Skill Up RFR -Posted.docx

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Executive Office of Health and Human Services

Department of Youth Services

Peter J. Forbes, Commissioner

Request for Responses:

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

RFR # 2022-08

NOVEMBER 2021

SKILL UP REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Instructions for Submission of Responses

To be completed by DYS Only. Modifications to these requirements will not be accepted

ACQUISITION METHOD TO BE USED FOR CONTRACT(S):

License

Tax Exempt Lease Purchase (TELP)

Term Lease

Rental (not to exceed 6 months)

Other (specify):

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS FOR CONTRACT PERFORMANCE:

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS MAY CONTRACT UNDER THIS REQUEST FOR RESPONSES (RFR):

Only Procuring Department May Contract Under RFR

Statewide Contract – All Departments may purchase under terms of this RFR

Multiple Identified Departments Listed in RFR may purchase under terms of this RFR under separate contract

TOTAL ANTICIPATED DURATION OF QUALIFICATION(S):

Initial Qualification Duration (Indicate Number)

Month(s)

Options To Renew (Indicate Numbers):

Month(s)

General Requirements for Submission of Responses

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

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

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

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

Any instance of the words ‘he/she’ or ‘him/her’ is changed to ‘he/she/they’ or ‘him/her/them’ as appropriate.

Procurement Calendar:

The Bidder’s Conferences and ‘New to State Business Informational Meeting’ will be held online. Please limit the representatives from your organization to a maximum of three and send RSVP’s for all attendees to sandra.r.stearns@mass.gov.

Attendees will receive the link to the virtual Bidder’s conference and ‘New to State Business Informational Meeting’ after submitting an RSVP for their organization representatives, including names and respective email addresses, of those who plan on joining this meeting.

Note: Attendance at the Bidder’s Conference and ‘New to State Business Informational Meeting’ is not a prerequisite for bidding on this procurement.

Introduction: Description of Massachusetts Department of Youth Services

The Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (“the Department” or “DYS”) is the juvenile justice agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that serves youth committed as juvenile delinquents or youthful offenders and detained youth awaiting judicial action. Since 2013, the Department has offered voluntary transitional services (“Youth Engaged in Services” or “YES”) to committed youth after they have been discharged from DYS care and custody. Collectively, these committed and YES youth will be referred to as “DYS youth” and are the recipients of services contracted through this RFR.

The Department’s mission is to enhance community safety by improving the life outcomes for youth in our care and custody. We achieve our mission by investing in highly qualified staff and a service continuum that engages youth, families, and communities in strategies that support positive youth development.

Nationally and locally young people of color are over-represented in the juvenile justice system. Consequently, as an agency, one of our strategic priorities is to identify and reduce racial and/or ethnic disparities. The Department strives to implement policies and programming for DYS youth that respect the values, preferences, beliefs, culture, experiences and identity of youth, families, staff and the community. This includes the use of screening and assessment tools and youth engagement that promote fair outcomes for all youth.

In response to changing demographics and guided by successful partnerships, DYS is working to implement a broad-based, community focused approach to reducing juvenile delinquency through a combination of intervention and prevention strategies that recognize and address root causes of juvenile justice involvement at the individual, family, community, and systemic levels. A primary focus for this effort is to strengthen and expand community partnerships. DYS is committing itself to establishing partnerships with a variety of organizations and individuals, with an eye toward the following goals and objectives:

· supporting District Offices and Satellite Offices in communities with the highest population of DYS youth to effectuate successful community transitions and community supervision;

· strengthening and expanding partnerships that allow us to collaborate in efforts to reduce crime and enhance community safety;

· consistently assessing youth risk and need;

· supporting a service continuum that provides DYS youth with a comprehensive range of services;

· improving facility and program capacity;

· increasing staff skill and consistency of practice through strong staff training efforts and practices;

· addressing racial and ethnic disparity for our young people, their families and communities while ensuring our programs and staff are committed to promoting an anti-racist culture;

· ensuring that each program incorporates Positive Youth Development (PYD), a framework that is strength-based and incorporates youths’ voices at all levels of service development and provision, and trauma-informed services, a framework that considers and responds to the experiences of individuals;

· ensuring that each program will use dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), which is the clinical framework adopted by the Department; and

· Protecting the public.

Context of Massachusetts Department of Youth Services For committed youth, the Department’s service continuum consists of a combination of community based and residential services and supports to meet their needs. Dividing the state geographically into five regions, DYS operates thirty-six, 24/7 residential treatment programs ranging in security levels, five scattered apartment independent living programs, and twenty-one district and satellite offices strategically located in each region to provide committed youth with comprehensive supervision and supports that are as close as possible to their home communities and families. Of the 36 residential programs, 20 are located in hardware secure facilities and 16 are staff secure, stand-alone group homes [see Appendices A, D & G]. The services procured through this Request for Response shall be constructed to serve DYS youth as they move through the continuum.

Youth adjudicated as delinquent are committed to DYS until the age of 18. Youth adjudicated as youthful offender are committed to DYS until the age of 21.

For FY 2021, the average daily population of committed youth statewide is approximately 289 young people. The average age of committed youth is 17.8 years. Eighty seven percent (87%) were male and thirteen (13%) were female; 18.7% Caucasian; 29.0% Black; 45.2% Hispanic; 0.7% Asian; 6.5% Other.

DYS committed youth who discharged DYS in FY2021 spent an average of 425 days in residential treatment where they received education, post-secondary, clinical, health and other services before release to the community. These same youth spent an average of 317 days in the community with case management and supports under DYS supervision. Youth Engaged in Services (YES) are eligible, post discharge, to receive DYS voluntary transitional services up to the age of 22. The average daily population of YES statewide is approximately 163 young people. The average duration of YES engagement is more than 10 months.

Statement of Need “Our goal is for DYS youth to be career and workforce ready and engage as active and responsible citizens in our democracy.” – Commissioner Peter Forbes

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

Currently, the Department offers a number of vocational programs such as Culinary, Carpentry, Horticulture, and Silk Screening, as options within certain residential programs [Appendix J]. The Department also funds workforce development programming through the “Leadership, Employment and Advocacy Development (L.E.A.D) Initiative” [Appendix B], which provides youth with a variety of career readiness training and tiered, supported and paid employment experiences. While these residential vocational programs and L.E.A.D. programming provide opportunities for career development and employment skills, the Department is looking to implement an enhanced, comprehensive workforce development model that will develop youth’s academic, technical and employability skills and lead to meaningful employment in jobs that are in high demand in regional Massachusetts labor markets.

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

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

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

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

Strengthen and enhance the infrastructure for the provision of workforce “navigation” services that provide guidance and support to DYS youth as they progress in their career and technical skills development and job seeking.

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

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

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

The Department will consider proposals from bidders responding as a Lead Provider, Consortium Provider or Single Program Provider offering to provide core and/or optional services as described below that may vary in program intensity and scope. Proposals shall include a project plan with dates, tasks and milestones displaying when the proposed program(s) and service(s) will be fully operational.

Core Service 1: Career navigation services help each DYS youth plan out a career path through advice and support by systematically assessing their interests, strengths and needs, advising on career, vocational and job training courses, assisting with resume development and interview preparation, helping youth overcome the barriers preventing them from succeeding in the world of work, directly placing DYS youth in internships, pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, supported employment, or permanent employment, and working with the DYS case management team to provide wrap around supports. Proposed tasks should include but not be limited to deployment of “career navigators” in the five DYS regions to support the design and oversight of youth Career Employment Plans from career and vocational assessments to coordination with the Employer Outreach Specialists upon transition to the community.

Core Service 2: Employer Outreach services that build strategic networks, contacts and activities to develop, locate, and secure employment for DYS youth in the community. The proposal should demonstrate the bidder’s knowledge of the local labor market, MassHire programs, services and resources, job content, requirements and opportunities in a variety of occupations and of industrial and business personnel practices including recruitment, selection, promotion and pay, and experience in dealing effectively with employers in developing jobs and working with other job training and employment placement entities. DYS currently funds Employer Outreach Services in partnership with Commonwealth Corporation via Second Chance Act grant funding from the Office of Juveniles Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

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

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

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

Optional Service 4: Social Enterprises that are located in one or more DYS facility that are designed and operated as small, entrepreneurial businesses that help youth build workforce competencies, skills and experience along with a wage. Proposed activities should include operation of DYS’ Exclusive Tee’s social enterprise and any other current or new programs that can support work-based learning and technical skill development.

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

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

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

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

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

d) with the exception of single service providers, provide dedicated resources to provide career navigation services and employer outreach services that can be supported at the state level by the bidder; and

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

Three Ways to Respond to the RFR Bidders may apply in one of the three following capacities. Bidders should note that Lead Provider and Consortium Provider bidders must apply, at a minimum, to provide Core Service 1: Career Navigation and Core Service 2: Employer Outreach in all five DYS regions. Proposals should include an implementation plan detailing a phased-in approach for programming and services over the lifespan of the overall contract period.

· Lead (statewide) Provider: Apply as a provider who currently has the expertise and capacity to implement Core Service 1 and Core Service 2 across DYS’ five regions, including residential and community settings. Lead Providers may also apply to offer one or more additional Optional Services 1-4 or engage in an outreach and planning process to customize an approach to providing Optional Services 1-4 in a phased in approach over the lifespan of the overall contract period.

· Consortium (statewide) Provider: Apply with an identified team of partners, that can provide Core Service 1 and Core Service 2 and some combination of service delivery for Optional Services 1-4 in a phased in approach over the lifespan of the overall contract period. The Consortium should describe each partner’s expertise and capacity to deliver the required Core Services One and Two and the roles each member of the Consortium will implement in responding to any other Optional Services 1-4 offered in the proposal. Responses submitted by multi-partner teams shall clearly identify all partners, describe the structure of the proposed team and the responsibilities and obligations of each partner for proposed services.

· Single Service Provider (regional or statewide): Apply to offer one or more services identified from Optional Services 1-4 below in one or more of the five DYS regions. These services can be offered in either residential or community programming and should be targeted at the DYS youth population and geographic locations found in Appendix D and Appendix G. Examples of a single optional service provider could be workplace learning opportunities garnered through a MassHire career center, a community-based organization, grassroots, small organizations with limited infrastructure, a church with a nonprofit designation, local business and/or a vocational-technical high school, among other potential providers.

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

Lead Provider and Consortium Bidders The Department is seeking proposals from a variety of sources – vocational-technical educational systems, post-secondary institutions, business and industry, career and workforce service providers serving older youth such as MassHire and community-based organizations, among others. Bidders should focus on how to deliver high-quality services that will result in successful career exploration, technical and vocational skills development and employment outcomes for DYS youth in residential and community settings. Proposals should describe state, national and local best practices, approaches, models and programs that have demonstrated the ability to support youth to gain the necessary skills that will lead to quality employment.

Eligible Organizations: non-profit organizations, vocational-technical school systems, public agencies, union organizations, consortium, businesses and/or a collaboration of these organizations are all encouraged to apply. Consortiums, joint ventures, and or a collaboration of organizations with complementary skills and experiences are encouraged to apply but proposals need to clearly identify one legal entity as the prime bidder that will hold contracting responsibilities and liabilities. Bidders must also clearly identify which partnerships represented in a response are subcontracts and which are non-financial collaborations.

“Lead Provider” or “Consortium Provider” successful bidders must demonstrate the following:

Serve as the primary communication link between the Department and team partners on all fiscal, contract, and budget matters.

Serve as the primary awardee on its own behalf and the team partners (if applicable).

Be responsible for all core fiscal operations such as (a) the Department’s contract management to include subcontracts with team partners (b) budget development, management, and modification, (c) invoices and payments, (d) payroll services for youth receiving stipends or paychecks, (e) fiscal reports and (f) end-of-contract closeouts.

Be responsible for all required data collection and program evaluation ensuring data quality assurance and integrity and timely entry of related data into DYS’ Juvenile Justice Enterprise Management System (JJEMS).

Manage revenue and expenses for team partners (if applicable), as necessary, by issuing payments to partners based on bi-monthly invoices and incorporating these subcontract expenses into bi-monthly invoices to the Department.

Provide oversight of and monitor subcontractors using the standards of performance outlined by the Department, the Comptroller of the Commonwealth or the Office of Management and Budget.[footnoteRef:2] [2: For federal sub-awards only]

Leverage foundation, state and federal funding, including but not limited to the Executive Office of Workforce Development, YouthWorks, federal Workforce and Innovation Opportunity Act programming, MassHire Career Centers, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s College funding to serve adjudicated youth, Chapter 74 Partnership Program “After Dark” programming funds, among others.

Lead Provider or Consortium Provider responses should include written documentation such as a memorandum of agreement or a formal partnership agreement that delineates the roles and responsibilities of each collaborating organization, what services will be provided, the specific DYS population that will be best served by the proposal, the DYS program, region or district office that will be served. Proposals must describe the internal communication and management structure for all team partners and show how that structure and the professional capabilities within that structure will support the delivery of program services and ensure that the outcomes described in this RFR are achieved. Proposals submitted by a multi-partner team shall identify the organization that will serve as the lead entity on behalf of the team.

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

The purpose of this RFR is to seek specific services and innovations to strengthen and expand DYS’ delivery of career, vocational and training options and employment services.

Applicant Core and Optional Program Services Bidders seeking to be a “Lead Provider” or a “Consortium Provider” must be prepared to provide Core Service 1 and Core Service 2, at a minimum. These services are essential to the career aspirations of youth, and provide a foundation of life skills, career development and workforce training. In addition to Core Service 1 and Core Service 2 we are seeking, through the establishment and refinement of existing programming with Optional Services 1-4, a range of innovative and proven programs and training opportunities that address the interests of DYS youth in one or more DYS regions.

Core Service 1: Career Navigation Services: Bidders must provide career navigation services through dedicated staff with expertise to work as “career navigators” with assigned DYS youth and provide each youth with continual guidance throughout the “DYS Continuum of Care” through the use of an individualized youth Career and Employment Plan that spans residential programming through transition to the community and discharge from DYS and delineates services and goals aimed at supporting each youth. Bidders shall submit a draft Career and Employment Plan with their proposal. The career navigators will be responsible for coordinating and implementing the following services with other service providers and DYS staff:

Vocational Evaluations and Career Assessments: Proposed evaluations and assessments must be industry recognized and will identify youth interests, skills and aptitudes that can be applied to vocational and technical training programs. Assessment should value “youth choices” to help identify future vocational education and training program choices and be integrated with the youth’s DYS case management plan.

Criteria for the assessment include:

State of the art vocational assessment testing such as those commonly used in vocational-technical high school or community college settings.

Results of the assessment must be accessible to DYS personnel including educators, caseworkers, direct care staff and other individuals supporting youth case management and service delivery.

Ability to upload assessment results to DYS’ Juvenile Justice Enterprise Management System (JJEMS)[footnoteRef:3]. [3: The Juvenile Justice Enterprise Management System (JJEMS) is the client information system that holds critical demographic, clinical, educational and other data on each DYS client. JJEMS facilitates the execution of the Department’s mission by providing a means to maintain and update client information in real time, including court history, family information, physical and mental health records, educational achievements, placement history, previous contacts with other public agencies and a host of other pertinent information. JJEMS also features reporting capabilities that help inform service delivery to the client population, as well as, strategic decision making by agency leadership. JJEMS is used by all DYS state and provider staff.]

Use of vocational testing to inform career exploration within DYS residential settings as well as to guide training and employment programming for youth who transition to community settings.

Career and Employment Plan: in alignment with established case management practices (see Appendix M - DYS Case Management Practice and Procedure manual) and DYS assessment processes, each youth will have a Career and Employment plan. The Career and Employment plan shall be fluid and span the DYS continuum of care - developed while the youth is in residential and shall transition to the community. Bidders should submit a proposed template and describe how this plan would be informed by the vocational and career assessments and provide a platform for collaboration amongst youth, family, caseworker and DYS stakeholders.

Life Skills & Career Exploration Curriculum: DYS has recently implemented a new and improved Empower Your Future (EYF) curriculum. This curriculum is taught by DYS’ licensed teachers in residential settings. This curriculum is structured so that youth interest and needs guide an individual youth’s EYF content and is closely coordinated amongst youth’s team of adults. A youth’s EYF content supports youth success and engagement in life activities (i.e.; preparing for their own apartment, college or vocational schools, budgeting, career exploration and planning). The curriculum delivery integrates with clinical and substance use services to promote skill transferability and real-life experiences. The curriculum content supports youth skill proposal throughout the optional services described in this RFR (i.e.; work based- learning opportunities may utilize EYF content). We are seeking proposals that can maximize the use and impact of this curriculum so that it supports DYS youths’ personal and professional development. Bidders should describe how they will provide leadership for the implementation of EYF throughout the continuum while promoting partnerships across DYS units (Education, Clinical, Residential & Community).

The Empower Your Future library is a Google-based resource (see Appendix I). Bidders should describe how they will manage and leverage Google technology. The Empower Your Future initiative’s success depends upon on-going communication and training opportunities for system stakeholders. Bidders should describe a strategy for partnering with DYS to support communication and training. Youth engagement and motivation in life skill and future success is the purpose of Empower Your Future. Bidders should describe how they would continue to build youth engagement and ensure the library resources continue to meet youth needs throughout the DYS continuum of care.

Certifications that give youth a life skill or workforce-oriented credential such as ServeSafe (food handler and manager), OSHA-10, Certified Screen Printer (American Screen-Printing Association), ISSA Personal trainer, C Tech Telecom, among others.

Support all career exploration and assist in developing services in residential and community settings that offer opportunities for youth to:

Apply knowledge gain in DYS’s “Empower Your Future” curriculum;

Explore their interests and build “soft skills” through “hands-on” programming; and Participate in on-line modules, and/or virtual reality simulations targeted to a variety of careers that match Massachusetts labor market needs in residential programs or in community-based settings.

Core Service 2: Employer Outreach Services: Provide employer outreach services that will build on existing DYS employer outreach services and cultivate job placement opportunities for DYS youth, coordination with Career Navigators to assure placement in vocational and technical training opportunities in the community, working with DYS to create a forum for employers and DYS staff to better coordinate training and workforce opportunities and build capacity of staff working with DYS youth.

a) Develop network of employer partnerships based on youth interest, availability and regional labor market information This network will provide opportunities to DYS youth through market employment, internships, job shadows, workplace/industry tours, career fairs, and other networking opportunities (Professional Guest Speaker Series, Career Development Day, etc.)

b) Development of training providers Develop partnerships with training providers that may offer apprenticeships/pre-apprenticeship placements and certifications

c) Maintain and expand Employer Advisory Committee(s) focused on regional labor market information The Employer Advisory Committee will help guide program design and support broader employer outreach. Regular advisory board meetings will provide guidance on the design of workforce development programs for youth and ongoing intelligence about how companies and industries are changing in terms of staffing structure, skills, and hiring process. A statewide Employer Advisory Committee currently exists. Successful bidder will maintain and expand the committee’s function and capacity. Explore youth participation on regional workforce councils.

d) Build Capacity of DYS staff Provide employability training for DYS and provider agency staff working with DYS youth. Topics may include: how to talk with youth about career pathways and identifying their interests, navigating CORI and employability, exploring Labor Market Information and existing resources, skill and leadership development.

e) Employer trainings for staff or youth Collaborate with members of the employer network to provide industry specific trainings to staff and youth on employment preparation.

Additional Applicant Option:

Lead Service Providers and Consortium Providers can all submit proposals that include any or all of the following service options. In addition, Single Service Providers can submit a proposal, found in the Appendix C of this Request for Responses, seeking to design and deliver one or more programs that address one or more options. Single Service Provider proposals will be considered in a second tier of funding once DYS has selected a Lead Service Provider or Consortium Provider.

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

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

b. Community Settings: Community-based work-based training programs that build upon the Career and Employability Plan and support youth in continued workforce and vocational training. Services should include job readiness instruction, paid employment, intensive case coordination or collaboration and job training. Currently many of these community work experiences are outsourced through DYS’s LEAD program, to local workforce agencies and/or community-based organizations that provide customized programming. DYS is seeking a more individualized approach to job placement and supportive work experiences. These services should be managed by Career Navigation staff and coordinated with, but not limited to Employer Outreach staff and the DYS case management team.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Optional Service 4: Social Enterprises that provide youth with skill attainment and proficiency in workplace settings. Bidders should be prepared to continue the programmatic and financial operations of Exclusive Tee’s (DYS’ inaugural social impact business) while the model is being evaluated, and to develop new social enterprise opportunities for DYS youth.

“Lead Provider” or “Consortium Provider” Requirements Personnel Management: Organizations must outline current human resource diversity, equity and inclusion strategies that result in the ability to hire and retain a diverse staff to deliver proposed services. See chart below for a description of primary functions to support the implementation of proposed core services. Bidders may also propose additional functions and responsibilities that support the effective implementation of proposed core services and optional program service activities.

Primary Functions and Responsibilities for “Lead Provider” or “Consortium Provider” Proposals

Required

· Execute, manage and oversee partnership agreements and/or subcontracts with secondary and post-secondary vocational technical systems, unions, community-based organizations/nonprofits and entities for specific vocational and workforce services that are aligned with local labor market needs within or across the 5 DYS geographic regions.

· Execute strategies to hire and retain qualified and diverse workforce with backgrounds and life experiences similar to DYS youth.

· Utilize a system that will track and pay wages and benefits for DYS youth in compliance with MA Wage and Labor laws.

· Assure compliance with all DYS contract requirements including the use of an effective financial management system for budgeting, tracking and reporting and JJEMS (Juvenile Justice Enterprise Management System) for collecting and reporting on DYS youth by all programs.

· Coordinate and align all services with pertinent DYS personnel.

· Compile and submit progress and annual reports that detail progress on core service delivery and agreed upon performance measures.

Management of Career and Employability Services

· Oversee delivery of Core Service 1 (Career Navigation) and Core Service 2 (Employer Outreach).

· Oversee and manage Career Navigation services and navigators.

· Oversee and manage Employment Outreach services and Specialists.

· Oversee continuum-wide administration of the Empower Your Future (EYF) curriculum.

· Coordinate with DYS teachers, clinicians, caseworkers, residential and community service providers and other staff to align service delivery.

· Provide expertise in career guidance and planning.

· Assure a comprehensive career and employment plan is in place for each DYS youth from entry through exit in the DYS system.

· Build and implement partnerships with labor and trade unions that results in pre and full apprenticeships for DYS youth.

· Manage and oversee the programmatic and financial management of experiential services.

· Design and implement work-based learning and/or social enterprise programming with available resources that provides DYS youth with skill attainment and proficiency in workplace settings.

· Submit within 12 months from execution of DYS contract, written recommendations, based on program evaluation, improvements to and/or continued DYS investment in Exclusive Tees and other social enterprises currently funded by DYS.

· Assure youth are paid according to Massachusetts wage and employment law.

· Plan and deliver additional social enterprises as resources become available.

Career Navigation Services (based on 40:1 youth ratio)

· Provide career and employment expertise directly to DYS youth (residential through community settings).

· Identify and administer industry recognized vocational evaluations and career assessments to DYS youth.

· Assure that DYS youth have robust Career and Employment Plans that are integrated with DYS case management plans.

· Provide a range of career planning activities to DYS youth in residential and community settings.

· Attend and participate in all transition planning meetings during the 90-60-30 planning process.

· Conduct College and Career Readiness Motivational Interviews that inform goal setting with DYS youth.

· Work and collaborate closely with DYS case management team towards assisting and empowering participants to overcome multiple barriers to success, including but not limited to building the emotional, educational, mental health and behavior skills that will enable them to return to productive lives in the community.

Employer Outreach Services (adequate to support all five DYS regions)

· Cultivate and broker employment relationships and opportunities with community based organizations and private sector companies for youth in community settings.

· Establish and facilitate employer advisory groups for DYS region.

· Provide training on employability requirements and needs to DYS casework team and others to assure youth are prepared for workforce opportunities.

· Work and collaborate closely with DYS case management team towards in assisting and empowering participants to overcome multiple barriers to success, including but not limited to building the emotional, educational, mental health and behavior skills that will enable them to return to productive lives in the community.

Optional

Instruction for Optional Services 1-4

· Provide direct oversight and on-site instruction. Responses must include a proposed staffing model of instructors to support regional programming for Optional Services 1-4.

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

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

Core Services 1 and 2 and Optional Service 1:

Every DYS youth in DYS residential settings receives vocational evaluation and career assessment Youth have a Career and Employment Plan that is an integral component of the 90-60-30 transition planning process and is fully uploaded to JJEMS.

Youth Receiving a Workforce Credential in Residential Settings Youth participating in paid employment in the community Youth participating in subsidized employment in the community Youths participating in a paid, workforce internship in residential settings

Optional Services 2 (Vocational/Training Services) and 3 (Pre Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship) Youth participating in a vocational exploration experience in residential settings Youth with an earned credential Youth participating in a pre/apprenticeship program

Optional Service 4: Social Enterprise Youth participating in a social enterprise Older youth, with a high school or Hi-Set degree, receiving at least minimum wage in residential programs

Proposal Outline and Evaluation Criteria for “Lead Provider” or “Consortium Provider” Proposals

The following details the points assigned per section:

Organizational Qualifications:

a. Demonstrated history of the Bidder’s experience as lead provider or consortium provider in providing services comparable to those described in this RFR.

b. Demonstrated history of the Bidder’s experience as lead provider or consortium provider in working with high risk young people.

c. Relevant experience of the key individuals in the Bidder’s organization, Bidder’s proposed subcontractor and/or organization of consortium members.

d. Demonstrated knowledge of Massachusetts labor market and training and employment opportunities for juvenile justice involved youth.

e. Information on why the Bidder is well suited for any or all of these strategies, approaches and services.

f. Bidder’s capabilities to fulfill the fiscal and administrative including personnel, data collection and recordkeeping required under this RFR.

g. Bidder’s approach to working with DYS’ diverse youth population to overcome barriers to youth ability to obtain meaningful employment and earn a living wage.

h. Existence of an organizational mission, values, strategic plan or business model that addresses issues of racial awareness, diversity, equity and inclusion.

i. Demonstrated recruitment and hiring strategies that leads to a racially and ethnically diverse workforce.

A Clear and Detailed Plan to Deliver the Core Program services (Core Service 1: Career Navigation Services and Core Service 2: Employment Outreach Services Work-based Learning Services) including:

a. Type of DYS program (residential and/or community and location (see Appendices D & G) where DYS programs are located).

b. Defined youth population per the Request for Response (e.g., youth with high school attainment).

c. A detailed description of the services, implementation plan and how they will meet the desired annual measures.

d. A draft youth Career and Employment Plan.

A Clear and Detailed Plan for each specific Optional Program services proposed (1-4) including:

0. Type of DYS program - residential and/or community.

0. Targeted youth population

0. A detailed description of the services, implementation plan, and how they will meet the desired performance outcomes.

Proposal Outline and Evaluation Criteria for “Single Service Provider” Proposals

The following details the points assigned per section:

Proposal Contains:

Organization Name, Address, Taxpayer number and Primary Contact for Organization, including Name, Title, Email and Phone.

Proposal Contains:

A clear description of Project including the proposed services.

Proposal Contains:

A clear list of DYS communities or DYS residential program(s) the project is this project targeting.

Proposal Contains:

The number and description of the individuals the…