Agency works to clear a path for stimulus funds

March 4, 2009 -- On Feb. 17, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland announced that Ohio would receive $8.2 billion in federal funds as part of its share of the stimulus package signed into law by President Barack Obama. This Ohio stimulus package includes $146 million for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). These funds provide services locally for youth, adults, laid off workers, and summer youth education, and employment activities.

The Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services is working now to clear a path to make funds available for distribution in the summer of 2009 and to ensure that those funds are spent responsibly.

HCJFS has reason to believe that about $2.4 million in new dollars will be made available to this community for services to youth through the Economic Stimulus Plan. It expects to receive those dollars in the next several months.

The agency will not know all of the terms and conditions tied to those dollars until April 8. Some or all of these dollars may be restricted to use for summer youth activities in 2009.

HCJFS will proceed with issuance of a Summer Youth Request for Proposals on or near March 13.

The agency is using the information it has today to anticipate the required content of any resulting contract. It expects to provide additional or clarifying information in the midst of the resulting RFP timeline near April 8. Some of the areas that remain unknowns at this time are federal or state requirements related to eligibility, reporting, efficiency, outcomes, or program design. The agency believes that it can accommodate any necessary changes with addendums to the initial RFP.

HCJFS is working to share this information as quickly as possible. The agency also is being explicit regarding the limited information we have available at this time. Any vendor proposal resulting from this RFP may need to be quickly and substantially amended to accommodate currently unknown policy requirement. The entirety of this RFP may be rejected as unnecessary or unworkable if funding is made available with dramatic constraints, or with no requirement that dollars be spent in the summer of 2009.