Title
Workforce Board Consulting Services RFP-CED23-WBCS - Contract Award (Ordinance S-50927)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to contract with Samira Cook dba Purposeful World Strategies (Contractor) for consulting services to support the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board (the Board). Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. The aggregate value of the contract will not exceed $345,000. There is no impact to the General Fund.
Report
Summary
The Board is a local workforce development board established by federal law in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The Board is a collaboration of local business, education, and community-based partners working to address and solve workforce and economic development issues in the greater Phoenix community by actively engaging the local workforce development system and stakeholders.
The Board is required by WIOA and the State of Arizona to develop a four-year Local Workforce Development Area Plan (Local Plan). The Local Plan is an action plan to develop, align, and integrate service delivery strategies across the ARIZONA@WORK City of Phoenix System. The Local Plan is a business-led, results oriented plan that must support the achievement of Arizona's visions, goals, and strategies as outlined in the State Plan and supports an integrated workforce system. Contractor will lead the Board through a long-range planning process including labor market analysis, stakeholder input, and synthesis of the State Plan to develop the 2024-2028 Local Plan.
Contractor will provide additional consulting services, including conducting a workforce development system environmental scan (Environmental Scan) of the greater Phoenix area. The Environmental Scan will identify workforce development providers in the City to ascertain which populations they serve, including individuals facing barriers to employment. The Environmental Scan will allow the Board to understand program duplications, similarities and differences, and identify gaps in service to drive better solutions for garnering a robust talent pipeline for employers.
Procurement Information
The Workforce Board Consulting Services Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued on Dec. 8, 2023, and conducted in accordance with the City of Phoenix Administrative Regulation 3.10. The City received six proposals, five of which were responsive to the RFP's requirements. An evaluation panel scored the responsive proposals based on the following criteria.
- Primary Consultants Qualifications and Experience (275 Points)
- Approach to Scope of Work (250 Points)
- Proposer's Qualifications and Experience (250 Points)
- Fees (225 Points)
Staff recommends the proposal offered by Samira Cook dba Purposeful World Strategies as the high-scored, responsive and responsible proposal.
Contract Term
The term of the contract is one year with four one-year renewal options that may be exercised at the City's discretion.
Financial Impact
There is no impact to the General Fund. The aggregate value of the contract will not exceed $345,000. Funding is available from the City's allocation of federal WIOA Funds.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board approved this item on Nov. 10, 2022.
The Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee approved this item by a vote of 4-0 on May 8, 2024.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager John Chan and the Community and Economic Development Department.