TSS OSP seeks to establish a statewide contract for use by Arkansas state agencies, K-12 educational institutions, and local public procurement units (cities, counties, and municipalities) (herein collectively referred to as “Eligible Purchasers”). The State seeks a Contractor to provide a comprehensive program to assist individuals, especially those with excessive barriers to employment, including recipients of benefits from DWS programs or other social services programs identified by the State, for entry into the workforce by matching their skills, talents and work history with vacant job opportunities within the State of Arkansas. The goal of the program is to transition unemployed applicants, prioritizing those applicants with the most significant or multiple barriers to employment, into gainful employment that mitigates poverty, encourages economic independence and inspires self-reliance, thereby reducing dependency on government benefits. Ideally, applicants will be placed into hard to fill vacancies (as defined by the Participating Entity) on a temporary basis, then gain skills and experience needed to apply for a full-time position with the State. Candidates may be hired as a permanent employee of the State or Participating Entity if the Participating Entity and hiring processes have been met and if the candidate elects to accept employment with the State or Participating Entity. The Contractor will be considered an independent Contractor and not an employee of the State or Participating Entities. The Contractor’s staff, including temporary assigned individuals will also not be considered employees of the State or Participating Entities. While a contract resulting from this RFP will not be mandatory for Eligible Purchasers, TSS OSP expects that a competitive contract would be highly utilized by Eligible Purchasers if it is competitive, advantageous to the State, easy to use, and marketed well by the Contractor.
