Workforce Financial Aid Services

The Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments, acting as fiscal agent for the Gulf Coast Workforce Board, issues this Solicitation on behalf of the Board and Workforce Solutions to identify a qualified contractor to provide financial services to support the Workforce Solutions system. The Gulf Coast Workforce Board, through its affiliate brand Workforce Solutions, operates a central Workforce Financial Aid Services that manages vendor billing and payments for participant financial aid and supports the Board’s financial aid policies and reporting requirements.

Notice of this solicitation is also posted on the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) website: https://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd

This procurement is conducted in accordance with 2 CFR part 200 the applicable OMB Circular, Texas Government Code Chapter 783 Uniform Grant and Contract Management Act supplemented by the final rules promulgated by the Office of the Texas Governor under the Texas Grant Management Standards (TXGMS), and the Texas Workforce Commission’s Financial Manual for Grants and Contracts.

The Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments (H-GAC) is a regional, voluntary association comprising 133 local governments and elected officials within Texas's 13-county Gulf Coast Planning region. Established under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 391, H-GAC's mission is to facilitate cooperation among local governments, supporting the region's orderly development and ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents.

H-GAC serves as the fiscal and administrative agent for the Gulf Coast Local Workforce Board. In this role, H-GAC is responsible for issuing procurements, managing local, state, and federal grant funds, ensuring compliance with relevant laws, addressing audit findings, preparing financial reports, and providing technical assistance to subrecipients on fiscal issues. H-GAC is the primary contact for fiscal and administrative matters, operating under the guidance of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board.

The Gulf Coast Workforce Board, hereinafter referred to as GCWB or the “Board”, is a workforce development organization established under Section 2308.253 of the Texas Government Code, Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and its replacement, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Public Law 113 Sec. 107 (29 USC 3122). GCWB serves as the governing body for the public workforce system for the 13-county area of the Gulf Coast region of Texas. Counties within the Gulf Coast Workforce Board serve area include Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, and Wharton.