The Navajo County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved two Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) contract awards on Wednesday: Head Forward Solutions, LLC was selected as the one-stop operator (contract B25-04-003) and Eckerd Youth Alternatives was selected to provide WIOA Title I-B adult, dislocated worker and youth career services (contract B25-04-015).

Adam, the county27s workforce director, told the board the awards are part of a broader effort to "rebuild" the county27s WIOA program, restore compliance and address past audit findings. He said the WIOA program has not been reauthorized since its statutory expiration in 2016 and that the county has faced budget reductions of 12% to 18% in some years. "One of the things that we're facing with WIOA as a whole across the nation, is that we have not reauthorized since its expiration date, which was back in 2016," he said.

Adam said the one-stop operator contract bid arrived at a lower price than prior years (previously about $140,000) and that a local operator who has served as the current one-stop operator organized as an LLC to bid for the role. He said Eckerd brings experience used by other Arizona counties and produced a proposal that fit the county27s capped allocation for the year; both contracts aim to improve program delivery and audit compliance.

Board members thanked workforce staff for addressing audit concerns and rebuilding capacity. Both motions to approve the contracts were made, seconded and passed unanimously in open session.