Project Information

Bid Title

Reinvest Birmingham Workforce Training Providers

Issuing Agency

City of Birmingham

Location

Alabama

Published Date

Oct 16, 2025

Closing Date

Nov 21, 2025

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Project Description

Reinvest Birmingham Workforce Training Providers

The City of Birmingham is seeking to solicit for proposals for multiple workforce training providers to deliver short-term, industry-recognized credential programs that support one or more of the following:

• Soft Skills and Employability Readiness Training
• Construction
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Childcare Education
• Healthcare
• Professional Services
  

Download The Workforce Training RFP Pre-Bid Webinar

Thursday, November 6, 2025, 11:00am to 12:00pm

Register For The Pre-Bid Webinar

Issued by:

City of Birmingham, Department of Innovation & Economic Opportunity

RFP Release Date:

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Proposals Due:

Friday, November 21, 2025
5:00 P.M. Central time (standard or daylight saving time, as applicable)
Submissions received after this date and time will not be considered.

Contact:

Archie Stewart, Reinvest Plan Officer

Reinvest@birminghamal.gov

Verbal questions by phone or in-person will not be accepted.

Attachment Preview

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

City of Birmingham Reinvest Birmingham Training Provider

Summary

U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration - Distressed Area

Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete)

The United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA)

has invested in economically distressed communities to create and connect people to

good jobs. The program targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment

significantly trails the national average, with the goal to close this gap through large, flexible

investments.

On August 5, 2024, the EDA announced awards for six communities that were Finalists in

Recompete (Phase 1). The awards – totaling $184 million – will support implementing

innovative strategies to create good-paying jobs, bolster economic growth, and dismantle

barriers limiting workforce participation.

Reinvest Birmingham

The Reinvest Birmingham Recompete Plan, led by the City of Birmingham, was awarded

$20 million to support the persistently distressed neighborhoods of North Birmingham,

Northside, Pratt, and Smithfield. Recompete funding will provide in-demand workforce

training to residents in the target neighborhoods through partnerships with a variety of

training providers, educational institutions and community-based organizations. The

funding also includes support for entrepreneurs, expanding and improving transportation

and accessible childcare in the target neighborhoods. Reinvest will create paths for

residents to the good jobs committed by Birmingham-area employers.

Project Outcome

The City of Birmingham is seeking to solicit for proposals for multiple workforce training

providers to deliver short-term, industry-recognized credential programs that support one

or more of the following:

• Soft Skills and Employability Readiness Training

• Construction

• Advanced Manufacturing

• Childcare

• Professional Services

We encourage any training providers in these industries, especially those with alignment to

specific job placement opportunities within the listed pathways to apply to be a City of

Birmingham Reinvest Birmingham training provider. Applicants must provide a list of

employer partners for eligibility consideration. If you are interested in learning more about

Reinvest Birmingham and if your organization or program is an eligible candidate for this

opportunity to support the workforce development ecosystem, please reach out to the City

of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation & Economic Opportunity at

reinvest@birminghamal.gov.

These training programs must be designed to lead to industry-recognized credentials and

prepare residents for immediate employment opportunities. Providers with capacity for job

placement services with existing employer relationships, preferably illustrated through

formal commitments to hire, are strongly preferred.

Selected providers will work closely with City staff and other Reinvest partners to support

implementation of the training strategy, contribute to outcome tracking, and report on

performance metrics aligned with Reinvest Birmingham's goals and federal grant

requirements.

The successful proposer will:

• Deliver short-term (2–17 week) training programs in at least one of the listed

industries

• Design programs leading to industry-recognized credentials that translate to

employment

• Recruit and serve residents from Reinvest Birmingham’s priority neighborhoods

o North Birmingham

o Northside

o Pratt

o Smithfield

• Embed or offer standalone soft skills and employability training

• Provide job placement support and track employment outcomes

• Collaborate with the City and component partners to align with employer needs

• Submit monthly and quarterly reports on admissions, enrollment, credentials, and

employment

Expected Deliverables:

• Training curricula and credential pathways

• Admissions, enrollment, credentialing, and job placement data

• Monthly and quarterly reporting to Reinvest Plan team

Project Goals

1. Deliver accessible, short-term training opportunities aligned with in-demand

industries.

2. Provide residents with credentials that lead directly to employment.

3. Strengthen soft skills and job readiness to support long-term career success.

4. Foster deep collaboration between training providers, employers, and community

organizations.

5. Ensure data-driven tracking and reporting of participant outcomes, including

admission, enrollment, completion, credentialing, and job placement.

6. Promote equitable economic mobility for residents of North Birmingham,

Smithfield, Pratt, and Northside.

Timeline

Date

October 15, 2025

November 6, 2025

November 21, 2025

Mid – December 2025

January 2026

February - March 2026

September 15th, 2029

Event

Applications open

Pre-Bid Webinar

First Round Application

submission deadline

Approved training providers

will be formally announced

via direct notification with a

press release to follow

Training Provider

Onboarding will take place

Newly funded training

programs will begin

All training programs will

end with final reporting to

be prepared for submission

to the EDA

Notes

Applications will be

accepted on a rolling basis

until all available funds are

committed

Time: 11:00am to 12:00pm

During the vetting process

reviewers will also talk to

listed employers to ensure

buy-in and support of the

training providers

Available Training Program Grant Proposal Types

These training programs can be conducted as credit or non-credit earning (industry-

recognized certifications preferred) and may occur over the course of one or multiple

periods (i.e. over two semesters, etc). Please note training must be scheduled such that

employment begins no later than Q3 2029. Applicants may request funding for costs

associated with training facilitation and/or tuition, books, fees, supplies, certification

exams, and other resources required for training under one of the following proposal

options:

• Cohort-Based Proposal

o A Cohort-Based Proposal would consist of requesting funding for a single or

multiple cohorts of trainees. A minimum of 10 individuals completing

programming is needed to qualify as a cohort. Priority will be given to cohorts

with the goal to train and graduate at least 200-260 individuals by September

15th, 2029.

o Typical funding request: $35,000-$350,000 (max)

• Target Number Proposal

o This approach would involve setting a target number of individuals to train or

scholarships to provide. The funding would be variable based on the number

of individuals and expressed need. Once the target number is reached, an

extension may be requested dependent on additional funds availability.

o Funding up to $5,000 per individual, $350,000 max for total programming;

commiserate upon the type of training provided.

Funding Stipulations

• Funding can be used for any of the following:

o Tuition & fees

o Books & supplies

o Certification/licensing exams

o Other direct program expenses required by the training program (facilitation,

drug tests, background checks, vaccines, insurance, etc.)

o Coaching or Mentoring

o Childcare (paid directly to childcare providers)

o Transportation (in the form of gas cards or bus passes)

o Stipends or other direct payments to individuals**

o Other wrap-around supports that address barriers to participation in training

programs for underserved populations (prior authorization required on case

specific scenarios)

** Training providers must document their determination that all costs, including participant stipends, are

reasonable and essential to the success of the proposed program and propose costs that are targeted to

achieve program goals (e.g., equitably train prime age individuals in the service area), provided there are

sufficient financial controls in place.

SECTION 1: PROJECT SCOPE

There are four main components to this contract project:

(2.1) Training Program Delivery & Credentialing

(2.2) Job Placement & Soft Skills Support

(2.3) Data Collection, Reporting & Collaboration

(2.4) Barrier Reduction and Wrap Around Services Support

The City of Birmingham is seeking proposals from qualified workforce training providers to

deliver industry-aligned, short-term credentialing programs and job placement services for

residents of the Reinvest Birmingham priority neighborhoods. These programs must align

with Reinvest Birmingham’s goal of training at least 2,500 residents and placing a minimum

of 1,500 into employment across the life of the grant by completing the following

components:

2.1 Training Program Delivery & Credentialing

The successful contractor will:

• Develop and implement or connect Reinvest Birmingham job seekers to short-term

(2–17 weeks) training programs in one or more of the following sectors:

o Construction

o Advanced Manufacturing

o Childcare

o Healthcare

o Professional Services

• Align training programs to lead to industry recognized credentials or certifications

that are valued by local employers

• Recruit and enroll participants from the Reinvest Birmingham target neighborhoods

o North Birmingham

o Northside

o Pratt

o Smithfield

• Design culturally responsive and accessible training formats (e.g., in-person, hybrid,

or flexible scheduling)

• Ensure training addresses technical competencies needed for entry-level to mid-

skill positions

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 611430Professional and Management Development Training

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