2026 Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)

MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
Introduction
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a federally funded workforce
development initiative authorized under Title V of the Older Americans Act. Its primary purpose
is to promote economic self-sufficiency for low-income adults age 55 and older by providing
paid, part-time community service assignments and structured training opportunities. Through
subsidized on-the-job training at government and nonprofit host agencies, participants gain
current work experience, develop marketable skills, and transition toward unsubsidized
employment.
SCSEP is an integral partner in the broader public workforce system established under the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Although SCSEP operates under separate
authorizing legislation, the program is required to coordinate closely with WIOA Title I and Title
III programs, the One-Stop delivery system, and Local Workforce Development Boards. This
coordination ensures that older workers receive streamlined access to employment, training, and
supportive services.
In practice, SCSEP and WIOA collaborate through participant co-enrollment when appropriate,
reciprocal referrals, alignment of Individual Employment Plans (IEPs) with WIOA Individual
Service Strategies (ISS), and shared use of American Job Centers (AJCs), branded as WIN Job
Centers (WJCs) in Mississippi. This integrated approach reduces duplication, maximizes
resources, and strengthens employment outcomes by connecting older workers to a
comprehensive suite of workforce services, including job search assistance, skills training,
employer engagement activities, and career pathways development.
Together, SCSEP and WIOA form a coordinated system that supports the workforce needs of
employers while helping older job seekers re-enter or remain in the labor market through
targeted, skill-focused training and supportive services.
This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is for the Senior Community Service Employment
Program (SCSEP).
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
Purpose
The Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) is seeking submissions from
nonprofit entities qualified to administer and operate SCSEP. A request for qualifications is not
an implied award of grant funds. Submissions will be scored and the highest scoring submissions
not approved will be prioritized for future opportunities.
Specific Guidelines
Who is eligible to apply?
* Non-profits
* Community Organizations
Background
SCSEP is authorized by the Older Americans Act (Title V), as amended by Public Law 109-365
on October 17, 2006. The SCSEP program is administered by the United States Department of
Labor (DOL) and serves unemployed low-income persons who are fifty-five (55) years of age
and older and who have poor employment prospects. The purposes of the SCSEP Program are
to:
* Foster individual economic self-sufficiency;
* Promote useful part-time opportunities in community service assignments;
* Provide participant training; and
* Enable or enhance job skills, so individuals are able to obtain unsubsidized employment.
SCSEP provides a win-win for participants and their communities. Participants help community
organizations extend their capabilities, while developing their own skills, self-confidence, and a
restore sense of self-worth. Key elements of SCSEP include, but are not limited to, the
following:
* Providing meaningful part-time community service assignments for people with low
income who are fifty-five (55) years of age or older, while providing transition to
unsubsidized employment;
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
* Providing eligible individuals wages for community service assignments, related
counseling, assistance in transition to unsubsidized employment, and other benefits as
allowed under the federal regulations for the program; and
* Documenting an Individual Development Plan (IDP) assessment of eligible individual's
need for community service, training, and employment.
The chart below includes the counties where the project will be conducted and the number of
SCSEP authorized positions.
County Number of Positions
Covington 5
Forrest 4
Harrison 4
Jefferson Davis 3
Jones 4
Pearl River 4
Program Information
Grant Period
The Grant Period for the grants awarded under this RFQ is approximately twelve (12) months
from the grant start date, with the option of renewals, at MDES's discretion. In considering such
renewal, MDES may take into account performance, progress toward expected outcomes, and
expenditures, as well as other factors. The anticipated grant start date is July 1, 2026.
Total Funds Available
Total funding available for this RFQ is approximately two hundred twenty-one thousand, four
hundred fifty-seven dollars and zero cents ($221,457.00). Total funding available will be based
on the 2025-2026 DOL SCSEP funding amount, which is subject to change based on what is
awarded, approved and authorized by DOL. If DOL's revised funding amounts are published
during the contract development phase of the grant, the funding amount may be adjusted.
Funding Authority The funding source for this RFQ is Title V of the Older Americans Act (OAA)
of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3056 et seq.), as amended in 2006, Pub. L. No. 109-365.
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
Number of Programs to be Funded
MDES will make at least one (1) award under this RFQ.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible Applicants under this RFQ are nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated expertise
and knowledge of Title V of the OAA and its implementation. Applicants must have experience
in:
* Strong SCSEP performance and transition capabilities
* Seasoned team with expertise to cover the expansion areas
* Ability to forward fund operations and work on a reimbursement basis
* Developing subsidized part-time community service work-based training positions for
low-income older individuals;
* Providing access to job training and education; and
* Placing individuals in unsubsidized employment.
* Each eligible Offeror may submit only one (1) proposal. If more than one (1) proposal is
received from an eligible Offeror, the MDES will only screen and evaluate the last
proposal received from that Offeror.
Eligible Population to be Served
The eligible population to be served under this RFQ consists of individuals who:
* are fifty-five (55) years of age and older;
* are unemployed at the time of enrollment;
* have an income at or below one hundred and twenty-five percent (125%) of the poverty
level as defined according to size of family unit by the federal Department of Health and
Human Services
* United States (U.S.) citizens or noncitizens authorized to work in the U.S.; and
* if male, meet U.S. Military Selective Service registration requirements.
The Successful Offeror shall determine eligibility for each participant prior to participant
receiving any services funded through this grant. The Successful Offeror shall document and
maintain confidential eligibility documentation files for each participant receiving services
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
funded through this grant. Failure to determine eligibility, document eligibility, or maintain the
required files for all enrolled participants may result in disallowed costs and subsequent
repayment of grant funds.
Program Requirements
Grant-Specific Requirements
Applicants awarded a grant under this RFQ shall comply with the following grant-specific
requirements:
* Ensure expenditures for participant wages and fringe benefits that are required by state or
Federal law (such as workers' compensation and unemployment insurance) shall be at
least seventy-five percent (75%) of total funding awarded by DOL.;
* Ensure that no more than 8.5% of the funds expended by the Subgrantee from each fiscal
year's allotment shall be expended for administrative activities.
* Provide in-kind donations from non-federal sources which shall be at least ten percent
(10%) of the total costs of the program (total funding awarded);
* Conduct outreach and recruitment throughout the served areas for the program;
* Determine, document, and maintain eligibility documentation on file prior to enrolling
participants into the program;
* Ensure that priority of services is provided to qualified veterans or qualified spouses as
described in 38 U.S.C. 4211 and 4215 or any subsequent waivers
* Identify and serve participants with "most in need" characteristics as defined at 20 C.F.R.
641.140
* Ensure compliance with extensive programmatic assurances. Provide a handbook that
orients participants to the program that includes, but is not limited to, the following
information:
* Policies and procedures, including the complaint resolution process;
* Attain the estimated or projected minimum required deliverable targets established by
DOL for SCSEP including, but not limited to:
Participant enrollment goal;
o
Community service hours goal;
o
Unsubsidized employment goal;
o
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
Unsubsidized employment retention goal;
o
Average earnings goal;
o
* Assist participants who exited SCSEP to:
* Obtain unsubsidized employment in the first quarter following the quarter of the exit;
* Retain unsubsidized employment in the second and third quarters following the
quarter
* of the exit; and
* Retain unsubsidized employment earning equal to or greater than the DOL
determined
* average wage; and
* Perform, coordinate, and oversee the provisions of the activities described within this
RFQ in compliance with Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.
3056 et seq.), as amended, the DOL regulations for SCSEP at 20 C.F.R. Part 641, as
amended.
Contract Amendments
Any amendment to a grant issued under this RFQ is required to be within the scope of the
original proposal, resulting grant, and this RFQ. A substantial change in the scope of
services or budget will not be allowed.
Activities and Performance Measures
Deliverables, targets, and due dates will be based on negotiations by MDES and DOL
(with input from the Offeror.) A description of the performance measures is found at
641.140.
Reporting Requirements
The successful Offeror will input monthly data, no later than ten (10) days after the end
date of each month, into the DOL SCSEP Grants Performance Management System
(GPMS) based on DOL SCSEP requirements including, but not limited to the following:
* number of participants enrolled;
* participant information, including, but not limited to:
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
ethnicity;
o
minority;
o
assigned Employment and Training coordinator; and
o
geographic area or county;
o
* number of "most in need" characteristics per participant;
* number of community hours worked by participants;
* community service assignment(s);
* number of participants that exit the program; and
* number of participants that obtained unsubsidized employment.
The successful Offeror will provide participant record files no later than ten (10)
days after the end of each month in the form and format specified by the MDES and
include unique, participant-level information such as, but not limited to:
* social security number;
* race;
* ethnicity;
* age;
* barriers to employment (using standard barriers);
* date of participation;
* date of service;
* date of exit;
* reason for exit;
* educational achievement;
* employment status for four calendar quarters following exit;
* wage information for four calendar quarters following exit; and/or
* other information related to the program.
The information required will be subject to change based on federal or state requirements.
The successful Offeror will submit quarterly written reports due no later than thirty (30)
days after the end date of each quarter on a DOL-provided reporting template.
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
The successful Offeror will enter all final data into DOL SCSEP GPMS no later than
sixty (60) days after the grant end date. The designated MDES point of contact will
generate an end-of-year report from DOL SCSEP GPMS.
Expenditure Limitations
Costs must conform to limitations or exclusions as to the types or amounts of cost items
set forth in the following:
* laws, regulations, rules, and guidance governing fund use for the fund sources in 20 CFR
Part 641 (SCSEP Final Rule);
* the cost requirements in 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance for Nonprofits and Conditions of
this RFQ Solicitation; and
* this RFQ and the resulting grant.
Funds must not be used for:
* purchase of real property, new construction, or renovations of facilities;
* equipment; i.e. non-expendable, tangible, personal property having a useful life of more
than one (1) year, and an acquisition cost of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or more;
* supplanting existing federal, state, or local funds available to the proposed program;
* payment cost of pension benefits, annual leave, accumulated sick leave, or bonuses;
* any use that is inconsistent with the provisions of this solicitation.
Funds are subject to the following limitations:
* expenditures for participant wages and benefits that are required by state or Federal law
(such as workers' compensation and unemployment insurance) shall be at least seventy-
five percent (75%) of the total funding awarded by DOL;
* in-kind donations from non-federal sources shall be at least ten percent (10%) of the total
costs of the program (total funding awarded); and
* Administrative costs charged to this grant shall not exceed 8.5% of the funds expended
by the Subgrantee from each fiscal year's allotment.
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
Proposal Requirements
Project Design
* Proposals should use the attached template and must include the following information:
* Identify the proposing organization.
* Specify the contact information; include contact's name, title, address, phone number,
and email.
* Provide the most recent completed independent audit.
Provide a comprehensive plan of action that outlines the scope and detail of your SCSEP
project and how you will accomplish the proposed employment and training activities.
Describe how you will implement SCSEP by addressing the three program factors listed
below. For each component, if you have had experience providing these or similar
services, include a discussion of what you have done, what outcomes you have achieved,
and what changes to your current program design(s), if any, you will make if awarded a
grant under this competition. Describe your partnerships with AJCs, employers, and host
agencies, and other organizations and detail the specific roles played by each wherever
possible. Include data on your prior experience wherever possible.
Working with Employers and Employer Associations
* Describe how you will leverage existing partnerships and/or develop new
partnerships with employers and organizations throughout the grant cycle that
will support the participants' employment and community service assignment
goals. Provide at least one example of how you have done so in the past;
* Describe how you will coordinate services with existing partnerships and/or develop new
partnerships with agencies, organizations, etc. to help defray or provide at no cost, or at a
fair and reasonable cost supportive services, such as transportation, health and medical
services, special job-related or personal counseling, incidentals such as work shoes,
badges, uniforms, tools, etc., necessary to enable participants to engage in employment
related activities. (See 20 CFR 641.545);
* Explain how you will engage employers to determine their needs and how you will help
them hire older workers from your SCSEP program; and
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MDES Request for Qualifications for Senior Community Service Employment Program
* Identify the following employer-based activities that will be used in your SCSEP project
as applicable:
On the job experience (OJE);
o
Inviting employers to have input on your SCSEP program design; and
o
Encouraging employers to prioritize hiring qualified SCSEP participants job
o
openings.
Recruiting and Managing Host Agencies
* Describe your strategy to recruit host agencies to serve as community service
training sites for older workers and describe how you will determine whether
potential host agencies' community service needs align with SCSEP's stated
goals and whether host agencies can provide appropriate training opportunities
for participants;
* Describe your existing relationships with host agencies or your plans to develop
new relationships with host agencies and how you plan to leverage those
relationships to provide placements for your SCSEP participants that prepare
them for opportunities in in-demand industries and careers and assist them in
becoming job-ready; and
* Describe in detail the past contributions of your host agency partners to your
SCSEP or similar project, their roles in preparing SCSEP participants for
unsubsidized employment, and how you will ensure the community service
positions provided are consistent with participants' IEPs.
Providing Quality Service to Participants
* Describe your plan to recruit SCSEP participants and the roles that AJCs and
any other partners will play in the recruitment of participants. Cite factors that
might promote or discourage the recruitment of eligible participants, including
veterans, minorities, Indians or Native Americans, and others that possess at
least one of the priority characteristics. Current grantees must cite performance
data from the SCSEP Minority Report to support your description;
* Explain how your selection of sub-recipients in areas with substantial
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