Q&A – WIOA Title I-B Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Services

1. Can a proposer have more than 1 youth agency as a second-tier subrecipient?

You can choose to propose a single (one) youth agency as a second tier subrecipient.

2. I am unable to find Snohomish County's Comprehensive Certified Center online - can you give me direction? I understand that Basic Career Services need to happen there

The address for the Snohomish County WorkSource center is:
728 134th St. SW, Suite 102, Everett, WA 98204.
WorkSource Website is: https://worksourceonline.com/
WorkSource locator for all sites statewide: https://www.worksourcewa.com/microsite/content.aspx?appid=MGSWAOFFLOC&pagetype=simple&seo=officelocator

3. Is only 1 second tier sub allowed for youth services? Can we have 2?

Only one subrecipient is permitted in proposals. Second tier subrecipients are an option and are not required in proposals

4. 2nd tier subs are only allowed for youth services?

Only youth services are permitted for the second tier sub.

5. We missed the deadline to submit the letter of intent, can we still apply?

Letters of intent are not required for applicants to proceed to an application submission.

6. Please confirm the page limit for the Proposal Narrative Sections – Experience and Ability; Relationships and Collaboration; Program Design. 25 pages? 

25 pages is the correct page limit for the Proposal Narrative Sections – Experience and Ability, Relationships and Collaboration and Program Design.

7. Please provide an overview of how ISY services are currently being implemented within the region.

Through partnerships with K-12 alternative and traditional high schools, the youth provider receives referrals for In-School Youth (ISY) who are at risk of dropping out or require specialized support to meet their educational and employment goals. Youth provider develops individualized plans for each youth with steps to meet their goals within the framework of the 14 WIOA Youth Elements.

8. Will Youth services be facilitated out of/ from the comprehensive WS center?

Yes. WIOA services (including Youth) must be accessible to all qualifying customers in Snohomish County, including those with geographic, transportation, or technology barriers. Bidders should plan to maintain a visible and reliable presence at WorkSource Everett. Outreach activities and services may be delivered in-community, providing there is reliable access to Youth staff during open hours at the WorkSource.

9. In the bidders conference you referenced a 6-month implementation plan with milestones, yet the RFP package does not speak to or ask for this. Please confirm the request. 

There is not a 6-month implementation plan with milestones. Please see the correction to the Bidders Conference PPT slide 10 on the RFP page. The requirements for submission are located on page 15 of the RFP:

1. Applicant Organization Information Form (complete online in application portal by organization’s authorized representative) 
2. Proposal Narrative (25 pages maximum, single PDF file) 
3. Required Proposal Narrative Attachments (single PDF file; budget may be uploaded separately) 
4. Additional Documentation (no page limit, single PDF file)

10. Will Attachment A be available in a fillable PDF?

No, there is not a fillable PDF. Attachment A is a sample template to guide your submission of this information.

11. Are letters of support allowable attachments?

No. Additional attachments beyond those requested are not permitted. Any additional attachments will be removed from the application and not scored.

12. We understand that this procurement aims to consolidate services under a single primary subrecipient. In previous cycles, services were redistributed to additional provider’s mid-cycle. Can you please share WFS’s intention around potential future diversification?

The Future Workforce Alliance has authorized Workforce Snohomish to issue this Request for Proposals for a single primary subrecipient who may choose to propose a second tier subrecipient for WIOA Youth funds.

Regarding potential future diversification or redistribution of services to additional providers (as occurred in previous cycles), any such decisions would be made solely at the discretion of the Future Workforce Alliance. The Future Workforce Alliance retains full authority over all decisions pertaining to service providers, procurements, and any potential changes to the service delivery model.

13. HR / Staffing Does WFS have a recommended or required staff-to-participant ratio for Employment Specialists, and will ratios be evaluated against a benchmark during scoring? What is the current staff-to-participant ratio?

The specific number of an ideal caseload size varies greatly depending on the program and proposed  program design. There is no benchmark ratio, scoring is holistic based on program design.

14. Are there any required credentials, certifications, or licensing requirements for frontline Employment Specialists or Youth case managers? 

Current WFS and State Policies do not outline specific credentials, certifications or licensing requirements for frontline staff at present time.  Subrecipients are required to comply with all applicable state and federal laws pertaining to working with minors.

15. Compensation and prevailing wage Will staff who manage or administer On-the-Job Training (OJT) contracts be subject to any prevailing wage requirements, and does WFS have a position on minimum compensation levels for subrecipient staff paid from WIOA funds?

No, there is not a current policy for staff wage requirements.

16. For Youth work experience participants receiving wages, who is the employer of record — the subrecipient, the host employer, or WFS — and what are the workers' compensation and liability obligations for each party?

The subrecipient is the employer of record. Youth WEX participants are on the subrecipient’s payroll for the duration of the WEX. Some WEX hosts require that participants be over 18.

17. Transition and continuity of service staffing The RFP requires the new subrecipient to be operational by June 3, 2026 and accept caseload transfers from the exiting provider. Will WFS facilitate any introduction or handoff between outgoing and incoming staff, and is there an expectation that the new subrecipient will attempt to hire staff from the exiting organization to ensure participant continuity?

Yes, WFS will facilitate the transition. No, there is no expectation that staff from the outgoing subrecipients be retained/hired by the incoming subrecipient organization

18. Are there any WARN Act or labor law considerations WFS is aware of with the transition that bidders should factor into their timeline?

WFS is unable to answer the question without additional specificity and does not provide legal guidance.

19. Staff training on systems The RFP mentions Washington State is transitioning to a new case management system (replacing ETO/WIT). Will WFS fund or provide training time for subrecipient staff during that transition, or is staff training time expected to come out of the subrecipient's administrative budget?

The new case management system, WA Works, is expected to go live in May. By June, it will be in place and any new staff will be trained in that system as part of their onboarding to the program, which would come out of regular staff time in the subrecipient’s budget.

20. Is there a current estimate of when the new system will go live, so staffing and onboarding plans can account for it?

The new system (WA Works) is expected to go live in May 2026.

21. Volunteer and unpaid staff Several Youth program elements (mentoring, peer support, leadership development) are commonly delivered using volunteers or community mentors. Does WFS have a policy on volunteer supervision, background screening, or whether volunteer time can count toward leveraged resources in the budget? 

1. Volunteer Time as Leveraged Resources
   Yes, volunteer time and services may be counted as in-kind leveraged resources in your budget, consistent with 2 CFR § 200.306, which governs cost sharing and matching for federal awards. Bidders proposing to use volunteers in service delivery are encouraged to include estimated volunteer hours and their fair market value in Exhibit H and to explain the valuation methodology in the Budget Narrative (Exhibit I).
2. Volunteer Supervision
   WFS does not maintain a standalone volunteer supervision policy specific to this RFP.
3. Background Screening
   WFS does not prescribe a specific background screening policy for volunteers at this time; however, bidders are strongly advised to apply their own organizational policies and applicable state and local requirements.

22. Are there any existing staff from the current subrecipient that the new provider would be expected to absorb or give priority hiring consideration to?

No. There is no expectation to retain or attempt to hire current staff.

23. In regards to page 5 of the RFP. Should the bidders submit a cost proposal 25% ISY and 75% OSY even though the percentages may change over the course of the program cycle?

Bidders may submit their cost proposals using the baseline ratio of 25% In-School Youth (ISY) and 75% Out-of-School Youth (OSY) as the foundation for their Youth services budget.

A few important clarifications:

1. The 25% ISY figure is a maximum, not a target
   Bidders should understand that 25% represents the ceiling for ISY expenditures under the initial agreement, not a required allocation. Proposals should reflect intentional service strategies.. Bidders should clearly describe in their Program Design narrative how they will prioritize and serve OSY as the primary population.
2. The ratio may be adjusted during the program cycle
   As noted in the RFP (Section I.D), FWA retains the option to modify the ISY percentage up to a maximum of 50% over the course of the program cycle depending on community need, participant demand, and program performance. However, this flexibility is at FWA's discretion and would not be assumed by the subrecipient unilaterally.
3. Changes to the ratio that impact budget require a formal modification
   If a shift in the ISY/OSY ratio becomes necessary during the subaward period and would result in a material change to the approved budget, the subrecipient must submit a budget modification request to WFS.

24. Are there any specifications towards cost per participant?

WFS cannot answer this question without clarification if this is administrative costs per participant to run the program or paid services for participants. If you are seeking additional information, you are encouraged to submit an explanation of intent with the question.

25. Will there be training provided on the Efforts to Outcome (ETO) or should bidders budget to obtain training on the platform?

ETO will be phased out by the time the subrecipient is selected and onboarded. All staff will be provided with the necessary training to use the new WA Works system.

26. Please confirm the de minimus rate is 10% or 15% allowable?

15% de minimus is allowable.

27. Does a separate budget need to be prepared for each program or all together?

The budget should be developed all together with detail articulated in the budget narrative attributing to each program where applicable.

28. Are there equipment items already in place or should bidders budget for laptops, printers, scanners, smart phones?

The Worksource center has some infrastructure wifi, phone, monitors, docking stations, laptops, printers and scanners, but there may be other communications costs your organization may want to consider in the budget for work in the community, traveling, etc.

29. Do current offices have a shared internet or do bidders need to cost for internet?

Internet and other office infrastructure is provided at the WorkSource center, but there may be other communications costs your organization may want to consider in the budget for work in the community, traveling, etc. Bidders should defer to their own cost policy statement or cost allocation plan.

30. Are there any shared infrastructure costs bidders must budget for? If so approximately how much?

No. Workforce Snohomish does not require the Title1 subrecipients or bidders to to budget for shared Infrastructure Funding Agreement (IFA) costs in their proposed or annual budgets.

31. Who will be the employee of record for the WEX participants?

The subrecipient. Youth are temporary employees of the subrecipient for the duration of their WEX.

32. Will the contractors be responsible for processing participant fees associated with the program? For example ITA, incentives, participants support programs.

Yes. All participant support costs, including ITAs, incentives, support services, and WEXes are paid, processed, and managed by the subrecipient and reported to WFS.

34. Programmatic Workforce Compass is described as a required platform — what level of integration is expected? Is there an API, staff portal, or just participant-facing use?

The expectation to integrate Workforce Compass into the work is mainly in terms of using it as a career exploration, job search, and resume building tool in the arsenal of tools used by Employment Specialists with participants. Additionally, the tool can support connections to employers.

35. The RFP mentions BFET co-enrollment and Disaster Dislocated Worker Grants as possible add-ons. Is there any history of how frequently these are activated, and would additional funding accompany them?

Both BFET and Disaster Dislocated Worker Grants are added on as they are currently available in the area. Additional funding may be provided.

36. On the youth 20% work experience expenditure requirement-does WFS track this real-time, and what happens if a provider is trending below that threshold mid-year?

WFS does track this in real time, as should the subrecipient. If the provider is trending below the 20%, they will need to plan how to reach the target 20% by the end of the program year. Real-time tracking helps course-correct so that by the end of the program year, actual expenditures are on target.

37. Given that Youth Credential Attainment came in at only 38.6% against a 50% target (per Attachment C), does WFS have any analysis of root causes, or is the bidder expected to diagnose and propose solutions independently?

Yes, WFS and the subrecipient can discuss this in kick off and onboarding. The subrecipient is not expected to diagnose root causes as part of this RFP, but an understanding of Credential Attainment and Measurable Skills Gain per the provided references are sufficient to include some options for improvement within the proposed program design.

38. The continuity requirement says the new provider must be operational by June 3, 2026 — is there a formal case file transfer protocol, and will the current subrecipient be contractually required to cooperate?

June 3, 2026 is an estimated start date for budget planning purposes. The subrecipient agreement is estimated between June 1 - June 30, 2026. There is a formal case file transfer protocol that WFS will support the subrecipient with during the transition.

39. What was the number of participants during PY23, PY 24, and PY 25 to date for Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Programs?

The data are publicly available here: https://wpc.wa.gov/reports/workforce-services-performance-dashboard

Note: the WIOA Adult numbers are slightly elevated because they include “basic” enrollments. Adult full enrollment numbers are usually more similar to the Dislocated Worker program numbers.

40. Who are your current service providers? How long have they been providing services?

1. Career Path Services - 06/2022
2. Pacific Associates - 07/2022
3. TRAC Associates - 01/2025
4. Cocoon House - 07/2022
5. Refugee and Immigrant Services Northwest (RISNW) - 07/2022
6. Seattle Jobs Initiative (SJI) - 07/2022

41. Are there specific performance benchmarks or improvement priorities the Board would like the next provider to emphasize?

The performance metrics are the Common Measures which are specified on page 10 (Section B. WIOA Performance Measures) of the RFP and Attachment C. The Attachment specifies the measures on which Snohomish County has been underperforming.

42. Please provide all information on how many placements occurred in all work-based learning contracts (Work Exp, OJT, Apprenticeship…), including how much of the proposed invested dollars were actually spent on each activity.

Year over year, WEX, OJT, and apprenticeship are dependent upon many variables such as program design, funding resources available, alignment with individuals participating in the program, and achievement of common measures. If you are seeking additional information, you are encouraged to submit an explanation of intent with the question.

43. To ensure our proposal is as accurate and competitive as possible, we would like to review past records for similar bids, particularly successful applications. Could you please let me know if these records can be requested through this email or if there is a different process I should follow?

Regarding your request to review past records for similar bids, including previously successful applications — this RFP Q&A is designated solely for RFP-related questions pertaining to the current procurement. Records requests of this nature fall outside the scope of what can be fulfilled through this channel.

Because this RFP is issued under the purview of the Future Workforce Alliance (FWA), Snohomish County's Local Workforce Development Board, which is housed within Snohomish County, public records requests must be submitted directly through the County's formal process. Please direct your request to:

Snohomish County Public Records
Website: www.snohomishcountywa.gov/publicrecords

Their office will be able to advise you on the applicable process, timelines, and any associated fees under the Washington State Public Records Act (RCW 42.56)

44. What is the current staffing for Title 1 Adult and Dislocated Worker?

Staffing structures vary across current providers and are not prescribed by this RFP. Each organization's staffing model reflects their unique program design, organizational strategy, and portfolio of funds.

The current staffing is:

• Career Path: 1 FTE Director, 2 FTE Case managers
• TRAC: 1 FTE Manager, 4 FTE case managers, .5FTE MIS assistant
• PA: 1 FTE Director, 3 FTE case managers

45. What is the current staffing for Title 1 Youth?

Staffing structures vary across current providers and are not prescribed by this RFP. Each organization's staffing model reflects their unique program design, organizational strategy, and portfolio of funds.

The current staffing is:

• 1 FTE Director of Youth, 2.5 FTE case managers, 1 FTE Project Coordinator

46. Is profit allowable?

No. Per Employment Security Department (ESD) state Policy 5220, all funds identified as program income must be used on other programmatic activities and expended prior to requesting funds to reimburse costs. In other words, if a program activity somehow results in a profit, the subrecipient cannot use that profit as unrestricted funds, it must go back into program activities.

 

47. Should bidders include costs for computers/laptops for staff in our budgets?

Bidders can choose to include costs for computers/ laptops, but laptops can be provided by WFS and thus would not need to be budgeted. The WorkSource center has some infrastructure like wifi, phone, monitors, docking stations, printers and scanners.

48. Please confirm that staff time dedicated to WEX activities can count towards the 20% minimum WEX requirement.

Yes, the 20% Youth WEX expenditure requirement includes staff time spent developing and managing WEXes, including staff time supporting youth participants in a WEX.

49. We understand the Cognito Forms will allow us to upload a maximum of 20 files. To assure receipt of all file uploads, What is the maximum individual file limit? What is the combined file limit?

The size limit for each individual file is 250 MB, and you can upload up to 20 files.

50. To best ensure compliance with the identified page limits, please confirm that tables, charts, and graphics may be less than 12 point font so long as legible.

12-point Times New Roman font is the requirement for all text, including tables and charts. Graphics and images may be smaller than 12-point Times New Roman font as long as it is legible.

51. Is there an expected minimum of participants to be enrolled for each funding stream?

Yes, and that amount will be included in the subaward performance metrics.

52. What is the expected range of participants to be enrolled for each funding stream?

Enrollment targets are negotiated each spring, factoring in changes in program design, prior year performance and carry-in expectations. Historically, this number comes out to ~100-200 individuals per funding stream.