Employment Advancement Retention Network (EARN) Service Provider

Statement of Purpose

SCPa Works seeks a results-driven provider(s) to administer the delivery of the Employment Advancement and Retention Network (EARN) program within the eight-county South Central PA region. The EARN program targets individuals enrolled in and eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) services within the region.  The focus of this project is grounded in the creation and implementation of workforce development strategies that reach EARN participant populations within communities and local organizations and institutions with the intent to overcome historic inequity and generational poverty. Integrated, solution-driven strategies, coupled with public positioning, are crucial to the success of this project. The selected provider(s) will partner within the PA CareerLink® system to create engaging program design models and address the all-encompassing needs of this diversified client base. 

Strategies for motivating individuals will be necessary when working with participants enrolled in the EARN program. Implementing employment-ready programming is a challenge for providers working with the underserved adult population. Last year, SCPa Works served 440 individuals. Of those 440, 163 began working while in the program. Of those 163, 95 worked four consecutive weeks, clocking at least 80 hours.

Among the roadblocks to administering the EARN program are a lack of childcare, a lack of transportation, barriers related to mental health challenges, language barriers, and individuals not having a support system to ensure the cultivation of positive work habits. Through fortitude and a passion for helping those in need, the challenges unique to working with the underserved adult population can be overcome with the proper program structure, a dedicated commitment to performance outcomes, and an intellectual curiosity to understand the human condition of impoverishment. A service provider can grow the EARN program from this solid foundation by maintaining a human-centered design and implementing a strategic combination of case management, coaching, and licensed counseling. By adding two-generation program strategies that meet the needs of parents, children, and the family as a whole, as well as peer-to-peer experiences, the EARN provider will have a design model for success. The priority of the EARN program is to assist participants in developing a career pathway, beginning with the achievement of job placement and the creation of job retention goals necessary for successful outcomes during program participation. The provider is responsible for assisting participants in overcoming barriers and to encourage a journey into industry-based career pathways that lead to long-term, family-sustaining income and enhanced employment security.

In December 2022, the unemployment rate for the SCPa Works region in South Central Pennsylvania was 3.3%. The South-Central PA region has seen a decline in jobs from 2018 to 2023 while the population has increased. A majority of participants have minimal work experience. Many participants need training in vocational-specific skills, while a percentage of participants require soft skills necessary for success in this competitive job market. Simply put, EARN participants need a greater foundation from which family-sustaining career pathways in key industry sectors are launched. For this reason, EARN participants are overlooked for positions in healthcare or manufacturing. Many EARN participants also lack social and family support systems that encourage regular work habits and make work possible through adequate and affordable daycare, reliable transportation, and supportive family or community-based networks.

The EARN service provider will illustrate a dedicated performance in developing and delivering quantifiable outreach strategies and services to impoverished adult populations throughout the South Central PA region, emphasizing full-spectrum services and referrals to overcome barriers to training and employment. The chosen provider will ensure that enrollment documents are obtained for onboarding while engaging EARN participants in designated programming to include the provision of workforce development activities prior to the start of the formal, work-based learning and employment placements. SCPa Works requires contracted service providers to consistently accelerate the implementation of innovative, solution-based concepts to ensure that EARN participants are equipped for success when matched with employers and training providers. 

Issued: October 15, 2024

Proposals Due By: November 15, 2024

Bidders Conference Questions Due: October 25, 2024

Bidders Conference: October 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.

            Bidders’ Conference Details:

            Date: 11:00 a.m. on October 30, 2024

            Meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81890241759?pwd=qdXPuRoTmt8UGioCM1L1DMooqkM7BC.1  

            Meeting ID: 818 9024 1759

            Passcode: 963345

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Notice of Intent Due: November 4, 2024

Review: November 18, 2024 – January 7, 2025

Board Approval: February 6, 2025

Anticipated Award Notification:  February 6, 2025

Contract Start Date: July 1, 2025

Contract End Date: June 30, 2026