Project Information

Bid Title

PROWD work-based learning RFP

Issuing Agency

Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District (SMPDD)

Location

Mississippi

Published Date

Nov 12, 2025

Closing Date

Dec 4, 2025

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Project Description

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PROWD work-based learning RFP

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Request for Proposals

for

Payroll Services Provider

Release Date: November 13, 2025

Deadline for Submission:

December 4, 2025

12:00 p.m. CST

Late submissions will not be accepted.

Table of Contents

Advertisement for Sealed Proposals............................................................................................................. 3

I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4

II. Entities Eligible to Propose ..................................................................................................................... 5

III. Overview of Solicitation .......................................................................................................................... 6

IV. Conditions of Solicitation ........................................................................................................................ 7

V. Period of Performance and Term of Contract ........................................................................................ 8

VI. General Instruction for Proposal Submission ......................................................................................... 8

VII. Specific Proposal Instructions ................................................................................................................ 9

VIII.Proposal Rating .................................................................................................................................... 12

ATTACHMENTS

A

Transmittal Document

B

Federal Provisions & Regulations

SOLICITATION SCHEDULE

Action

Release of RFP

Last day to Submit RFP Questions at

4:00 p.m. CST

Proposals due at 12:00 p.m. CST

Notification of Successful Proposer

Date

11/13/25

11/24/25

12/4/25

12/10/25

Time Line

(calendar days)

0

11

21

27

Advertisement for Sealed Proposals

SMPDD

Payroll Services Provider RFP

Page 3

Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District (SMPDD), as the fiscal agent for the Twin

Districts Workforce Development Area (TDWDA), is seeking vendors who can provide temporary staffing

and payroll services to justice-impacted adults for work-based learning initiatives to assist re-entering the

workforce within the TDWDA. Eligible vendors must be able to: pay assigned employees’ wages, withhold

and transmit payroll taxes, provide unemployment insurance and workers compensation benefits, and

address unemployment and workers’ compensation claims. Funding may be provided through the Partners

for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development (PROWD) Grant, RESTORE Act, and/or Pathway

Home 5. The program will serve any or all of the following counties of Clarke, Covington, Forrest, George,

Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lamar, Lauderdale, Leake,

Marion, Neshoba, Newton, Perry, Pearl River, Scott, Smith, Stone and Wayne. This advertisement is

conducted pursuant to the requirements, conditions and the applicable regulations and policies of the State

of Mississippi, Mississippi Department of Employment Security, AccelerateMS, Mississippi Department of

Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of

Treasury, and Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District.

Copies of the Request for Proposals (RFP) will be available from Southern Mississippi Planning &

Development District, beginning November 13, 2025. Copies of the RFP can be obtained on or after this

date by downloading a copy of from the SMPDD website at www.smpdd.com/rfp_publicnotice. Completed

proposal packages should be submitted to Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District, 10441

Corporate Dr., Ste. 1, Gulfport, MS 39503. Proposals may also be submitted electronically via email to

Grant Wesley at gwesley@smpdd.com. Proposals are due no later than 12:00 p.m. CST December 4,

2025; proposals received after this deadline will not be considered responsive to this RFP. The initial

contract awarded will be through December 31, 2026, with the option to extend the contract annually up to

three years with the approval of both parties, dependent on funding. The successful Proposer shall comply

with all 2 CFR 200 requirements.

Minority and Woman Owned Business Enterprises are solicited to submit proposals on this project as

prime contractors and are encouraged to make inquiries regarding potential subcontracting opportunities,

equipment, material and/or supply needs.

The three Re-entry programs noted above are 100% federally funded. The PROWD grant is funded

through the MDES with funding from the US Department of Labor under the Employment and Training

Administration. The project was awarded to SMPDD for $1,500,000. The Pathway Home 5 funding was

awarded through the Employment and Training Administration and the Department of Labor in the amount

of $2,999,000. Additionally, the ARP program was funded through the RESTORE Council and the

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability,

Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012, in the amount of

$1,223,006.31 (award GNSSP23MS0045).

SMPDD is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and hereby notifies that all Proposers will be afforded the

full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this advertisement for proposals and will not be

discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual

preference, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status in consideration for an award.

SMPDD reserves the right to waive any informality or to reject any or all Proposals with or without

reason.

Questions or comments concerning this advertisement for proposals shall be directed to Patricia

Morrison – Workforce Development Manager at SMPDD by email at pmorrison@smpdd.com no later than

4:00 p.m. November 24, 2025.

Introduction

SMPDD

Payroll Services Provider RFP

Page 4

Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District (SMPDD) is conducting this Request for

Proposals (RFP) pursuant to the requirements, conditions, applicable regulations and policies of

the State of Mississippi, Mississippi Department of Employment Security, AccelerateMS, and

Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District. Funds expended are subject to audit by the

State of Mississippi Office of State Auditor, U.S. Treasury, and Office of the Inspector General.

SMPDD is seeking proposals through this RFP for the provision of payroll services for its Re-Entry

Work-based Learning Program that may be funded by Partners for Reentry Opportunities in

Workforce Development (PROWD) Grant, RESTORE Act, Pathway Home 5, the State of

Mississippi General Fund, other State funds, and/or federal funds. The successful Proposer may

also be used for other programs/projects that may be awarded to SMPDD in the future and funded

with any federal and/or State of Mississippi funds. SMPDD’s service area for this RFP includes the

following counties in Mississippi:

Clarke

Covington

Forrest

George

Greene

Hancock

Harrison

Jackson

Jasper

Jefferson Davis

Jones

Kemper

Lamar

Lauderdale

Leake

Marion

Neshoba

Newton

Perry

Pearl River

Scott

Smith

Stone

Wayne

SMPDD is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and hereby notifies all Proposers will be afforded the

full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated

against on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual

preference, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status in consideration for an

award.

A.

Program Services

The purpose of this RFP is to provide payroll services for work-based learning and other

workforce initiatives within the Twin Districts Workforce Development Area (TDWDA).

Eligible vendors must be able to: pay assigned employees’ wages, withhold and transmit

payroll taxes, provide unemployment insurance, workers compensation benefits, and all

required federal wage and hour financial obligations. The proposed services will be

provided to justice-impacted adults that may be assigned to a residential re-entry facility or

home confinement, and are referred by Re-Entry Program Staff.

Partners for Re-Entry Opportunities in Workforce Development (PROWD) is a collaborative

effort between the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor

and the Bureau of Prisons of the Department of Justice. Its goals are to improve

employment outcomes among program participants, reduce recidivism, strengthen the

partnership between the justice system and workforce system, raise the workforce

participation rate, and connect local employers to able and eager future employees.

The entity that is awarded a contract through this Request for Proposals will be responsible

for:

SMPDD

Payroll Services Provider RFP

Page 5

1.

E-verifying all individuals referred by SMPDD to the company for work-based

learning

2.

Maintaining payroll records and performing payroll activities to include computing

wages; withholding applicable federal, state, and local taxes; withholding social

security and Medicare payments; and remitting all employee withholdings to the

proper governmental authorities within the prescribed times

3.

Maintaining Worker’s Compensation and all necessary information for Worker’s

Compensation for participants. The contractor is responsible for any injuries to

participants hired under the contract, including all state and federal reporting and

insurance requirements relating to the injured employee

4.

Processing payroll checks for individuals on a weekly (preferred) or bi-weekly

basis. All employees will be required to receive their payroll checks electronically,

such as by direct deposit or debit cards.

5.

Ensuring that each individual is paid the appropriate wage as set by SMPDD,

which will typically range from $12 to $20, and that any corrections to participant’s

payroll checks are made in an appropriate and timely manner

6.

Ensuring garnishment(s), if applicable, are withheld from individual’s checks

7.

Ensuring that all required reports associated with said employment are filed timely

8.

Preparing and mailing appropriate tax forms (W-2) to participant as required by the

IRS

9.

Complying with all federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and rules in hiring

participants

10. Removing any of the employees hired under this grant at the request of SMPDD

11. Submitting monthly detailed invoices to SMPDD that includes the names, bill rates,

and hours worked of participants

12. Making all records related to participants available to SMPDD, its representatives,

and/or other state or federal auditors.

13. The employment agency may be responsible for conducting the pre-employment

background checks and drug screening to determine suitability for employment, if

applicable, as well as maintain the employee’s file with all pre-hire documentation

B.

The RFP schedule is:

Action

Release of RFP

Last day to Submit RFP Questions at

4:00 p.m. CST

Proposals due at 12:00 p.m. CST

Notification of Successful Proposer

Date

11/13/25

11/24/25

12/4/25

12/10/25

Time Line

(calendar days)

0

11

21

27

SMPDD reserves the right to delay, amend, reissue, or cancel, all or any part of this RFP

at any time without prior notice. SMPDD also reserves the right to modify the RFP process

and timeline as deemed necessary.

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 611420Computer Training
• NAICS 611710Educational Support Services

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