Periodically we solicit proposals to operate Workforce Solutions, the Gulf Coast Workforce Board's operating affiliate. This year we issued seven separate requests for the interrelated parts of Workforce Solutions:  employer service, local career offices, financial aid payment office, financial aid support center, youth projects, early education quality, and staff professional development. We received 24 proposals from 21 organizations. Staff reviewed and scored all proposals, presenting results to the Workforce Board's Procurement Committee. The committee then presented recommendations to the Workforce Board.

We will see a 46% increase in funds for 2022 Workforce Solutions operations, driven mainly by additional funds to provide early education/childcare financial assistance to working parents.

At its August 10 meeting, the Workforce Board approved contracts with 12 proposers, including four organizations new to the system, to operate the region's workforce system in 2022.

• We received only one proposal for the financial aid support center, financial aid payment office, early education quality, and staff professional development services.  The Workforce Board approved one year contracts for these proposers as well as one year contracts for the two proposers for Employer Service.  We will solicit additional applicants and procure again next year for these services.
  
  
• The Workforce Board approved up to four years of annual contracts, renewable depending on performance, availability of funds, and approval by the Workforce Board and the H-GAC Board for the career office and youth project proposers.

With these contracts, we expect to:

• Serve at least 30,000 employers and 525,000 individuals
• Ensure 64% of employers return for additional service
• Assist in creating 3,400 new jobs
• Use at least $18 million for scholarships, apprenticeships, and upskilling or reskilling for more than 5,000 individuals
• Help more than 35,000 working families and 50,000 children with early education expenses
• Help more than 262,000 individuals go to work
• Raise the incomes of 110,000 individuals by at least 20%
• Ensure at least 86% of the individuals pursuing a post-secondary education attain a certificate or degree

Attached are the recommendations for Workforce Solutions 2022 operations contracts for a total of $451,925,055.

Texas Workforce Commission

Yes

Request approval of contracts with organizations listed in the attachment for a total of $451,925,055. (Staff Contact: Mike Temple)