RFP- payroll services for newark youth employment programs

The City of Newark, New Jersey, in partnership with NewarkWORKS and the Newark Workforce Development Board, is issuing Request for Proposals (RFP) 2025-RFP-004 to procure comprehensive payroll services for Newark Youth Employment Programs. The procurement seeks a vendor to provide web-based payroll processing and data management services supporting youth employment programs serving an anticipated 1,500 to 3,500 participants ages 14-24 over a twelve-month contract period with one potential one-year renewal option. Key deliverables include establishing individual payroll records, processing bi-weekly payroll, managing debit card distribution, participant data collection and enrollment tracking, and generating comprehensive reports through a secure, encrypted web-based system with hierarchical access controls and integration capabilities with existing data management systems. The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) will commence June 1, 2025, with participants compensated at $16.00 per hour through December 31, 2025. The contract will commence following Municipal Council approval, with funding provided through workforce development allocations from the U.S. Department of Labor and the New Jersey Department of Labor. Evaluation will be based on five equally weighted criteria (20 points each): adequate resources, ability to meet contractual goals, business ethics, demonstrated experience, and evidence of past performance. Electronic proposals must be submitted through the City's e-Procurement Portal no later than 10:15 a.m. on Friday, March 28, 2025, with a question submission deadline of March 21, 2025.

Respondents must complete comprehensive vendor qualification and submission forms and certify compliance with multiple state and local requirements, including affirmative action laws, Equal Employment Opportunity regulations, Americans with Disabilities Act provisions, drug-free workplace standards, and Newark's political contribution disclosure ordinances. The RFP requires detailed disclosures of organizational ownership structures, potential conflicts of interest, collective bargaining unit information, non-collusion affidavits, and insurance certifications. Vendors must also demonstrate compliance with municipal ordinances restricting business relationships with entities having investments in specified countries and provide executed W-9 forms for tax identification purposes. The procurement does not specify a particular award value or budget range; however, the scope encompasses payroll processing for a substantial youth employment initiative with potential scaling from 1,500 to 3,500 participants. No incumbent vendors or technology systems are identified in the documentation, though the selected vendor must demonstrate capability to integrate with the City's existing data management infrastructure. Small, minority, and disadvantaged business enterprises are encouraged to submit proposals, with the City reserving the right to modify, amend, suspend, or terminate the procurement process at its sole discretion.