MEMORANDUM of UNDERSTANDING

All agencies intending to be part of the Workforce Center can sign on the Memorandum of Understanding by contacting Fred Gilbert (246-6547). A list of who has signed the form is at the end of the document.

Memorandum of Understanding
For the
Community Workforce Partnership

This memorandum of Understanding is entered into and effective May 1, 2000 by and among Iowa Workforce Development (IWD), Polk County, Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS), Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), and the Greater Des Moines Partnership (GDMP). This Memorandum of Understanding is intended to memorialize the intention of each of the signatories hereto to cooperate in the development of the workforce development system (the "System") referred to below but is not intended to obligate any party financially or with respect to the lease of any space in the development contemplated as a part of the System. Any such obligations shall be only pursuant to subsequent agreements among some or all of the signatories hereto. The signatories hereto are hereafter referred to as a group as the Community Workforce Partnership (CWP). The members of the CWP agree as follow:

Purpose: The members of the CWP are committed to the planning and implementation of a workforce development one-stop service delivery system serving business, job seekers, and workers of central Iowa. The System is intended to be completed by June 30, 2002.

Expected Outcomes: All members of the CWP agree to actively participate in the planning and implementation of the System to meet the outcomes described herein. It is envisioned that the System will include a centrally located "one-stop" campus of human service providers with the essential services electronically connected to various hub sites. The participants in the center will share one easily identifiable new name, a new common logo, and a coordinated service delivery and marketing plan.

The members of the CWP will:

1. Design a service delivery model for job seekers to access job and support center programs for purposes of achieving economic independence. The model will describe how staff of all participating entities will work together to meet job seekers basic, support service needs, and how this will be coordinated with service providers across the community.
2. Develop a detailed menu of products and services that are critical to meeting the recruitment, training, and retention needs of businesses that will be delivered in a coordinated manner by the members of CWP.
3. Develop operating and governance standards for how the various collocated entities will function to serve employers, workers, and job seekers.
4. Design facilities that support integrated staffing and services accessible to customer groups. Initial planning calls for a single facility in excess of 100,000 square feet at a rate of $10 to $16 per square foot. Each member of the CWP will define its specific need for space in the facility by January 1, 2001.
5. Develop a technology implementation plan that details the infrastructure requirements, the current technology needs of each member organization, and installation process.
6. Design and implement a plan to generate resources, promotion, and marketing of the "one-stop" center in accordance with the purpose of the center system.
7. Endeavor to meet the timeline for the development of the System.

Facilities: Subject to further development of the plans for the facility referred to (d) above and the final determination of cost information, each member of the CWP contemplates that it will commit to locate a portion of it's operations to the campus developed through this agreement or provide services in support of the mission of the center on or before June 30, 2002.

Duration: This Memorandum of Understanding shall be effective when all parties have signed. The members of the CWP acknowledge that the timeline attached hereto contemplates completions of the facilities for lthe Project by June 30, 2002 and agree that if this Memorandum of Understanding has not been replaced by more definative agreements concerning the facilities and the Project prior to June 30, 2002 all further efforts toward development of the Project shall cease on such date.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth above and for other goods and valuable consideration, the receipt, adequacy nad legal sufficiency of which are herby acknowledged, the parties have entered into the above Agreement and have caused their duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement.

Richard V. Running, Director, Iowa Workforce Development
Angela Connelly, Polk County Board of Supervisors
Kenneth Riedel, Iowa Department of Human Services
Joe Borgen, Des Moines Area Community College
Michael Blouin, Greater Des Moines Partnership
Mayor Preston Daniels, City of Des Moines