Title
Strengthening Working Families Initiative Grant Amendment (Ordinance S-44476)
Description
Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to amend Ordinance S-42763 regarding the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Strengthening Working Families Initiative (SWFI) grant program, to allow SWFI participants to enroll in educational programs offered by additional vendors on the State of Arizona's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) and correct the allocated contracted amounts to Maricopa County Human Services and MAXIMUS, Inc.
Report
Summary
Ordinance S-42763 authorized the City to accept the SWFI grant in the amount of $4 million in funding from DOL to administer the SWFI program to provide workforce and support services including contracts with Maricopa County Human Services and MAXIMUS, Inc.
The original authorization included cohort training through the Maricopa Community College district. This request allows for the use of the ETPL, which includes the college district training programs previously authorized. The ETPL and the related eligibility procedures ensure the accountability, quality, and labor-market relevance of training services provided to eligible SWFI participants. DOL recently approved the City's request to expand educational opportunities for SWFI participants through a formal modification of the grant to support the City's efforts to achieve the grant's objectives. Payment authority for training services is requested in the amount up to $1 million through the grant period, which ends June 30, 2020.
As stipulated by the terms of the grant, the City is required to provide SWFI participants with support services including, but not limited to, child care, after-school care, training materials, testing and certification services, health care, housing, transportation, utilities, and professional clothing for interviews, to ensure an eligible participant's successful completion of a workforce development program. Some services are impractical to compete because payments must be made to a specific participant's landlord, utility provider, car repair facility, healthcare provider, and/or child care provider and the timeframe in which these services are needed is immediate. Services that are practical for competition will be procured in compliance with Administrative Regulation 3.10 (General Procurement Procedures).
The provision of support services must comply with the financial limits established by the City of Phoenix Strengthening Working Families Initiative Support Services Policy. Payment authority is requested for the support services total budget approved by Department of Labor through the grant period of June 30, 2020. This is included in the total grant acceptance of $4 million.
The corrected contracted amount for Maricopa County Human Services is $523,002 and MAXIMUS is $117,500.
Contract Term
The grant period ends June 30, 2020.
Financial Impact
No General Funds are required. Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Deanna Jonovich and the Community and Economic Development Department.