WIOA Services for Greater Nebraska Workforce Development Area

The State of Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) has issued Request for Proposal (RFP) Number 6836 Z1 to select a qualified contractor for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services in the Greater Nebraska Workforce Development Area (GNWDA), which encompasses 88 counties excluding Lancaster, Saunders, Douglas, Sarpy, and Washington counties. The procurement seeks a single service provider to simultaneously fulfill four critical roles: Adult and Dislocated Service Provider, Youth Service Provider, Administrative Entity, and One-Stop Operator. The evaluation criteria for this opportunity are comprehensive, totaling 375 possible points across three primary categories: Corporate Overview (40 points), Technical Approach (210 points), and Cost Proposal (50 points), with an additional 75 points allocated for Oral Interviews/Presentations. Proposals were due on January 3, 2024, at 10:00 AM Central Time, with a contract term of one year and potential renewal options for three additional one-year periods. The cost proposal will be evaluated based on the lowest cost per participant, with the lowest bidder receiving the maximum 50 points.

The RFP does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations. Funding for this contract is entirely federal WIOA funds, with budget amounts from Program Year 2022 ranging from $73,179 for the One-Stop Operator to $1,055,088 for Adult and Dislocated Worker services. Interestingly, the Respondents List indicates that no bids were received for this RFP as of the proposal opening date. The State reserves the right to negotiate pricing and deny requested price increases, and may potentially use this RFP to procure services for up to two years from the Intent to Award posting date if the awarded bidder agrees to honor their original proposal. The current service provider appears to be the Nebraska Department of Labor, though the state will consider all competitive bids for the upcoming contract. Administrative Entity and One-Stop Operator funding will be a percentage of funding from the Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Programs, with an emphasis on the bidder's ability to provide services within the allocated amount.