Title
Request to Enter into Five-Year Intergovernmental Agreement with Arizona Department of Economic Security to Accept and Disburse Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program Funds (Ordinance S-45004)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) and to accept Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant funds in an amount up to $65 million for a five-year contract term beginning July 1, 2018. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept and the City Controller to disburse those WIOA funds pursuant to the IGA. In addition, authorization is requested to include an indemnification provision as required by DES in accordance with Phoenix City Code section 42-20(B). There is no impact to the General Fund. The WIOA program is Federally funded.
Report
Summary
The WIOA grant, as implemented through the IGA with DES, provides funding for workforce development activities designed to enhance the employability, occupational attainment, retention, and earnings of adults, dislocated workers, and youth. Under WIOA, rapid-response services are also provided to dislocated workers upon notification of a pending layoff or plant closure to inform them of available services in the community, to assist them in transitioning to other employment to training opportunities. WIOA improves the quality of the workforce, reduces welfare dependency, and enhances the productivity and competitiveness of the economy.
Through the IGA, the City of Phoenix subcontracts with community-based organizations to provide case management and career services for youth and adult clients, and these subcontracts are procured through City Administrative Regulation 3.10. The number of subcontractors varies based on available funds. Subcontractors bring collaboration and leveraged partnerships to the WIOA program. The WIOA grant will also continue to fund the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Center operations and City staff in the Human Services and Community and Economic Development Departments dedicated to delivering workforce development services.
The acceptance and disbursement of these funds will provide continued access to services including job placement, occupational training and support services for adults, youth and dislocated workers as well as specialized services to local businesses.
As required by the terms of the grant, the City allows WIOA participants to choose among the 300+ vendors on the State of Arizona's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) for training. The ETPL and the related eligibility procedures ensure the accountability, quality, and labor-market relevance of training services provided to eligible WIOA participants. Payment authority is requested in the amount of $4 million annually through the term of the IGA.
In addition to the ETPL requirement, as required by the terms of the grant, the City is required to provide WIOA participants with emergency support, and short-term prevocational services such as child care, health care, housing, transportation, onetime classes, utilities, and professional clothing for interviews, to ensure an eligible participant's successful completion of a workforce development program. These services are impractical to compete as payments must be made to a specific participant's landlord, utility provider, car repair facility, healthcare provider, or child care provider and the timeframe in which these services are needed is immediate. The provision of emergency support services must comply with the financial limits established by the ARIZONA@WORK City of Phoenix Support Services Policy. Payment authority is requested in the amount of $90,000 annually for the term of the IGA.
All other goods and services obtained to fulfill the grant requirements will be procured in compliance with City Administrative Regulation 3.10.
Contract Term
The term of the five year IGA will be July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2023.
Financial Impact
There is no impact to the General Fund. The WIOA program is Federally funded.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Deanna Jonovich and the Human Services Department.