INTRODUCTION

The Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board, Inc. dba the Workforce Board Lehigh Valley, (WBLV) is seeking to fund Intermediary Position(s) with a chamber of commerce, and/or a targeted industry business and trade association serving employer member industries. Targeted Industry Clusters include: Healthcare; Manufacturing; Transportation, Warehousing and Logistics; Finance and Insurance; and Professional, Technical and Scientific Services. The purpose of the WBLV Intermediary Position(s) is to increase penetration of WBLV services into targeted industry businesses with high-growth, high wage, high-demand occupations. This is expected to be accomplished by the individual(s) funded to serve as part-time or full-time Intermediaries within the business and/or trade associations serving business members in the Lehigh Valley region, selected as a result of this request for proposals (RFP).

It is expected that the selected business/trade associations will employ the intermediary as member of their staff and will deploy them to fulfill the duties and responsibilities described in this RFP. The intermediary(s) will responsible for educating the association's membership about available WBLV services and for working with PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley and other WBLV staff to facilitate the delivery of those services. The expected services to be delivered are described below. The intermediary(s) will be responsible for managing an ongoing working relationship with WBLV staff and for initiating and participating in various WBLV initiatives.

Associations representing high-wage, high-demand occupations in a single occupational cluster or representing multiple employers are encouraged to apply. Only associations with a minimum of 80% of their member businesses located in the Lehigh Valley may apply.

Funding is for an individual(s) to be hired on a full or part-time basis whose office is expected to be embedded with the association(s) selected. For associations located outside of the Lehigh Valley workforce region, the association would need to co-locate or otherwise provide for a presence in the Lehigh Valley.

The Intermediary(s) will be expected to work with the WBLV and its workforce system called PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley and to educate their employer members about: (1) Next Generation Sector Partnerships; (2) new sources of job applicants; (3) reduced recruitment costs; (4) higher retention rates compared to traditional hires; and (5) the WBLV so as to enhance the reputation of the WBLV with Lehigh Valley employers.

The intermediary will be expected to also expand economic opportunities for workers and job-seekers. Individuals filling Intermediary Position(s) will be asked to identify the needs of workforce stakeholders, provide opportunities to integrate services and funding streams in ways that enhance workforce programs effectiveness, and assist the WBLV to leverage new resources for workforce initiatives.

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REQUIREMENTS OF THE INTERMEDIARY POSITION(S) INCLUDE:

a. Informing the business/trade association membership regarding services available through the WBLV and PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley.

b. Writing an article to appear in each local trade and business newsletter distributed to the trade/business association membership. The article should describe upcoming events, new grant opportunities, and ways in which the members can utilize WBLV services. Articles should also include success stories about job seekers and employers.

c. Providing at least four (4) opportunities during the course of the year for WBLV representatives to address the membership at their regular meetings or at association events. Assuring that the WBLV information is included in the Association’s membership directories, newsletters, website, electronic communications, and op-eds as appropriate.

d. Encouraging the membership to post job vacancies on JobGateway® website at www.jobgateway.pa.gov. Increase employer awareness of the PA CareerLink® by recruiting large and small employers, not less than 12, to list their jobs in JobGateway®.

e. Encouraging the membership to recruit for job vacancies through PA CareerLink®

Lehigh Valley.

f. Identifying barriers and trends within the occupational sectors of the membership to inform the WBLV about new and emerging jobs and skill sets which will be needed in the membership's workforce.

g. Identifying downward trends within the occupational sectors of the membership.

h. Identifying occupational clusters within the membership of the association.

i. Working with WBLV and the Education Community to provide the appropriate training to meet the worker training needs of the association's employer membership.

j. Identifying opportunities for worked based training such as On-the-Job Training (OJT), work experience, customized training and apprenticeships. WBLV Business Representatives will follow up on referrals from the intermediary and meet with members to develop contracts with interested member employers.

k. Attending WBLV committee meetings to familiarize the business or trade association with the work of the Board and to arrange for opportunities for their members to address the Board regarding workforce issues of concern to the local employer community.

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l. Provide a workforce data-based report regarding occupations in demand for vacant positions occurring during the program year for the association’s membership. Provide the report in May of each year that this contract is in effect. The report should include information about the needs of employers who are expanding operations in the Lehigh Valley, have jobs in emerging occupations, and/or are hiring into occupations in the targeted industries in demand in the WBLV workforce area. The report should include the wage range for the occupations addressed in the report.

m. Assisting in the development of career pathways within 5 different occupational areas in demand in the workforce area.

n. Survey business members to determine how many of the business provide training or sponsor tuition reimbursement plans for their employees and provide a report to the WBLV.

o. Work with the WBLV to improve outreach materials used to inform and recruit employers to become knowledgeable about and to use the local workforce system for employee training and to fill their vacancies. Identify strategies appropriate to large and small employers.

p. Utilize membership and events to create, plan and execute forums that will align the WBLV with association members. Specifically, the intermediary will be expected to review the association and WBLV strategic plans and make recommendations for aligning the goals and objectives under those plans.

q. Identify employer legislative agendas as they impact workforce development and share employer legislative prospectives with the WBLV.

r. Create a social media presence for the WBLV using all the various social media outlets, twitter, snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and such other outlets as may be created during the contract period. Once during the contract term present the social media access points to the WBLV and instruct the members on using social media to promote WBLV grant activities.

s. Utilize contacts with media to promote WBLV workforce issues and initiatives.

t. Include WBLV and PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley representatives, materials and presentations in new member orientations.

u. Host events and provide speakers for unemployed professionals.

v. Solicit members to assist in presenting workshops and presentations.

Associations seeking funds to establish an Intermediary Position(s) must have a

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membership of at least 25 distinct employers in a single sectoral area, or if representing multiple employers from multiple sectors, must have a minimum business membership of 50 distinct business members. The funds available are not meant to be start-up funds to create new associations. The Association must have a membership and be in existence for at least two (2) years to be considered for funding.

A more detailed description of the one-stops, represented by our Lehigh Valley region, is in place across the country and can be found by visiting the US Department of Labor's website, www.doleta.gov and clicking on the tabs for business, or by following the listed links, http://www.doleta.gov/business/. and http://www.careeronestop.org/. WBLV also has a website which can be accessed at www.lvwib.org and PA CareerLink® Lehigh valley website at www.careerlinklehighvalley.org.

Organizations interested in coordinating with WBLV to enhance the services available to their member employers and to increase the awareness level of their member employers regarding services and activities which can improve their competitiveness, lower their bottom line and increase the skill base of their workers are encouraged to respond to this RFP.

Your response should identify how your business or trade association will help to accomplish the above listed goals and should include a proposed budget (Attachment 1). The RFPs will be reviewed by a Committee of the WBLV. The full WBLV will make the final selection of those organizations it wishes to fund. RFPs should be no longer than 10 pages in length and should include an explanation of the organization's current activities including workforce development activities. The WBLV staff will negotiate with the successful organization(s) and will develop a contract based upon the RFP submitted and approved for funding.

Among various factors the WBLV will consider when reviewing RFPs are the following:

• Whether the organization represents targeted industries with high-wage, high-demand occupations or emerging industries.

• The creativity shown by the applicant in involving and communicating with the Organization's membership regarding the services available through WBLV and PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley.

• The number of employers reached through the funding made available as a result of this RFP.

• A plan for linking member employers with the WBLV Business Services Team including the listing of job vacancies.

• The cost of providing the services identified above.

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDING TO THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

WHO MAY APPLY

Proposers must be a trade or business association including economic development agencies and chambers of commerce located in the Lehigh Valley or which cover the Lehigh Valley workforce area consisting of Lehigh and Northampton Counties. Selected proposers must place the intermediary(s) in an office located in the Lehigh Valley to work with Lehigh Valley Businesses. Single sector associations must have a membership of at least 25 employers; associations representing multiple sectors must have a membership of at least 50 employers. Associations located outside of the Lehigh Valley must have a membership consisting of 80% Lehigh Valley employers.

CONTRACT TERM

RFPs selected for funding will be funded through June 30, 2019. The contract to be negotiated may be renewed for three successive 12-month periods at the discretion of the WBLV governing boards.

QUESTIONS

Questions which arise should be communicated to WBLV via e-mail addressed to ndischinat@workforcelv.org by 12:00 noon, May 18, 2018 with the subject line: RFP Questions. Modifications and clarifications to this proposal document will be posted on the WBLV website, www.lvwib.org, along with the answers to any questions posed. The WBLV will not respond to individual phone inquiries nor will the WBLV email responses on an individual basis. It will be the proposer's responsibility to check the WBLV website for responses to their questions.

PROPOSAL MUST BE WRITTEN IN MICROSOFT WORD

The Request for Proposal Application is written using Microsoft Word. The response must be submitted in hard copy accompanied by a thumb drive with the proposal written in Microsoft Word. Proposers must submit one original proposal and 10 copies of the proposal each in their own loose-leaf binder. To access the proposal go to the WBLV website, www.lvwib.org, to download the proposal.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

In the event a proposer wishes to file a grievance in connection with the process, a grievance procedure is available and may be obtained from the WBLV office. Grievances related to this proposal must be filed in writing within the timeframes as stated in the WBLV grievance policy.

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REPORTS

Proposers selected will be required to provide WBLV with monthly reports or updates on their programs using forms or formats provided by WBLV. These reports will be used to keep the governing board updated regarding program performance.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS

Proposals should be submitted to:

Workforce Board Lehigh Valley Intermediary Proposal Response 555 Union Boulevard Allentown, PA 18109

PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND REVIEWPROCESS

All dates are subject to change by WBLV

EVENT DATE and TIME

RFP Issued to the Public April 25, 2018Deadline for Submitting Written Questions to May 18, 2018Deadline for Proposal Submission May 25, 2018Contract Start July 1, 2018Contract End June 30, 2019

Late Proposals will not be accepted.

Proposals will be reviewed by staff for responsiveness and sustantiveness.Consideration of any proposal received will be dependent upon funds available and the need for the services proposed, which will be determined by staff and/or the WBLV governing board and committees as appropriate. WBLV reserves the right to reopen this request for proposals if an insufficient number of proposal responses are received or, if in the sole discretion of WBLV, the proposals received will not meet the needs of WBLV.

WBLV reserves the right to amend, cancel, or reissue this Request for Proposals at any time at its sole discretion.

WBLV reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to decide not to proceed to contract, to waive minor variances in proposals if such action is in the best interest of WBLV, or to reject a proposal selected by the WBLV governing boards if WBLV is

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unable to negotiate terms and conditions necessary to finalize a contract.

CURE PROCESS

WBLV has established the option to cure minor omissions in submitted proposals within forty-eight (48) hours of notification by the WBLV via email to the proposer's contact named in the application. Failure to provide the requested information within the allotted time shall result in a "fatal flaw." This process is provided by WBLV as a courtesy, and as such, WBLV is not responsible for notification of any omissions or errors in any documentation submitted by the applicant agency in response to the RFP.

All applying agencies are solely responsible for contact availability via e-mail during this cure period and failure to receive WBLV notification of cure issues is not subject to appeal.

Minor inconsistencies or revisions may be addressed during the negotiation process, at the sole and complete discretion of WBLV.

PERFORMANCE

It is expected that the funding made available will:

a. Increase the number of job listings currently made by the member businesses.

b. Increase the opportunities for work based training among member businesses.

c. Identify a minimum of four opportunities for WBLV representatives to communicate with the member businesses to make them aware of services available through WBLV.

d. Identify workforce barriers faced by the industry.

e. Identify skill sets needed in high-growth or high-wage jobs.

f. Identify areas where the development of career pathways or the implementation of career pathways will increase knowledge and interest in jobs within the industry.

g. Produce the required reports and articles.

h. Attainment of the Requirements of the Intermediary Position(s) listed inthe specifications.

COORDINATION

Interested organizations should describe the frequency of their organization's meetings and the attendance of their membership as well as the methods of communication with

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their membership including email, website, electronic and/or hard copy newsletters or other communications.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Contracts negotiated will be cost reimbursement. Invoices are paid once a month. Organizations must be able to support the cost of the program until they are reimbursed, which takes up to 30 days.

All costs including salaries are subject to negotiation as a part of the contracting process. WBLV will compare salaries and other costs proposed with costs and salaries for similar positions and responsibilities within the Lehigh Valley in arriving at reasonable costs negotiated.

RATING CRITERIA

It is recommended that you review the rating criteria and activities requested before you begin to write your response to ensure you include information relative to each category being rated and the services requested.

The rating criteria:

a. Whether the organization represents industries targeted for expansion or relocation within the Lehigh Valley.

b. Whether the industry represents jobs that are high-growth, high-skill or high-wage.

c. The creativity in involving and communicating with the Organization's membership regarding the services available through WBLV.

d. The number of employers which will be reached through the funding made available.

e. A plan for linking member employers with the WBLV Business Services staff.

f. A plan for identifying trends within the occupational sectors of the business membership of new and emerging occupations and the downsizing and elimination of jobs and skill sets.

g. The number of opportunities available for WBLV to communicate with the member businesses to make them aware of services available through WBLV.

h. A plan to increase the number of job listings made by the member businesses.

i. A plan to market opportunities for incumbent worker training to the member businesses.

j. A plan to encourage work based training opportunities to the member businesses.

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k. The cost of providing the services identified above.

HOW TO APPLY1. Submit one original and ten (10) copies of your Request For Proposal Response

each in their own loose leaf binder, single sided, typed, using a 12-point font so it is easy to read.

2. Please number the pages and place footer on each page indicating the name of the organization.

3. Please print each question and place your response immediately below the application question.

4. WBLV will not return proposal responses to proposers.

5. Faxed or e-mailed copies of the proposal will not be accepted. A copy of this RFP may be accessed on the WBLV website at www.lvwib.org. WBLV retains the right to accept, reject, or negotiate RFPs received as well as to vary or waive any provisions set forth in this request for proposals in the best interests of WBLV.

6. The response section and rating forms which will be used to evaluate your proposal response follows.

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PROPOSAL APPLICATION COVER PAGE

Organization Name:

Organization Address:Lehigh Valley Office LocationTelephone Number:Contact Person: Title:E-Mail: Fax Number:Website Address: Cell Number:Total Funds Requested: In Kind or Leveraged Funds:

Number of Employer Members:

# Paid Members # Non Paying Members

Single Sector AssociationYes No

Multiple Sector AssociationYes No

Minority Business Owner: Certifying Agency:Organizational Status:Corporation Sole Proprietorship Partnership Private for

ProfitNot-for-Profit Association Government OtherPublic AgencyYears in Business:

The undersigned certifies that they have read the proposal and agrees to all the terms and conditions stated therein. The undersigned certifies that they are authorized to submit this offer and to enter into a contract on behalf of the organization identified above.

Signature:

Typed Name:

Title:

Date:

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SECTION 1 PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. Information about your association or organization:

a. A Description of your Membership by industry cluster(s) and if known the number and average wage of individuals employed by each industry cluster(s) within your memberships.

b. The methods used by your organization to communicate to your membership.

c. A description of the types of activities currently sponsored by the organization or association.

d. Actions the intermediary would take to encourage members to list their jobs with jobgateway.pa.gov.

e. How would your organization go about identifying skill gaps within jobs needed by emerging industries or occupational clusters in-demand.

f. How would your organization encourage their membership to participate in work based training sponsored by the WBLV CareerLink?

g. Describe your organizations capacity to create research reports relating to economic indicators and to conduct labor market surveys.

h. Describe your organization's current staffing and organizational structure.

i. Identify coordinative relationships proposer has developed with the employer, education and workforce communities within Lehigh Valley.

j.SECTION 2

2. Service Plan

a. Please provide a job description for the Intermediary Position(s). If the individuals already employed by your organization or if you have someone in mind for the position please provide a copy of their resume.

b. If your organization would be hiring someone new, would your organization be willing to work with WBLV Human Resources in developing a job description and selecting an individual to fill this position.

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c. What types and approximate calendar of events are sponsored by your organization?At which events would it be appropriate to have a representative of WBLV address the membership?

Please indicate the number of member meetings or sponsorships your organization has each year.

Describe/identify the events at which the WBLV would be able to address the membership.

d. How would proposer use social media to connect the WBLV to the employer community?

e. Please describe how/if your Association aligns with the WBLVs Targeted Industry Clusters listed on page 1.

f.SECTION 3

3. Budget - Please use the budget work sheets attached.

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PROPOSAL RATING AND EVALUATION FORM

WBLV BUSINESS SERVICES

Proposer Evaluator's Name

Proposed Program/Service Date Evaluated

POINTS SUMMARY

RFP Application Section/Questions

Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Total

Possible Points 25 50 25 100

Rating

TOTAL POINTS

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Organizational Information Points

The organization is a trade or business association located in the Lehigh Valley or which covers the Lehigh Valley workforce area and/or will locate the Intermediary(s) in Lehigh Valley to work with Lehigh Valley Businesses.

The association is a single sector association with a membership of at least 25 employers or an association representing multiple sectors and has a membership of at least 50 employers.

Max Pts. 10

Max Pts 10

Reference: Organizational Information, proposer cover sheetRater Points

Staff Comments

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Communications Points

Proposer has established multiple effective communication strategies to reach its membership

Proposer has conducted studies and reports about economic trends. Proposer has conducted surveys of its membership

Proposer has coordinated initiatives between employer, education and workforce entities in the Lehigh Valley

Max Pts. 15

Max Pts. 15

Max Pts. 15

Reference Questions/Responses Section 1Rater Points

Staff Comments:

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Services Plan Points

Intermediary Job Description / Resume reflects skills needed to provide described services

Events described will be conducive to introducing members to WBLV services

Social Media plan is likely to be effective

Max Pts. 5

Max Pts. 5

Max Pts 5

Reference Question/ Responses to Section 2 Services PlanRaters Points

Staff Comments

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Budget Points

Proposed staff salary(s) and related costs appearreasonable for the tasks to be performed.

Max Pts. 20

Reference: BudgetRater Points

Total Points: __________________

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