3202600127 Open Enrollment (OE) For Senior Keys to Independence Program (SKIP)

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is conducting an open enrollment solicitation to procure group skills training services under the Senior Keys to Independence Program (SKIP) for Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) customers served by the TWC-Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) division across all Texas counties. SKIP is a 4-day immersion training initiative designed to teach independent living skills to individuals aged 55 and older with significant vision impairment who are enrolled in the TWC OIB Independent Living program. Service providers must deliver four stages of services including SKIP Orientation (60-120 minutes), 4-day immersion training covering seven required modules (Orientation and Mobility, Home and Personal Management, Communication, Meal Preparation and Kitchen, Assistive Technology, Social Recreation and Leisure, and Adjustment to Vision Loss), optional caregiver training and resources, and an individualized adaptive aids kit. Services must be delivered at an approved home-like facility by qualified staff including a Director, Independent Living Skills Trainer, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, Assistive Technology Trainer, and optionally an Occupational Therapist, with training delivered one-on-one or in small groups not exceeding eight participants per trainer. Applicants must submit complete applications electronically through the TWC Procurement Portal by Monday, March 2, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CST, with the enrollment period opening February 9, 2026. Contract awards will be made on a rolling basis as complete and qualified applications are received and approved, with post-award orientation required before service delivery begins. Applications must include the Execution of Offer, W-9 and Direct Deposit Form, Child Support Certification, Conflict of Interest Certification, TWC VR Standards for Provider Certification, Provider Insurance Certification, Entity Headquarters Information forms, Entity Physical Location forms with safety and accessibility documentation, Provider Staff Information forms with qualifications documentation, and acknowledgment of Addendum No. 1.

There are no stated set-aside designations or restrictions limiting organizational types eligible to respond to this open enrollment opportunity. All qualified service providers meeting TWC VR Standards for Providers Manual requirements are eligible to apply, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and government entities. Applicants must maintain prescribed insurance coverage including general or business liability insurance, premises liability insurance if services are provided at contractor-controlled locations, and commercial vehicle liability insurance if staff transport customers in motorized vehicles. Providers must conduct criminal background checks on all employees and contracted staff who interact with VR customers, with updated background checks required every three years. The compensation structure is based on a flat-rate fee schedule outlined in Exhibit A SKIP Scope of Work, with payment of $2,500 for SKIP Orientation, Immersion Training, and Caregiver Training/Resources combined (prorated if customers fail to attend required hours) and $500 for the Adaptive Aids Kit, though no guarantee of volume, usage, or total compensation is provided to awarded contractors. The contract term is contingent upon continued funding availability, with contract amendments requiring written agreement from both TWC and the contractor, and TWC reserving the right to assess liquidated damages of up to two percent of total cost for non-performance with a cure period allowed upon written notification.