Project Information

Bid Title

2026 LETTER OF INTEREST: REENTRY ORGANIZATIONS

Issuing Agency

FHI 360

Location

District of Columbia

Published Date

Dec 17, 2025

Closing Date

Jan 9, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

GO2026_RFA_02

Original Source

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Project Description

2026 LETTER OF INTEREST: REENTRY ORGANIZATIONS
RFA No.: GO2026_RFA_02

Issue date: 16 Dec, 2025
Closing date: 9 Jan, 2026

Solicitation file(s):
DOL_LOI_January_2026 (1).pdf (198 KB)

Attachment Preview

Solicitation Title:

Request for Information (RFI)

2026 LETTER OF INTEREST: REENTRY

ORGANIZATIONS

Solicitation Number

Submit Questions and Proposal to:

Date of Issue of RFP:

Date Questions Due:

Date Proposal Due:

Approximate Date Contract Issued

Terms of Contract

Format of Submission

Aeagan@fhi360.org

December 16, 2025

January 9, 2025

January 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM (Eastern)

After July 1, 2026

Approximately 42 months

Respond via e-mail with attached document in

MS Word/Excel/pdf format.

I. BACKGROUND

FHI 360’s National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL) is seeking organizations

interested in partnering with FHI 360 on potential U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) grants

that serve young adults, ages 18-24, involved with the justice system. We invite interested

organizations that meet the required high-crime and high-poverty criteria to submit the

Organizational Interest Survey.

FHI 360 is a global, non-profit, development organization committed to improving lives in

lasting ways in the U.S. and around the world. FHI 360 promotes a comprehensive

approach to development – focusing its efforts on Economic Opportunities, Health, Crisis

Response and Research. We maintain strong relationships with government and

community leaders and ties to hundreds of partner organizations. Housed within FHI

360’s US Programs, NIWL advances access to and excellence in education and workforce

systems. We focus on two key drivers of individual well-being – education and workforce

development – to improve lives.

Working with the U.S. Department of Labor since 2017, NIWL’s reentry projects serve

young adults, 18-24 years old, who are returning to their communities after involvement

with the justice system. NIWL uses a combination of violence prevention, conflict

resolution, mentoring, and workforce readiness opportunities including soft skills training,

leadership training, career exploration and preparation, post-secondary education and

training, work experience, and livable wage job placements to support these young adults

as they overcome stigma and obstacles to find fulfilling roles working and learning within

their communities. Through the Compass Rose Collaborative, a DOL-funded (Growth

Opportunities | Round 4) funded program, NIWL partners with five organizations (sub-

grantees) to provide direct services to 400 (each partner serves 75 – 150) young adults

who are or have been involved in either the juvenile or adult justice systems.

You can learn more about the NIWL and the Compass Rose Collaborative here:

• https://niwl.fhi360.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Learning-and-Workforce-

overview.pdf

• Compass Rose Collaborative Fact Sheet | NIWL Resource Hub

II. PURPOSE

In February 2024, the DOL Employment and Training Administration (ETA), authorized by

section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), announced Growth

Opportunities (Rounds 4 and 5) grants to prepare justice-involved youth and young adults

for the world of work through education and training, paid work experiences, mentorship,

and leadership development; and the program contributes to community violence

intervention among youth and young adults.

In anticipation that a similar announcement will be made in early 2026, FHI 360 is seeking

organizations (subgrantees) interested in partnering with FHI 360 and providing a direct

service role.

PLEASE NOTE: The decision to apply for a grant is contingent on a Funding Opportunity

Announcement by the Department of Labor and on FHI 360’s belief that it can submit a

competitive proposal after release. If FHI 360 elects to pursue a specific announcement,

additional information may need to be collected.

Interested organizations that meet the required high-crime and high-poverty criteria are

invited to submit the Organizational Interest Survey (see Attachment A).

We anticipate that completing this survey will take around 30 minutes. The questions are

based on previous DOL grants and are designed to help us understand if an organization

would be a good fit with FHI 360 on future funding opportunities. FHI 360 will reach out to

select responding organizations for more detailed information. The final selection of

subgrantees will be made after DOL publishes the request for proposals (RFP), which is

anticipated for the first quarter of 2026.

III. QUALIFICATIONS

All potential sub-recipient organizations must serve high-crime, high-poverty

communities. High poverty communities are defined as those with poverty rates of at least

25%. High-crime communities are defined as those within the targeted area that are

higher than the rate for the overall city (for urban areas) or of non-metropolitan counties

in the state (for rural areas) (resources: https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/rural-economy-

population/rural-classifications/)

To be considered as a sub-recipient, the target community/partner organization must

demonstrate the following:

• A clear need for the program using current statistical evidence, including the

number and characteristics of the eligible young adults who have been released

from incarceration or are involved in the justice system in your proposed service

areas;

• Experience with the capacity to serve a predefined number of participants based on

the organizations local population needs over a 2-year program implementation

period with an additional year of follow-up supports (with the capacity to reach full

enrollment within 18 months of implementation);

• The statistical evidence that your service area will serve high-poverty, high-crime

communities as described above;

• Ability to execute strategies with attainable goals for job-driven training based on

labor market information and evidence-based practices;

• Ability to collaborate and coordinate with partner organizations to ensure that

local, state, and federal resources are used effectively and efficiently to effectively

reintegrate young people into their communities (WIOA infrastructure);

• Ability to deliver or connect participants to effective job training and placement,

education and supportive service to include legal services, mental health,

substance use, financial literacy, and other necessary supports for young adults’

success;

• Good financial standing and current registration with the System for Award

Management (SAM);

• Active and engaged organizational leadership with willingness to participate in the

technical assistance model of FHI 360 (quarterly leadership calls, overall grant

strategic management and ensuring program staff participate in monthly

individual and collaborative peer networking and learning sessions and biannual

meetings);

• Willingness to use Department of Labor’s Grantee Performance Management

System (GPMS), the required online database for managing participant data

• Willingness to implement FHI 360’s Registered Apprenticeship program for Youth

Development Practitioners (O*NET-SOC Code: 13-1071.00 RAPIDS Code: 1039HY).

Priority consideration will be given to organizations that currently or have previously

operated, in the last 36 months, a reentry program or offer employment services to a high

number of people impacted by the justice system and that can obtain letters of support

from justice, employer and community college partners (may be required by funder).

IV. REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

Interested organizations that meet the required high-crime and high-poverty criteria are

invited to submit the Organizational Interest Survey (see Attachment A). Responses

should be submitted via email as an attached document in MS Word/pdf format.

V. EVALUATION CRITERIA

FHI 360 will review all submissions in January 2026 and reach out to select organizations

regarding potential partnership opportunities. The final selection of subgrantees will be

made after DOL publishes the request for proposals (RFP), which is anticipated for the first

quarter of 2026.

PLEASE NOTE that answering “No” to the program element questions will not disqualify

an organization from consideration. One key purpose of this grant is to help organizations

build capacity to serve young people impacted by the justice system. As such, FHI 360 uses

the answers provided to choose a set of sub-recipients with complementary strengths so

that they can support and learn from each other.

VI. INSTRUCTIONS AND DEADLINE

RFI posted: December 16, 2025

Response submission deadline: January 14, 2026

Anticipated Award Start Date: July 2026

Responses must be submitted by email to Adrienne Eagan at aeagan@fhi360.org no later

than January 9, 2026 at 5:00 pm (EST) Eastern Standard Time. Responses received after the

date and time indicated may not be accepted. FHI 360 may acknowledge receipt of the

response by email. The proposal must be submitted in electronic format using software

compatible with Microsoft Office.

VII. FHI 360 DISCLAIMERS

DISCLAIMERS AND FHI 360 PROTECTION CLAUSES

• FHI 360 will not compensate the individual or organization for its preparation of

response to this RFI.

• Organizational Interest Surveys become property of FHI 360.

• FHI 360 may cancel the solicitation and not make an award.

• FHI 360 may reject any or all responses received.

• Issuance of a solicitation does not constitute an award commitment by FHI 360.

• FHI 360 reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on offeror failure to follow

solicitation instructions,

• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue an award based on initial evaluation of offers

without further discussion.

• FHI 360 may request from short-listed offerors a second or third round of either

oral presentation or written response to a more specific and detailed scope of

work.

• FHI 360 has the right to rescind an RFI or rescind an award prior to the signing of a

subcontract due to any unforeseen changes in the direction of FHI 360’s client, be it

funding or programmatic.

• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be

corrected prior to award determination to promote competition.

• FHI 360 may be contacting Offerors to confirm contact person, address and that

proposal was submitted for this solicitation.

******END OF RFI******

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