The Mayor’s Workforce Development Board (MWDB) is directly responsible and accountable to the State of Michigan, Labor and Economic Development, Workforce Development (LEO/WD) for the planning and oversight of talent development programs in the City of Detroit. Designated by the MWDB, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) serves as the fiscal and administrative entity that provides workforce services to job seekers and employers. DESC’s primary funding streams include Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) that funds Michigan’s PATH (Partnership. Accountability. Training. Hope.) employment program, Food Assistance Employment and Training (FAE&T), Wagner-Peyser Employment Services (ES), and other public and private funding. DESC anticipates receiving American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support contracts as a result of this competitive bid process.
In July 2019, the MWDB and DESC, known collectively as Detroit at Work, launched a re-designed public workforce system. This included expanding from 3 to 9 Career Centers; doubling the number of youth service locations; physical co-location of federally funded programs with a common intake process; a centralized call center that serves as a single point of entry to our system; expansion of technology-enabled and web-based services; and integration of on-site financial coaching services. In addition, one of the most critical components of the new system has been reorienting program delivery through a Human-Centered design lens that puts the customers’ needs at the center of service delivery.
DESC is seeking proposals from qualified individuals or companies to provide, as needed, supportive services for DESC, the MWDB, Detroit at Work career centers and other workforce partners across a wide range of programs and activities. DESC plans to award one (1) contract for requested services as detailed in this RFP.
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