[Federal Register: April 4, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 65)]
[Notices]
[Page 16564-16576]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Grants for Intermediaries; SGA/DFA 03-104
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for grant
applications (SGA). This notice contains all of the necessary
information and forms needed to apply for grant funding.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training
Administration (ETA), announces the availability of $3.5 million to
award grants to eligible intermediary organizations. Under this 2003
competition, eligible ``intermediaries'' are defined as those non-
profit, community, and/or faith-based organizations with established
connections and working relationships to grassroots faith-based and
community organizations with the ability to connect those smaller
organizations and the people they serve to the local One-Stop delivery
system.
In achieving the grant purposes, the intermediary is expected to
sub-grant a substantial portion of its award to eligible local grass-
roots organizations. In their collaboration, the intermediaries will
achieve the following objectives:
[sbull] Organize collaboration between sub-grantees and workforce
boards to address a well-defined unmet community need by leveraging the
resources of both faith-based and community organizations and the One-
Stop Career Center system. The faith-based and community organizations
resources may include, but are not limited to, services such as
mentoring, soft skills training, transportation, childcare, or use of
space and volunteer hours. ``Soft skills'' commonly refers to skills
and characteristics that allow individuals to succeed in the workplace,
such as a strong work ethic, an ability to work in teams, self-
discipline, self-confidence, punctuality and courtesy.
[sbull] Increase the number of faith-based and community-based
organizations serving as committed and active partners in the One-Stop
delivery system.
[sbull] Establish methods and mechanisms to ensure sustainability
of these partnerships and participation levels beyond the life of the
grant.
[sbull] Expand the access of faith-based and community-based
organizations' clients and customers to the training, job and career
services offered by the local One-Stops.
[sbull] Tthoroughly document the impact and outcomes of these grant
investments through quarterly and annual reporting.
DATES: Applications will be accepted commencing on April 4, 2003. The
closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is May
5, 2003. Applications must be received by 4 p.m. (ET) at the address
below: No exceptions to the mailing and hand-delivery conditions set
forth in this notice will be granted. Applications that do not meet the
conditions set forth in this notice will not be honored. Telefacsimile
(FAX) applications will not be honored.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be mailed to: U.S. Department of Labor,
Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance,
Attention: Denise Roach, SGA/DFA 03-104, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Room S-4203, Washington, DC 20210. Telefacsimile (FAX) applications
will not be accepted. Applicants are advised that mail in the
Washington area may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Roach, Grants Management
Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, Telephone (202) 693-3301
(this is not a toll free-number). You must specifically ask for Denise
Roach. Questions can also be faxed to Denise Roach, Telephone (202)
693-2879, please include the SGA/DFA 03-104, a contact name, fax and
phone numbers. This announcement will be also published on the
Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Web page at http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce.
This Web page will also provide responses
to questions that are raised by applicants during the period of grant
application preparation. Award notifications will also be announced on
this Web page.
Part I. Delivery of Applications
1. Late Applications. Any application received after the exact date
and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice
will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made
and it:
[sbull] Was sent by U.S. Postal Service registered or certified
mail not later than May 5, 2003 (e.g., an application submitted in
response to a solicitation requiring receipt of applications by the
20th of the month must have been post marked by the 15th of the that
month); or
[sbull] Was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day
Service, Post Office to addressee, not later than May 5, 2003 by 5 p.m.
at the place of mailing two working days before to the deadline date
specified for receipt of applications. The term ``working days''
excludes weekends and U.S. Federal holidays. ``Post-marked'' means a
printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage
meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable, without further
action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an
employee of the U.S. Postal Service.
2. Withdrawal of Applications. Applications may be withdrawn by
written notice or telegram (including mailgram) received at any time
before an award is made. Applications may be withdrawn in person by the
applicant or by an authorized representative thereof, if the
representative's identity is made known and the representative signs a
receipt for the proposal.
3. Hand Delivered Proposals. It is preferred that applications be
mailed at least five days before to the closing date. To be considered
for funding, hand-delivered applications must be received at the
designated address by 4 p.m., (ET). All overnight mail will be
considered to be hand delivered and must be received at the designated
place by the specified closing date and time. Telegraphed, e-mailed
and/or faxed proposals will not be honored. Failure to adhere to the
above instructions will be a basis for determination of non-
responsiveness.
Part II. Authorities
These grants are made under the following authorities:
[sbull] The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA or the Act)
(Public Law 105-220, 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.)
[sbull] The WIA Final Rule, 20 CFR parts 652, 660-671 (65 FR 49294
(August 11, 2000));
[sbull] Executive Order 13198; ``Rallying the Armies of
Compassion''
[sbull] Training and Employment Guidance Letter 17-01
(``Incorporating and Utilizing Grassroots, Community-Based
Organizations Including Faith-Based Organizations in Workforce
Investment Activities and Programs'')
[sbull] Executive Order 13279; ``Equal Protection of the Laws for
Faith-Based and Community Organizations''
Part III. Background
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) established a
comprehensive reform of existing
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Federal job training programs with amendments impacting service
delivery under the Wagner-Peyser Act, Adult Education and Literacy Act,
and the Rehabilitation Act. A number of other Federal programs are also
identified as required partners in the One-Stop delivery system to
provide comprehensive services for all Americans to access the
information and resources available that can help in the achievement of
their career goals. The intention of the One-Stop system is to
establish a network of programs and providers in co-located and
integrated settings that are accessible for individuals and businesses
alike in approximately 600 workforce investment areas established
throughout the nation. There are currently over 1,900 comprehensive
Centers and over 1,600 affiliated Centers across the United States.
WIA established State and Local Workforce Investment Boards focused
on strategic planning, policy development, and oversight of the
workforce investment system, and accorded significant authority to the
nation's Governors and local chief elected officials to further
implement innovative and comprehensive delivery systems. The vision,
goals and objectives for workforce development under the WIA
decentralized system are fully described in the State strategic plan
required under section 112 of the legislation. This State strategic
workforce investment plan--and the operational experience gained by all
the partners to date in implementing the WIA-instituted reforms--help
identify the important ``unmet needs'' and latent opportunities to
expand access to One-Stop by all the population segments within the
local labor market.
Engagement of Faith-Based and Community Organizations Under the
Workforce Investment Act
On January 29, 2001, President George W. Bush issued Executive
Order 13198, creating the Office for Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives in the White House and centers in the departments of Labor,
Health and Human Services (HHS), Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
Education (ED), Justice (DOJ). President Bush charged the Cabinet
centers with identifying statutory, regulatory, and bureaucratic
barriers that stand in the way of effective faith-based and community
initiatives, and to ensure, consistent with the law, that these
organizations have equal opportunity to compete for federal funding and
other support.
In early 2002, the Department's Center for Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives (CFBCI) and ETA developed and issued
Solicitations for Grant Applications (SGAs) to engage intermediary and
grass-roots organizations in our workforce system-building. These
grants were designed to involve the faith-based and community-based
organizations in service delivery, strengthen their existing
partnership with the local One-Stop delivery system, while providing
additional points of entry for customers into that system.
These 2002 grants embodied the Department's principal strategy for
implementing the Executive Order by creating new avenues through which
qualified organizations can more fully participate under the Workforce
Investment Act while applying their particular strengths and assets in
service provision to our customers. These grants also proceeded from an
ETA-CFBCI mutual premise: that the involvement of community-based
organizations and faith-based organizations can both complement and
supplement the efforts of local workforce investment systems in
providing universal access and serving the training-, job- and career-
support needs of many of our citizens.
Both ETA and CFBCI are committed to bringing new Intermediary and
grass-roots organizations to workforce system-building through the
issuance of a new solicitation in 2003. This new solicitation draws on
``lessons learned'' in 2002 while introducing several ``promising
practices'' introduced by other ETA grantees. While many Statement of
Work elements in the 2002 solicitation have been preserved, the 2003
competition also sharply focuses on the ability of the Intermediary
grantee and its sub-grantees to bridge the ``gaps'' in types of service
provision and/or meeting the needs of historically hard-to-serve
populations reached in the community (Note: While several of the
Intermediary grantees in 2002 served multiple jurisdictions in various
States, the 2003 competition focuses on the ability of the Intermediary
to serve a single defined geographic area or contiguous geographic
areas.) The new solicitation also places significant emphasis on
performance outcomes--documenting and quantifying the additional value
the Intermediary and its sub-grantees bring to the One-Stop delivery
system in the community.
Through this competition, ETA seeks to ensure that an important
Workforce Investment Act tenet--universal access to the programs and
services offered under WIA--is further rooted in the customer-
responsive delivery systems already established by the Governors, local
elected officials and local Workforce Investment Boards. ETA also
reaffirms its continuing commitment to those customer-focused reforms
instituted by State and local governments which help Americans access
the tools they need to manage their careers through information and
high quality services, and to help U.S. companies find skilled workers.
Faith-based and community-based organizations present strong
credentials for full partnership in our mutual system-building
endeavors. Faith-based and community-based organizations are trusted
institutions within our poorest neighborhoods. Faith-based and
community-based organizations are home to a large number of volunteers
who bring not only the transformational power of personal relationships
to the provision of social service but also a sustained allegiance to
the well-being and self-sufficiency of the participants they serve.
Through their daily work and specific programs, these organizations
strive to achieve some common purposes shared with government--
reduction of welfare dependency, attainment of occupational skills,
entry and retention of all our citizens in good-paying jobs. Through
this solicitation, ETA and CFBCI strive to leverage these programs,
resources and committed staff into the workforce investment strategies
already embodied in State and local strategic plans.
Legal Rules That Apply to Faith-Based Organizations That Receive
Government Funds
The government is prohibited from directly funding religious
activity.* These grants may not be used for religious instruction,
worship, prayer, proselytizing or other inherently religious practices.
Neutral, secular
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criteria that neither favor nor disfavor religion must be employed in
the selection of grant and sub-grant recipients. In addition, under the
WIA and DOL regulations implementing the Workforce Investment Act, a
recipient may not train a participant in religious activities, or
permit participants to construct, operate, or maintain any part of a
facility that is primarily used or devoted to religious instruction or
worship. Under WIA, ``no individual shall be excluded from
participation in, denied the benefits of, subjected to discrimination
under, or denied employment in the administration of or in connection
with, any such program or activity because of race, color, religion,
sex (except as otherwise permitted under Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972), national origin, age, disability, or political
affiliation or belief.''
* The term ``direct'' funding is used to describe funds that are
provided ``directly'' by a governmental entity or an intermediate
organization with the same duties as a governmental entity, as
opposed to funds that an organization receives as the result of the
genuine and independent private choice of a beneficiary. In other
contexts, the term ``direct'' funding may be used to refer to those
funds that an organization receives directly from the Federal
government (also known as ``discretionary'' funding), as opposed to
funding that it receives from a State or local government (also
known as ``indirect'' or ``block grant'' funding). In this SGA, the
term ``direct'' has the former meaning.
Part IV. Funding Availability and Period of Performance
ETA has identified $3.5 million from the FY 2002 appropriation for
One-Stop/America's Labor Market Information System for achieving these
objectives. The agency expects to award 7 to 12 grants. The grant
amount for each intermediary organization is expected to range from
$300,000 to $500,000. Final award amounts may be negotiated at the
discretion of the grant officer. The period of performance is one year,
beginning July 1, 2003 and ending on June 30, 2004.
Grant funds awarded through this competition are not intended to
replace or supplant existing activities or resources that are
currently offered (``maintenance of effort''), but to augment the
range of services available in the community. Organizations, which
have not previously partnered with the One-Stop delivery system are
the specific target for these Federal investments.
Part V. Eligible Applicants
For purposes of this announcement, ``intermediaries'' are defined
as those non-profit, community, and/or faith-based organizations with
existing connections to grassroots faith-based and community
organizations, and the demonstrated ability to connect those
organizations to the local workforce investment system. These
Intermediary organizations must possess strong financial and grant
management skills, and the ability to mentor smaller organizations to
increase their capacity to fully participate in One-Stop service
delivery. (Note: Intermediary organizations that received grants in
2002 are not eligible to apply for these resources.) For the purposes
of this grant, neither Workforce Investment Boards nor One-Stop
operators qualify as intermediaries. The intermediary should issue sub-
grants to non-profit grassroots organizations which:
1. Have social services as a major part of their mission;
2. Are headquartered in the local community to which they provide
these services;
3. Have a total annual operating budget of $300,000 or less, or
4. Have 6 or fewer full-time equivalent employees.
Note: For purposes of this competition, local affiliates of
national social service organizations are not considered
``grassroots'' and are not eligible for a sub-grant award.
Part VI. Government Requirements/Statement of Work
Applicants must submit one copy with an original signature and two
additional copies of their proposal. The application must be double-
spaced, and on single-sided, numbered pages. A font size of at least
twelve (12) pitch is required throughout.
There are five required sections:
Section I--Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424A)
Section II--Budget Information (SF 424B)
Section III--Executive Summary
Section IV--Statement of Work
Section I--Application for Federal Assistance
The SF-424A is included in the announcement as Attachment A. It
must be signed by the representative authorized by the governing body
of the applicant to enter into grant agreement.
Section II--Budget Information
The SF-424B is included in the announcement as Attachment B.
Note: Except as specifically provided, DOL/ETA acceptance of a
proposal and an award of federal funds to sponsor any program(s)
does not provide a waiver of any grant requirement and/or
procedures. For example, the OMB circulars require that an entity's
procurement procedures must require that all procurement
transactions must be conducted, as practical, to provide open and
free competition. If a proposal identifies a specific entity to
provide the services, the DOL/ETA's award does not provide the
justification or basis to sole-source the procurement, i.e., avoid
competition.
Section III--Executive Summary
A one to two page ``Executive Summary'' reflecting the timeline and
focusing on the outcomes to be achieved under this grant is also
required. This Executive Summary does not count against the overall
page limitation. The Executive Summary should include:
[sbull] The name of the local investment workforce area in the
State proposed to be served through the activities of this grant. (If
you plan to serve two or more contiguous areas, please identify in this
Section.)
[sbull] Years of intermediary's service to the residents in this
area.
[sbull] The ``need to be addressed''--i.e., the services to be
provided and populations to be served that may not fully be addressed
by the local workforce investment system.
[sbull] Intermediary and sub-grantee projects and activities that
address the defined needs with twelve-month timelines for their
accomplishment.
[sbull] Summary of outcomes, benefits and value added by the
project.
Section IV--Statement of Work (Not To Exceed 15 Pages Including
Attachments)
The Statement of Work represents the applicant's plans to address
the previously documented unmet need(s) in the community, including the
opportunity to serve specific populations (e.g., ex-offenders, limited
English-speaking, immigrants, displaced homemakers, homeless) and/or
offer specific services critical to obtaining employment for
disadvantaged populations (e.g., soft-skills training, pre- and post-
job placement mentoring, translation services, job coaching). (This
description should include coverage of population(s) to be served and
the services to be provided. Populations could include ex-offenders,
immigrants, limited English-speaking, homeless and individuals with
disabilities. Services can include soft-skills training, pre- and post-
job placement mentoring, translation services, and job coaching. Other
populations and services can be identified.) The Department expects
that the intermediary and its sub-grantees can complement, augment and
supplement the services currently provided through the local One-Stop
delivery system.
The intermediary will assist the sub-grantees, as appropriate, in
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administrative tasks so that maximum efforts can be focused on
providing direct assistance to their service population(s). The
Department expects the intermediary's staff to provide mentoring and
technical assistance to build the smaller organizations' capacity to be
a permanent contributor to the local One-Stop system as well as compete
successfully for future governmental grants and private funding
opportunities.
The Statement of Work will specifically include:
(1) Performance History with Grants Management and the One-Stop
System.
(2) Description of the proposed plan and activities of the
intermediary and its sub-grantees.
(3) Enumeration of evaluation criteria, measure(s), outcomes and
reporting/tracking.
(4) Mechanisms for both intermediary and sub-grantees.
1. Performance History With Grants Management and the One-Stop
System (15 points)
Each applicant must provide a statement of its performance history
with the management of resources under governmental grants-in-aid
programs, including:
[sbull] Relevant history of the applicant in managing resources
through grant awards from Federal Departments (particularly those from
the Departments of Labor, Justice, Education, Housing and Urban
Development, and Health and Human Services), State governments, units
of local governments or private foundations.
[sbull] Relevant history of the applicant in working with small
organizations. (Note: Be sure to include past experience in developing
technical assistance and developing other organizations' capacity for
social service delivery, competing for grants, managing grants,
conducting information campaigns.)
[sbull] Recent participation of the intermediary in the One-Stop
Stop delivery system for employment and training services. Describe any
current working relationship with the local Workforce Investment
Board(s). If your organization did not previously work with a Local
Board, please describe how the applicant worked with the Local Board in
the development of this grant proposal.
The Department will evaluate this narrative based on the scope,
strength, and ``record of achievement.''
2. Description of the proposed plan and activities of the
intermediary and its sub-grantees (50 points)
This section of the narrative provides the applicant's strategy for
addressing the community's unmet workforce investment needs, and the
prospects for strengthening the local One-Stop system through an
expanded set of relationships with smaller grass-roots organizations.
This section of the narrative should fully describe the specific needs
in the community that the intermediary and grassroots organization
partnerships will address. The proposal's narrative should:
[sbull] Describe the unmet service needs and conditions of
unemployed or underemployed workers that the applicant will organize
sub-grantees and other partners to address. The narrative should
include how the applicant identified this need, including consultation
with grassroots and faith-based and community organizations and the
One-Stop delivery system;
[sbull] Document existing networks of faith-based and community
groups, the organization's relationship with these networks, and plans
for additional outreach to identify additional faith-based and
community-based organizations. The emphasis should be on outreach to
those groups that can help the grantee address the identified community
need(s).
[sbull] Describe the methodology for awarding sub-grants. Describe
how the applicant will organize the sub-grantees to address the
community's need including what resources and services it will solicit
from sub-grantees.
[sbull] Describe technical assistance the applicant will provide to
potential sub-grantees before and after grant award. This should
include activities to help FBOs/CBOs apply for sub-grant award.
[sbull] Describe the activities that have and will be undertaken to
build the administrative capacity of the sub-grantees.
[sbull] Describe how the applicant and sub-grantees will use One-
Stop system resources and collaborate with the local Workforce
Investment Board to address the identified community issues.
[sbull] Submit a timeline for the tasks and activities beginning
July 1.
The Department will evaluate the proposal against the following
criteria:
[sbull] The activities associated with outreach and identification
of grassroots organizations eligible for sub-grant awards appear
appropriate, reasonable and achievable within the first months of the
grant period.
[sbull] The defined set of inter-relationships among intermediary,
grass-roots organizations and the local One-Stop delivery system during
the life of the grant suggest that the grant objectives will be
successfully met.
[sbull] The approaches and strategies for meeting the unmet
workforce investment needs in the community appear appropriate,
reasonable and achievable within the grant period.
3. Description of evaluation criteria, measure(s), outcomes and
reporting/tracking mechanisms for both intermediary and sub-grantees
(35 points) The narrative should specifically and carefully define how
grant success will be determined by the intermediary and the
Department. The review panels should be able to answer three key
questions: What will be different once the project is complete? What
value will be added to the local One-Stop delivery system? How will the
``competitive'' posture (i.e., capabilities to deliver services/act as
partner) of the sub-grantees in the local One-Stop delivery system be
enhanced? The narrative, therefore, should:
[sbull] Define the measurable outcomes and other goals for both the
intermediary and its sub-grantees in executing the proposed tasks and
activities. These outcomes include how many individuals will obtain and
retain employment, or complete an educational certificate. Other goals
may include how many individuals will receive job training, life-skills
training or other services, which remove specific barriers to
employment.
[sbull] Describe how the intermediary organization will track and
report outcomes for those assisted under the sub-grants. Describe any
formal agreement with the local One-Stop delivery system to track such
outcomes or other mechanisms that have been established for this
purpose.
[sbull] Define how the intermediary will determine its overall
success in improving the posture of the sub-grantees in increasing
their administrative capacity to remain active in local workforce
development and compete for future funding opportunities.
The Department will evaluate the proposal against the following
criteria:
[sbull] Are the goals and objectives, and the plans and procedures
for achieving them, innovative, worthwhile, achievable and measurable?
[sbull] Are the methods and activities to achieve the objectives
adequately described?
Note: These should be consistent with the timeline, and present
the order and the date of completion (month or quarter) for the
accomplishment of the intermediary's and sub-grantees' tasks.
[sbull] Is there evidence that the intermediary's technical
assistance efforts will enhance the posture of the
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sub-grantees by increasing their administrative capacity and their
ability to remain active in the local workforce development system and
to compete for other funding opportunities?
Part VII. Reporting
Grantees will be required to submit quarterly financial and
narrative progress reports. Financial reporting will be required
quarterly using the on-line electronic reporting system for the
Standard Form 269-Financial Status Report (FSR). A narrative progress
report will be required quarterly.
Part VIII. Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
The technical review panel will make careful evaluation of
applications against the rating criteria. The review panel
recommendations are advisory. The ETA grant officer will fully consider
the panel recommendations and take into account geographic balance to
ensure the most advantageous award of these funds to accomplish the
system-building purposes outlined in the Summary and Statement of Work.
The grant officer may consider any information that comes to his or her
attention. The grant officer reserves the right to award without
negotiation.
Part IX. Resources for Applicant
The Department of Labor maintains a number of web-based resources
that may be of assistance to applicants. The webpage for the
Department's Center for Faith-Based & Community Initiatives (http://www.dol.gov/cfbci
) is a valuable source of background on this
initiative. America's Service Locator (http://www.servicelocator.org)
provides a directory of our nation's One-Stop Career Centers. The
National Association of Workforce Boards maintains a webpage (http://www.nawb.org/asp/wibdir.asp
), which contains contact information for
the State and local Workforce Investment boards. Applicants are
encouraged to review ``Understanding the Department of Labor
Solicitation for Grant Applications and How to Write an Effective
Proposal'' (http://www/dol.gov/cfbci/sgabrochure.htm). ``Questions and
Answers'' regarding this solicitation will be posted and updated on the
web (http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce). For a basic understanding of
the grants process and basic responsibilities of receiving Federal
grant support, please see ``Guidance for Faith-Based and Community
Organizations on Partnering with the Federal Government'' (http://www.fbci.gov
).
Signed at Washington, DC, this 1st day of April, 2003.
James W. Stockton,
Grant Officer.
Attachments:
Appendix A: SF-424A--Application for Federal Assistance
Appendix B: Budget Form
Appendix C: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants
Appendix D: Checklist (whether the applicant is a Faith-Based
organization or a Community-Based organization)
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[FR Doc. 03-8228 Filed 4-3-03; 8:45 am]
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