1. Question: Is this Request for Proposal (RFP) significantly different from the previous RFP?

Answer: There are changes in the RFP.

2. Question: Would a student failing the Georgia Graduation test or sections of the test, be considered to "require additional assistance to complete an educational program for purposes of eligibility?"

Answer: We agree that it would appear to meet this requirement. However, the Youth Council would need to define this specifically, and we will present it to them.

3. Question: If you exit a student while still in school, how do you address the question of younger youth retention rate?

Answer: Younger youth who are exited as "attending secondary school at exit" are exempt from the performance standards pertaining to employment and/or attending post-secondary education.

4. Question: Your RFP requires collaboration. How is this addressed in the proposal? Must it be joint submission?

Answer: There is a section in the RFP to address this. It does not have to be joint submission but a letter indicating the partner agency's involvement (and signed by the partner) would be helpful or any Memorandum of Agreement, contract, etc. that specifies the agreement should be copied and attached.

5. Question: How much time is allowed for the youth to meet the measurement of incremental increase in basic skills?

Answer: Each youth who is basic skills deficient (scoring below 8^th grade level on a pre-assessment of reading and/or math) is required to set a basic skills goal. They have one year (365 days) to attain the goal. Thereafter, each goal has 365 days from the date it is set for it to be attained.

6. Question: If you are going to use existing test results to document basic skills levels, how current must the testing results be?

Answer: The test results must be less than one year in order to be considered valid.

7. Question: Could the proposer pay 20 hours for a youth during the summer and ask the job site to pay the other 20 hours?

Answer: Yes.

8. Question: Can Coosa Valley RDC provide computer disks with the RFP on it?

Answer: Our procedures do not provide for this option. However, the RFP will be available at www.careerdepot.org

9. Question: Who has the authority to sign the forms in the RFP?

Answer: Only a legal signatory authority for the bidder agency can sign the forms.

10. Question: Can an additional page be added to Attachment E?

Answer: Yes, one additional page can be added.

11. Question: Can mentors be paid, and if so, how would they be paid?

Answer: Yes, however any amounts to be paid out of WIA funds have to be included in the budget for consideration if you propose this, as well as copies of any sub-contract agreements.

12. Question: Can the mentor receive travel reimbursement?

Answer: If the mentor is an employee of the funded service provider it would be a part of the regular monthly invoice or through a sub-contract agreement approved by CVRDC. This should also be proposed in the budget.

13. Question: Does everyone who is registered in the program count toward the performance standards.

Answer: Yes.

14. Question: What is the current amount of the employer's portion of FICA?

Answer: The amount is 0.765% of the salary.

15. Question: If we have a cell phone and use it for WIA purposes, can we be reimbursed?

Answer: If the agency's personnel policies allow for reimbursement, you can receive this but you would need to have back-up documentation of the calls that were WIA as opposed to your personal calls.

16. Question: Should we divide all costs by 12 months and list them on the budget that way?

Answer: Yes, unless you plan to incur expenses at a specific time in which case you would include that in the month you plan for the expense.

17. Question: What is the difference between "training materials and supplies" and "equipment"?

Answer: Items that have a unit cost of less than $500.00 are considered to be "training materials and supplies." Anything that costs $500.00 or more per unit is considered to be "equipment" under WIA guidelines.

18. Question: What is the hourly rate of pay that can be charged for personnel salaries?

Answer: The RFP does not specify a maximum hourly rate that is allowed for personnel salaries; however, all costs should be reasonable based on the complexity of the job to be performed and are subject to approval by CVRDC.

19. Question: Can the program include a remediation component in the morning and work experience / apprenticeship or other work-based training activities in the afternoon?

Answer: Yes. You can be flexible in this manner.

20. Question: Is it alright for youth age 14 to work?

Answer: Yes, if the jobs are consistent with federal and state child labor laws.

21. Question: Does the CVRDC require a "drug free workplace certification" form to be included in the RFP?

Answer: Although it is a requirement for federal programs to comply with drug-free work place requirements, the RFP did not request the certification form. It is in the Assurances section of the RFP, however.

22. Question: Must all programs teach basic skills?

Answer: All ten program components must be provided either directly or through arrangements with partners.

23. Question: If employers want to participate by providing employment opportunities for WIA youth, can a list of the youth service providers be given to the employers for purposes of developing work based training?

Answer: Yes.

24. Question: If our school currently has two separate WIA contracts, must both submit a separate RFP?

Answer: No. Both sections of your WIA Youth Success Academy services could be combined and submitted as one proposal.

25. Question: Are the instructions in the RFP sufficient to allow a bidder to complete their proposal without attending all of the Bidders' Conference?

Answer. Yes.

26. Question: When an employee has already received a criminal background check is it necessary to have an additional criminal background check?

Answer: In the event that the employee has already undergone a criminal background check, verification would need to be provided. New employees would be required to have a criminal background check.

27. Question: Would it be possible to change the performance requirements in order to have higher performance in one area and lower in another area?

Answer: The proposer would have to present a valid reason for a change in the negotiated performance levels. An innovative program design describing your reasons for such changes would need to be presented.

28. Question: Would it be permissible for a provider of services to serve five participants in one month and twenty in another in a component such as work experience?

Answer: You may register participants at different points during the year and may have varying amounts in each component. The bottom line is how many are registered for the contract period. All those registered count toward your slot level.

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