The Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) is the state's Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency serving individuals that are Blind, Deaf-Blind or Low Vision. DSB assists customers in making informed choices to achieve full community participation through employment, education, and independent living opportunities. The DSB Business Relations Program (BRP) is responsible for providing career exploration and job readiness services to DSB customers in anticipation of it leading to successful progression in achieving post-secondary training and employment.

What DSB is Seeking

The BRP is looking to team up with qualified vendors to develop and implement subject-specific Job Clubs for DSB customers. Topics should be geared towards introductory level. Although, if applicable, certification-based programming may also be optional. Throughout the execution of these programs, vendor will also need to evaluate participation engagement and program effectiveness to provide DSB feedback.

A Job Club will assist Vocational Rehabilitation customers to explore potential career options to prepare for meaningful employment through networking, workplace readiness skills training, and coaching opportunities. The job clubs will also offer DSB customers social and emotional support through their peers and provide an opportunity to strengthen one’s ability to self-advocate.

Each job club cohort shall incorporate weekly group trainings as well as individualized one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Each Job Club cohort shall:

• Extend anywhere from 8 to 20 weeks.
• Consist of 3 to 12 participants.
• Be held remotely in order to service customers statewide.
• Each individual weekly job class should last a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 2 hours.
• Include, at minimum, up to 20 hours of 1:1 mentoring for each participant throughout the job club series.
• Be offered up to twice annually.

DSB is seeking vendors qualified to provide training via weekly job clubs in any of the following subject areas:

• Cloud-Based Cybersecurity and IT Customer Support careers
• Certified Peer Counselor
• Medical Assistant
• Medical Billing and Coding
• Medical Services and Administrations
• Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Rehabilitation Respiratory Technician/Assistant
• Substance Use Disorder Professional

Additionally, DSB is interested in vendors with established employment networks in these fields within the following counties in Washington State: King, Pierce, and Thurston County.

All training materials and presentations must be provided in an accessible matter for individuals that are Blind, Deaf-Blind, and Low Vision. Potential contractor shall warrant that the products, services, and materials/documentation to be provided will comply with DSB’s accessibility requirements and will remain current with Federal and Washington State accessibility standards.

Request for Information Process

This Request for Information is not a competitive solicitation that will result in the award of a contract to one or more bidders. Rather, it is intended to obtain information that may assist the Department in determining the contractual options that may be available should the Department elect to pursue client service contracts.

Participation in this RFI is voluntary and responses are not considered proposals. This document does not oblige the Department to issue a competitive solicitation to evaluate the services of any responding organization or to enter into any contract. The Department reserves the right to explore any and all options for meeting its need for services including, but not limited to, options that are brought to its attention through this RFI. The Department shall not be responsible for any cost that may be incurred by persons responding to this RFI.

Desired Outcomes from this RFI

Your voluntary response to this RFI is greatly appreciated. At this time, we are seeking limited information just to help determine the availability of businesses that may fit our program needs. Notice of this RFI will be sent to persons who may know of potential respondents and will be published on the Department’s website as well as on Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS: Document Identifer 53946), the procurement website hosted by the State Department of Enterprise Services. The Department reserves the right to utilize freely any ideas and information received as a result of this RFI in developing potential solutions to the Department’s requirements.

How to Respond to this RFI

If you are interested in being considered for a contract as described in this RFI, please submit a letter of interest together with a completed questionnaire addressing your capabilities and experience. The questionnaire is appended to this RFI as Attachment 1. Please submit your response by email to: DSBContracts@dsb.wa.gov,  no later than August 31, 2024.

Confidentiality

The Department of Services for the Blind is subject to public records laws. As a result, responses are not confidential and are subject to public disclosure. We ask that you not submit any confidential and proprietary information in response to this RFI.

Accessibility Requirements

Contractor hereby warrants that the products, services, and materials/documentation to be provided under this agreement comply with the Department of Services for the Blind’s accessibility requirements and will remain current with Federal and Washington State accessibility standards. Contractor understands and agrees that the Washington State’s OCIO Policy 188 – Accessibility located at https://ocio.wa.gov/policy/minimum-accessibility-standard  shall serve as the minimum standard for accessibility requirements, and contractor warrants that it shall comply with OCIO Policy 188 – Accessibility.

Timeline and Next Steps

The Department will review responses and may engage one or more respondents in discussion regarding this RFI.

Thank you for your assistance and participation in this request.