In-School Youth

The Delaware Workforce Development Board and Delaware Department of Labor's Division of Employment and Training are soliciting proposals for an In-School Youth (ISY) program under Request for Proposal #LAB-ISY-25R-001. The procurement seeks comprehensive workforce development programming for youth ages 14-21 who face barriers to secondary school completion, employment, and post-secondary enrollment. Successful providers must deliver services across New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties, addressing 14 mandated program elements including career exploration, counseling support, and occupational skills training for in-demand industries. Proposals will be evaluated on several key criteria: demonstrated ability (15 points), program design (20 points), outcomes/placement (25 points), cost/budget (20 points), leveraged resources (10 points), employer participation (5 points), and digital literacy (5 points). Critical performance measures include achieving a 66% employment/training rate in the second quarter after program exit, 72.5% in the fourth quarter, $2,500 median earnings, 74.5% credential attainment rate, and 60.5% measurable skill gains. Key procurement dates include a pre-bid meeting on February 18, 2025, questions due by February 19, 2025, proposal submission deadline of March 7, 2025, potential oral presentations on March 27, 2025, and estimated award notification on April 11, 2025.

Eligible applicants include non-profits, governmental entities, private for-profit organizations, state public institutions, higher education institutions, and DOE-approved private business or trade schools. The procurement requires providers to allocate 25% of requested funds specifically for Work Experience (WEX) activities. The total anticipated funding for this one-year contract is $2,164,422, sourced from Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and State Blue Collar funds. Providers must submit a comprehensive proposal demonstrating organizational capabilities, include a detailed budget with itemized costs for staff salaries, fringe benefits, supportive services, facilities, equipment, training materials, and overhead, and specify cost per participant and cost per training hour. The contract includes provisions for a potential two additional one-year extensions, requires vendors to execute the contract within 20 days of award, and mandates specific insurance coverage including workers compensation, commercial general liability ($1M per occurrence/$3M aggregate), and automotive liability. Vendors must also comply with background check requirements and maintain all work product records for five years after service delivery.