ARC, a non-profit organization that provides support to parents with a child in out-of-home placement to help them on their reunification, is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to those interested and qualified to provide a part-time career counselor. The purpose of this request is to procure a qualified provider or providers for one year with the option to extend the agreement for two (2) additional one-year periods based on need, performance, and funding availability. The period of performance for the agreement to be awarded is twelve (12) months beginning July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025. Respondents are invited to submit a proposal in accordance with the instructions indicated in this RFP.
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
ARC is a program under Urban Affairs Coalition, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ARC is contracted by the Philadelphia Department of Human Services to provide services to assist parents on their reunification journey. ARC provides parents with children in care (Foster, Kinship or Congregate care) with support that helps them set and achieve their own goals. ARC offers its participants long-lasting skills that enable them to be self-sufficient as they move forward beyond reunification. Often parents are presented with difficult choices due to varying factors like poverty, homelessness and more. ARC utilizes evidence-based interventions and techniques that will ultimately help families stay out of the child welfare system and help them regain economic self–sufficiency. ARC’s vision is Happy Families and Economic Self-Sufficiency. A key ARC priority is to be the pillars of support and encouragement. The parent journey is never a simple one, but ARC’s role is to be there every step of the way. Any path can be traversed with the right opportunities and resources, which is exactly what ARC aims to provide.
SCOPE OF WORK
The selected contractor will be responsible for delivering employment readiness, job attainment, and job training education and support to ARC parents who are referred to workforce development services. Services will include both group workshops on different job readiness skills and 1:1 job counseling and job development, and referrals to training resources.
This includes, but may not be limited to:
- One career counselor to be located on site at the Achieving Reunification Center office located at 1211 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19107
- Career counselor will be on site 2 days per week, 7 hours each day, during regular business hours.
- Career counselor will provide one-on-one individual career counseling and job search support services during pre-scheduled and non-scheduled individual appointments of up to 1.0 hour each, such as:
- Career counseling to help participant set timely and realistic employment goals
- Individual assessment of participant’s skills, interests and barriers
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- Exploring career options to re-enter the workforce, change jobs, change career direction
- Addressing previous and current barriers to employment such as long-term unemployment, poor work history, justice involvement, etc.
- Creating a job search action plan
- Creating/updating a resume, cover letter
- Prepping for job interviews
- Referrals to Career Link, WIOA services, other training programs and resources as appropriate
- Career counselor will utilize ARC’s Penelope system to input case notes, track attendance at individual sessions
- Career counselor will enter case notes documenting participation
- Career Counselor will provide certificates of completion
- Career counselor will be responsible for scheduling of ARC clients for individual appointments
- Career Counselor will engage referrals in Workforce Development Services for a period of 3 months or until deemed no longer needed
- Career counselor will be responsible for self-auditing files and requesting file closings as needed
- Career counselor will communicate as needed with ARC staff to reinforce ARC’s holistic model of support for their participants
- Career counselor will also provide group workshops such as:
- One monthly Orientation workshop, up to 1.5 hours in length, to introduce new ARC referrals to the employment support resources available while enrolled in ARC services and to encourage future participation in one-on-one appointments with counselor
- Additional workshop topics, from 1.0 hour to 1.5 hours in length will be rotated monthly to provide more in-depth guidance on areas of need for ARC participants. A minimum of one of these additional topic workshops will be provided per month.
- These topics could include:
- Resume and cover letter writing
- Interviewing skills
- Job Search and Networking skills
- Using job boards to search and submit job applications
- Job search etiquette (writing emails, texting, voice mails, requesting references)
- Job search/Interview guidance to address barriers to employment like justice involvement, long-term unemployment, poor work history
- Keeping motivated during the job search
- Avoiding employment scams
- Introduction to PA CareerLink services, WIOA program, training programs
- Additional internal/external speakers coordinated by the career counselor
- Career counselor will provide ARC a monthly calendar of workshop offerings to be disseminated by ARC to participants
- Career counselor will utilize ARC’s Penelope system to track attendance at group sessions
- Career counselor will be responsible to provide workshops materials, handouts, PowerPoint presentations for group workshops
ADDITIONAL NOTES
ARC will be responsible for sending parent referrals to Workforce Development services, but the contractor will be responsible for engaging those referrals to participate in services. ARC expects that at minimum 50% of referrals will participate in services.
The ideal vendor:
- Will have experience providing employment services to the public in the Philadelphia area.
- Has the connections and resources to support parents with obtaining employment
- Has experience creating and facilitating education workshops and materials
- Has demonstrated knowledge of employment readiness skills
- Can provide a highly responsive, collaborative, and transparent communication process
SUBMISSIONS
Submissions may be sent via mail or electronically by the submission deadline.
- Project Name or Description: Part-Time Career Counselor
- Company Name: UAC/ARC
- Address: 1211 Chestnut Street
- City, State, Zip Code: Philadelphia, PA 19107
- Procurement Contact Person: Lorraine McGirt
- Telephone Number of ARC: 267-514-3500
- Email Address of PCP: billing@arcenter.org
- Fax Number: N/A
Timeline
Proposals must be submitted no later than Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
Submission Criteria
A submission must, at a minimum, include the following elements:
- Description of the contractor that includes a general overview, names and credentials of the career counselor, number of years providing employment services and any data regarding outcomes.
- Total cost of all Services and including the specific costs for equipment and labor and related tasks. Cost and services must include both 1:1 and group services by the career counselor. The contractor’s price must be good for 1 year from the date of submission.
CONTRACTOR SELECTION AND AGREEMENT
ROH will review all proposals and select a single contractor to provide the requested services within TEN (10) calendar days of receiving the proposals. ARC reserves the right to reject all quotations.
Following submission of required documents, the selected contractor will enter into individual agreements for the workforce development services.
QUOTE DUE DATE:
QUOTES ALONG WITH ALL RELEVANT AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS ARE DUE BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS (COB) ON TUESSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2024. THE PROPOSAL MUST BE SUBMITTED TO: Lorraine McGirt, ARC, lmcgirt@arcenter.org
QUESTIONS:
Interested contractors may submit questions in writing via email to:
Lorraine McGirt, ARC, lmcgirt@arcenter.org
We will make every effort to respond to all questions within two (2) business days.