RFP - Refugee Employment and Pre-Employment Training Services

The Oregon Department of Human Services is requesting proposals for Refugee Employment and Pre-Employment Training Services, with proposals due July 16, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The agency anticipates awarding one contract for each of two service areas: Area 1 covering Portland-Metro (Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties) plus virtual services statewide, and Area 2 covering Salem-Corvallis-Eugene (Benton, Lane, Linn, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties) plus virtual services statewide.

Proposers must demonstrate minimum qualifications of three years' experience working with eligible refugee populations and two years' experience providing employment services. Eligible populations include refugees, asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants, Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders, trafficking victims, and Ukrainian humanitarian parolees, with eligibility periods of up to 60 months from initial eligible immigration status.

Services include Refugee Employment Services, Pre-Employment Training, employment outreach, job search and placement, job retention services, youth employment services, English as a Second Language instruction, mass transit training, childcare training, occupational and vocational training modules, digital literacy, and computer lab access. Contractors may provide transportation services to clients and must maintain service files, enter data into state systems (DOOR and TRACS), and submit monthly reports by the eighth of each month and bi-annual and annual reports on specified dates.

The not-to-exceed contract values are $3,000,000 for Area 1 and $400,000 for Area 2. The initial term is one year with agency option to renew for up to a cumulative maximum of five years based on satisfactory performance and funding availability. Federal funding is provided through Assistance Listing 93.566 (Office of Refugee Resettlement, Social Services) and AL 93.558 (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance including commercial general liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate), professional liability ($1,000,000 per claim / $2,000,000 aggregate), automobile liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), network security and privacy liability ($1,000,000 per incident), and directors and officers liability ($1,000,000 per claim).

A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for July 1, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Questions are due July 6, 2026 by 10:00 a.m. Notice of intent to award is anticipated by August 17, 2026. Proposers must comply with the Certified Disadvantaged Business Outreach Plan, identifying COBID certification status (DBE, MBE, WBE, SDV, ESB) and disclosing prior and anticipated subcontracting relationships. Administration costs are capped at 15% of total direct costs. Proposers employing 50 or more full-time workers with a contract price exceeding $500,000 must provide a current, unexpired Pay Equity Certificate.