title
Approve a Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Solano County contract for WIOA One-Stop Operator Services with “California Human Development”, for the period July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 for $75,000; and Delegate authority to the WDB President/Executive Director to execute the contract, pending County Counsel concurrence, for an amount not to exceed $75,000
body
Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve a WDB contract for WIOA One-Stop Operator Services with “California Human Development” of Santa Rosa, CA; and
2. Delegate authority to the WDB President/Executive Director to execute the contract, pending County Counsel concurrence, for an amount not to exceed the $75,000
The contract period will be from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018.
The WDB has approved this contract at its May 19, 2017 meeting and is recommending approval by the Board of Supervisors.
SUMMARY:
This action requests approval for the WDB to enter into a contract with California Human Development to:
• Provide WDB with comprehensive Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) One-Stop Operator (OSO) services to assist in managing and coordinating Solano County’s One-Stop delivery system which will offer a full range of employment services at the WDB’s Fairfield and Vallejo America’s Job Center of California (AJCC) locations.
• Coordinate the service delivery within the One-Stop system provided by participating with workforce service Partners identified in WIOA-Section 121(b).
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This allotment of $75,000 for a OSO contract has been anticipated and built in to the agency’s preliminary FY2017/18 budget.
DISCUSSION:
Introduction
The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA law/regulations, and associated State guidance require that local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) competitively procure a capable party to serve as a “One Stop Operator” (OSO) to support the work of the local One Stop Career Center System - entitled as the “Americas Job Centers of California” (AJCC.) Such a OSO must be in place by July 1, 2017
The Procurement Process
The Solano WDB agency established a set of OSO deliverables and a funding allocation for the upcoming 2017-18 year, and released a request for proposals in Spring 2017. Attachment A provides an outline of the required statement of work for such a contract, per the RFP. The 2017-18 funding level was set at $75,000.
Notice of the availability of the RFP was widely distributed via a network of providers known to WDB staff, and the County’s procurement website.
Two interested parties attended the public bidders’ conference. Only one application was received by the deadline of March 31, 2017. The application was from the “Esther’s Empowerment, LLC” organization.
This one proposal unfortunately received a score below the required 80 out of 100 points and thus failed the threshold for funding consideration.
Staff thus declared a “failed procurement” and considered options on how to proceed forward. These included:
• Reissuing the RFP. However there was insufficient time to complete another RFP cycle and possibly have a contractor in place by July 1, 2017;
• Taking the OSO functions in-house for agency staff to perform. However this was not the intent of Congress and a) some agency reorganization would be required; and b) a special Governor’s approval would be required for this in-house approach; or
• Using the “sole source” option when experiencing a failed competitive procurement - where the agency could directly approach a qualified/capable provider and negotiate a suitable contract compliant with the original goals/budget of the RFP. However staff was doubtful that there were many parties to approach with such a proposition.
Sole Source Options
The WDB staff pursued the “sole source” procurement process and performed outreach to two possible providers of service - each of whom: a) had extensive experience administering WIA/WIOA programs and familiarity with One Stop operations; and b) happened not to have earlier submitted a proposal. These included:
Racy Ming and Associates, (A consulting firm, with much direct WIA/WIOA administrative experience in the North Bay, and a growing base of Bay Area consulting work.)
California Human Development (An experienced grant recipient and provider of JTPA/WIA/ WIOA services in Northern California)
Staff held exploratory discussions with each party as to its interest/capabilities to enter in to a contract and perform the deliverables at the set budget amount. Both parties expressed strong interest and an apparent top-quality ability to perform.
The Recommendation for CHD
WDB staff was looking at two excellent options for a OSO contractor; this was a surprising development given the failure of the open procurement process.
Staff’s decision to recommend CHD came about with three “tie-breaker” considerations, as follows.
- The CHD organization has a multi-decade history in supporting and directly operating One Stop systems in multiple locales in Northern California;
- The experience of CHD is more so at the “boots on the ground” level of day-to-day One Stop operations. This is the “value add” which the Solano WDB was looking for; and
- The CHD hourly professional consulting rate was quoted at $75.00 per hour. The established rate for Racy Ming is $175.00 per hour.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose not to approve this “sole source” procurement option and selection of CHD, and provide direction to staff on alternative approaches to pursue.
These options may include: 1) re-issuing an RFP and once more competitively seek a capable provider; or 2) taking the OSO function in-house as a WDB staff function (which requires Governor’s approval). Neither of these options would be recommended and would prevent the WDB from having a OSO in place by the required July 1, 2017 deadline.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrator’s Office has been consulted and concurs with the recommendation.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION