Title
Authorize Intergovernmental Agreement Amendment to Accept and Disburse Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program Year Funds (Ordinance S-44473)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to amend the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), City Contract 141476, to accept program year 2018-19 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant funds in an amount up to $13 million and for the City Treasurer to accept funds, and the City Controller to disburse funds, under the IGA.
Report
Summary
The WIOA grant provides opportunities to improve job and career options for Phoenix area workers and job-seekers through an integrated, job-driven public workforce system that links diverse talent to businesses. Funds are utilized to increase the skills and credential attainment, employment, retention, and earnings of adults and youth, as well as provide support services to those most in need of assistance. Under WIOA, rapid-response services are also provided to laid-off 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 talent development opportunities.
Per the IGA, the DES allocated Program Year funds have a two-year limit. Expiration for Program Year 2018-19 funding is June 30, 2020.
The City of Phoenix subcontracts to community-based organizations to provide case management and career services for youth and adult clients. These 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 approximately 48 full-time city positions are dedicated to delivering workforce development services.
Procurement Information
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 through the grant period of June 30, 2020.
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, one-time 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, and/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 through the grant period of June 30, 2020. This is included in the total grant acceptance of $13 million.
All other goods and services obtained to fulfill the grant requirements will be procured in compliance with A.R. 3.10.
Contract Term
The IGA terminates on June 30, 2020.
Financial Impact
There will be no impact to the General Fund as a result of the authorization.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Deanna Jonovich and the Community and Economic Development Department.