Specifications include, but are not limited to: A. The Contractor’s program shall consist of employment related services and support while the referred Defendant/Inmate is on Community Supervision or parole, beginning at the time the Defendant has been placed on Community Supervision or the Inmate has been released from TDCJ confinement, for a period of one hundred eighty (180) Days, or completion of the Contractor’s program, whichever comes first. B. The educational and vocational training portions of the Contractor’s program must be accredited or have the ability to award an industry credential. This may be accomplished by the Contractor, or in part or in whole, through a subcontracting agreement with a recognized and credentialed third party. All subcontracting agreements are subject to approval by the Department. C. The Contractor’s service and support program must include the following requirements: 1. An individualized screening is required to determine each Defendant’s/Inmate’s educational need. Information regarding the Defendant’s/Inmate’s current educational achievement will be provided by the Department for use, if needed, in developing an educational plan. The educational plan is to assist the Defendant/Inmate in achieving either a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma through General Educational Development (GED) testing, as applicable. The screening tool developed/proposed for use in the program and any subsequent revisions are subject to Department approval.; 2. An individualized assessment of the Defendant’s/Inmate’s vocational and employment needs using a public domain career interest inventory assessment tool or similar public domain assessment tool, as approved by the Department. The assessment tool must have the ability to identify interests, provide career clusters, and include employment outlook in the area of the Defendant’s/Inmate’s residence. The Contractor is required to utilize the results of the assessment to determine career selection. The tool to be used is to be noted in the Offeror’s proposal. The Individualized Service Plan (ISP) developed/proposed for use in the program and any subsequent revisions are subject to Department approval.; 3. Competency based training and education related to the Defendant’s/Inmate’s vocational goals developed as a result of the individualized assessment noted above. The program must meet basic competencies and provide, at a minimum, training in the identified field of interest, employment soft skills, resume writing, and employment application completion. The curriculum framework must be associated with performance and is subject to Department approval. If a standardized curriculum is utilized, only the name of the curriculum is required to be provided for Department review; otherwise, the actual curriculum that is to be used by the Contractor is required for submission and review by the Department. ; 4. A life skills program utilizing a standardized curriculum, as approved by the Department. If a standardized curriculum is utilized, only the name of the curriculum is required to be provided for Department review; otherwise, the actual curriculum that is to be used by the Contractor is required for submission and review by the Department. The curriculum must include, at a minimum, the following basic topics: a. Money management; b. Developing a Budget; c. Credit and Banking; 5. The Contractor is to create a referral tracking system for each Defendant/Inmate mandated by the sentencing judge or required as a condition of parole by the BPP to participate in the program. The Contractor is responsible to contact each referred Defendant/Inmate upon scheduled sentencing or release to initially enroll in the program and begin Services. The Contractor is to ensure that screening and assessments of program needs are conducted for each referred Defendant/Inmate no more than three (3) Working Days of release from the custody or referral from the CSCD as a result of the Court Order.
