Refugee Resettlement & Integration Community Assessment

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Procurement and Contract Services Unit, acting on behalf of the Office of New Americans, is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP KONA 2026-0194) for a State-Led Refugee Resettlement & Integration Community Capacity Assessment (RRICCA). This procurement seeks a qualified contractor to conduct comprehensive community capacity assessments across Colorado's Front Range regions, including Greeley/Evans, Denver Metro Area, and Colorado Springs. The primary deliverables include Community Absorptive Capacity analyses, Labor Market Needs assessments, Skills and Credentialing Pathways identification, Community Economic Snapshots, alignment with America's Talent Strategy, and facilitated In-Person Community Consultations, with each deliverable required to be completed twice during the initial contract term (by October 1, 2026, and July 1, 2027) and annually thereafter. An optional seventh deliverable permits contractors to propose capacity for conducting a 4-year longitudinal refugee integration survey. Required qualifications include demonstrated experience with refugee resettlement and integration assessments, knowledge of Colorado's labor market and community dynamics, capability to conduct interviews with refugees and community members, and ability to manage sensitive refugee arrival data with appropriate data-sharing agreements. The evaluation criteria encompass demonstrated experience and capabilities, cost-effectiveness, and quality of technical and business proposals. Critical deadlines include a pre-proposal conference on April 2, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. MST via Google Meet, a Q&A period deadline of April 9, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., and proposal submission by April 24, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. local time via Bidnet. Oral presentations and site visits are anticipated in May 2026, with a Notice of Award expected in May 2026 and contract execution in June 2026. The initial contract term runs from July 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, with four optional renewal years extending through September 30, 2031.

While the RFP does not impose geographic restrictions limiting responses to Colorado-based firms, prior experience working in Colorado is listed as a preferred qualification, and out-of-state contractors are encouraged to partner with local subcontractors, which should be identified in their proposals. The State emphasizes engagement with minority and women-owned businesses (M/WBE) and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) and encourages participation in apprenticeship programs. All respondents must be registered with the Colorado Secretary of State in good standing and comply with all federal and state non-discrimination laws. The project budget is anticipated to reach up to $500,000, with all pricing firm for 365 days after submission and cost evaluated alongside qualifications and methodology. Contractors must obtain and maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including workers' compensation, general liability ($1,000,000), automobile liability ($1,000,000), protected information liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence; $2,000,000 aggregate), professional liability ($1,000,000), and crime insurance ($1,000,000). All work must be performed within Colorado or at approved remote, hybrid, and mobile work locations, and all proposed solutions must address mandatory accessibility requirements, including Section 508 compliance and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level A and AA standards.