April 21, 2009

GOVERNOR BARBOUR SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON EMPLOYMENT
AND TRAINING FUNDS

Governor Haley Barbour is seeking public input on innovative ways to use a portion of Mississippi’s workforce dollars through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The governor’s “request for ideas,” or RFI, is part of his overall goal of transparency and accountability. It focuses on the following:

- Innovative approaches to build partnerships of businesses, training providers, community organizations and other key stakeholders around specific industries or sectors to address workforce needs of businesses and training needs of workers.
- Strategies for renewable energy, broadband and telecommunications, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and other high-demand industry sectors identified in local areas.
- Strategies to enable low-income, displaced and under-skilled adults to acquire the knowledge and skills for success in high-growth industry.
- Regional approaches to couple workforce development with the local economic development strategies.
- Strategies to meet immediate and/or long-term needs for trained workers in demand occupations with career advancement opportunities.
- Projects targeted at groups who are not currently fully engaged in the workforce.
- Approaches that focus on implementing online or blended (online and hands-on) training programs which will target high-growth occupations.

Brief ideas or concept proposals should be submitted to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). The proposals should demonstrate how the idea or concept will assist the state in meeting the goals. Proposals are limited to five single-sided, double-spaced pages on 8.5-inch-by-11-inch paper.

Proposers are encouraged to submit their ideas electronically, either in Word or .pdf format by e-mail at stimulus@mdes.ms.gov. The deadline for submissions is the close of business, May 29, 2009. Proposals and questions should be submitted to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Office of Grant Management, ATTN: Jeanine Lilly, 1235 Echelon Parkway, Jackson, MS 39213.

For more information, contact MDES by e-mail at stimulus@mdes.ms.gov by the close of business May 8, 2009, or view the complete RFI at http://alturl.com/dwzy.