFP.

1.9 Wisconsin eSupplier Portal Registration

Only Proposers registered with the State of Wisconsin’s eSupplier Portal (the State’s electronic purchasing information system) will receive future official notice for this service/commodity. The State of Wisconsin purchasing information and Bidder notification service is available to all businesses and organizations that want to sell to the State. Anyone may access the Wisconsin eSupplier Portal on the Internet at https://eSupplier.wi.gov to get information on state purchasing practices and policies, goods and services that the State buys, and tips on selling to the State. Proposers may use the same Web site address for inclusion on the Proposers list for goods and services that the organization wants to sell to the State. A subscription with notification guarantees the organization will receive an e-mail message each time a state agency, including any campus of the University of Wisconsin System, posts a request for bid or a request for proposal in their designated commodity/service area(s) with an estimated value over $50,000. Organizations without internet access receive paper copies in the mail. Increasingly, State agencies also are using Wisconsin eSupplier Portal to post simplified bids valued at $50,000 or less.

Proposers also may receive e-mail notices of these simplified bid opportunities.

https://esupplier.wi.gov/

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2.0 PREPARING AND SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

This section explains how the proposal should be constructed and identifies required terms for the proposal to be considered responsive.

2.1 Reasonable Accommodations

DWD shall provide reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, for individuals with disabilities upon request. If you think you need accommodations, contact Luke Steurer at lukea.steurer@dwd.wisconsin.gov.

2.2 General Instructions

The evaluation and selection of the Vendor will be based on the information submitted in the vendor's proposal, including design details and schematics, references, or oral presentations and/or site visits.

Failure to respond to each of the requirements in the RFP may be the basis for rejecting a response.

Elaborate proposals (e.g., expensive artwork), beyond what is sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal, are not necessary and will not impact scores.

2.3 Submitting the Proposal

The Proposer will submit an electronic proposal via email of all required materials for acceptance of their proposal (noted below). All proposals shall be limited to no more than 15 pages, excluding the cost proposal and any required attachments and/or documents. Proposal submissions for Technical Requirements (Section 5.0), must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Cost proposal submissions must be submitted in the posted Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and the budget narrative must be submitted in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Two separate emails must be submitted, or your proposal will be considered incomplete: one (1) email for the technical portion and one (1) email for the cost portion. Including your cost portion in the technical section may disqualify your proposal.

It is the Proposer's responsibility to verify that the emailed Proposal has been timely received and delivered to DWD by the stated date and time. DWD is not responsible for late receipt of a Proposal, regardless of the reason for the delay. Proof of transmission doesn't constitute proof of receipt.

Technical Proposals must be typed and submitted via email to ASDProcurement@dwd.wi.gov In the subject line include the following information:

ATTN: Luke Steurer Response to ILF0020 Technical Proposal

Cost Proposals must be typed and submitted via email to ASDProcurement@dwd.wi.gov In the subject line include the following information:

ATTN: Luke Steurer Response to ILF0020 Cost Proposal

2.4 Calendar of Events

Listed below are important dates and times by which actions related to this RFP shall be completed. In the event that the State finds it necessary to change any of these dates and times, it shall do so by issuing an amendment to this RFP.

DATE AND TIME EVENT

October 7, 2025 Request for Proposal Issued October 13, 2025 at 12 PM CST Deadline for submitting Proposer written questions

October 15, 2025 Tentative date for State responses to Proposer questions

November 7, 2025 at 2 PM CST Proposal due date and time for Proposer responses

December 1, 2025 Estimated Contract Date December 1, 2025 Contract Start Date mailto:ASDProcurement@dwd.wi.gov mailto:ASDProcurement@dwd.wi.gov

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2.5 Proposal Organization and Format

Proposal submissions must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Proposers responding to this RFP must comply with the following format requirements:

All information requested must be completed and the document must be signed. Proposals submitted in response to this RFP must be signed by the person in the proposer's organization who is responsible for the proposal submittal, including prices. Each proposal shall stipulate that it is predicated upon the requirements, terms, and conditions of this RFP and any addendums/amendments thereof.

The first portion of the proposal must contain the following:

• Cover Letter

• Attachment B – Proposer Checklist; 4.0 Mandatory requirements – with yes/no check sheet with column for item detail

• Attachment C - Bidder Required Form (DOA-3832)

• Attachment D – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

• Attachment E – Federal Debarment Form

• Technical (Section 5.0) not to exceed 15 pages

Separate Email - COST PROPOSAL (Section 6.0, Attachment A) Provide cost information as detailed in section 2.3. of this RFP. All costs, as requested, for furnishing the product(s) and/or service(s) must be included in this proposal. The cost proposal must NOT be listed in any other part of the proposal response.

Failure to provide any requested information in the prescribed format may result in disqualification of the proposal. No mention of the cost proposal information may be made in the other sections of the proposal.

DWD shall be the sole judge as to compliance with the instructions contained in this RFP.

2.6 RFP Process

The evaluation and selection of a Contractor will be based on the information submitted in the Vendor's proposal, and additional information gathered from any of the following: references, Vendor presentations/site visits, interviews, and BAFO(s) (Best and Final Offer). Failure to respond to each of the requirements in the RFP process may be the basis for rejecting a response.

2.7 Communications, Clarifications, and/or Revisions

All communications and/or questions regarding this RFP must be submitted via email to ASDProcurement@dwd.wi.gov.

The subject line must include the following information:

ATTN: Luke Steurer Questions to ILF0020 on or before October 13th , 2025 by 12:00 PM

Vendors are expected to raise any questions, exceptions, or additions they have concerning the RFP document at this point in the RFP process. If a vendor discovers any significant ambiguity, error, conflict, discrepancy, omission or other deficiency in this RFP, the vendor shall immediately, in writing, notify the Purchasing Agent named above of such error and request modification or clarification of the RFP.

In the event that it becomes necessary to provide additional clarifying information or to revise any part of this RFP, all addenda, revisions/amendments and/or supplements will be provided to all vendors via the eSupplier Portal.

The proposal shall stipulate that it is predicated upon the requirements, terms and conditions of this RFP and any supplements or revisions thereof. Any contact with State employees concerning this RFP is prohibited, except as authorized by the Purchasing Agent during the period from the release date of this RFP until the notice of intent to award is released.

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2.8 Oral Presentations/Site Visits

Top-scoring vendor(s) may be required to provide an oral presentation and/or site visit of their proposed solution at DWD Central Office or virtually. DWD will furnish specifications that the evaluation committee would like to see included in the presentation. Failure of the vendor to provide an oral presentation of its proposed solution within DWD's time constraints may result in rejection of the proposal.

2.9 Best and Final Offers

The evaluation committee reserves the right to ask the highest scoring proposer(s) to submit Best and Final Offers (BAFO). Proposers shall not expect that DWD will ask for a BAFO, therefore Proposers shall submit their best proposal.

2.10 Withdrawal of Proposals

Proposers may submit a written withdrawal of their proposal to the Purchasing Agent at any time before the contract has been awarded. The request must be signed by an authorized representative of the Proposer and emailed to the Purchasing Agent at lukea.steurer@dwd.wisconsin.gov

If a submitted proposal is withdrawn before the proposal due date and time, the Proposer may submit another proposal at any time up to the proposal closing date and time.

2.11 Multiple Proposals

Multiple proposals from a Proposer will be permitted; however, each proposal must conform fully to the requirements for proposal submission. Each proposal must be submitted separately and clearly labeled as Proposal #1, Proposal #2, etc. on each page included in the response.

2.12 Late Proposals

Any responses after the hour specified in Section 2.4 shall not be reviewed.

2.13 Proposal Opening

Proposals shall be opened on November 7th , 2025 at 2:00 PM CST, and only the names of Proposers will be available at that time. There will be no public opening.

2.14 Incurring Costs

The State shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by Proposer to prepare its proposal, conduct its due diligence or negotiate any agreements whether or not finally awarded. Such proposal and business development costs shall not be included in the cost basis of services to be provided to the State.

3.0 PROPOSAL SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS

This section explains how proposals will be accepted, evaluated, and how the State will engage in negotiations if it opts to do so.

3.1 Preliminary Evaluation

All Proposals will be reviewed initially to determine if Proposal submission requirements are met (see Attachment B). Failure to meet a Proposal submission requirement may result in the rejection of the Proposal.

In the event there is an individual mandatory requirement that no Proposer is able to meet, the State reserves the right to eliminate that individual mandatory requirement; in such case, the State shall continue the evaluation of proposals and select the proposal that most closely meets the remaining requirements specified in the RFP.

3.2 Proposal Scoring

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Accepted proposals will be reviewed by an evaluation committee and scored against the stated criteria.

The resulting information will be used to score the proposals. The evaluation committee's scoring will be tabulated, and proposals will be ranked based on the numerical scores received.

Proposers may not contact members of the evaluation committee except at DWD's request. The committee may review references, request interviews, and/or request vendor presentations and/or site visits and use the results in scoring the proposals.

DWD's evaluation committee will consist of members who have been selected because of their special expertise and knowledge of the service(s) and/or product(s) that is the subject of this RFP.

Proposals from certified Minority Business Enterprises or Disabled Veteran-Owned Business may have points weighted by a factor of 1.00 to 1.05 to provide up to a five percent (5%) preference to these businesses (Wis. Stats. §16.75(3m)). The evaluation committee's scoring will be tabulated, and proposals will be ranked based on the numerical scores received.

The cost proposals will be calculated with the most points awarded to the proposal with the lowest cost and meeting all DWD mandatory requirements. Other cost proposals will be assigned points that correlate to those assigned to the lowest cost proposal per the formula described in Section 6.1.

3.3 Evaluation Criteria

Accepted proposals shall be reviewed by the evaluation committee and scored against the stated criteria.

Proposers shall not contact any member of an evaluation committee. Evaluation points given by each evaluator shall be summed and divided by the number of evaluators to compute an average score for each proposal. Cost proposal information shall not be available to the Evaluation Committee during the requirements evaluation phase.

Proposals will be scored in the following areas:

RFP SECTION AND DESCRIPTION POINTS

AVAILABLE WEIGHT % (ROUNDED)

5.1 Prior Experience 80 23%

5.2 Coordination of Monthly Meeting 30 9%

5.3 Contract Management 70 20%

5.4 Compliance 75 21%

5.5 Implementation and Oversite of Technological

Solutions 40 11%

5.6 Support of Continuous Improvement Projects 30 9%

6.0 Cost Proposal 25 7%

TOTAL 350 100%

The points stated above are the maximum amount awarded for each category.

The results of oral presentations or demonstrations (if required) shall be used to clarify and substantiate information in the written proposals and may be considered when scoring the responses to the general and technical requirements in the RFP. Reference checks will be used to substantiate information in the written proposals. Reference check results may be considered when scoring the responses to the general and technical requirements in the RFP.

DWD reserves the right to open the cost proposals for only the highest scoring proposers that have completed all steps of the evaluation process.

DWD reserves the right to reject proposals that cost more than the DWD budgeted amount for this project.

Cost Proposal Cost proposals will be scored as follows:

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The lowest cost proposal shall receive the maximum number of points available for the cost score. Other cost proposals shall receive prorated scores based on the lowest cost proposal. (See Section 6.0 Cost Proposal).

General, Technical, and Cost Score Total The final average points received from a proposal’s general requirements and technical requirements will be subtotaled and added to the final cost proposal score. In the event of a best and final, only those Proposers in the best and final process will be included in the calculation.

The final total score (General, Technical, and Cost) may be weighted.

3.4 Right to Reject Proposals and Negotiate Contract Terms

DWD reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. DWD may negotiate the terms of the Contract, including the award amount, with the selected Proposer prior to the Agency entering into a contract. If contract negotiations cannot be concluded successfully with the highest scoring Proposer, the Agency may negotiate a contract with the next highest scoring Proposer.

In the event that all Proposers do not meet one or more of the mandatory requirements, DWD reserves the right to continue the evaluation of the proposals that most closely meet the mandatory requirements of this RFP.

3.4.1 Contract Negotiations Impasse

If a Contract between DWD and the successful Proposer cannot be executed by both parties within sixty

(60) days after the notice of intent to award the Contract (or the conclusion of an appeal of the award under Ch. ADMIN 10, Wis. Adm. Code, whichever is later), DWD reserves the right to unilaterally reject the successful proposal and proceed to award the Contract to the next highest scoring Proposer.

3.5 Award and Final Offers

DWD will compile the final scores for each proposal. The award will be granted in one of two ways: 1) the award may be granted to the highest scoring responsive and responsible Proposer or (2) DWD may request that the highest scoring Proposer(s) submit best and final offers. If DWD requests best and final offers, and best and final offers are submitted by the vendor, they will be evaluated against the stated criteria, scored, and ranked by the evaluation committee. The award then will be granted to the highest scoring Proposer. However, a Proposer shall not expect that DWD will request a best and final offer.

3.6 Notification of Recommendation of Award

Any Proposer who responds to this RFP will be notified in writing of DWD’s intent to award the contract because of this RFP.

Proposal records are available for public inspection after the notice of intent to award is issued or, in the case of RFPs for commodities and for RFPs at or below the official bidding threshold, after the contract is awarded except that any record or portion of a record that contains confidential information, or a trade secret, or wage information on printing procurements may be withheld.

Requests to review proposals shall be made to: Luke Steurer at lukea.steurer@dwd.wisconsin.gov.

3.7 Protest and Appeals Process

A Proposer who is aggrieved in connection with a solicitation or notice of intent to award a contract may submit a protest to DWD. Protestors will make their protests as specific as possible and identify statutes and Wisconsin Administrative Code provisions that are alleged to have been violated.

The following protest process must be followed:

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1. A written notice of intent to protest (either via regular mail or email) must be received no later than five (5) working days after issuance of the solicitation or the notice of the intent to award.

The notice of intent to protest shall be addressed to:

Via Email:

DWD Deputy Secretary pamelar.mcgillivray@dwd.wisconsin.gov Subject line: ILF0014 Intent to Protest

Via Regular Mail:

DWD Deputy Secretary 201 E. Washington Ave.

P.O. Box 7946 Madison, WI 53707

2. A written protest must be received no later than ten (10) working days after issuance of the solicitation or the notice of the intent to award to the contact and addresses above.

3. The DWD Deputy Secretary, or designee, has the authority to resolve a protest concerning the solicitation or the intent to award a contract. The DWD Deputy Secretary, or designee, will issue a decision in writing to the protestor and a copy to the Secretary of the Department of Administration.

4. Upon issuance of the protest response, a copy of the response will be provided to the Director of the State Bureau of Procurement.

5. A protestor may appeal the decision of the DWD Deputy Secretary, or designee, to the Secretary of the Department of Administration within five (5) working days of issuance, with a copy of such appeal filed with DWD. The appeal must allege a violation of an applicable Wisconsin statute or Wisconsin Administrative Code.

When a timely notice of either an intent to protest, a protest, or an appeal is received, DWD will not proceed further with the solicitation or with the award of the contract until a decision is rendered in response to the protest or appeal, or unless the Secretary of the Department of Administration, after consultation with DWD, makes a written determination that the award of the contract without delay is necessary to protect substantial interests of the State.

4.0 MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

The following requirements in Sections 4 are mandatory and must be included in the submitted proposal(s). Proposer shall confirm that they can meet the mandatory requirements by completing and including in their proposal submission, Attachment B – Proposer Checklist. Proposer must indicate by either checking “YES” we can meet the mandatory requirements or “NO” we cannot meet mandatory requirements.

In the event there is an individual mandatory requirement that no Proposer is able to meet, DWD reserves the right to eliminate that individual mandatory requirement; in such case, DWD shall continue the evaluation of proposals and select the proposal that most closely meets the remaining requirements specified in the RFP. All mandatory requirements are minimums that must be followed with each project unless otherwise stated.

Responses to Section 4 will not be scored.

4.1 Proposer Information

• Name and address of Proposer.

• Names and addresses of all subcontractors proposed to be used in order to fulfill contractual obligations.

• The designation staff/office location of where services will be performed.

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• A statement furnishing the name of insurance bond carrier and liability limits (must meet at a minimum State-defined threshold identified in Section 23.0 Insurance Responsibilities of the Standard Terms and Conditions).

• Awarded vendor shall designate a Contract Administrator (Point of contact). This person shall serve as a single point of contact for general contract administration items such as contract renewals and second level problem resolution, and provide ongoing communication, coordinate servicing and answer questions.

4.2 Proposer References

Proposers must supply references (up to five) of recent (within previous three years) agencies or businesses to which similar products/services have been provided for a comparable-sized entity or company. If contacted, all of those references must verify that a high level of satisfaction was provided.

Attachment C – Bidder Required Form (DOA-3832) Section 3 to list references.

The Evaluation Committee will determine which, if any, references are contacted. The results of any reference checks may be used when scoring the proposal. The State will use reference information to validate information provided in response to the RFP; therefore, the relevancy of the experience, compatibility of the experience to this RFP, and the performance record of the experience is essential.

The State reserves the right to verify all submissions and perform further background checks of experience and performance. The State or Evaluation Committee may contact one (1) or more references that have been provided by the Proposer or other sources that may not have been named by the Proposer but can assist in determining performance.

4.3 Contract Requirements and Proposer Qualifications

Proposer shall respond on attached "Proposer Response Sheet" unless otherwise noted below. To be eligible for a contract award you must be qualified and able to maintain eligibility throughout contract, to include any renewals.

4.3.1 Proposer must have the technical competence, expertise in administration and management, including fiscal, of complex multi-partner, multi-facility services that interact directly with the public for the delivery of federal and/or state programs. Consideration in selecting a supplier to deliver services shall be the demonstrated performance of the proposer in delivering comparable or related services. Demonstrated performance in providing employer of record or similar activities shall be required prior to making the award(s).

4.3.2 All services provided under this contract must be performed in the United States. The inability to perform all services in the United States shall be grounds for disqualifying your proposal.

4.3.3 Contractor must provide DWD Procurement a Certificate of Insurance and maintain the minimum limits specified prior to issuance of a Contract. All policies must be issued with a 30-day cancellation notice, by an insurance company licensed to do business in the State of Wisconsin, with a minimum AM Best rating of A1, and signed by an authorized agent.

4.3.4 Proposer must be able to meet all Contract requirements outlined in Appendix A, Statement of Work.

4.4 On Site Service

In carrying out the scope of this contract, the Contractor may be required to perform services on DWD property. Proposers must include all transportation and insurance charges.

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5.0 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS (325 POINTS)

5.1 Prior Experience, Organization Capabilities/Qualifications (80 points)

Present a detailed statement of each staff person's qualifications and duties as it relates to the duties they will cover under the Contract. If subcontractors are to be used, provide a list that specifies the name, address, phone number, contact person, and a brief description of the subcontractors' organizational capacity and qualifications.

5.2 Coordination of Monthly Meetings (30 points)

The proposer shall provide a detailed statement of how they will provide coordination of monthly meetings in order to optimize delivery of services. Your proposal must address the following:

• Ability to allow maximum participation of all partners to monthly meetings;

• Ability to maintain and distribute meeting minutes as required by any applicable statutes or regulations, to include, if applicable, public meeting notice;

• Ability to maximize the use of technology to reduce hard and soft costs associated with travel to meetings; and

• Ability to lead and control a meeting.

5.3 Contract Management (70 points)

The Proposer shall provide a detailed statement of how they will manage or be responsible for contracts.

Your proposal must address the following:

• Ability to facilitate implementation of the memoranda of understanding or agreement (MOU or MOA) for each Workforce Development Center; and including managing partner responsibilities as defined in the MOU/MOA.

• Ability to manage contracts, as needed, for the Workforce Development Center(s).

The Proposer shall indicate if it had a contract terminated for cause in the last five (5) years and, if so, describe such incident(s). Submit full details of the terms for termination for cause including the other party's name, address and phone number. Proposer shall present its position on the matter. The State will review the facts and may, at its sole discretion, reject the Proposal on the grounds of the experience. If no such termination for default has been experienced by the Proposer, in the past five years, so indicate.

5.4 Compliance (75 points)

The Proposer shall provide a detailed statement of how they will ensure compliance standards are met and maintained throughout the region.

Your proposal must address your ability to comply with all federal, state and local policies and procedures related to the job center; including:

• ADA;

• EEO and accessibility;

• Branding; and

• Complaints.

5.5 Implementation and Oversite of Technological Solutions (40 points) The proposer shall provide a detailed statement of how they will implement and oversee technological solutions.

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5.6 Support Continuous Improvement Projects (30 points)

The proposer shall provide a detailed statement of how they will successfully support continuous improvement projects.

6.0 COST PROPOSAL (25 POINTS)

Completion of the Cost Proposal is mandatory. No mention of the Cost Proposal is permissible in the response to any other section of the RFP. Proposers are responsible for entering cost data in the format prescribed by DWD. Prices submitted shall be in U.S. Dollars to two decimal points.

Further instructions for entering cost data are included in the worksheet. It is the sole responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that all mathematical calculations are correct and that the total cost worksheet accurately reflects costs. Estimated proposal prices are not acceptable. Failure to provide any requested information in the prescribed format may result in disqualification of the proposal.

6.1 General Instructions on Preparing Cost Proposals

The Cost Proposal must be submitted in a separate email (See Section 2.5). The proposal will be scored using a standard quantitative calculation where the maximum points (25) will be awarded to the proposal with the lowest Grand Total Cost. All prices must be quoted in U.S. Dollars.

The Purchasing Agent will score the cost proposals by prorating with the lowest cost proposal given the highest score. The formula is as follows: calculation of points awarded to subsequent proposals will use the lowest dollar proposal amount as a constant numerator and the dollar amount of the firm being scored as the denominator. This number is then multiplied by the number of points given to the cost section of the RFP, resulting in the Cost Proposal score.

Proposal prices shall take into consideration all inherent costs of providing the services described in the

RFP.

6.2 Format for Submitting Cost Proposals - Attachment A

Attachment A to the RFP is the prescribed format for submitting cost proposals. Failure to provide requested information for all items on Attachment A - Cost Proposal may result in the rejection of the proposal. The prescribed format may not be altered; if altered, it may result in the rejection of the proposal. The cost proposal Attachment A contains two tabs (worksheets); Proposed Budget and Staffing Pattern.

Proposed Budget Tab Fill in all areas of the Proposed Budget Tab of Cost Proposal which are highlighted in yellow. Other areas on the Cost Proposal will auto-calculate. If an item is supplied at No Cost, Bidder shall enter $0.00. Bids with blank entries, "TBD", or "N/A" or similar language, may be rejected.

Staffing Plan Tab Fill in all areas of the Staffing Plan Tab of the Cost Proposal which are highlighted in yellow.

6.3 Fixed Price Period

All prices, costs, and conditions outlined in the proposal shall remain fixed and valid for acceptance for ninety (90) days starting on the due date for proposals.

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The awarded vendor must hold the accepted prices and/or costs for the entire Contract period. Any adjustment to prices and/or costs at the beginning of a Contract renewal period will be negotiated between the DWD and the Contractor. Any price increases must be justified with supporting documentation of industry-wide increases. Requests for a price increase are limited to one request per renewal term.

7.0 SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

7.1 Payment Terms and Invoicing

Contractor must agree that all invoices shall reflect the contracted price as submitted on the Cost Proposal.

Only properly submitted invoices will be processed for payment. Prompt payment requires that contractor invoices be clear and complete in conformity with the instructions below. All invoices must be itemized showing:

• Contractor name;

• Remit to address;

• Purchase order number;

• Description of Services(s);

• Date(s) or Service(s);

• Charges in the same format as the terms of the contract.

The original invoice must be sent to the applicable address which will be provided to the Contractor prior to Contract start date.

Before payment is made, DWD shall verify that all invoiced charges are correct as per this Contract. Only properly submitted invoices shall be officially received for payment. Prompt payment requires that invoices be clear and complete and in compliance with this RFP.

The Contractor is limited to providing the services contracted for in the terms of the Contract as defined in this RFP. Services provided outside the terms of the Contract will be considered “out of scope”. DWD will only pay for services within the scope of this Contract.

7.2 Conflict of Interest

The Contractor must take all necessary steps to avoid real and apparent conflicts of interest, including implementing policies and procedures covering conflicts of interest.

If the Contractor identifies any real or potential conflicts of interest in performing services under this Contract, the Contractor must report these conflicts or potential conflicts to the Contract Administrator within two (2) business days of when the Contractor knew or should have known of the conflict. DWD will work with the Contractor to determine if the conflict can be mitigated. If the Contractor fails to report a known conflict of interest and proceeds with providing services to the consumer(s) with which the conflict exists, then DWD may consider the action grounds for terminating this Contract.

A conflict of interest means a situation in which the Contractor, including its staff and/or subcontractors, has a financial interest, personal activity, or relationship that could impair the Contractor's ability to act impartially when performing services under this Contract.

Private and nonprofit corporations are also bound by ss.180.0831, 180.1911(1), and 181.0831 Wis.

Stats., regarding conflicts of interests by directors in the conduct of state contracts.

7.3 Prime Contractor and Subcontractor

Any Contract resulting from this RFP shall not be, in whole or in part, subcontracted, assigned, or otherwise transferred to any other contractor without prior written approval by DWD. A subcontractor is defined as an individual or business contracted to perform part, or all, of the Contractor's contract.

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If approved by DWD, the Contractor shall be directly responsible for any subcontractor’s performance and work quality when used by the Contractor to carry out the scope of the job.

Contractor must ensure that subcontractors abide by all terms and conditions under the Contract.

If subcontractors are to be used, the Contractor must clearly explain their participation when seeking written approval by DWD.

7.4 Contractor Major Structural Change

The Contractor is required to provide the Agency with a minimum of sixty (60) days written notice of any planned or potential structural change (merger, buyout, acquisition, consolidation, etc.). The Contract may not be automatically assigned to the new entity (since the underlying procurement may be affected).

7.5 Advertising/Promotions

The Contractor shall not issue news releases, advertisements or news articles, or any other information of any kind related to the Contract without prior written approval from DWD.

7.6 Wisconsin Sales and Use Tax Registration

The State of Wisconsin shall not enter into a contract with a vendor and reserves the right to cancel any existing contract if the vendor or contractor has not met or complied with the requirements of s. 77.66, Wis. Stats., and related statutes regarding certification for collection of sales and use tax.

If you have not established a certification for Collection of Sale and Use Tax status with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the DWD and any other state agency cannot issue any purchase orders to your firm. For additional information see DOA Certification for Collection of Sales and Use Tax (wi.gov)

7.7 Supplier Diversity

Proposals from certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) or Disabled Veteran-owned Businesses (DVB) may have points weighted by a factor of 1.00 to 1.05 to provide up to a five percent (5%) preference to these businesses (s. 16.75 (3m), Wis. Stats., 2001-02).

7.7.1 Minority Business Enterprise Program (MBE)

Minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs) are certified by the Wisconsin Department of Administration. This program can be found at: http://www.doa.wi.gov/Divisions/Enterprise- Operations/Supplier-Diversity-Program.

The Contractor shall furnish appropriate quarterly information about its efforts, including the identities of such businesses certified by the Wisconsin Supplier Diversity Program, their contract amount, and spend for each period to the Procuring Agency.

A listing of certified MBEs, as well as the services and commodities they provide, is available at:

https://wisdp.wi.gov/search.aspx.

7.7.2 Women Owned Business (WBE)

Women-owned business enterprises (WBEs) are certified by the Wisconsin Department of Administration. This program can be found at: http://www.doa.wi.gov/Divisions/Enterprise- Operations/Supplier-Diversity-Program.

State certified WBEs are able to provide both governmental entities and private companies with a credible recognition of the business' ownership. The WBE certification may serve as an additional marketing tool when seeking contract opportunities with entities that place a value on having a diverse supplier base. There is no price preference for certified WBEs that compete for State Contracts.

https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/StateEmployees/SalesUseTax.aspx http://www.doa.wi.gov/Divisions/Enterprise-Operations/Supplier-Diversity-Program http://www.doa.wi.gov/Divisions/Enterprise-Operations/Supplier-Diversity-Program https://wisdp.wi.gov/search.aspx

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A listing of certified WBEs, as well as the services and commodities they provide, is available at:

https://wisdp.wi.gov/search.aspx

7.7.3 Veteran Owned Business

The State Bureau of Procurement encourages the participation of veteran-owned businesses (VBs) in the statewide purchasing program by inviting VBs to actively solicit public purchasing business and by reducing undue impediments to such participation. VBs are certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Applicants shall complete a Veteran-owned Business Request for Certification form (WDVA 1037). Contact the DVA at: http://dva.state.wi.us. There is no price preference for certified VBs that compete for State Contracts.

7.7.4 Disabled Veteran Owned Business (DVB)

Disabled veteran-owned businesses (DVBs) are certified by the Wisconsin Department of Administration. This program can be found at: http://www.doa.wi.gov/Divisions/Enterprise- Operations/Supplier-Diversity-Program.

The Supplier/Contractor shall furnish appropriate quarterly information about its efforts, including the identities of such businesses certified by the Supplier Diversity Program and their contract amount.

A listing of certified DVBs, as well as the services and commodities they provide, is available at:

8.0 CANCELLATION/TERMINATION

8.1 Cancellation

The Contracting Entity reserves the right to cancel this Contract in whole or in part without penalty if the Contractor:

• Fails to perform any material obligation required under this Contract;

• Files a petition in bankruptcy, becomes insolvent, or otherwise takes action to dissolve as a legal entity;

• Allows any final judgment not to be satisfied or a lien not to be disputed after a legally imposed, 30-day notice;

• Makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors;

• Fails to…