Seek Willets Point retraining proposals

City officials recently issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) to develop a workforce assistance plan for those who work in the Willets Point area in preparation for the multi-billion dollar development project planned for the area.
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Department of Small Business Services (SBS) expect the proposals to develop an outreach and enrollment strategy to maximize participation in the program and create an 18-month program for training and placement services to begin following the Uniformed Land Use Review Process (ULURP) and continue through the end of 2009.
“At Willets Point, the city has the opportunity to transform a contaminated area into a model mixed-use, ‘green’ neighborhood,” said NYCEDC President Robert Lieber. “But with that opportunity comes a responsibility to those people who have worked in the area for years. We are committed to doing all we can to ensure that these workers are trained, equipped and connected to new work opportunities, and this Workforce Assistance Plan will help us deliver on that commitment.”
Currently, the 60-acre site contains about 250 businesses and nearly 1,300 employees - the majority who work in auto-related industries.
“The creation of a workforce assistance plan will help upgrade the skill sets of workers in Willets Point and place them in jobs with strong pathways to self-sufficiency, while the redevelopment of the area will grow and sustain employment in the community,” said SBS Commissioner Robert Walsh.
In May of 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled the city’s master plan for the area that would include more than 1 million square feet of retail shops and restaurants, 500,000 square feet of office space, 5,500 units of housing, a school, hotel and convention center. City officials also touted the 20,000 construction jobs, 6,100 permanent jobs and more than $1.5 billion in revenue it would generate for the city during the next 30 years.
However, many business owners and workers in the area have expressed their objection to the plan because they believe they will not be able to relocate their business to another area of the city.
NYCEDC will use a variety of criteria to evaluate the proposals, including organizational experience and a record of accomplishment serving a similar population, as well as the strength of the approach to the needs analysis.
Successful respondents will also demonstrate clear connections to local organizations for outreach and recruitment as well as services that address the specific needs of an immigrant population.
To obtain a copy of the complete RFP, visit www.nycedc.com/rfp. Interested parties are urged to attend an informational meeting on Monday, September 24, 2007 at the offices of NYCEDC.
Attendees must RSVP by e-mail to willetspointworkforcerfp@nycedc.com on or before Friday, September 21. Responses to the RFP are due by 4 p.m. on October 18.