REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Renew Contract with Bill Wilson Center to Provide Limited Youth Workforce Development Services
Report
BACKGROUND
In an effort to assure the most efficient and effective means of providing services to local youth, on May 9, 2013 the North Valley (NOVA) Workforce Board issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit innovative youth workforce development programs. Programs were required to serve in- and/or out-of-school youth, ages 16-21, residing or attending school in NOVA’s seven-city area, and who are low-income and have one or more barriers to employment.
In August 2013, Council approved the award of a contract of up to $600,000 to the Bill Wilson Center to provide workforce development services to young people in the NOVA area. In September 2014, Council approved the renewal of the contract in an amount not to exceed $500,000, effective October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 5.1.1: Socio-Economic - Goals and Policies: Education and Training Goal 5.1F: Provide job training and employment services, within constraints of operative Federal regulations and available Federal funding, to address the locally-determined employment and training needs of economically disadvantaged residents and others with special needs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
N/A
DISCUSSION
Council awarded funding to the Bill Wilson Center to provide services to at-risk youth beginning in October 2013. Bill Wilson Center has 38 years of experience in serving at-risk youth, and their program proposed to recruit youth through their existing network of youth service providers, and to provide comprehensive services to youth including counseling, mentoring, housing assistance, and work experience. The initial term was for one year, with an option to renew the contract for up to two additional years dependent on satisfactory performance. The funding for FY 2013/14 was not to exceed $506,041. On September 16, 2014, Council approved the renewal of the agreement in the amount of $500,000 for comprehensive youth services through September 30, 2015.
NOVA staff retained responsibility for youth participant eligibility determination and overall program management. Staff worked closely with Bill Wilson Center during the transition of services to that organization and continues to work with their staff for ongoing performance monitoring and grant compliance.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), effective July 1, 2015, mandated changes in youth service provisions by shifting the primary program focus of the youth program to support the educational and career success of out-of-school youth. Programs must be designed so that a minimum of 75 percent of contract funds are expended on services to out-of-school youth. By comparison, the requirement under the Workforce Investment Act was 30 percent. In light of the changes, Bill Wilson Center has requested not to renew their agreement for full program operations, but to operate a limited program for FY 2015/16 in order to complete services only for those youth already enrolled in the current contract and those receiving follow-up services. They have submitted a budget of $121,914 for services through June 30, 2016, and a draft contract in that amount has been prepared for Council approval (Attachment 1)
In terms of services to youth new to the program, NOVA staff will operate the full youth program for the remainder of the fiscal year. NOVA will be working on a regional procurement of youth program operations under WIOA for the fiscal year beginning July 2016.
The NOVA Youth Committee is responsible for advising the NOVA Workforce Board on matters pertaining to youth and, at their August 26 meeting, they recommended approval of a limited contract with the Bill Wilson Center. The NOVA Workforce Board will be taking action on September 23 and is expected to approve the Committee’s recommendations.
FISCAL IMPACT
The source of funds for the services in this contract is WIOA funds. Since funds are obligated to programs only based upon appropriations dedicated to NOVA, sufficient WIOA funds will exist to cover all anticipated obligations of day-to-day program operations. If funding is cut, then staffing and program services will be accordingly reduced.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Renew the contract with Bill Wilson Center in an amount not to exceed $121,914 to provide youth workforce development services from October 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.
Staff
Prepared by: Jeanette Langdell, Employment Training Manager
Reviewed by: Kris Stadelman, Director, NOVA Workforce Services
Reviewed by: Jane Chambers, Interim Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
1. Draft Agreement