I

County of Santa Clara
Social Services Agency

1725 Teclinology Dri\'e
San Jose. California 951 101360

Prepared by
Alette Ltindeberg

Reviewed by
Met

debe

Submitted by
Alette Lundeberg
March 12, 1997

TO:

Santa Clara County
Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Yolanda Lenier Rinaldo, Director

SUBJECT:

APPROVAL OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO PROCURE A
REFUGEE EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT CENTER UTILIZING REFUGEE

EMPLOYMENT SOCIAL SERVICES (RESS) BTJNDS

RECOMMENDED ACTION

It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors take the following
action:

Approve the attached Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Refugee
Employment Support Center.

The envisioned Center will provide
a variety of innovative employment retention services for

refugees who have lived in the United States for sixty months
This Center is one of the new models the Agency is
launching as a part of the Santa Clara Valley Employment

or less.

Support Initiative.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There is no impact on the General Fund, as the RESS program is 100
percent federally funded.

Board of Supervisors:
County Executive: Richard Wittenberg

SOlO

March 12, 1997

Page 2

SUBJECT:

APPROVAL OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO PROCURE A
REFUGEE EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT CENTER UTILIZING REFUGEE

EMPLOYMENT SOCIAL SERVICES (RESS) FUNDS

CONTRACT HISTORY

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND/REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION

Santa Clara County is home to a dynamic and growing economy with

many opportunities for employment.

One of the key characteristics

of the Silicon Valley labor market is a heavy reliance on a
temporary labor force, Many of the AFDC/TANF recipients who secure
employment are hired on as temporary workers. This has been a boon
to many recipients such as limited English-speaking refugees who
need employment experience. However, GAIN and Refugee programs

employment retention data indicates that "job ended" is the second
largest reason why recipients do not remain employed.
The need to develop employment retention services for AFDC/TANF
participants was identified early in the Employment Support
Initiative (ESI) planning process as a priority, given the time
limits that have been placed on public assistance. An ESI

Employment Retention Task Force has been meeting regularly for the
past year to identify gaps in existing systems and to develop new
program models. Many of the services identified by this work group
focus on providing resources to unemployed or underemployed
individuals who are former AFDC/TANF recipients or at risk of
becoming recipients.

Agency staff has been able to secure California Department of
Social Services (CDSS) approval to utilize $277,971 of unexpended

Refugee Employment Social Services (RESS) funds to develop a pilot
program focusing on employment retention services. The attached
RFP is for a Refugee Employment Support Center that will serve laid
off, under-employed and part-time employed refugees by providing a
variety of job placement and skills upgrade services. RESS funding
can only be utilized for refugees residing in the United States for
sixty (60) months or less. It is planned that a minimum of one

March 12, 1997

Page 3

SUBJECT:

APPROVAL OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO PROCURE A
REFUGEE EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT CENTER UTILIZING REFUGEE

EMPLOYMENT SOCIAL SERVICES (RESS) FUNDS

hundred and fifty (150) refugees who are receiving or have received
AFDC/TANF, Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), or General Assistance
(GA) will be served during a twelve month period beginning July 1,
1997.

This RFP requires a minimum 30% match in funds from prospective
bidders. With the goal of minimizing administrative overhead, and
ensuring the most effective use of federal dollars, the Agency is
aiming to select one (1) bidder to implement this model. The RFP
review process will include oral presentations from bidders. The
review committee will be composed of Employment Retention Task
Force members. Agency staff, and representatives from the United
Way and the Social Services Advisory Commission. The inclusion of
United Way and Social Services Advisory Commission representatives
is an exciting facet of this project. Both the United Way and the
Agency's General Fund have set aside monies for new services for
welfare recipients. Discussions have taken place and concurrence
has been reached on similar outcome measures, and the need for all

three funding sources to coordinate efforts. All bidders funded by
the three funding sources will be involved in quarterly meetings,
to encourage maximum collaboration.

CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION

If the RFP is not approved, the Agency will be unable to utilize
the unexpended RESS funds to provide the proposed services for
refugees.

STEPS FOLLOWING APPROVAL

Upon receiving Board approval, the Agency will make the RFP
available to the public on April 2, 1997.