ADVANCING SKILLS-FIRST PRACTICES-AWARENESS AND

ADOPTION

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

#RFP KADA 2027000012

Responses Due:

Friday, September, 25th, 2026 at 11:59pm, local time

Bidnet Link:

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/coloradodepartmento flaboremployment http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/coloradodepartmentoflaboremployment http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/coloradodepartmentoflaboremployment

INTRODUCTION

This Request for Proposals (“RFP”) is used for the State of Colorado (“State”) by and through the Department of Labor and Employment (“CDLE”), Procurement and

Contract Services Unit (“PCS”) for the benefit of Colorado Workforce Development

Council (“CWDC”) as well as any other CDLE Divisions or State Departments for which a need may be discovered.

PCS is posting this RFP on the Colorado Vendor Self-Service website (“VSS”) in order that Respondents who have an interest may submit a proposal in accordance with the terms of this solicitation. Though not a requirement, Respondents are encouraged to become a member of VSS prior to the submission deadline. Solicitations for most

Colorado State Agencies (“Agencies”), including CDLE, are posted on VSS. The URL for VSS is: www.colorado.gov/vss. The VSS Help Desk, 303-866-6464 or

VSSHelp@state.co.us, is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., local time.

Solicitation details posted on VSS by Agencies for goods, services, and construction are public and do not require registration to view. Should a company opt to register with VSS, it may elect to receive automatic notification in categories of interest.

Additionally, there is no cost to register on VSS. However, per Procurement Rule

24-102-202.5-04, Respondents need not be registered with VSS in order to be deemed responsive to this RFP.

In an effort to expand the potential pool of Respondents to this RFP thus providing the best value for the State, PCS also utilizes additional methods of advertisement. As such, PCS may make this RFP available to companies outside of the VSS platform. PCS is also posting this RFP on Bidnet at the link available on the cover page. Respondents do not need to register on Bidnet or pay funds to access the solicitation. In the event documents are too large to upload to VSS, a note on the posting will be made and those documents will be available on Bidnet. Should Respondent wish to obtain the documents via email, requests should be made as outlined herein.

Respondents are expected to familiarize themselves with the proposed project’s details. Any person, firm, entity, joint venture, or corporation desiring to submit a proposal should examine this RFP and shall judge for themselves all the circumstances and conditions affecting their proposal. Failure on the part of any Respondent to make such thorough examination or to investigate thoroughly the conditions of the proposal will not be grounds for a declaration the successful proposer did not understand the RFP. Should a Respondent find a discrepancy or omission in this RFP, or should a Respondent be in doubt as to the meaning of any provision of this RFP, the

Respondent should promptly notify PCS, and any necessary clarifications or addenda will be provided in writing. CDLE will not be responsible for any oral instructions or interpretations given by or to anyone.

Table of Contents http://www.colorado.gov/vss

This RFP encompasses the following attachments:

● Attachment A - Signature Page

● Attachment B - Statement of Work & Proposal Technical Requirements

● Attachment C - Cost Proposal Requirements

● Attachment D - Sample Contract

● Attachment E - Contract Certification Form

● Attachment F - Work Outside State/U.S.

● Attachment G - Conflict of Interest Disclosure

● Attachment H - Confidentiality Requests

● Attachment I - M/WBE Self Certification Form

● Attachment J - Proposal Checklist

I. PROJECT SYNOPSIS

CWDC is seeking a marketing agency to:

1. Inventory existing skills-first practices resources for employers, job seekers, and l/earners,

2. Develop an outreach strategy and related campaign to engage key audiences,

3. Create the necessary collateral to implement the strategy/campaign,

4. Buy any media that is part of the outreach strategy; and

5. Track and report on metrics and impact.

II. RFP PROCESS

A.RFP Modifications

CDLE reserves the right to terminate, suspend, modify the selection process, reject any or all submittals, modify the terms and conditions of this selection process, and/or waive any informalities, irregularities, or omissions in any submittals, as the

State’s best interests may appear.

B.Tentative Schedule of Events - Once SOW/Timeline is Final

This schedule contains tentative dates for this procurement and may be subject to change. CWDC reserves the right to conduct oral presentations and/or site visits and/or interviews and/or demonstrations should the need arise.

Activity Date Location

RFP Published 08/21/2026 VSS & Bidnet

Table of Contents

Pre-Proposal Meeting 09/9/2026 11:00am Virtual Google Meet

Q & A Period Deadline 09/17/2026 3:00pm Email

Answers Posted 09/18/2026 5:00pm VSS & Bidnet

RFP Submission Deadline 09/25/2026 11:59pm Bidnet

Oral Presentation/Site

Visits, etc. if applicable

Month of October, if applicable

Virtual Environment as

Determined by Vendor

Best & Final Offers Month of October Email

Notice of Award Month of November Email

Contract Signing Month of

November/December Docusign

Contract Period One year (1), with four (4)

Option Years N/A

C.Question & Answer Period

This RFP provides Respondents with sufficient information to enable the preparation of a proposal sufficient to be submitted for consideration to satisfy the project goals listed herein. However, Respondents are encouraged to ask questions and request clarification of any part of this document. Failure to clarify information does not constitute justification for an RFP protest if the Respondent knew or should have known of the confusion prior to the end of the question and answer period. It will be presumed Respondent, before submitting a proposal, closely reviewed the RFP, all exhibits and attachments, any modifications and/or addendums, and other items relevant to the RFP.

During the question and answer period, Respondents may email PCS with any questions and/or requests for clarification concerning this RFP. The question and answer period begins on the date of this RFP’s publication and ends on the question and answer period deadline, as listed in the tentative schedule above. No inquiries will be accepted after the date and time indicated as the question and answer period deadline. Email timestamps will be used to determine timeliness.

Email all inquiries to: NANCY KATZ at Nancy.Katz@state.co.us. Use this RFP’s number, as listed on the cover page, in the subject line.

Answers to Respondents’ questions are scheduled to be published as a modification to the RFP on VSS on the date listed in the tentative schedule above.

No other interactions in regard to this RFP shall occur with CWDC, CDLE, Agencies, and/or State employees, agents, and/or assignees. Failure to abide by this rule may result in disqualification from the RFP process and complete rejection of any submitted proposals.

D.Pre-Proposal Conference- Once SOW/Timeline is Final

Respondents are encouraged to attend a pre-proposal conference which shall take place on Wednesday, September 9th at 11:00am, local time. Respondent(s) may join via Google Meet at this link:

https://meet.google.com/zbx-mhds-cwg?hs=122&authuser=0

Vendors may also join via the phone: (US)+1 260-216-5358 PIN: 867 585 980#

If you need any Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations for the pre-proposal meeting, please submit a request to Nancy.Katz@state.co.us forty-eight

(48) hours prior to the meeting.

The pre-proposal conference is not mandatory; however, Respondents will be responsible for all information provided at the meeting. The pre-proposal conference will be an opportunity for Respondents to ask questions to clarify services requested in this RFP and receive immediate answers from CDLE subject-matter experts.

Questions and answers provided at the pre-proposal conference will not be made available afterward. The conference is projected to last 1 (one) hour. Any substantial clarifications resulting from the conference shall be posted on VSS within two (2) business days of the meeting.

E.Oral Presentations/Site Visits/Demonstrations/Interviews

Respondents may be asked to prepare an oral presentation or to make their facilities available for a site visit by the evaluation committee. Respondents may also be asked to provide a demo of their proposed solution or interview in front of the evaluation committee. Such events will be at the Respondent’s expense. The dates for these potential events are listed in the tentative schedule herein. Evaluation Committee members have the right to modify a Respondent’s proposal evaluation based on clarifications provided at the relevant event.

F. Addendum or Supplement to Request for Proposal

In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, an addendum and/or modification will be published on VSS and Bidnet. It is incumbent upon Respondents to carefully and regularly monitor VSS and/or Bidnet for any such postings.

Table of Contents https://meet.google.com/zbx-mhds-cwg?hs=122&authuser=0 mailto:Nancy.Katz@state.co.us

G.Process for Responding

Proposals must be received on or before the date and time indicated in the tentative schedule listed herein. Proposals should be formatted and submitted as described herein. Late proposals may not be accepted. It is the responsibility of the

Respondent to ensure the proposal is received by PCS on or before the proposal submission date and time. Proposal responses determined to be at a variance with any requirement as stated herein may not be accepted.

1. Bidnet Instructions

In the spirit of continuous improvement and cost management, CDLE has joined the

Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System. The Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System

(BidNet®) is an online notification system that is being utilized by multiple governmental entities. Participating entities post their bids, quotes, proposals, addendums, and awards on this one centralized system. Review bids or register today by visiting the link below:

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/coloradodepartmentoflaboremployment

Vendor registration is FREE; however, vendors may elect to receive automatic e-mail notification of all open solicitations matching their vendor profile for an annual fee. If a vendor does not select the upgraded option, it is the responsibility of the vendor to monitor the website regularly in order to be aware of business opportunities and review changes or addendums to bids, quotes, and proposals. Vendors who upgrade to receive email notifications will receive opportunities matching their business goods/services provided automatically.

For help registering or questions about the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System, please contact IPT by BidNet at 800.835.4603 to speak with the Vendor Support Team.

2. Format of Submission

Proposals should be submitted in text-searchable PDF format. PCS prefers writing be

Arial or Times New Roman no smaller than 12 point font with each individual component of the proposal tabbed in the PDF table of contents. Due to the potential size-limitations of email attachments, proposals should be broken down into its individual required and as applicable documents with each item standing alone as a different PDF. A complete list of required and as applicable documents may be found in the Attachment section herein. Any page limitations on each required or as applicable document may be found there.

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/coloradodepartmentoflaboremployment

3. Proposal Contents

Proposals should consist of the items contained in the Proposal Checklist found on the last page of this RFP. Naming conventions for the PDF tabs and/or individual PDF documents should be as follows:

RESPONDENT NAME_DOCUMENT TITLE_RFP NUMBER

H. Vendor Assistance

Any vendors needing support responding to solicitations may contact the Colorado

Supplier Diversity Navigator in the Statewide Equity Office's Supplier Diversity program. Services provided include assistance with responding to solicitations, interpretation of solicitation documents, technical assistance referrals, availability of resources, construction assistance, and free business directory listings and verifications through the Colorado Supplier Diversity Directory. The office can be reached during normal business hours by calling 303-866-5765 or emailing

DPA_SupplierDiversityHelp@state.co.us.

I. No Multiple Proposal Responses

Respondents may submit only one (1) proposal in response to this RFP. In addition, Respondents should propose a solution that addresses all components in this RFP.

Incomplete or additional submissions may be rejected.

J. Valid Proposal Period

All aspects of a submitted proposal to this RFP, including pricing, will be firm for a period of no less than three hundred sixty-five (365) calendar days after the RFP submission deadline. Estimated proposal prices are not acceptable.

K.Modification or Withdrawal of Proposals

Respondents may modify or withdraw a submitted proposal at any time prior to the

RFP submission deadline. To do so, Respondents should email PCS at the address found herein with the intent to modify or withdraw the submission and the RFP number found on the cover page clearly stated in the email subject line.

L.Confidential/Proprietary Information

Any proposed restrictions on the use or inspection of material contained within a proposal response must be clearly stated in the proposal response. Respondents may request PCS consider confidential or proprietary information through the following steps:

Table of Contents https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__links-2D2.govdelivery.com_CL0_https-3A-252F-252Fdhr.colorado.gov-252Fsd_1_0101019eace7b08e-2Da0ea31e6-2D614c-2D46cb-2D9852-2D416ade4bf744-2D000000_rRFI03v-5FeqextFJOncivqKjG-5F-5FHOgOpyEfKsGwpYg3Y-3D452&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=W33ONo2zpXQ32qjVKzjFOvlJDzKZmURhXQeM1_cpKcY&m=S9cCs_MSgC1Vt2DE9Jj41qH2gWxG67GDogyE-WpdDzWqvIr6wvXl4fMo_jMBpW7r&s=isCLssVf1uK8uVB_4FESGLAHZtNbNoYZRTFpSi0QJAo&e= https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__links-2D2.govdelivery.com_CL0_https-3A-252F-252Fdhr.colorado.gov-252Fsd_1_0101019eace7b08e-2Da0ea31e6-2D614c-2D46cb-2D9852-2D416ade4bf744-2D000000_rRFI03v-5FeqextFJOncivqKjG-5F-5FHOgOpyEfKsGwpYg3Y-3D452&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=W33ONo2zpXQ32qjVKzjFOvlJDzKZmURhXQeM1_cpKcY&m=S9cCs_MSgC1Vt2DE9Jj41qH2gWxG67GDogyE-WpdDzWqvIr6wvXl4fMo_jMBpW7r&s=isCLssVf1uK8uVB_4FESGLAHZtNbNoYZRTFpSi0QJAo&e= https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__links-2D2.govdelivery.com_CL0_https-3A-252F-252Fdhr.colorado.gov-252Fsupplier-2Ddiversity-252Fcolorado-2Dsupplier-2Ddiversity-2Ddirectory_1_0101019eace7b08e-2Da0ea31e6-2D614c-2D46cb-2D9852-2D416ade4bf744-2D000000_f0OOklQbHf8y3eu7reetFyXPsfUV88tRB5chvxzUu4s-3D452&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=W33ONo2zpXQ32qjVKzjFOvlJDzKZmURhXQeM1_cpKcY&m=S9cCs_MSgC1Vt2DE9Jj41qH2gWxG67GDogyE-WpdDzWqvIr6wvXl4fMo_jMBpW7r&s=ns3fuL5rHokKl_EYQUt5I2GrKjrhRwaGILHq8CVTibE&e=

Step 1. The Respondent, with its proposal, shall submit written requests for confidentiality. The Respondent must provide a justification and state specifically what elements of the proposal are to be considered confidential/proprietary. A sample form may be found in the Attachments.

Step 2. Confidential/proprietary information must be readily identified, marked, and listed on the request form.

Step 3. The Purchasing Director will make a written determination as to the apparent validity of any written request for confidentiality. Neither a proposal in its entirety, nor proposal price information will be considered confidential and proprietary. Any information that will be included in a resulting contract cannot be considered confidential.

Step 4. In the event PCS does not concur with the Respondent’s request for confidentiality, the written determination will be sent to the

Respondent. Ref. Section 24-72-201 et. seq., C.R.S., as amended, Public

(open) Records.

Step 5. If the Respondent does not agree with the Purchasing Director’s determination and the parties cannot come to an agreement, the

Respondent may a) resubmit the proposal without the confidential information included, b) withdraw the proposal, or c) file a protest.

See the protest section herein for more information regarding protest rights.

M.Acceptance of RFP Terms

A proposal submitted in response to this RFP will constitute a binding offer.

Acknowledgment of this condition shall be indicated by the autographic signature of the Respondent or an officer of the Respondent legally authorized to execute contractual obligations. A submission in response to this RFP acknowledges acceptance by the Respondent of all terms and conditions, including compensation, as set forth herein. A Respondent should clearly and thoroughly identify any variation between its proposal and the RFP requirements. Failure to do so shall be deemed a waiver of any rights to subsequently modify the terms of performance, except as outlined or specified in the RFP. A completed Contract Certification form, found in the Attachments, must be submitted with the RFP response.

The contents of the proposal response, including persons specified to implement the project, of the successful Respondent will become contractual obligations. Failure of the successful Respondent to accept these obligations in a contract, purchase order, or similar authorized commitment document may result in cancellation of the award.

N.Rejection of Proposals

PCS reserves the right to 1) to reject any or all proposals; 2) to waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received as determined by PCS; and 3) to accept any portion of a proposal or all items in a proposal if deemed in the best interest of

CDLE. Failure of a Respondent to provide any information requested in this RFP and in the manner or format required in this solicitation may result in disqualification of the proposal.

O.Best and Final Offers

PCS reserves the right to request Best and Final Offers “(BAFO”s) for this solicitation.

Evaluation Committee members have the right to modify a Respondent’s evaluation based on information provided in a BAFO. BAFOs may be considered in determining the apparent successful Respondent(s).

P. Proposal Pricing

All prices and fees contained in proposal responses, or BAFOs if conducted, shall be firm for the term of any resulting contract.

Q.Proposal Evaluation

PCS will conduct a comprehensive, fair and impartial evaluation of the submissions received in response to this RFP. The objective of the evaluation is to determine the proposal that most effectively meets CWDC’s goals and requirements as stated in this

RFP. The contract(s) for this project will be awarded to the Respondent(s) whose proposal(s) will be most advantageous to CDLE and the State as a whole.

An Evaluation Committee will be established to judge the merit of proposals received in response to this RFP. The award decision is a business judgment reflecting an integrated assessment of the relative merits of the proposals using the factors set forth below in no particular order:

Category Description

Company Qualifications Committee will evaluate based on references provided and examples of similar projects of similar size

Price Committee will evaluate based on what is most advantageous to the State

Category Description

Technical

Approach/Action Plan

Committee will evaluate based on the comprehensive narrative elements found in Attachment C

Once the Evaluation Committee has narrowed their decision based on the initial submissions, they may request clarifications and/or updates during oral presentations, site visits, interviews, demonstrations, and/or BAFOs. The Respondent(s) with the proposal(s) deemed most advantageous to the State will be selected for recommendation of award. The selected Respondent(s) will receive a “Notice of

Intent to Make an Award.”

A brief overview of the evaluation process follows:

● Review of all proposals received for compliance with the requirements of this

RFP.

● Review of all confidentiality requests and written determinations.

● Preliminary evaluations of all proposals.

● Requests for clarification, if necessary.

● Oral presentations, demonstrations, interviews, and/or site visits, if applicable.

● BAFO requests, if necessary.

● Final evaluations.

● Recommendation for award.

R.Selection of Proposal Notice

Upon review and approval of the Evaluation Committee’s recommendation for award, PCS will issue a “Notice of Intent to Make an Award” on VSS.

S. Award of Contract

Following a “Notice of Intent to Make an Award,” A commitment document must be finalized by all parties concerned by the date specified in the Notice. In the event the parties are unable to enter into a commitment document, PCS may elect to cancel the "Notice of Intent to Make an Award" letter and award the Respondent(s) whose proposal(s) scored the next highest.

T. Protested Solicitations and Awards

An aggrieved party in connection with this solicitation may file a written protest in accordance with C.R.S. 24-109-102 within ten (10) business days of when the aggrieved party knows or should have known of the facts giving rise to the grievance.

Written protests shall be emailed to: reneerita.kennedy@state.co.us.

IV. INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

A.External Communications, Outreach, and Logos

External communications and outreach pertaining to this RFP or award are not permitted without prior written approval from CDLE’s Government Policy and Public

Relations Office. External communications and outreach include, but are not limited to, news releases, advertising and marketing materials.

Use of CDLE or project logos are not permitted without prior written approval from

CDLE’s Government Policy and Public Relations Office.

B.Incurring Costs

The State is not liable for any cost incurred by Respondents prior to issuance of a legally executed contract, purchase order, or other authorized commitment document. No property interest, of any nature, shall occur until a contract is awarded and executed.

C.Taxes

State, as purchaser, is exempt from all federal excise taxes under Chapter 32 of the

Internal Revenue Code (Registration No. 84-7301123K) and from all state and local government use taxes (C.R.S. 39-26-704). The Colorado State and Local Sales Tax

Exemption Number is 98-01159-000. Respondent is hereby notified that materials are purchased in certain political subdivisions (for example in the City of Denver) the

Respondent may be required to pay sales tax even though the ultimate product or service is provided to the State. This sales tax will not be reimbursed by the State

D.Prime Contractor

CDLE will consider the selected Respondent(s) to be the sole point of contact with regard to contractual matters including the performance of services and the payment of any and all charges. Subcontractor specifics must be disclosed at time of proposal response.

E.Parent Company/Vendor Identification

If a Respondent is owned or controlled by a parent company, the name, main office address and parent company's tax identification number should be provided in the

Table of Contents mailto:reneerita.kennedy@state.co.us proposal. The tax identification number provided must be that of the Respondent submitting a proposal to the RFP. The Respondent must be a legal entity with the legal right to contract. All applicable W-9s must be provided with the RFP proposals.

F. Reciprocal Preference

Per Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 24-103-906, a resident Respondent may be allowed a preference against a non-resident Respondent equal to the preference given or required by the state in which the non-resident Respondent is a resident.

G.Doing Business in Colorado

In order to do business in Colorado, the Colorado Secretary of State requires entities to register in accordance with C.R.S. 7-71-101, and obtain and maintain a rating of

“good standing” status throughout the term of an awarded contract.

http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/business/businessHome.html. Respondents must register before contract execution, but do not need to register before submitting a proposal

H.Contract Performance Outside the United States or Colorado

In part, Colorado Revised Statute 24-102-206 states: (1) Prior to contracting or as a requirement for the solicitation of any contract from the state for services, as appropriate, any prospective vendor should disclose in a statement of work where services will be performed under the contract, including any subcontracts, and whether any services under the contract or any subcontracts are anticipated to be performed outside the United States or the state. If the prospective vendor anticipates services under the contract or any subcontracts will be performed outside the United States or the state, the vendor should provide in its statement of work a provision setting forth why it is necessary or advantageous to go outside the United

States or the state to perform the contract or any subcontracts. In lieu of providing this required information in a detailed statement-of-work, offerors may utilize the form included in the Attachments. At the conclusion of Vendor’s performance, Vendor will be required to submit actual figures detailing the extent to which services, including those of subcontractors, were performed outside the United States or the state.

I. Conflict of Interest

Respondents are required to include in their proposal a section regarding Conflicts of

Interest. Respondents shall state whether there currently are, or potentially could be, organizational or other conflicts-of-interest regarding this solicitation, their proposal, their staff or their proposed subcontractors, any related business with the State, or with CDLE employees. The conflict of interest form may be found in the Attachments.

Table of Contents http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/business/businessHome.html

PCS reserves the right to make a non-responsive determination on a Respondent’s proposal or cancel the award if there is a conflict, a perceived conflict, or if a conflict or appearance is disclosed from any other source.

During the term of the contract, the selected Respondent will not enter into any third party relationship that creates a conflict of interest or creates the appearance of a conflict of interest.

J. Security Clearance Background Checks on Employees and

Subcontractors

1. Criminal Background Checks (private entities)

The successful Respondent should ensure all employees and subcontractor’s employees have passed comprehensive criminal background checks prior to performing work under this contract. In the State’s sole discretion, the State may require certain employee(s) submit to a State criminal background check, at the

State’s cost. The Successful Respondent shall immediately remove from this project any employees or subcontractors that do not meet the minimum standards of a criminal background check, whether conducted by the employer or the State. All information collected by the State regarding the successful Respondents employee(s) shall be deemed confidential.

2. Criminal Background Checks (governmental entities)

Successful Respondent shall ensure all employees and subcontractor’s employees have passed comprehensive criminal background checks prior to performing work under this contract.

K.Security Policy

If applicable, the successful Respondent must adhere to the State of Colorado

Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) Security policies located at:

http://www.oit.state.co.us/ois/policies.

L.RFP Response Material Ownership

CDLE has the right to retain the original proposal response and other proposal response materials for its files. As such, CDLE may retain or dispose of all copies as is lawfully deemed appropriate. Proposal response materials may be reviewed by any person after the "Notice of Intent to Award" has been posted on VSS, subject to the terms of Section 24-72-201 et seq., C.R.S., as amended, Public (Open) Records.

CDLE has the right to use any or all information/material presented in reply to the

RFP, subject to limitations outlined in the paragraph, Confidential/Proprietary

Table of Contents http://www.oit.state.co.us/ois/policies

Information herein. Respondent expressly agrees CDLE may use the materials for all lawful State purposes, including the right to reproduce and distribute copies of the material submitted for purposes of evaluation, and as part of the resulting contract, and to make the information available to the public in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Act.

M.Certification of Independent Price Determination

Except as otherwise disclosed with particularity, through its submission of a proposal, the Respondent certifies the prices and other terms in the offer have been arrived at independently without any consultation, communication, agreement with, or knowledge of the contents of the offer by any other competing Respondent. For purposes of this paragraph, "consultation, communication, agreement with, or knowledge" does not include knowledge of prices or terms gained through availability of established price lists or catalogs made available to the public by the competing

Respondent. No attempt has been made or will be made by the Respondent to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

N.Ownership of Contract Products/Services

Upon the established RFP close date, submissions become the property of the State.

All products and/or services produced in response to the contract resulting from this

RFP will be the sole property of the State, unless otherwise noted in the RFP or contract. The contents of the successful Respondent’s proposal will become contractual obligations.

O.Standard Contract

The successful Respondent is required to enter into a formal commitment document with CDLE. Any commitment document resulting from this RFP will incorporate standard State contract terms, including Special Provisions or Purchase Order Terms &

Conditions, if applicable. These terms are included in the Sample Agreement included in the Attachments. Respondents must clearly identify any exceptions to the terms and conditions described in this RFP and provide justification and alternative language on Attachment form as part of the proposal response. Respondents are strongly encouraged to seek advice from legal counsel regarding such contractual exceptions. Respondents should not assume any term or condition in this RFP is negotiable. In the event the parties are unable to negotiate terms that are fully satisfactory to CDLE within a reasonable period of time, at CDLE’s sole discretion, CDLE may elect to enter into negotiations with another vendor within the competitive range. If a “Notice of Intent to Make an Award” has been issued and the parties are unable to enter into a contract that is fully satisfactory to CDLE within a reasonable period of time, at CDLE’s sole discretion, CDLE may elect to cancel the “Notice of

Intent to Make an Award” and commence contract negotiations with another vendor within the competitive range. All negotiated contracts are subject to required State approvals.

P. Insurance

Awarded Respondent should agree to CDLE’s Insurance Requirements found in the

Sample Agreement included in the Attachments and provide a copy of a valid insurance certificate prior to commencement of any work or services.

Q.Non-Discrimination

Respondents shall comply with all applicable federal, state, local laws, ordinances, executive orders, and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex, including but not limited to: Title VI of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (P.L. 88-352), 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., and Title

VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. Unless required by federal law or regulation, employers may not automatically bar applicants or employees with an arrest or conviction record from employment.

R.Section 508 Compliance

If applicable, all electronic and information technology deliverables under this solicitation shall comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.

794 (d); 36 CFR Part 1194) and the Access Board Standards. Section 508 requires that accessibility for people with disabilities is incorporated into all electronic and information technology developed, procured and maintained under the resulting solicitation award.

The solution shall also conform to the most current version of the Web Content

Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) available at https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/

Ability to conform to these standards will be verified through a demonstration by the vendor. The vendor shall provide a policy, commitment, or mission statement regarding electronic accessibility.

● State of Colorado Accessibility Statement

● C.R.S. 24-85-104, ARTICLE 85. "INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESS FOR

INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED", (PDF)

● TS-OEA-001: Technology Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, (PDF)

● TS-OEA-002: Technology Accessibility for Web Content and Applications, (PDF)

● WCAG 2.1 Standards, W3C

● Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, section508.gov https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/ https://oit.stg.colorado.gov/standards-policies-guides/guide-to-accessible-web-services/state-of-colorado-accessibility https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/2000a_sl_315.pdf https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/2000a_sl_315.pdf https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_ZUv6gW8QZMenFUNlgxQ3dRZ28 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GTMGpJspCagbaVyw0OmMBgl35JgRYw1P/view?usp=sharing https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/ https://www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies

S. Minority and Women-Owned Business and Small Business Enterprises

CDLE is dedicated to creating, operating, and maintaining a procurement and contracting system that provides all Colorado individuals and businesses, including minority and/or women-owned enterprises (M/WBE) and small business enterprises, with an equal and fair opportunity to compete for CDLE business. Respondents should take all necessary affirmative steps, as required by 45 CFR 93.36(3), Colorado

Executive Orders, and Procurement Rules, to ensure small, minority, and women business enterprises are utilized, when feasible, as sources of supplies, equipment, construction, and services purchased under awarded contract.

In an effort to track levels of participation by women or minorities doing business with the State of Colorado, a Minority and Women-Owned Business Self Certification should be submitted with final proposals to this RFP. The Certification may be found in the Attachments.

T. Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 24-103-905 allows for a preference to

Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB). To qualify for this preference, a SDVOSB should submit documentation of SDVOSB certification issued through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs with their offer. Any SDVOSB certification submitted shall be verified by CDLE.

V. ATTACHMENT A - SIGNATURE PAGE

RFP Title

ADVANCING

SKILLS-FIRST

PRACTICES-AWARENESS

AND ADOPTION

RFP Number RFP KADA

2027000012

Company Tax ID

Number (FEIN)

Company DUNS

Number

Company Legal

Name

Company DBA, if applicable

Company

Address

Contact Name

Contact Phone

Contact Fax

Contact Email

Should this RFP be modified, Respondent should indicate review of all modifications as published on VSS.

Our Company acknowledges receipt of RFP KADA 2027000012 Modification Numbers

(List all applicable numbers):

Signature of legally authorized representative Date

Printed Name Title

PARENT COMPANY - A vendor, owned or controlled by a parent company must provide the name, main office address, and tax identification number of that company on a copy of this form. The tax identification number provided must be that of the

ATTACHMENT A

vendor’s parent company who will be legally responsible for performing services under any commitment document resulting from this RFP.

THIS FORM MUST ACCOMPANY ALL PROPOSALS. A PERSON LEGALLY AUTHORIZED

TO BIND THE COMPANY MUST SIGN.

ATTACHMENT A

VI. ATTACHMENT B - STATEMENT OF WORK

Background

The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is a Governor-appointed, public-private partnership with the purpose to advise, oversee, and integrate the work of the Colorado talent development network. The CWDC Office is the work unit that supports the Council.

CWDC Vision: Every Colorado employer has access to a skilled workforce and every

Coloradan has the opportunity for meaningful employment, resulting in individual and statewide economic prosperity.

CWDC Mission: Enhance and sustain a skills-based talent development network that meets the needs of employers, workers, job seekers, and learners for today and tomorrow.

CWDC Values: Equity, agility, integration

The CWDC is responsible for guiding the collaborative development of Colorado’s

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) State Plan. The CWDC also plays a key role in implementation of certain goals within the plan, one of which is to support increasing awareness and adoption of skills-first practices in Colorado.

Why skills-first practices?

Per Governor Polis’ Executive Order D 2022 015:

We are in the midst of a transition to a skills-based economy and an unprecedented demand for skilled talent throughout the State. This demand requires flexibility to ensure that the State workforce continues to hire the talent needed to serve the people of Colorado. There are more than 70 million adults in the United States with skills from community colleges, workforce training, bootcamps, certificate programs, military service, foreign educational institutions, and work experience, running a household, or on-the-job learning, rather than through a bachelor’s degree. Relying solely on degrees as a measure of skills stunts our ability as an employer to hire the workforce we need to meet today’s challenges.

ATTACHMENT B

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sQLdihrVs9LaAfsxHW-xxITY8EKvNvCg/view

Instead of using post-secondary degrees and credentials as the only or even primary measure of ability, skills-based hiring practices focus on the knowledge, skills, and abilities specific to the job and aligns the hiring process accordingly. This reduces potential barriers for applicants and allows for reduced bias in the hiring process by providing a direct description of skills that are unique to the duties assigned to the position with a recognition that the applicant may have developed these skills through education, training, or past experiences. Skills-based hiring uses assessment of knowledge, skills, and abilities to ensure that the person hired for the job can hit the ground running with the necessary experience or training to take on the new job and expands the possible pool of candidates for positions throughout the State, while also ensuring that the we’ve made the right hiring choice, at the right time, for the right job. With an understanding of skills needed for a particular job, the State can more easily adopt work-based learning models, such as apprenticeships, which create new pathways to employment for untapped talent, while also building a culture of upskilling for current employees. Skills-based hiring also supports State efforts to build a more diverse workforce by promoting the hiring of individuals from varied backgrounds and work experiences; such diversity of thought and knowledge can promote innovation and ensure the

State’s workforce reflects those we serve.

Colorado and national partners have invested time, effort, and funding to advance skills-first practices. However, making the shift from concept to implementation takes time and repeated exposure to drive awareness and adoption. There are many great resources, but there is not enough awareness of those resources to result in broader adoption in Colorado. The goal of this project is to build on the work that has already been done by the CWDC, state partners, local partners, and national partners to develop a more robust outreach strategy and associated campaigns/resources to:

● Raise broader awareness of the value of skills-first practices,

● Promote use of the skills-first Action Planner as a tool to help organizations take action based on their needs,

● Increase awareness of the already existing tools and resources related to skills-first practices; and

● Drive the adoption of skills-first practices among businesses and l/earners, especially those who are members of traditionally underserved communities.

ATTACHMENT B

https://www.shrm.org/foundation/skills-first-future/skills-action-planner

What are skills-first practices?

Skills-first practices include things such as:

● Recruitment, Branding & Attraction

○ Jobs are posted and filled based on skills, not just resumes.

■ Skills-Integrated Recruitment Strategy

■ Cultivating Talent Provider Partnerships

● Employee Integration, Onboarding & Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

○ New hires are welcomed with clear skills-growth message and plan.

■ Weaving a Skills-driven Value Proposition

■ Onboarding with Incremental Skill Development and Feedback

● Training & Development

○ Learning is tailored to skill gaps and delivered flexibly.

■ Adaptive Skills Planning and Impact Metrics

■ Skills-focused Training Design

■ Flexible Learning Options

● Performance Management & Succession Planning

○ Reviews, rewards, and promotions are based on skill development.

■ Data-driven Employee Career Mobility

■ Growth-Focused Performance and Feedback Systems

■ Competency-linked Rewards and Recognition Programs

● Technological Integration

○ Tech tracks and supports employee skills growth and mobility.

■ Skill Tracking Tools for Decision Making

■ Skill Mobility Tools for Employee Empowerment

● External Influences & Alignment

○ Adjusts to market needs and builds skill-building partnerships.

■ Market-Driven Skills Alignment

■ Network of Partnerships to Facilitate Skill Development

● Leadership Involvement

○ Leaders drive the vision, decisions, and advocacy for skills-first.

■ Data-Informed Decision-Making and Feedback

■ Leaders as Change Agents: Vision, Commitment, Advocacy

● Organizational Adoption & Cultural Integration

○ Skills-first is baked into policies, systems, and culture.

■ Organizational Transformation and Management

■ Skills-First Human Resources (HR) Policies & Programs

■ Cultural Integration

What is needed?

To build on the work that has already been done and help amplify it, the CWDC is seeking a marketing agency to:

1. Inventory existing skills-first practices resources for employers, job seekers, and l/earners.

2. Develop an outreach strategy and related campaign to engage key audiences.

3. Create the necessary collateral to implement the strategy/campaign.

4. Buy any media that is part of the outreach strategy.

5. Track and report on metrics and impact.

The strategy developed should include segmentation by audience and speak to them as a business or l/earner of leveraging skills-first practices, highlight the already existing national and state resources to support them in taking action, and connect them to Workforce Colorado, Colorado’s public workforce system, where they can access further support in implementing these practices.

The vendor will be responsible for developing the strategy, incorporating feedback on the strategy from the CWDC steering committees, buying and optimizing traditional and nontraditional ads across platforms and mediums, and providing consistent performance reports throughout the life of the outreach campaign. In alignment with the WIOA’s focus on serving “populations with barriers to employment” the vendor should identify how the strategy, messaging, and buys will consider how to reach

“displaced homemakers; low-income individuals; Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native

Hawaiians; individuals with disabilities, including youth who are individuals with disabilities; older individuals; ex-offenders; homeless individuals, or homeless children and youths; youth who are in or have aged out of the foster care system;

individuals who are English language learners, individuals who have low levels of literacy, and individuals facing substantial cultural barriers; farmworkers (as defined at section 167(i) of WIOA) ; individuals within 2 years of exhausting lifetime eligibility under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program; single parents (including single pregnant women); and long-term unemployed individuals. Additional populations include veterans, unemployed workers, and youth, and others that the

State may identify.”

The CWDC will be responsible for high-level key messages, as well as brand guidelines and iconography, but the vendor will develop the creative assets.

Campaign Goals

The goals of this project are to raise awareness of what skills-first practices are and drive adoption of those practices. The vendor should capitalize on the evolving technologies that are appropriate to reach more people outside of traditional broadcast TV and radio. The vendor will offer recommendations for the most effective tactics to deploy in order to reach our target audience through an intentional media buy. CWDC must ultimately agree to the selected media for potential placement.

Target Audience

● Primary:

○ Business/employers

○ Job seekers and l/earners

● Secondary:

○ Workforce Professionals

○ Economic Development Professionals

○ Educators

Vendor Responsibilities

1. Clearly Compile Inventory Existing Skills-first Resources

Building on lists provided by CWDC staff and steering committees, assess what resources are available from national, state, and local Colorado sources to leverage in raising awareness and adoption of skills-first practices. This includes (but is not limited to):

- How to get started with skills-first hiring guide

- Profiles of businesses that have focused on skills-first hiring and advancement

- Outcomes from Learning and Employment Record pilots

2. Outreach Strategy and Planning

Develop an outreach strategy focused on raising awareness of what skills-first practices are, their value to employers and individuals, and how employers and individuals can begin incorporating them into their work. Evaluate the value of building a contact list of individuals and organizations interested in skills-first practices as well as developing a resource repository. Develop a paid media strategy and high-level tactical plan that aligns goals and timing/flighting with other paid media initiatives, managed and placed by CDLE. Strategic media planning will include:

a. Media strategy development, focused on awareness;

b. Identify how the strategy, messaging, and buys will consider the diverse population of the State of Colorado; and

c. Presentation of strategy and high-level budget allocations presented for

CWDC approval.

3. Tactical Media Planning

Upon approval of the media strategy, the vendor will develop a detailed tactical communications plan and define line-item budget allocations and flighting per tactic within the approved budget through the creation of a media flowchart. The tactical flowchart will be approved by the CWDC prior to any campaign buy execution. Media tactical planning will include:

a. Media tactical plan developed based on strategy from #2, and

b. Negotiation of all media rates, placements, and agreements.

4. Creative Asset Production

The production of the creative assets needed for the implementation of the plan. The vendor should consider cultural and language accessibility. Including, as needed:

a. Project management

b. Art direction

c. Graphic design

d. Video production

e. Audio production

f. Copywriting

g. Writing and translation into Spanish

5. Media Buying, Asset Management and Trafficking, Reporting, Analytics

Using the approved communications plan and budget, the vendor will work to secure all placements and final elements of the paid media buy. The vendor will create and manage all creative assets to ensure a timely and accurate delivery and run in accordance to the executed contracts. Including:

1. Finalize any outstanding tactical plan negotiations, details, rates and placements

2. If the vendor buys locally in communities, equity, diversity, and including

(EDI) should be considered for decisions on local selection and distribution of ads

3. Conduct media buying, finalizing all contracts and placements

4. Manage all paid media delivery, launch, monitoring, tracking and buy revisions while campaign is in market

5. Provide bi-weekly return-on-investment (ROI) reports showing impressions, reach, video views, etc.

6. Based on bi-weekly ROI reports, make changes, offer recommendations, and otherwise optimize the performance of each tactic as the campaign progresses.

7. Provide media proof-of-performance, reconciliation, and billing

8. Develop and present a final recap and evaluation following campaign completion

Deliverables

a. Inventory document

b. Strategy document

c. Outreach plan document

d. Creative assets and their design files

e. Bi-weekly ROI reports showing impressions, reach, video views, etc.

f. Campaign recap and final evaluation report

g. Monthly billing and reconciliation

h. Plan for stakeholder engagement

i. Process for review of materials

CWDC Responsibilities

1. Key messages and background information

2. Brand guidelines and assets

3. Links to known skills-first practices resources

4. Point of contact for the vendor

5. Timely (1 week) review of all strategies, proposals, reports, and invoices

Timeline

● November-December 2026 - Kickoff

● December 2026 - Inventory created

● January 2027 - Outreach plan developed

● February - March 2027 - Asset created

● April - 2027 - Outreach campaign begins

○ Metrics tracked and shared bi-weekly

To respond, interested vendors should submit a quote including examples of similar campaigns, details of experience, who will be involved with the project, and pricing.

ATTACHMENT…