Neighborhood Employment Centers

The City of Pittsburgh Office of Management and Budget, on behalf of the Department of Human Resources and Civil Service, is soliciting proposals through Request for Proposal #2025-RFP-245 for the operation and management of Neighborhood Employment Centers (NECs) serving six Pittsburgh neighborhoods: Bloomfield/Garfield, Homewood, Central Northside, Allentown, West End-Elliot, and Oakland. The procurement seeks qualified vendors to operate geographically dispersed community-based employment centers providing job placement assistance, job development, educational referrals, employment workshops, and employment counseling to Pittsburgh residents. Primary deliverables and objectives include assisting employers in hiring at least 40 City of Pittsburgh residents, providing pre-employment assistance such as resume help, job search techniques, and interview coaching, coordinating with CareerLink to register job seekers, assisting with City recruitment efforts, and participating in a project information system to track applicant, referral, and employer data. Performance expectations during the one-year contract term include 40 job placements, 100 business/employer contacts, 200 individuals served, 10 employment-related events, and four quarterly success story narratives. At least 51 percent of individuals served must reside in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)-designated neighborhoods. Proposals must include a detailed scope of work response, cost proposal with breakdown by phase and hourly rates for all proposed staff, vendor registration documentation, W-9, proof of SAM.gov registration or Unique Entity Identifier, and acknowledgment of City Terms and Conditions. Evaluation will be conducted on a 100-point scale comprising 15 points for firm qualifications and experience, 15 points for project team qualifications, 30 points for project approach and plan, 30 points for cost proposal (with lowest cost receiving maximum points), and 10 points for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise participation efforts. A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting was held on July 11, 2025, the written question submission deadline was September 2, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., and proposals are due September 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., with contract award anticipated in September 2025.

Vendors must comply with the City's "Ban the Box" ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on criminal conviction history and must demonstrate good faith efforts to meet Disadvantaged Business Enterprise participation goals of 18 percent Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), 7 percent Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBEs), 5 percent Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs), and 3 percent LGBTQIA+-Owned Business Enterprises. Non-profit respondents must submit statements of assurance regarding executive director demographics, board composition, staffing diversity, community location and service, and diversity initiatives. Contractors must comply with federal funding requirements including prevailing wage ordinances, equal employment opportunity provisions, Section 3 compliance for housing and community development projects, and labor standards including Davis-Bacon and Copeland Act compliance. Selected vendors must register on SAM.gov and provide proof of current registration prior to contract execution, with post-award invoices requiring certified payrolls reflecting prevailing wage rates and approved lien waivers, subject to Net 45-day payment terms. The RFP is partially funded through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the available documentation, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement materials.