To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Provision of Services for the County of Humboldt Workforce Development Programs Fiscal Years 2023-24 Through 2027-28
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the County Administrative Office Economic Development Division to close the Request for Proposals to solicit services for Program Operators for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth program, WIOA Rapid Response and Layoff Aversion programs, WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker program and America’s Job Center of California Job Market Operator; and
2. Authorize the County Administrative Officer, or a designee thereof, to execute the attached contracts (Attachment 1-5), and any subsequent amendments, for Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation to perform workforce activities in compliance with the terms and conditions as set forth by the California State Employment Development Department.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Economic Development (1120), Workforce Development Youth (1120 - 287300), Workforce Development Rapid Response (1120-287200) Workforce Development Layoff Aversion (1120 - 287210), Workforce Development Adult (1120 - 287220) and Workforce Development Dislocated Worker (1120-287160), Workforce Development Regional Equity and Recovery Program (1120-287140)
DISCUSSION:
In July 2014, the U.S. Congress passed, and the President signed, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as an amendment to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. The WIOA requires the Humboldt County Workforce Development Board (HCWDB), with the agreement of the chief elected officials, to select program operators and American Job Centers of California (AJCC) operators through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process.
On Jan. 19, 2016, your Board approved a three-agency consortium which included the College of the Redwoods, Redwood Community Action Agency, and the Department of Health and Human Services Employment Training Division to operate the AJCC, which ceased on June 30, 2018.
An RFP was released on July 24, 2018, to replace the AJCC Job Market operator. Only one proposal was received by SMART Business Resource Center, with whom an agreement was established. On March 5, 2021, SMART Business Resource Center informed the County Administrative Office of their intent to terminate all contracts with the county, effective June 30, 2021.
On April 6, 2021, your Board directed county staff to explore several options to improve workforce efforts in Humboldt and authorized the release of an RFP for workforce services related to WIOA-funded programs. The RFP failed to receive any proposals. As such, on June 29, 2021, your Board directed the County Administrative Office Economic Development Division (ECDEV) to sole-source WIOA programs to the Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation (CPHSPF).
To maintain compliance with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) Workforce Services Directives 19-13, 16-04, and 17-07, and in adherence to the direction of the HCWDB Executive Committee on November 28, 2022, staff drafted three RFPs for WIOA services, as follows:
• Youth Program Operator
• Layoff Aversion and Rapid Response Program Operator
• Adult and Dislocated Worker Program Operator and America's Job Center of California Job Market Operator
Following this action, the Board approved the RFPs on April 25, 2023. The RFPs were then publicly posted on April 26, 2023, with a response deadline of May 26, 2023. A week before the deadline, no responses or inquiries were received, prompting staff to issue a six-week extension until July 21, 2023.
Ultimately, only one submission was received for each RFP. These submissions were reviewed, and the subsequent HCWDB staff evaluations resulted in low scores. In response to these scores, and in an effort to maintain objectivity around the procurement process, staff requested a blind review of the proposals from the California Workforce Association (CWA). CWA was given redacted copies of the submission responses for review. Their assessment of the redacted proposals concluded that the submissions were non-responsive to the requirements of the RFPs.
As a result of the conclusions reached through the blind review performed by CWA, HCWDB staff reached out to the state to explore available options for the HCWDB. Following consultation, it was advised that the HCWDB could either treat the RFPs as unsuccessful and reissue them or, alternatively, could opt to retain the existing provider.
The HCWDB Executive Committee was presented with this information at the Oct. 20, 2023 meeting, in which they voted unanimously to close the current RFP process and retain their existing provider, Cal Poly Sponsored Program Foundation, through sole sourcing.
Attached, your Board will find four (4) Professional Services Agreements (PSAs), each for four-year terms starting from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2028, to ensure consistent programmatic delivery. Included in the new contracts are compensation rates of 80% of the annual allocation for Youth, Adult, and Dislocated Worker, and 50% of the annual allocation for Rapid Response and Layoff Aversion. Attached you will find the following PSAs:
• Adult (Attachment 1)
• Dislocated Worker (Attachment 2)
• Youth (Attachment 3)
• Rapid Response and Layoff Aversion (Attachment 4)
Additionally, as detailed in the RFPs, further WIOA and non-WIOA funds may become available as a result of securing the above program contracts for further programming that aligns with the intentions and requirements of workforce programs. As such, the HCWDB has secured $400,000 of Regional Equity and Recovery Partnership (RERP) funding to provide funding for the development of high-road jobs.
High-road jobs identified for Humboldt County pertain to the dairy, emerging offshore wind, aquaculture, and construction industries. The awarded funding will build on and continue to develop connected skill-learning pathways and explore investment opportunities that support equity-oriented outcomes in the aforementioned industries, as well as providing training and apprenticeship programs for these fields.
Direct program implementation will occur through a contractual agreement with CPHSPF in which CPHSPF will act as the WIOA Service Provider and Job Market Operator, as well as partner with COUNTY staff to:
• Develop a standardized credential and training program for high-road sectors (dairy, offshore wind, aquaculture, and construction)
• Market training opportunities for high-road sectors in high schools
• Provide pre-employment and on-the-job training
• Provide upskilling opportunities in high-road sectors for career advancement
• Provide counseling and job placement services.
Attached, your Board will find the associated RERP PSA (Attachment 5), with a term covering fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25, and a compensation rate of $400,000 for use throughout the term of the contract.
The approval of the attached contracts is recommended by the HCWDB. As such, staff recommends that your Board approve said contracts.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
The total cost associated with the provision of workforce services for the last six months of fiscal year (FY) 2023-24 is not expected to exceed $813,473. $413,473 comes from a prorated calculation of the current FY's allocation for Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth, Rapid Response and Layoff Aversion programming and $400,000 comes from the RERP grant. Projections for the following FYs are based on the current year's Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth, Rapid Response, and Layoff Aversion allocations.
Expenditures related to the provision of these workforce services have been included in the proposed FY 2023-24 budget for ECDEV in budget unit 1120-287. These services are paid for by Federal WIOA grants received by EDD. As a result, approval of these agreements will not impact the Humboldt County General Fund.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
The approval of this item will have no impact on staffing levels.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Framework.
Core Roles: Support business, workforce development and creation of private-sector jobs
New Initiatives: Engage new partners
Strategic Plan: 3.1 - Improve the economy of Humboldt County
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Cal Poly Humboldt
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board could choose not to approve the attached contracts. This alternative is not recommended as declining these contracts and the associated funds for provision of WIOA programs would make these essential workforce services unavailable to county residents.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 23_24-27_28 HSUSPF WIOA Adult
2. 23_24-27_28 HSUSPF WIOA Dislocated Worker
3. 23_24-27_28 HSUSPF WIOA Youth
4. 23_24-27_28 HSUSPF WIOA Rapid Response and Layoff Aversion
5. 23_24-24_25 HSUSPF RERP
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-8, C-13, C-6, C-11, I-2, D-12
Meeting of: July 24, 2018; June 25, 2019; Nov. 19, 2019; April 14, 2020, April 6, 2021; June 14, 2022
File No.: 18-932; 19-933; 19-1563; 20-435; 21-362; 22-717