Contractor Partnership Program

General Information + Participation Requirements

Contractors who hold agreements meeting certain criteria with DHS are required to establish a TANF hiring target that supports TANF beneficiaries in obtaining employment with the contractor, grantee, or their subcontractors. CPP staff works cooperatively with contractors to meet their hiring goals by assisting with connections to the Department's employment and training programs. CPP staff is also available to provide technical assistance as needed.

• For contractors with agreements in place prior to October 2019, CPP requirements are included in the contract terms and agreements.
  
• Beginning October 2019, the Department's requests for applications (RFA) and requests for proposals (RFP) for an agreement of $5 million or more will require applicants to respond to CPP implementation prompts, including their hiring target and implementation plan for meeting the goal.
  

The Benefits of CPP Participation

In addition to supporting communities and families through employment opportunities, the program has several additional benefits for employers:

GRAPHIC: Benefits for Employers of Hiring DHS Program Participants.

• Access to a pipeline of workers to fill workforce needs at no cost
  
• Connections to the DHS employment and training network for assistance with training, hiring, and workforce retention services
  
• Qualifying for federal hiring incentives such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and Federal Bonding
  

Steps to Participate in CPP

1. Review hiring target and implementation plan: For contractors who submitted a response to an RFA or RFP for $5 million or more beginning in October 2019, the hiring target and implementation plan are identified in the applicant's response. The hiring target is established by a formula: 10 percent of the average of the annual number of the applicant's new hires in Pennsylvania over the prior three years. For example: 30 hires in 2018, 35 hires in 2019 and 40 hires in 2020. The average number of hires over those three years is 35. With a goal of 10%, the hiring target should be to hire 3 CPP eligible individuals each year of the contract.
   
   
2. Create and maintain a business folder: Contractors create a business folder in the Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS) in order to document participation and receive credit for hiring TANF recipients. The business folder is contract specific and must be updated regularly for accurate contact information. Instructions can be found here: Creating a CWDS login and creating a business folder
   
   
3. Implement the hiring plan as established in the RFA or RFP response. Contractors are expected to follow the implementation plans outlined in their application response (for contractors selected through RFAs or RFPs published in October 2019 or after). This plan may be referenced if there are challenges in reaching the hiring goals. CPP staff is available to assist with connections to employment and training providers and for technical assistance.
   
   
4. Submit all hires via PA CareerLink: Effective June 9, 2023, quarterly reporting will end. Employers will now enter all hires via PA CareerLink. Submitting hires through PA CareerLink will also report all hires to the New Hire Report. All hires made by the employer must be entered into PA CareerLink to be recorded. Data entry of hires can be done as often as needed but no less than quarterly. DHS staff will review CPP eligible hires made by contractors no less than quarterly and provide updates to the contracting DHS office. (October, January, April and July). If no hires were made during the previous quarter, DHS may reach out to confirm that there were no hires during the quarter.
   
   
5. Pursue federal tax incentives if desired: Hiring TANF participants may qualify employers to receive the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and incentives through the Federal Bonding program. To learn more about these programs, please visit the PA Department of Labor & Industry's website resources.
   • Work Opportunity Tax Credit
   • Federal Bonding Program
     
     
6. Maintain contact with DHS for questions and concerns: CPP staff are available for technical assistance and to provide information for connecting contractors to potential TANF job candidates. Contractors should keep in touch with their DHS contract monitor and the CPP staff for questions and concerns.
   
   The information submitted via PA CareerLink will be audited for its’ accuracy and the findings will be utilized to determine if the contractor is meeting its hiring requirements as noted in the contract.