Third Party Partner - Employee First Program - FFY27 - RFP

The Colorado Department of Human Services seeks qualified third-party vendors through Request for Proposals (RFP) IHGA 2026000227 to provide employment and training services to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) clients statewide, with solicitation spanning Denver County and Denver City jurisdictions. This competitive procurement targets vendors with demonstrated experience delivering employment and training services, including vocational training, credentialing programs, internships, on-the-job training, and apprenticeships. Program Operators must provide comprehensive case management, employability assessments, individualized service plans updated every 120 days, monthly progress monitoring, and supportive payments for program participants. Key deliverables include enrollment of at least 50 SNAP clients for Federal Fiscal Year 2027, ensuring all clients participate in program activities for a minimum of 12 hours per month, monthly invoicing with supporting documentation submitted by the 15th of each month, quarterly success stories, and participation in mandatory annual training and meetings. The Department will evaluate proposals based on organizational experience with SNAP Employment and Training services, federal grant management capability, demonstrated client outcomes over the previous three fiscal years (including employment placement rates, job retention at multiple intervals, and training completion rates), financial capacity and sustainability independent of program funding, comprehensive budget narratives explaining staffing levels and hourly rates, and compliance infrastructure including Colorado Benefits Management System (CBMS) data entry capacity and proper fiscal monitoring procedures. Proposals must not exceed 50 pages, must include completed exhibits and the EF Program Operator Plan with detailed budget information, and must be submitted electronically by May 26, 2026, at 4:00 PM Mountain Time, with public opening at 4:15 PM the same day; questions must be submitted by May 4, 2026, at 5:00 PM, and no pre-bid conference will be held.

This procurement is restricted to current or previous SNAP Employment and Training service providers; new vendors are ineligible. The State anticipates awarding up to five contracts under this solicitation, each with an initial term running October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, renewable for three additional one-year periods at the State's discretion. Proposals are firm for 180 calendar days from award date, and before contract execution, awarded vendors must register with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), maintain registration in Colorado's CORE system, and register with the Colorado Secretary of State. The Department will reimburse vendors at 50 percent of allowable costs for employment and training activities, with invoices submitted monthly on a reimbursement basis requiring vendors to expend non-federal funding first. Administrative holdback percentages ranging from zero to three percent will apply based on budget size, with no set funding amount predetermined; available funding is determined by the awarding agency's contribution and approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Services. All vendors must comply with federal and state accessibility standards, E-Verify requirements, background check provisions, Colorado procurement code regulations, and standard CDHS contract terms including workers' compensation, general liability insurance ($1,000,000 minimum), and cyber liability insurance ($1,000,000-$5,000,000 depending on IT involvement).