New Mexico Human Services Department: Refugee Social Services Program

The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking an organizations that will provide professional services under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) to ensure the effective resettlement of refugees in New Mexico and fulfilling the state and federal goals and objectives of the RRP. The RRP provides resettlement services to newly arrived refugees with the goal of assisting refugees to obtain self-sufficiency within the shortest possible time after entrance into the state. The RRP service provider(s) will provide case management, and assist refugees with training, education, job placement, and support services.

The purpose of the New Mexico RRP is to ensure the effective resettlement of refugees in New Mexico through programs designed to meet one or more of the state’s three major goals:

1. To provide for the effective resettlement of refugees in the shortest possible time after entrance into the State using coordinated supportive services. Effective resettlement means the refugees can access community resources that meet his or her basic needs related to employment, English Language Training (ELT), skills training, medical care, and social and cultural adjustments.
2. To promote economic self-sufficiency for refugees within the shortest possible time after entrance into the state through employment and integration by the coordinated use of financial, medical, and supportive services.
3. To protect the refugees and the community from infectious disease and health related issues during resettlement.

Work to be performed by service provider(s) includes:

• Providing refugee-specific services that are designed to meet refugee needs and are in keeping with the rules and objectives of the refugee program. The exception to this requirement is that vocational or job skills training, on-the-job training, or ELT need not be refugee-specific.
• Providing refugees with assistance obtaining Employment Authorization Documents (EADs).
• Promoting economic self-sufficiency through employment and acculturation for refugees within the shortest possible time after entrance into the state by the coordinated use of financial, medical, and support services.
• Ensuring that refugees obtain the services that will help them reduce or avoid dependence on public cash assistance and increase their quality of life.
• Developing and maintaining a “Family Self-Sufficiency Plan” and “Individual Employability Plan” for those who receive employment-related services.
• Providing employment services and support services to promote economic self-sufficiency. Services may include an employability assessment, on-the-job training, vocational training, skills recertification, ELT, transportation, translation and interpreter services, case management, referrals and outreach services, and social adjustment services.
• Promoting coordination of services that increase accessibility to those services for individuals and families, and maximize the use of existing resources.
• Providing a case manager for each adult throughout the adult’s enrollment in Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) or while the refugee is eligible for Refugee Social Services (RSS) and enrolled in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
• Developing resources to increase the amount, accessibility, and quality of services available to refugees.
• Tracking participation of each refugee in the caseload.

Amount: Not stated. The procurement may result in a multiple source award. The term of the contract shall be for one year with up to three additional one-year extensions.

Eligibility: An offeror is defined as “any person, corporation, or partnership who chooses to submit a proposal.” Offerors are to provide evidence of experience and ability to work with refugees to include: assess client skills and abilities; develop individualized employment plans; provide case management as needed; identify barriers to employment; make appropriate referrals to community partners for support services; place refugees in employment which provides living wages to enable refugee individuals, or families, to achieve self-sufficiency. Offerors may provide a collaborative response with identified partners.

Link: http://www.generalservices.state.nm.us/statepurchasing/ITBs__RFPs_and_Bid_Tabulation.aspx

Note: A pre-proposal conference will be held on April 12, 2016.

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