[Federal Register: April 22, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 78)]
[Notices]
[Page 21651-21656]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22ap08-77]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Office of Apprenticeship and the Women's Bureau; Notice of
Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Women
in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Grants
Announcement Type: New. Solicitation for Grant Announcement (SGA).
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA-PY-07-08.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 17.201
Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications is June 6,
2008.
SUMMARY: The Women's Bureau (WB) and the Employment and Training
Administration's (ETA's) Office of Apprenticeship (OA), U.S. Department
of Labor (DOL or Department), announce the availability of $1,000,000
to establish a grant program for the purpose of assisting employers and
labor unions in the placement and retention of women in apprenticeship
and nontraditional occupations. This program year 2007 SGA is
authorized under the WANTO Act of 1992, Pub. L. 102-530, 29 U.S.C. 2501
et seq. To that end, the OA and the WB plan to disburse 2007 WANTO
grant funds to three community-based organization (CBO)/registered
apprenticeship program (RAP) consortia to conduct innovative projects
to improve the recruitment, selection, training, employment, and
retention of women in apprenticeships in the construction industry.
Each CBO/RAP consortium must consist of a minimum of: (1) A
construction industry RAP sponsor; and (2) a CBO (which may be a faith-
based organization (FBO) with demonstrated experience in providing job
training services (soft skills and some hard skills), placement, and
support services to women for construction industry jobs.
It is anticipated that awards will be in the amount of
approximately $300,000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This SGA consists of eight (8) sections:
Section I provides the funding opportunity description.
Section II describes the size and nature of the
anticipated awards.
Section III describes applicant eligibility criteria.
Section IV outlines the application submission and
withdrawal requirements.
Section V describes the application review information.
Section VI outlines additional award administration
information.
Section VII lists the Agency Contact.
Section VIII provides other information, including
acronyms and definitions.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Background
The WANTO Act of 1992, Pub. L. 102-530, 29 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.
authorizes DOL to disburse technical assistance grants to promote the
recruitment, training, and retention of women in apprenticeship and
nontraditional occupations. The WB and OA co-administer the WANTO
program, and have the responsibility for implementing this grant
process.
B. Purpose
The WANTO Act's purpose is to provide technical assistance to
employers and labor unions (E/LU) to encourage employment of women in
apprenticeships and nontraditional occupations (A/NTO). One of the
means of providing technical assistance is through competitive grants
which focus on conducting innovative projects to improve the
recruitment, selection, training, employment, and retention of women in
apprenticeships in the construction industry. WANTO grants are awarded
to CBOs, which may include faith-based, union-related organizations and
employer-related nonprofit organizations, among others, to provide
technical assistance to RAP sponsors. DOL has found that placement and
retention of women in A/NTO pose significant challenges. For example,
on average, only three percent of all newly registered and active
apprentices in construction occupations are women. Approximately 75
percent of all registered apprenticeship programs are in the
construction industry. Therefore, the Department is focusing this
notice on registered apprenticeship opportunities for women in the
construction industry. From 1994 to 2002, DOL funded WANTO grants
annually to CBOs and FBOs that delivered technical assistance to
employers and labor organizations to prepare them to successfully
recruit, train, employ and retain women. The outcomes of these prior
WANTO grants consisted largely of training and resource manuals, as
well as recruitment videos. The numbers of women placed in registered
apprenticeships through WANTO grant activities were lower than
expected. Therefore, the PY 2007 WANTO grants are intended to help
connect women with the significant employment opportunities available
in registered apprenticeship programs in the construction industry.
Additionally, to ensure women served by these PY 2007 WANTO grants have
access to a full range of supportive services and training, as well as
specific employment opportunities, this SGA requires applicants to
demonstrate establishment of a consortium consisting of CBOs and RAP
sponsors whereby the employers and RAP sponsors will be responsible
partners for placing women into their programs. RAPS are any person,
association, committee, or organization operating an apprenticeship
program in whose name the program is registered or approved. For the
purposes of this notice, all apprenticeable occupations in the
construction industry meet the definition of nontraditional occupations
(NTO).
[[Page 21652]]
In support of the DOL's strategic goals of a prepared and
competitive workforce, and ETA's strategic focus on regional economic
development, bonus points are being awarded to applicants that go
beyond the minimum SGA requirements by demonstrating strong broad-based
partnerships with multiple organizations advocating for women in
nontraditional occupations seeking to meet regional talent development
needs.
II. Award Information
A. Grant Awards
The OA and WB anticipate awarding two-year grants totaling
approximately $300,000 each to no more than three CBO/RAP consortia,
with each consortium consisting of at least one of each: (1) A
construction industry RAP sponsor; and (2) a CBO (which may be faith-
based) with demonstrated experience in providing job training services
(work readiness as well as industry-specific training), placement, and
support services to women for construction industry jobs.
B. Period of Performance
The period of performance will be up to 24 months from the date of
execution of the grant documents. DOL ETA may approve a request for a
no cost extension to grantees for an additional period of time based on
the success of the project and other relevant factors.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Under this announcement only CBO/RAP consortia, as defined in
section VIII.F of this SGA, may apply for and receive a grant award.
Current WANTO grantees are not eligible to receive funding under this
announcement. This requirement does not prevent the participation of
other entities which are integral to the implementation of the project.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Address To Request Application Package
Please note that this announcement includes all the information
needed to apply for this funding opportunity. Additionally, all
application materials will be made available on the following Web
sites: http://www.doleta.gov/sga/ and http://www.grants.gov.
B. Content and Form of Application
The proposal must consist of two separate and distinct parts: Part
A, the Cost Proposal and Part B, the Technical Proposal. Applications
that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section may be deemed
non-responsive and may not be considered for funding.
1. Requirements for the Cost Proposal
Application for Federal Assistance SF-424. The SF-424 must clearly
identify the applicant and be signed by an individual with authority to
enter into a grant agreement on behalf of the applicant. Upon
confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf
of the applicant shall represent the responsible entity. All
applications for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required
to have a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number. Applicants must supply
their DUNS number in item 8 of SF-424. The DUNS number is easy to
obtain and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access http://
www.dnb.com or call 1-866-705-5711.
Budget Information for SF-424A. Standard Form 424A must contain a
detailed cost breakout on each of the expenditures under Section B. The
budget should be accompanied by a detailed narrative. As noted in
Section II.A, the budget should be prepared for the entire grant
period.
Note: The Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) is
available at http://www.grants.gov/techlib/424_20090131.doc and the
Budget Information Form (SF-424A) is available at http://
www.doleta.gov/sga/forms/form424a.pdf.
Equal Employment Opportunity Survey. Applicants are also requested
to submit Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Survey No. 1890-0014:
Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants, which can be found
at http://www.doleta.gov/sga/forms.cfm.
Applicants must include in their cost proposal the cost of any
requested travel to Washington, DC.
2. Requirements for the Technical Proposal
The technical proposal text is limited to twenty (20) double-
spaced, single-sided 8.5 inch by 11 inch pages with 12 point text font
and one-inch margins. Pages must be numbered. Only those attachments
listed below as ``Required Attachments'' will be excluded from the page
limit. The ``Required Attachments'' must be affixed as separate,
clearly identified appendices to the application. The ``Required
Attachments'' are as follows:
(a) A Table of Contents, listing the application sections.
(b) Documentation of applicant eligibility, which should include
proof of the CBO's status as a private nonprofit organization as
defined under section 101(7) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998
(WIA), Pub. L. 105-220, 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq. DOL ETA will verify that
RAP sponsors are registered with DOL ETA or a DOL ETA-recognized State
Apprenticeship Agency.
(c) A two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project.
(d) Documentation of the applicant's experience, capability, and
qualifications for recruiting, training, hiring and retaining women in
A/NTO, as described in Part V, Section A1, ``Organizational Overview'',
of this notice.
(e) An organizational chart, resumes and key personnel, and
complete staffing plans. Resumes of all key staff (e.g., Executive
Director, Project Director, etc.) must include a description of each
individual's roles and responsibilities, his/her current employment
status and previous work experience, including position title, duties,
dates in position, employing organizations and educational background.
Staffing plans must identify all key tasks, the person(s) and days
required to complete each task and the percentage of time allocated to
the program by individuals assigned to the task, including
subcontractors and consultants.
(f) A list of the activities to be performed by each participating
organization.
(g) The consortium of organizations must include a copy of the
consortium agreement and must identify the consortium member that will
act as the administrative entity for the project as well as the project
lead. No member of a consortium shall make a separate application under
this grant program. In addition, the agreement must specify the
consortium's arrangements for handling the administrative and financial
responsibilities for the program.
C. Submission Dates, Times and Addresses
Applications may be submitted in either method described below, and
must be received no later than 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing
date. The application will not be considered if an applicant fails to
adhere to the submission instructions below.
Electronic Submissions. The Department requests that applicants
apply online at http://www.grants.gov. The Department strongly
recommends that applicants immediately initiate and complete the ``Get
Started'' steps to register with grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov/
GetStarted. Please note that these steps could take several days to
complete, and this time should be factored into plans for electronic
[[Page 21653]]
application submission in order to avoid facing unexpected delays that
could result in the rejection of an application. Documents should be
saved as a .doc or .pdf file prior to electronic submission through
grants.gov. It is highly recommended that online submissions be
completed at least three (3) working days prior to the date specified
for receipt of applications to ensure that the applicant still has the
option to submit by overnight delivery service in the event of any
electronic submission problems. Applicants take a significant risk by
waiting to the last day to submit by grants.gov.
U.S. Postal Mail and Overnight Submissions. Submit one (1) blue-ink
signed, typewritten original of the application, and two (2) signed
photocopies in one package to: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Attention: James Stockton, Mail Stop: N-4716,
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210
Note: Applications submitted by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile
will not be accepted.
Late Applications. Any application received after the closing date
will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made
and it was: (a) Sent by U.S. Postal Service registered or certified
mail no later than the fifth calendar day before the closing date
(e.g., an application required by the 20th of the month must be
postmarked by the 15th of that month); or (b) Sent by U.S. Postal
Service Express Mail/Next Day Service from the post office to the
addressee no later than 4:45 pm at the place of mailing, two (2)
working days (excluding weekends and Federal holidays and days when the
Federal government is closed), prior to the closing date; or (c) It is
determined by the government that the late receipt was due solely to
the mishandling by the Federal government after receipt at DOL at the
address indicated.
Acceptable Evidence for Late Applications. The only acceptable
evidence to establish the date of mailing of a late application sent by
registered or certified mail is the U.S. Postal Service postmark on the
envelope or wrapper and on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal
Service. If the postmark is not legible, an application received after
the closing date and time shall be considered to have been mailed late.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a
late application sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail/Next Day
Service from the post office to the addressee is the date entered by
the Post Office receiving clerk on the ``Express Mail/Next Day
Service--Post Office to Addressee'' label, and the postmark on the
envelope or wrapper and on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal
Service.
``Postmarked'' means a printed, stamped, or otherwise placed
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. Therefore, applicants should request the
postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation, ``bull's eye,''
postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
Mail Advisory in the DC Area. All applicants are advised that U.S.
mail delivery in the Washington, DC area is erratic. Packages addressed
to DOL are subject to radiation screening before delivery. All
applicants must take this into consideration when preparing to meet the
application closing date, as each applicant assumes the risk for
ensuring a timely submission of its application. The Department
recommends that applicants confirm receipt of their applications by
contacting James Stockton, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Office of Grants and Contract Management,
telephone (202) 693-3335 before the closing date. This is not a toll-
free number.
Applications may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram
(including mailgram) at any time before the Department makes an award.
An applicant may withdraw its submission in person by the applicant or
through an authorized representative of the applicant if: (1) The
applicant makes the representative's identity known to the Grant
Officer; and (2) the representative signs a receipt when he or she
receives the withdrawn application.
D. Funding Restrictions
Administrative Costs. The primary use of grant funds should be to
support the actual project. Therefore, applicants receiving grant funds
under this solicitation may not use more than 10 percent of the amount
requested for administrative costs associated with the project.
Administrative costs are defined at 20 CFR 667.220.
Indirect Cost Rate. An indirect cost rate (ICR) is required when an
organization operates under more than one grant or other activity
whether Federally-assisted or not. Organizations must use the ICR
supplied by the cognizant Federal agency. If an organization requires a
new ICR or has a pending ICR, the Grant Officer will award a temporary
billing rate for 90 days until a provisional rate can be issued. This
rate is based on the fact that an organization has not established an
ICR agreement. Within this 90 day period, the organization must submit
an acceptable indirect cost proposal to their Federal cognizant agency
to obtain a provisional ICR.
Allowable Costs. The Department determines what constitutes
allowable costs in accordance with the following Federal cost
principles, as applicable: (1) State and Local Government--OMB Circular
A-87; (2) Educational Institutions--OMB Circular A-21; (3) Nonprofit
Organizations--OMB Circular A-122; and (4) Profit-making Commercial
Firms--48 CFR Part 31.
Legal rules pertaining to inherently religious activities by
organizations that receive Federal financial assistance. The government
is generally prohibited from providing direct Federal financial
assistance for inherently religious activities. See 29 CFR Part 2,
Subpart D. Grants under this solicitation may not be used for religious
instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing, or other inherently
religious activities. Neutral, non-religious criteria that neither
favor nor disfavor religion will be employed in the selection of grant
recipients and must be employed by grantees in the selection of sub-
recipients.
V. Application Review Information
A. Evaluation Criteria
All applicants are required to use the rating criteria format when
developing their proposals. The technical panel will review grant
applications against the criteria listed below. Up to 135 points may be
awarded to an application. This total is based on up to 100 points for
the required information described in A.1, 2, and 3 below, and up to 35
bonus points for special program emphasis described in A.4 below. In
order to receive full credit, applicants must provide quality
information that does more than reiterate the requirement statement or
merely state how it will be accomplished. Therefore, responses must be
thoughtful and reflect a strategic vision for how these requirements
will be achieved. In addition, an applicant that describes only what
has been accomplished in the past but lacks full description of what it
will do during the grant period will not receive credit for the
response.
Points Summary:
(1) Organizational Overview--up to 20 points.
(2) Placement of Women in Registered Apprenticeship Programs--up to
30 points.
[[Page 21654]]
(3) Scope of WANTO Project and Projected Outcomes--up to 50 points.
(4) Bonus--up to 35 points.
(a) Incorporation of more than one RAP in the consortium--10
points.
(b) Incorporation of more than one construction industry discipline
in the RAP partners and incorporation of a governing board that
includes apprenticeship coordinators and/or labor organizations--5
points.
(c) Inclusive of multiple geographic areas in the consortium--10
points.
(d) Incorporation of Technology-Based Learning into the project to
support and facilitate the project participants' training and
preparation for apprenticeship--10 points. See Section VIII for a
definition and examples of Technology-Based Learning.
1. Organizational Overview (up to 20 points)
The applicant must demonstrate its experience, capability and
qualifications for administering a grant project. To be considered
fully responsive, the applicant must address all of the following:
(a) Describe the consortium members' experience and leadership [for
the purpose of] recruiting, selecting, training, placing and retaining
women in apprenticeships in the construction industry.
(b) Describe how the management structure and staffing of the
organization are aligned with the grant requirements, vision, and
goals; and how the structure and staffing are designed to assure
responsible general management of the organization.
(c) Identify all key tasks, the hours required for the completion
of such tasks, and the persons responsible for completing each task.
(d) Indicate if tradeswomen or women in nontraditional occupations
serve as active members of the consortium as either employed staff or
as board members.
(e) Where applicable, differentiate between the applicant
consortium and any proposed consultants or subcontractors, providing
information on each of the above.
2. Placement of Women in Registered Apprenticeship Programs (up to
30 points)
The consortium must demonstrate how it will place 100 women in
RAP(s) each year of the grant. For full credit under this element, the
applicant must provide detailed information for the following:
(a) Strategies for identifying the occupations in which RAP(s) plan
to train and employ women.
(b) A description of the types of construction apprenticeable
occupations in which the RAP(s) plan to train and employ women.
(c) The number of apprentices registered by the RAP(s) per year for
the last five years.
(d) A description of how the applicant will assure that there are
or will be suitable and appropriate positions available in the
construction industry RAP(s).
3. Scope of WANTO Project and Projected Outcomes (up to 50 points)
The applicant must demonstrate comprehensive, targeted, and
effective technical assistance to be provided to the RAP(s) with WANTO
funding. The OA and WB consider the successful placement of 100 women
in construction industry apprenticeships the primary successful outcome
a grantee can achieve with WANTO funding.
To be considered fully responsive, the applicant must:
(a) Discuss in detail the types of technical assistance (TA) that
will be provided to the RAP(s). Examples of such TA include: (1)
Outreach strategies and orientation sessions to recruit women into the
RAP(s) occupations and specific openings in RAP(s); (2) pre-apprentice
occupational skills training to prepare women for apprenticeship,
including English as a Second Language instruction; (3) ongoing
orientations for the RAP(s) and workers on creating a successful
environment for women in apprenticeship; (4) support groups and
facilitating networks for women in apprenticeship, on or off the job
site, to improve their retention; (5) liaison services between
tradeswomen and the RAP(s) to address workplace issues related to
gender; and (6) conducting exit interviews with tradeswomen to evaluate
their on-the-job experience and to assess the effectiveness of the
program.
(b) Document any leveraged resources or funding anticipated for the
accomplishment of the proposed project and a description of how the
funds will be used.
(c) Describe the outcomes the applicant anticipates as a result of
WANTO funding. This must include the number of women to be placed in:
(1) Pre-apprenticeships; and (2) apprenticeships.
4. Bonus Points (up to 35 points)
Bonus points will be awarded for proposals that demonstrate
experience or indicate their plans to provide one or more of the
following:
(a) Incorporation of more than one RAP in the consortium. (10
points).
(b) Incorporation of more than one construction industry discipline
in the RAP partners and incorporation of a governing board that
includes apprenticeship coordinators and/or labor organizations. (5
points).
(c) Inclusion of multiple geographical areas into the consortium.
(10 points).
(d) Incorporation of Technology-Based Learning to support and
facilitate the project participants' training and preparation for
apprenticeship. (10 points).
B. Review and Selection Process
Selection Process. The Grant Officer will convene an evaluation
panels to review and evaluate the applications using the point scoring
system and Rating Criteria format specified in Section A above. The
Grant Officer will rank applications based on the score assigned by the
panels through the evaluation process. The ranking will be the primary
basis used to identify applicants as potential grantees; however, the
review panel's recommendations are advisory in nature and not binding
on the Grant Officer. The government will consider applications rated
by the evaluation panels with a score of 80 or above to be eligible for
a grant award. Applicants that score less than 80 will not be eligible
for a grant award.
Other Evaluation Factors. Final awards will be made based on the
best interests of the Federal government, including, but not limited
to, such factors as technical quality, geographic balance, occupational
and/or industrial impact, availability of funds and uniqueness of
project. The Federal government reserves the right to ask for
clarification or hold discussions, but may elect to award a grant
without such discussion. Should a grant be awarded without discussions,
the award will be based on the applicant's signature on the SF 424,
which constitutes a binding offer by the applicant. The Grant Officer's
determination of award under this SGA is the final agency action.
VI. Additional Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://
www.doleta.gov). The Grant Officer expects to announce the results of
this competition approximately 60 days after the closing date for
receipt of applications.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
1. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees, including FBOs, will be subject to all applicable
Federal laws
[[Page 21655]]
(available at http://thomas.loc.gov), regulations (available at http://
gpoaccess.gov/cfr) and the applicable OMB Circulars (available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars). The grants awarded under this
SGA will be subject to administrative standards and provisions as
applicable, including, but not limited to, the following:
All Grant Recipients--20 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Part 667.220 (Administrative Costs).
Non-Profit Organizations--OMB Circulars A-122 (Cost
Principles) and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
Educational Institutions--OMB Circulars A-21 (Cost
Principles) and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
All entities must comply with 29 CFR Parts 37, 93, and 98,
and where applicable 29 CFR Parts 96 and 99.
2. Administrative Standards and Provisions
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 requirements and/or procedures. For
example, the OMB Grants Management circulars require, and an entity's
procurement procedures must require, that all procurement transactions
will be conducted, as practical, to provide full and open competition.
If a proposal identifies a specific entity to provide the services, the
DOL ETA award does not provide the justification or basis to sole-
source the procurement, i.e., avoid competition.
C. Reporting
The grantee is required to provide the reports and documentation
listed below.
Quarterly Financial Reports. A Quarterly Financial Status Report
(ETA 9130) is required until such time as all funds have been expended
or the grant period has expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days
after the end of each calendar year quarter. Grantees must use DOL
ETA's On-Line Electronic Reporting System.
Quarterly Progress Reports. The grantee must submit a quarterly
progress report to the designated Federal Project Officer within 45
days after the end of each calendar year quarter. Two copies are to be
submitted providing a detailed account of activities undertaken during
that quarter. DOL ETA may require additional data elements to be
collected and reported on either a regular basis or special request
basis. Grantees must agree to meet DOL ETA reporting requirements. The
quarterly progress report should be in narrative form and should
include:
(a) A comparison of actual accomplishments with the goals and
objectives established for the period. This must include discussion of
placements in pre-apprenticeship programs, apprenticeships and
nontraditional jobs, giving the name and address of each workplace and
company involved; and TA provided to RAP(s) as well as the nature of
the TA provided.
(b) Reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate.
(c) Any problems that may impede the performance of the grant and
the proposed corrective action.
(d) Any changes in the proposed work to be performed during the
next reporting period.
In addition, between scheduled reporting dates, the grantee(s) must
immediately inform the OA and WB of significant developments affecting
the ability to accomplish the work.
Final Report. No later than 90 days after the expiration of the
grant award, the grantee must submit two copies of the camera-ready
final report, each bound in a professional manner in a loose-leaf
notebook. These materials must be paid for with grant funds.
Instructions for the final report will be issued and may include
performance data, outcome results, an assessment of the grant project,
any employer or labor organization plans for follow-up of participants,
and Executive Summary of no more than three (3) pages. Upon request of
either the OA or WB, the grantee must submit a draft final report no
more than 60 days after the expiration date of the grant. The OA and
the WB will then review the draft report, and provide written comments
to the grantee within 15 days of receipt.
VII. Agency Contacts
For further information about this SGA, please contact James
Stockton, Grant Officer of the Division of Federal Assistance, at (202)
693-3335. This is not a toll-free number. Applicants may fax questions
about the program or information in this SGA to (202) 693-2879, and
must specifically address the fax to James Stockton and should include
SGA/DFA PY-07-08, a contact name, fax and phone number, and an email
address. The mailing address is: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment
and Training Administration, Attention: James Stockton, Room N-4716,
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.
VIII. Other Information
A. Questions About the Program or SGA
Questions and responses submitted to the Grant Officer regarding
this SGA will be posted on the Employment and Training Administration
Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants. Questions will be received
for one month after publication only. DOL ETA will not respond to
duplicate questions or questions that are not within the scope of this
SGA. Please do not direct questions to the OA or WB.
B. Post Grant Award Conference
No later than eight (8) weeks after an award, the grantees must
meet with the OA and the WB at the Post-Award Conference to discuss the
project, related components and TA; timelines; TA outcomes; assessment
comments and final approval. The grantees, the OA and WB will discuss
and make decisions on the following program activities:
(1) The proposed TA commitments for registered apprenticeship, and
related skilled nontraditional occupation activities and
responsibilities; the number of targeted RAP(s); and the number of
women who will be placed in a registered apprenticeship program.
(2) The methodology the proposed partnership will use to support/
change management and employee attitudes to promote female workers in
A/NTO.
(3) The types of systemic change anticipated by the TA strategies
that will be incorporated into ongoing employer recruitment, hiring,
training, and promotion of women in A/NTO.
(4) The occupational, industrial, and geographical impact
anticipated.
(5) The supportive services to be provided to employers and women
after successful placement into A/NTO.
The OA and WB will provide further input orally or in writing, if
necessary, within ten (10) working days after the Post-Award
Conference.
C. Grant Plan of Action
If revisions have been necessary, no later than ten (10) weeks
after an award, the grantees and the OA and the WB will confirm the
``plan of action'' and detailed time-line for program implementation.
D. Grant Implementation
No later than twelve (12) weeks after an award, the grantee(s) must
have begun to recruit, select, train, place, retain, and otherwise
prepare women for registered apprenticeships in the construction
industry, with progress to be measured in terms of placement and
retention in registered apprenticeships.
[[Page 21656]]
E. Veterans Priority
The Jobs for Veterans Act (Pub. L. 107-288) provides priority of
service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of
employment, training, and placement services in any job training
program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. In circumstances
where the WANTO grant recipient must choose between two qualified
candidates for training, one of whom is a veteran, the Jobs for
Veterans Act requires that WANTO grant recipients give the veteran
priority of service by admitting her into the program. Please note that
to obtain priority of service a veteran must meet the program's
eligibility requirement. ETA Training and Employment Guidance Letter
(TEGL) No. 5-03 (September 16, 2003) provides guidance on the scope of
the Job for Veterans Act and its effect on current employment and
training programs. TEGL No. 5-03, along with additional guidance, is
available at the ``Jobs for Veterans Priority of Service'' Web site
(http://www.doleta.gov/programs/vets).
F. OMB Information Collection No. 1205-0458
(Expires September 30, 2009).
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are
required to respond to a collection of information unless such
collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden
for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per
response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing
data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing
and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding
the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the
U.S. Department of Labor, the OMB Desk Officer for ETA, Office of
Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503. PLEASE DO NOT
RETURN YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION TO THE OMB. SEND IT TO THE SPONSORING
AGENCY AS SPECIFIED IN THIS SOLICITATION.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a
grant. The information collected through this ``Solicitation for Grant
Applications'' will be used by the Department of Labor to ensure that
grants are awarded to the applicant best suited to perform the
functions of the grant. Submission of this information is required in
order for the applicant to be considered for award of this grant.
Unless otherwise specifically noted in this announcement, information
submitted in the respondent's application is not considered to be
confidential.
G. Acronyms and Definitions
The following terms are defined for the convenience of prospective
applicants:
A/NTO refers to apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.
CBO (Community-Based Organization) is a private nonprofit
organization, which may be faith-based, that is representative of a
community or a significant segment of a community, and which provides
job training services and has demonstrated experience administering
programs that train women for A/NTO. (A CBO, as defined in the WANTO
Act, means a ``community-based organization as defined in section
101(7) of WIA (29 U.S.C. 2801(7)), that has demonstrated experience
administering programs that train women for apprenticeable occupations
or other nontraditional occupations.'' WIA states, ``The term
`community-based organizations' means `private nonprofit organizations
which are representative of communities or significant segments of
communities and which provide job training services.' '' The WIA
definition provides examples of organizations which meet the
definition, including ``union-related organizations'' and ``employer-
related nonprofit organizations.'')
CBO/RAP Consortium refers to a group consisting of a minimum of:
(1) A construction industry RAP sponsor; and (2) a CBO (which may be
faith-based) with demonstrated experience in providing job training
services (soft skills and some hard skills), placement and support
services to women for construction industry jobs.
Consortium refers to a group formed to undertake a project.
E/LU refers to employers and labor unions.
NTO (Nontraditional Occupations) are those where women account for
less than 25 percent of all persons employed in a single occupational
group. For the most recent listing of nontraditional jobs, see the WB
Web site at http://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/main.htm.
OA refers to the Office of Apprenticeship, U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
Pre-Apprenticeship Programs are those programs that prepare
individuals for registered apprenticeship. Depending on the
apprenticeable occupation for which the program is preparing students,
the curriculum would vary. For example, a curriculum for a construction
industry occupation may include pre-vocational identification and use
of tools, blueprint reading, basic shop skills, safety procedures, math
skills, and physical conditioning. English as a Second Language and
team-building skills might also be included.
Registered Apprenticeship is a formal employment relationship
designed to promote skill training and learning on the job. ``Hands
on'' learning takes place in conjunction with related theoretical
instruction (often in a classroom setting). An apprentice who
successfully completes an OA registered program, which usually requires
3 to 5 years, is awarded a certificate of completion of apprenticeship.
An OA registered program is one in which employers, or groups of
employers, and unions design, organize, manage, and finance
apprenticeship programs under the standards developed and registered
with OA or an OA-recognized State Apprenticeship Agency. Employers, or
groups of employers, and unions also select apprentices who are trained
to meet certain predetermined occupational standards. For more
information, see the OA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/oa/.
RAP refers to Registered Apprenticeship Program.
Registered Apprenticeship Program Sponsor refers to any person,
association, committee, or organization operating an apprenticeship
program in whose name the program is (or is to be) registered or
approved.
TA refers to technical assistance.
Technology-Based Learning (TBL) is defined as the learning of
content via all-electronic technology, including the Internet,
intranets, satellite broadcasts, audio and video tape, video and audio
conference, Internet conferencing, chat rooms, bulletin boards, web
casts, computer-based instruction, and CD-ROM. It encompasses related
terms, such as online learning, web-based learning, computer-based
learning, and e-learning.
WANTO refers to Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional
Occupations.
WB refers to the Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 16th day of April, 2008.
James Stockton,
Grant Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-8651 Filed 4-21-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P