ONA Professional Pathways Program

Background

The New York State Department of State, through the Office for New America (ONA), is initiating the Professional Pathways Program to enhance the state's economy by empowering immigrants and fostering workforce development. The program aims to assist high-skilled immigrants in overcoming barriers to professional development through screening, training, re-credentialing, and job placement opportunities. The definition of 'high-skilled immigrant' includes individuals whose foreign university or post-secondary training is not recognized by employers or state policies. It targets fields with high demand for skilled workers such as healthcare, education, engineering, IT, and business/finance, based on employment projections from the NYS Department of Labor.

Work Details

The Professional Pathways Program consists of two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A will fund one qualified not-for-profit organization in each specified region of New York State to serve as an ONA Job Coach. The regions include: Western New York, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Capital Region, Central New York, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Mid-Hudson, Long Island, and New York City (with specific counties listed). Part B will fund one qualified not-for-profit organization to act as the statewide Professional Pathways Lead Agency. Organizations applying for multiple awards must submit separate applications.

Period of Performance

The contract period is from February 1, 2023 to January 31, 2026.

Place of Performance

The services will be performed across various regions in New York State including Western New York, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Capital Region, Central New York, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Mid-Hudson, Long Island, and New York City.

Bidder Requirements

There are specific contracting goals for Minority/Women Business Enterprises (MWBE) with a goal of 15% for both MBE and WBE. Additionally, there is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) goal set at 6%.