[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30138-30152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14928]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; Notice of
Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for
Pathways Out of Poverty
Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation for Grant Applications.
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY 08-19.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.275.
DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this
announcement is September 29, 2009. Applications must be received no
later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. A Webinar for prospective applicants
will be held for this grant competition on July 14, 2009 from 2-3:30
p.m. Eastern Time. Access information for the Webinar will be posted on
the ETA Web site at: http://www.workforce3one.org. The Webinar will be
recorded and will be accessible for viewing by July 17, 2009 at 3 p.m.
Eastern Time, at the Web site above. It is encouraged but not mandatory
that applicants attend or view this recording.
ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department
of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, Division of Federal
Assistance, Attention: Melissa Abdullah, Grants Officer, Reference SGA/
DFA PY 08-19, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N4716, Washington, DC
20210. For complete ``Application and Submission Information,'' please
refer to Section IV.
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department) announces the
availability of approximately $150 million in grant funds authorized by
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act)
for projects that provide training and placement services to provide
pathways out of poverty and into employment within the industries
described in the Supplementary Information, Part B of this SGA.
Grantees selected from two separate types of applicants will be funded
through this solicitation: (1) National nonprofit entities with
networks of local affiliates, coalition members, or other established
partners; and (2) local entities. Additional specific eligibility
guidance is included in Section III.A, ``Eligible Applicants and
Required Partnerships.'' ETA intends to fund grants ranging from
approximately $3 to $8 million for national grantees, and grants
ranging
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from approximately $2 to $4 million for local grantees.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Recovery Act: Competitive Grants for Green Job Training
This section of the SGA provides general background on the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), the competitive
grants funded through the Recovery Act to prepare workers for careers
in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, and the
occupations and industries on which these grants should focus. On
February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Recovery
Act, through which Congress intended to preserve and create jobs,
promote the nation's economic recovery, and assist those most impacted
by the recession. Among other funding directed toward the Department,
the Recovery Act provides $750 million for a program of competitive
grants for worker training and placement in high growth and emerging
industries. Of the $750 million allotted for competitive grants, the
Recovery Act designates $500 million for projects that prepare workers
for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries
described in Section 171(e)(1)(B) of the Workforce Investment Act
(WIA). DOL intends to use a portion of the $500 million for providing
technical assistance for this program of grants.
The purpose of these green job training grants is to teach workers
the skills required in emerging energy efficiency and renewable energy
industries. These efforts will lead program participants to job
placement while leveraging other Recovery Act investments intended to
create jobs and promote economic growth. For additional information
about the series of competitive grants for green job training, please
refer to Training and Employment Notice (TEN) 44-08 available at http://www.doleta.gov/Recovery/legislation.cfm.
B. Green Industries and Occupations
The Department will award grants to workforce development projects
that focus on connecting target populations, including workers affected
by significant automotive industry restructuring, to career pathways in
green industries. Training programs will prepare individuals for
careers in any of the seven energy efficiency and renewable energy
industries defined in Section 171(e)(1)(B)(ii) of the WIA, which
include:
The energy-efficient building, construction, and retrofit
industries;
The renewable electric power industry;
The energy efficient and advanced drive train vehicle
industry;
The biofuels industry;
The deconstruction and materials use industries;
The energy efficiency assessment industry serving
residential, commercial, or industrial sectors; and
Manufacturers that produce sustainable products using
environmentally sustainable processes and materials.
Additionally, the Department is interested in applicants
contributing to our understanding of green industries and jobs that
clean and enhance our environment. Initial research supported by the
Department of Labor, described later in this SGA, shows that there are
``growth, enhanced and emerging'' green occupations across a number of
industries. Applicants may propose strategies that train for those
occupations from among the following industries: Transportation; green
construction; environmental protection; sustainable agriculture
including healthy food production; forestry; and recycling and waste
reduction (see the O*NET report at http://www.onetcenter.org/reports/Green.html). The Department will consider proposals that focus on these
occupations within these industries if applicants can offer supporting
data demonstrating these are emerging industries which are producing
jobs in their communities.
For the purpose of these SGAs, the Department defines energy
efficiency and renewable energy as follows. Section 203(b)(2) of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58, 119 Stat. 595, defines
``renewable energy'' as ``electric energy generated from solar, wind,
biomass, landfill gas, ocean (including tidal, wave, current, and
thermal), geothermal, municipal solid waste, or new hydroelectric
generation capacity achieved from increased efficiency or additions of
new capacity at an existing hydroelectric project.'' ``Energy
efficiency'' can be broadly defined as programs aimed at mitigating the
use of energy, reducing harmful emissions, and decreasing overall
energy consumption.
The Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is
working to develop a definition for green sectors and jobs, which will
be used to ensure that workforce development efforts identify and
target these green jobs and their training needs. The Department has
also supported occupational research that begins to define green jobs,
review sectors impacted by green investments and understand how new
green technology and materials will affect occupational requirements.
The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) project has drafted a
research paper titled, Greening of the World of Work: Implications for
O*NET-SOC and New and Emerging Occupations. This study reflects three
general categories of occupations, based on different consequences of
green economy activities and technologies: (1) Existing occupations
expected to experience primarily an increase in employment demand; (2)
existing occupations with significant change to the work and worker
requirements; and (3) new and emerging green occupations. This research
may be used as a starting point for identifying green industries and
occupations and informing the development of training and job placement
programs. For a copy of the O*NET report and a listing of the
identified occupations go to http://www.onetcenter.org/reports/Green.html.
C. Working With Other Recovery Act Programs
The Recovery Act made funds available to a number of other Federal
programs that will impact the creation and expansion of green jobs. DOL
is partnering with other Federal agencies to support the creation of
jobs by developing a pipeline of skilled workers in the energy
efficiency and renewable energy industries. Where possible, ETA
encourages applicants to connect their workforce development strategies
to other Recovery Act funded projects that create jobs or impact the
skill requirements of existing jobs. ETA recommends that applicants
review other parts of the Recovery Act, with a focus on the activities
funded through the Department of Energy (Energy), the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the
Department of Education (Education) and others. For additional
resources and information about our Federal partners, please see
Sections VIII.D and VIII.E.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Competitive grants under this SGA will fund projects that provide
training and placement services to prepare individuals seeking pathways
out of poverty for careers in the industries described in the
Supplementary Information: Part B of this SGA. Grantees selected from
two separate types of applicants will be funded through this
solicitation: (1) National nonprofit entities with networks of local
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affiliates, coalition members, or other established partners; and (2)
local entities. Populations eligible to receive services through grants
funded through this SGA include unemployed individuals, high school
dropouts, individuals with a criminal record, and disadvantaged
individuals living in areas of high poverty. As part of the technical
review process, points will be awarded for applications that
demonstrate that the proposed project serves areas of high poverty, as
described in Section V.A.1.i, ``Statement of Need.''
Successful training programs funded through this SGA will prepare
participants for employment within the industries described in
Supplementary Information: Part B of this SGA, and will: (1) Include
sound recruitment and referral strategies for targeted populations; (2)
integrate basic skills and work-readiness training with occupational
skills training, as necessary; (3) combine supportive services with
training services to help participants overcome barriers to employment,
as necessary; and (4) provide training services at times and locations
that are easily accessible to targeted populations.
The current economic downturn has impacted individuals in
communities across the United States, and has left many workers seeking
to transition into new industries or new careers. For individuals who
are living below or near the poverty level, the current economic
downturn has created a unique set of challenges, and has heightened the
need to find pathways out of poverty and into employment. These
individuals may lack basic literacy and job readiness skills, and they
may face other barriers to employment, such as the need for childcare
or transportation.
For individuals who face immense difficulties in meeting their
basic needs, finding employment opportunities in today's labor market
presents many obstacles. In order to succeed, these individuals need to
not only acquire the basic skills that will provide the foundation for
their employability, but they also need to learn entry-level technical
skills and need access to support systems that allow them to meet the
needs of their families while they concentrate on gaining new
competencies.
To assist individuals in meeting these challenges, projects funded
through this SGA will integrate training and supportive services into
cohesive programs that will help target populations find pathways out
of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency, through employment in
the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. Despite the
economic downturn, these ``green'' industries present many potential
opportunities for individuals to learn new skills and competencies,
gain employment, and advance along career pathways.
National and local applicants are expected to implement project
activities at the community level. Projects in each community served
must be implemented by a strategic partnership that includes, at a
minimum: nonprofit organizations, such as community and faith-based
organizations; the public workforce investment system; the education
and training community; labor organizations; and employers and
industry-related organizations. By including all of these types of
organizations in a comprehensive partnership, applicants can ensure
that they are maximizing available resources for each project, and that
individual participants within the project can access an array of
training and supportive services that they need to successfully
complete training, overcome barriers to employment, obtain jobs and
advance along career pathways.
II. Award Information
A. Award Amount
Under this SGA, ETA intends to award approximately $150 million in
grant funds. ETA intends to fund grants ranging from approximately $3
to $8 million for national grantees, and grants ranging from
approximately $2 to $4 million for local grantees. ETA does not expect
to fund any project for less than $2 million. However, this does not
preclude funding grants at a lower amount based on the type and the
number of quality submissions. ETA will not fund projects for more than
$8 million, and applications requesting more than $8 million will be
considered nonresponsive. Within the funding ranges specified above,
applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for quality projects at
whatever funding level is appropriate to the project.
B. Period of Performance
The period of grant performance will be up to 24 months from the
date of execution of the grant documents. This performance period
includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities as well
as participant follow-up. The Department intends that all grantees
implement the training and placement programs funded under this SGA as
soon as possible. Further, applicants should plan to fully expend grant
funds during the period of performance, while ensuring full
transparency and accountability for all expenditures.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants and Required Partnerships
All applicants must have experience serving at least one of the
following groups: unemployed individuals, high school dropouts,
individuals with criminal records, and/or disadvantaged individuals
within areas of high poverty. To be eligible to apply for these grants,
applicants must fall into one of two categories: (1) National entities;
or (2) local entities. These two applicant types will compete
separately for funding under this SGA. ETA expects to publish two SGAs
during the summer of 2009: Energy Training Partnerships SGA [SGA/DFA PY
08-18] and the Pathways Out of Poverty SGA [SGA/DFA PY 08-19]. ETA will
not fund any one organization as a grantee more than once through these
two SGAs. An applicant may choose to submit an application for the
Energy Training Partnerships SGA [SGA/DFA PY 08-18] and the Pathways
Out of Poverty SGA [SGA/DFA PY 08-19]; however, DOL does not encourage
applicants to submit applications to both competitions. An organization
that submits an application for one SGA is not precluded from
participating as a suggested or required partner in applications
submitted in response to the other SGA. Finally, an organization may
not submit multiple applications in response to any one SGA. The
applicant categories for this SGA, along with the required partnerships
for each, are defined below.
1. National Entities
For the purposes of this SGA, applicants qualify as national
entities if they are private nonprofit organizations that have the
following characteristics: (a) They deliver services through networks
of local affiliates, coalition members, or other established partners
(such as a network of affiliated community or faith-based
organizations); and (b) their local affiliates, coalition members, or
other established partners have the ability to provide services in 4 or
more States. These entities, along with their partners, are expected to
implement projects in multiple communities across the country. In order
to apply as a national entity, an applicant must propose a project that
serves communities (see Section III.C.2 for the definition of
community) located in at least 2 States,
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with a minimum of 1 community located in each State, and a range of 3-7
total communities served. (For the purposes of this SGA, the term
``State'' means each of the 50 States of the United States, the
District of Columbia, and U.S. territories as defined in Section
VI.B.2.iv). By serving a range of 3-7 total communities, national
applicants can ensure that each community has adequate funding to
implement training and job placement programs. National entities will
be required to fund sub-grants or sub-contracts in each designated
community, through which the local affiliates, coalition members, or
other established partners will implement each project in collaboration
with the required partners detailed in Section III.A.3.i.
2. Local Entities
For the purposes of this SGA, applicants qualify as local entities
if they are public organizations (such as community colleges or
workforce investment boards) or private nonprofit organizations (such
as community or faith-based organizations) whose service area is
limited to a single sub-State geographic area, such as a neighborhood,
city, county, sub-State region, or interstate region comprised of
multiple sub-State regions (such as Kansas City). In order to apply as
a local entity, an applicant must propose a project that serves one
single community (see Section III.C.2 for the definition of community).
Local entities must implement the project in collaboration with the
required partners detailed in Section III.A.3.i. A local entity that
receives an award under this SGA may not receive sub-grant or sub-
contract funding through a grant awarded to a national entity under
this SGA.
3. Strategic Partnerships
To be eligible for funding under this SGA, national and local
applicants must demonstrate that the proposed project will be
implemented by a robust strategic partnership.
i. Required Partners
In each community served, the strategic partnership must include at
least one entity from each of the following five categories:
Nonprofit organizations, such as community or faith-based
organizations, which have direct access to the targeted populations;
The public workforce investment system, such as local
Workforce Investment Boards and their One Stop systems;
The education and training community, which includes the
continuum of education from secondary schools to community and
technical colleges, four-year colleges and universities, apprenticeship
programs, technical and vocational training institutions, and other
education and training entities;
Public and private employers and industry-related
organizations, including those involved in the industries identified in
the Supplementary Information: Part B of this SGA; and
Labor organizations, including but not limited to labor
unions and labor-management organizations that represent the interests
of workers in energy efficiency or renewable energy industries.
Applicants that include a labor-management organization as a
partner will satisfy the requirement for both the labor organization
and the employer/industry-related organization partners.
By including all of these types of organizations in a comprehensive
partnership, applicants can ensure that they are maximizing available
resources and organizational expertise for each project, and that
individual participants within the project have all of the support that
they need to successfully complete training, overcome barriers to
employment, and obtain jobs and advance along career ladders. These
partners can contribute a wide array of knowledge and activities to
each project, and should work together to ensure that they leverage
each other's expertise and resources. Education and training providers
should partner with labor organizations and industry-related
organizations to ensure that education and training programs address
the skills required for the targeted industries, lead to industry-
recognized certificates or credentials if appropriate, and ensure that
the training strategies reflect the needs of both workers and
employers. Nonprofit organizations can provide a range of services and
activities to support local projects, such as delivering supportive
services to participants and ensuring that these services are
integrated with the education and training strategies. The role of the
workforce investment system may include identifying, assessing, and
referring candidates for training, connecting and placing participants
with employers that have existing job openings, and providing
supportive services to support the employment and training needs of
participants.
ii. Other Partners
In addition to the required partners listed in Section III.A.3.i,
applicants are strongly encouraged to include other partners that can
provide resources or expertise to the project. These organizations
could include:
Public Housing Agencies implementing programs through the
Department of Housing and Urban Development;
Community Action Agencies implementing the Department of
Energy's Weatherization Assistance Program;
Organizations implementing projects funded by the Recovery
Act that will create or support jobs in the energy efficiency or
renewable energy industries;
National, State, and local foundations, which focus on
assisting participants served through the project; and
State and local social service agencies that provide
supportive services to participants served through the project.
B. Cost Sharing
Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as a condition for
application, but leveraged resources are strongly encouraged and may
affect the applicant's score in section V.A.2 of the evaluation
criteria.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
1. Proposed Activities
The purpose of this SGA is to fund projects providing training,
education, and job placement assistance for individuals seeking
pathways out of poverty and into employment opportunities in the
industries described in the Supplementary Information: Part B of this
SGA.
i. Characteristics of Training Activities
All projects must lead to employment for program participants, and
must incorporate training activities that:
Address skills and competencies demanded by the industries
described in the Supplementary Information: Part B of this SGA;
Support participants' advancement along a defined career
pathway, such as an articulated career ladder and/or career lattice, if
such a pathway exists in the targeted industry or industries;
Result in an industry-recognized degree or certificate
(see definition in Section VI.B.2.iii) that indicates a level of
mastery and competence in a given field or function, where such a
degree or certificate exists. The degree or certificate awarded to
participants
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should be based on the type of training provided through the grant and
the requirements of the targeted occupation, and should be selected
based on consultations with employer and labor partners;
Take place at times and locations that are convenient and
easily accessible for the targeted populations;
As appropriate, integrate occupational training with basic
skills training to ensure that participants have the foundational
skills necessary to attain and retain employment; and
As appropriate, integrate training activities with
supportive services to ensure that participants have the necessary
support to overcome barriers to employment.
In implementing projects that meet the requirements outlined above,
applicants may propose a wide range of activities. When designing the
proposed activities, DOL encourages applicants to look at program
models with previous success in serving disadvantaged individuals,
especially those with strong program evaluations showing positive
impacts on participants. Promising models include the following:
Strategies that integrate academic instruction with
occupational skills training in a specific career field have shown
promising employment and earnings outcomes for low-income young adults.
Applicants who are proposing to serve low-income young adults and high
school dropouts should consider program models that strongly link
opportunities to improve basic literacy and mathematics skills and
obtain a high school diploma or GED with work-based learning in the
targeted industries.
Programs for ex-offenders which provide integrated
services both before and after release from prison or jail have had
positive impacts on employment outcomes.
Providing on-the-job training with a specific employer who
agrees to hire individuals pending successful completion of the
training has been an effective way for some programs to place
disadvantaged individuals into employment.
ii. Allowable Activities
Allowable activities under this SGA include:
Classroom occupational training;
On-the-job training activities, including activities
related to transitional jobs programs, that lead to permanent
employment;
The development and implementation of registered
apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs;
Internship programs;
Customized training;
Basic skills training, such as adult basic education,
English as a second language (ESL), and job readiness training;
Initial assessment of skill levels, aptitudes, abilities,
and supportive service needs;
Job search and placement assistance, and where
appropriate, career counseling;
Case management services;
Supportive services that will allow individuals to
participate in the training provided through the grant; and
Updating curriculum to support direct training provided
through the grant. Some grants funded under this SGA may produce
tangible products and deliverables, such as updates to existing
curriculum and outreach materials. Curriculum development is only
appropriate if this curriculum is used in direct training and/or
education activities provided through this grant and is necessary to
achieve the training and employment outcomes proposed for the grant.
(See Section IV.E.4 for information regarding intellectual property
rights.)
2. Communities To Be Served
Applicants must identify the community or communities that will be
served by the grant. National entities must identify targeted
communities to be served by their local affiliates, coalition members,
or other established partners in at least 2 States, with a minimum of 1
community located in each State, and a range of 3-7 total communities
served. Local entities must identify a single community.
For the purposes of this SGA, a community is defined as a
geographic area located within one or more contiguous Public Use
Microdata Areas (PUMAs), which are geographic statistical areas
designated by the U.S. Census Bureau (see Section VIII.A for detailed
information and links to Census poverty data). The Department expects
that applicants will focus their projects on a geographic portion of a
PUMA in order to most effectively serve the specific populations
targeted by the project. For urban applications, the Department expects
that designated communities will be neighborhoods within cities rather
than entire cities. For rural applications, the Department expects that
designated communities will be 1-3 entire counties, or American Indian
Areas, Alaska Native Areas, or Hawaiian Homelands. There is no
requirement for the minimum or maximum size of populations in the
designated communities, but the Department anticipates that the
communities will have populations that range from 10,000 to 100,000
people.
In order to ensure that high poverty areas receive priority for
grant awards, points will be awarded in the technical review process
(see Section V.A.1.i for the relevant evaluation criterion) for
applications that demonstrate that each Public Use Microdata Area (or
other appropriate statistical area for American Indian Areas, Alaska
Native Areas, or Hawaiian Homelands, or outlying areas) served by the
project has a poverty rate of at least 15%, as demonstrated by data
from the Poverty Data.xls spreadsheet available for download at http://www.workforce3one.org/view/2000916359251042484/info.
D. Other Grant Specifications
1. Participants Eligible to Receive Training
This SGA addresses the priorities of both the Recovery Act and the
Green Jobs Act by funding projects that provide education and training,
job placement, and supportive services to individuals who are seeking
pathways out of poverty and into employment in the industries described
in the Supplementary Information: Part B of this SGA. Accordingly,
projects funded through this solicitation must serve only individuals
who are at least 18 years of age and fall into one or more of the
following categories:
i. Unemployed individuals;
ii. High school dropouts;
iii. Individuals with a criminal record; and
iv. Disadvantaged individuals within areas of high poverty.
For specific definitions for these target populations, applicants
must refer to Section VI.B.
Projects funded through this solicitation must serve individuals
who live within the community(ies) to be served (see Section III.C.2
for the definition of community), except that up to 10% of the
individuals served may live outside of the community(ies) if the
grantee determines that these individuals live in areas of high
poverty, which is defined as a PUMA (or other appropriate statistical
area) with a poverty rate of 15% or greater.
2. 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. Grantees are
required to provide priority of services
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for veterans and eligible spouses pursuant to 20 CFR part 1010, the
regulations implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible
spouses in Department of Labor job training programs under the Jobs for
Veterans Act published at 73 FR 78132 on December 19, 2008. In
circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two equally
qualified candidates for training, one of whom is a veteran, the Jobs
for Veterans Act requires that grant recipients give the veteran
priority of service by admitting him or her into the program. To obtain
priority of service a veteran must meet the program's eligibility
requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans'
priority. Currently, ETA Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL)
No. 5-03 (September 16, 2003) provides general 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.
3. Grantee Training
Grantees are required to participate in all ETA training activities
related to orientation, financial management and reporting, performance
reporting, product dissemination, and other technical assistance
training as appropriate during the life of the grant. These trainings
may occur via conference call, webinar, and in-person meetings.
Applicants should include costs for two staff to attend two trainings
that are each two full days in Washington, DC during the grant's period
of performance.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. How To Obtain an Application Package
This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed
to apply for grant funding.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
The proposal will consist of three separate and distinct parts: (I)
A cost proposal; (II) a technical proposal; and (III) attachments to
the technical proposal. Applications that fail to adhere to the
instructions in this section will be considered non-responsive and will
not be considered. Please note that it is the applicant's
responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is
consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.
Part I. The Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal must include the
following four items:
The Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application for Federal
Assistance'' (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp and http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm). The SF 424 must clearly identify the applicant and be
signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement.
Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF 424 on
behalf of the applicant shall be considered the authorized
representative of the applicant.
Applicants must supply their D-U-N-S[supreg] Number on the
SF 424. All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are
required to have a D-U-N-S[supreg] (Data Universal Numbering System)
Number. See Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Notice of Final
Policy Issuance, 68 FR 38402, Jun. 27, 2003. The D-U-N-S[supreg] Number
is a non-indicative, nine-digit number assigned to each business
location in the D&B database having a unique, separate, and distinct
operation, and is maintained solely by D&B. The D&B D-U-N-S[supreg]
Number is used by industries and organizations around the world as a
global standard for business identification and tracking. If you do not
have a D-U-N-S[supreg] Number, you can get one for free through the SBS
site: http://smallbusiness.dnb.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Glossary?fLink=glossary&footerflag=y&storeId=10001&indicator=7.
The SF 424A Budget Information Form (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp and
http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm). In preparing the Budget
Information Form, the applicant must provide a concise narrative
explanation to support the request, explained in detail below.
Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a
description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It
should also include leveraged resources provided to support grant
activities. In addition, the applicant should address precisely how the
administrative costs support the project goals. The entire Federal
grant amount requested should be included on both the SF 424 and SF
424A (not just one year). No leveraged resources should be shown on the
SF 424 and SF 424A.
Please note that applicants that fail to provide a SF 424, SF 424A,
a D-U-N-S[supreg] Number, and a budget narrative will be removed from
consideration prior to the technical review process.
Applicants are also encouraged, but not required, to
submit OMB Survey N. 1890-0014: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity
for Applicants, which can be found under the Grants.gov, Tips and
Resources From Grantors, Department of Labor section at http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/tips_resources_from_grantors.jsp#13
(also referred to as Faith Based EEO Survey PDF Form).
Part II. The Technical Proposal. The Technical Proposal
demonstrates the applicant's capability to implement the grant project
in accordance with the provisions of this solicitation. The guidelines
for the content of the Technical Proposal are provided in Part V.A. of
this SGA. The Technical Proposal is limited to 25 double-spaced single-
sided pages with 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. Any materials
beyond the 25-page limit will not be read. Applicants should number the
Technical Proposal beginning with page number 1. Applicants that do not
provide Part II, the Technical Proposal of the application will be
removed from consideration prior to the technical review process.
Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the
25-page Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit a letter or
letters of commitment signed by all required partners for each
community served (preferably one letter for each community, co-signed
by all required partners for that community) that describes the roles
and responsibilities of each required partner. Commitment letters must
accompany the application. Applicants should not send letters of
commitment separately to ETA because these letters will be tracked
through a different system and will not be attached to the application
for review. ETA will not accept or review general letters of support
submitted by organizations or individuals that are not partners in the
proposed project and that do not directly identify the specific
commitment or roles of the project partners. The applicant must provide
an Abstract, not to exceed one page, summarizing the proposed project
including applicant name; applicant category (national entity or local
entity); project title; identification of the community or communities
to be served, including whether the community(ies) are located in
urban, suburban, or rural areas; and the funding level requested. These
additional materials (commitment
[[Page 30144]]
letters and one-page abstract) do not count against the 25-page limit
for the Technical Proposal, but may not exceed 20 pages. Any additional
materials beyond the 20-page limit will not be read.
Applications may be submitted electronically on Grants.gov or in
hardcopy by mail or hand delivery. These processes are described in
further detail in Section IV.C. Applicants submitting proposals in
hardcopy must submit an original signed application (including the SF
424) and one (1) ``copy-ready'' version free of bindings, staples or
protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the proposal by DOL.
Applicants submitting proposals in hardcopy are also required to
provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on compact disc
(CD).
C. Submission Process, Date, Times, and Addresses
The closing date for receipt of applications under this
announcement is September 29, 2009. Applications must be received at
the address below no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications sent
by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted.
Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice
will not be considered. No exceptions to the mailing and delivery
requirements set forth in this notice will be granted.
Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal
Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA,
PY 08-19, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N4716, Washington, DC
20210. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington area
may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-delivered
proposals will be received at the above address. 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.
Applicants may apply online through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), however, due to the expected increase in system
activity resulting from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009, applicants are encouraged to use an alternate method to submit
grant applications during this heightened period of demand. While not
mandatory, DOL encourages the submission of applications through
professional overnight delivery service.
Applications that are submitted through Grants.gov must be
successfully submitted at http://www.grants.gov no later than 4 p.m.
Eastern Time on September 29, 2009, and then subsequently validated by
Grants.gov. The submission and validation process is described in more
detail below. The process can be complicated and time-consuming.
Applicants are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as
possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if
necessary.
The Department strongly recommends that before the applicant begins
to write the proposal, applicants should immediately initiate and
complete the ``Get Registered'' registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. These steps may take
multiple days or weeks to complete, and this time should be factored
into plans for electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected
delays that could result in the rejection of an application. The
Department strongly recommends that applicants use the ``Organization
Registration Checklist'' at http://www.grants.gov/assets/Organization_Steps_Complete_Registration.pdf to ensure the registration process is
complete.
Within two business days of application submission, Grants.gov will
send the applicant two e-mail messages to provide the status of
application progress through the system. The first e-mail, almost
immediate, will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The
second e-mail will indicate the application has either been
successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors. Only
applications that have been successfully submitted and successfully
validated will be considered. It is the sole responsibility of the
applicant to ensure a timely submission; therefore, sufficient time
should be allotted for submission (two business days), and if
applicable, subsequent time to address errors and receive validation
upon resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing
submission). It is important to note that if sufficient time is not
allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and
time, the application will not be considered.
To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be
saved as either .doc, .xls or .pdf files. If submitted in any other
format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues
will prevent our ability to consider the application. ETA will attempt
to open the document but will not take any additional measures in the
event of issues with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming
application will not be considered for funding.
Applicants are strongly advised to utilize the plethora of tools
and documents, including FAQs, that are available on the ``Applicant
Resources'' page at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp#faqs. To receive updated information about critical issues,
new tips for users and other time sensitive updates as information is
available, applicants may subscribe to ``Grants.gov Updates'' at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/e-mail_subscription_signup.jsp.
If applicants encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find
an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 to speak
to a Customer Support Representative or e-mail [email protected].
Late Applications: For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only
applications that have been successfully submitted no later than 4 p.m.
Eastern Time on the closing date and successfully validated will be
considered. Applicants take a significant risk by waiting to the last
day to submit by grants.gov.
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, it was
properly addressed, and it was: (a) Sent by U.S. Postal Service mail,
postmarked not later than the fifth calendar day before the date
specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application required to
be received by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of
that month); or (b) sent by professional overnight delivery service to
the addressee not later than one working day prior to the date
specified for receipt of applications. ``Postmarked'' 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. Therefore, applicants should
request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's
eye'' postmark on both the receipt and the package. Failure to adhere
to the above instructions will be a basis for a determination of non-
responsiveness. Evidence of timely submission by a professional
overnight delivery service must be demonstrated by equally reliable
evidence created by the delivery service provider indicating the time
and place of receipt.
D. Intergovernmental Review
This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
[[Page 30145]]
E. Funding Restrictions
Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with
the applicable Federal cost principles. Disallowed costs are those
charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative
determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal
cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant. Successful
and unsuccessful applicants will not be entitled to reimbursement of
pre-award costs.
1. Indirect Costs
As specified in OMB Circular Cost Principles, indirect costs are
those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot
be readily identified with a particular final cost objective. In order
to use grant funds for indirect costs incurred the applicant must
obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with its Federal cognizant
agency either before or shortly after grant award.
2. Administrative Costs
Under this SGA, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a
project or program may not use more than 10 percent of the amount of
the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or
project. Administrative costs could be direct or indirect costs, and
are defined at 20 CFR 667.220. Administrative costs do not need to be
identified separately from program costs on the SF 424A Budget
Information Form. They should be discussed in the budget narrative and
tracked through the grantee's accounting system. To claim any
administrative costs that are also indirect costs, the applicant must
obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement from its Federal cognizant
agency.
3. Salary and Bonus Limitations
Under Public Law 109-234 and Public Law 111-8, Section 111, none of
the funds appropriated in Public Law 111-5 or prior Acts under the
heading ``Employment and Training'' that are available for expenditure
on or after June 15, 2006, shall be used by a recipient or sub-
recipient of such funds to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual,
either as direct costs or indirect costs, at a rate in excess of
Executive Level II. These limitations also apply to grants funded under
this SGA. The salary and bonus limitation does not apply to vendors
providing goods and services as defined in OMB Circular A-133. See
Training and Employment Guidance Letter number 5-06 for further
clarification: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2262.
4. Intellectual Property Rights
The Federal Government reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive and
irrevocable license to reproduce, publish or otherwise use, and to
authorize others to use for Federal purposes: (i) The copyright in all
products developed under the grant, including a subgrant or contract
under the grant or subgrant; and (ii) any rights of copyright to which
the grantee, subgrantee or a contractor purchases ownership under an
award (including but not limited to curricula, training models,
technical assistance products, and any related materials). Such uses
include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute
such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise.
Federal funds may not be used to pay any royalty or licensing fee
associated with such copyrighted material, although they may be used to
pay costs for obtaining a copy which are limited to the developer/
seller costs of copying and shipping. If revenues are generated through
selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual
property, these revenues are program income. Program income is added to
the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities.
If applicable, grantees must include the following language on all
products developed in whole or in part with grant funds:
``This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S.
Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The
solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect
the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department
of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind,
express or implied, with respect to such information, including any
information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy
of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness,
adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This solution is
copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an
organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial
purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization
of the copyright owner.''
F. Use of Funds for Supportive Services
Supportive services for adults and dislocated workers are defined
at WIA sections 101(46) and 134(e)(2) and (3). They include services
such as transportation, child care, dependent care, housing, and needs-
related payments that are necessary to enable an individual to
participate in training activities funded through this grant. Grantees
may only use grant funds to provide these services to individuals who
are participating in training services provided through the grant, who
are unable to obtain services through other programs providing such
services, and when such services are necessary to enable individuals to
participate in these training activities. Grantees should ensure that
their use of grant funds on supportive services is consistent with
their established written policy regarding the provision of supportive
services. Grantees may use no more than 5% of their grant funds on
these services. However, to support the employment and training needs
of the targeted populations, ETA encourages grantees to leverage other
sources of funding for supportive services, including WIA Adult formula
funds provided under the Recovery Act.
G. Other Submission Requirements
Withdrawal of Applications: Applications may be withdrawn by
written notice at any time before an award is made.
V. Application Review Information
A. Evaluation Criteria
This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be
used to evaluate the grant proposals. These criteria and point values
are:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Criterion Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Statement of Need....................................... 20
2. Project Management and Organizational Capacity.......... 15
3. Strategy and Project Work Plan.......................... 45
4. Outcomes and Deliverables............................... 20
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Statement of Need (20 Points)
Applicants must fully demonstrate a clear and specific need for the
Federal investment in the proposed activities. It is critical
throughout this section that applicants are as explicit and specific as
possible in citing sources of data and analysis. Points for this
section will be awarded based on the following factors:
i. Demonstration of Poverty Rate for Each Community Served (0 or 10
Points)
The applicant identifies the Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) where
each community to be served is located, and provides, for each PUMA,
the poverty rate that is listed in the Poverty Data spreadsheet
available for download at http://www.workforce3one.org/view/2000916359251042484/info. Applicants will receive 10 points for this
subsection if the Poverty Data spreadsheet lists a
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poverty rate of 15% or more for each PUMA to be served. Otherwise,
applicants will receive 0 points for this subsection.
For more information about how to determine the appropriate PUMA,
please see the instructions in Section VIII.A. Note that applicants
proposing to serve American Indian Areas, Alaska Native Areas, or
Hawaiian Homelands may use data from the appropriate statistical areas
listed on Tab 2 of the Poverty Data spreadsheet, instead of PUMA-based
data listed on Tab 1. Applicants proposing to serve outlying areas
should use the data listed on Tab 3 of the Poverty Data spreadsheet.
Applicants proposing to serve PUMAs, American Indian Areas, Alaska
Native Areas, Hawaiian Homelands, or outlying areas that are not listed
in the Poverty Data spreadsheet should utilize, and cite, another
appropriate data source for poverty rate information. If the data for
the community to be served is on the spreadsheet, that data must be
used.
ii. Overview of Current Economy and Workforce (10 Points)
The applicant clearly and fully demonstrates the need for training
in each designated community by describing the overall economy and
workforce needs for each community. Given the rapidly changing economic
conditions that many States and regions are currently facing,
applicants should utilize the most current and relevant sources of
labor market data available. Points for this subsection will be awarded
based on the following factors:
The applicant fully describes the specific community(ies)
that the project will serve, and provides a comprehensive description
of the workforce needs in each community, including the unemployment
rate(s) and a discussion of any significant layoffs in specific
industries, as well as estimates of the number of individuals in each
community who are: (a) Unemployed individuals; (b) high school
dropouts; (c) individuals with a criminal record; and (d) disadvantaged
individuals within areas of high poverty. See Section VI.B.2.iv for
definitions of these terms.
The applicant should provide strong evidence of job seeker
need for training by identifying one or more of the populations listed
above that the project will target, providing a general description of
the current level of skills and educational attainment of those
populations, and identifying the specific training needs of those
populations.
The applicant fully identifies other barriers to
employment faced by the targeted populations, such as lack of child
care and access to transportation.
Applicants may draw from a variety of resources for supporting
data, which include but are not limited to: Traditional labor market
information, such as projections; industry data; data from trade
associations or direct information from the regional industry; and
information on the regional economy and other transactional data, such
as job vacancies, that are available.
2. Project Management and Organizational Capacity (15 Points)
Applicants must fully describe the capacity of the applicant, its
required partners and, if applicable, its local affiliates, coalition
members, or other established partners, to effectively staff the
proposed initiative. The application must also fully describe the
applicant's fiscal, administrative, and performance management capacity
to implement the key components of this project, and the track record
of the applicant, its required partners, and, if applicable, its local
affiliates, coalition members, or other established partners, in
implementing projects of similar focus, size, and scope.
Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which
applicants provide evidence of the following:
i. Staff Capacity (5 Points)
Applicants should provide strong evidence that the applicant, its
required partners, and, if applicable, its local affiliates, coalition
members, or other established partners, will have the staff capacity to
implement the proposed initiative, including the capacity in each
designated community. Discussion should include:
The proposed staffing pattern for the project, including
program management and administrative staff, and program staff involved
in each local project, which demonstrates that the role(s) and time
commitment of the proposed staff are sufficient to ensure proper
direction, management, implementation, and timely completion of each
project.
The applicant must demonstrate that the qualifications and
level of experience of the proposed project manager in each community
served are sufficient to ensure proper management of the project, where
such a project manager has been identified. Where no project manager is
identified, applicants should discuss the minimum qualifications and
level of experience that will be required of the position.
ii. Fiscal, Administrative, and Performance Management Capacity (5
Points)
Strong evidence that the applicant, its required partners, and, if
applicable, its local affiliates, coalition members, or other
established partners, have the fiscal, administrative, and performance
management capacity to effectively administer this grant. Discussion
should include:
A full description of the applicant's capacity, including
its systems, processes, and administrative controls that will enable it
to comply with Federal rules and regulations related to the grant's
fiscal and administrative requirements.
A full description of the applicant's capacity, including
its systems and processes that will support the grant's performance
management requirements through effective tracking of performance
outcomes. Applicants should include an explanation of the applicant's
processes to collect and manage data in a way that allows for accurate
and timely reporting of performance outcomes. Applicants may cite
relationships with the public workforce system, as appropriate, to
assist with performance reporting, and should describe access to
specific data management software and/or resources for performance
reporting.
iii. Experience of Applicant (5 Points)
The applicant's demonstrated experience leading or participating
significantly in a comprehensive partnership, and the demonstrated
experience of the applicant, its required partners, and, if applicable,
its local affiliates, coalition members, or other established partners,
in implementing and operating training, education, and job placement
initiatives of similar focus, size and scope. Discussion should
include:
Specific examples of the applicant's experience in leading
or participating significantly in a partnership that included a wide
range of stakeholders, including a description of the programmatic
goals of the project, and a demonstration of the results achieved by
that project.
Specific examples of the applicant's track record
administering Federal, State, and/or local grants, including the
programmatic goals and results from these projects; and
A description of the experience of the applicant, its
required partners, and, if applicable, its local affiliates, coalition
members, or other established partners, in Federal, State, and/or local
projects providing education, training,
[[Page 30147]]
and placement services to the specific populations noted in Section
III.C.3 (unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, individuals with
criminal records, and disadvantaged individuals within areas of high
poverty), including the programmatic goals and results of the projects.
3. Strategy and Project Work Plan (45 Points)
The applicant should provide a complete, very clear explanation of
its proposed strategy and its plans to implement it. The applicant must
describe the proposed workforce development strategy in full, explain
how the proposed training addresses the applicant's statement of need,
and demonstrate how the proposed project will expeditiously and
effectively deliver training. ETA is interested in applicants
describing any evidence-based research that they considered in
designing the strategy. The applicant must present a comprehensive work
plan for the project, following the format provided later in this
section. Points for this criterion will be awarded for the following
factors:
i. Addressing Conditions Described in the Statement of Need, and
Targeted Industries and Occupations (5 Points)
The applicant summarizes the proposed strategy.
The applicant explains how the proposed project
comprehensively addresses the needs and challenges of the targeted
populations laid out in the Statement of Need.
The applicant provides a complete description of the
targeted industries and occupations within those industries that the
proposed project will focus on, including:
The specific energy industry(ies) targeted by the project,
and an explanation of how the targeted industry(ies) meet the
requirements identified in the Supplementary Information: Part B of
this SGA;
The specific occupation in the targeted industries for
which participants will be trained, including the work performed by
that occupation and its major tasks; and
The specific knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required
by the occupation.
The applicant fully describes the employment needs of the
targeted industries and occupations in the designated community(ies),
including: total current and projected employment in the industry;
total current and projected employment in the targeted occupations; and
the current hiring needs of specific employers and how job seekers
served through the project will be placed in those jobs.
ii. Roles and Level of Commitment of Project Partners (10 points)
Scoring on this section will be based on the extent to which the
applicant fully demonstrates the breadth and depth of their partners'
commitment to the proposed project, by addressing the following
factors:
The applicant fully describes the specific roles of each
of the project partners in each community, including training,
supportive services, expertise, and/or other activities that partners
will contribute to the project.
The applicant demonstrates a strong partnership by
providing, for each community served, the applicant must submit a
letter or letters of commitment signed by all required partners
(preferably one letter for each community, co-signed by all required
partners for that community) that describes the roles,
responsibilities, and resources committed by each partner. (See Section
IV.B for instructions on submitting letters of commitment).
iii. Proposed Recruitment, Training, Placement, and Retention
Strategies (10 points)
Recruitment: The applicant must provide a comprehensive
outreach and recruitment strategy that defines a clear process for
finding and referring workers to the training programs. The applicant
must clearly identify the populations that will be targeted by the
project, and explain how the proposed strategy will enable the project
to effectively recruit those populations.
Training: DOL encourages applicants to base their training
strategies on program models that have shown promising outcomes for
serving disadvantaged populations. The applicant must provide a
detailed explanation of the proposed training activities that describes
how the project will comprehensively address the training needs of the
targeted populations, including a discussion of how the design of the
training activities will account for the current skill level, age, or
level of work experience of the targeted populations. The applicant
must also describe how the project will address barriers to employment
by combining training services with supportive services, such as child
care or transportation, as appropriate for each targeted population.
The applicant must demonstrate that the project will place participants
on a pathway to economic self-sufficiency; that training will focus on
the specific industries and occupations it has proposed to target and
focuses on skills and competencies demanded by the selected industries
and occupations; the project will integrate basic skills training where
appropriate, and lead to an appropriate industry-recognized degree or
certificate (if such a degree or certificate exists), and employment.
Where there is no standardized industry-recognized degree or
certificate in place, applicants should provide evidence that such a
degree or certificate does not exist and the search they conducted for
the degree or certificate. Applicants that provide this evidence will
not lose points in the evaluation process.
Placement: The applicant must provide a clear strategy for
placing individuals into employment. The applicant should describe the
methods for engaging employers, identifying specific job needs, and
referring participants to employers. Wherever possible, the applicant
should identify specific employers that indicate plans to hire project
participants that complete training.
Retention: The applicant must provide a clear strategy for
job retention. This should include strategies for engaging employers,
as well as for identifying the barriers to retention that participants
face after placement and for providing them with supportive services to
address these barriers.
iv. Leveraged Resources (5 Points)
Applicants should clearly and fully describe any funds and other
resources that will be leveraged to support grant activities and how
these funds and other resources will be used to contribute to the
proposed outcomes for the project, including any leveraged resources
related to the provision of supportive services for program
participants. This includes funds and other resources leveraged from
businesses, labor organizations, education and training providers, and/
or Federal, state, and local government programs. Applicants will be
scored based on the extent to which they fully demonstrate the amount
of leveraged resources provided, the type(s) of leveraged resources
provided, the strength of commitment to provide these resources (such
as in commitment letters), the breadth and depth of the resources
provided, and how well these resources support the proposed grant
activities.
v. Project Work Plan (15 Points)
Applicants can earn up to 15 points based on the presentation of a
comprehensive project work plan. Factors considered in evaluating the
project work plan will include: (1) The presentation of a coherent plan
that
[[Page 30148]]
demonstrates the applicant's complete understanding of all the
activities, responsibilities, and costs required to implement each
phase of the project and achieve projected outcomes; (2) the
demonstrated feasibility and reasonableness of the timeline for
accomplishing all necessary implementation activities, including the
ability to expeditiously begin training; and, (3) the extent to which
the budget aligns with the proposed work plan and is justified with
respect to the adequacy and reasonableness of resources requested.
Applicants must present this work plan in a table that includes the
following categories:
Project Phase: Lay out the timeline in five phases--
Startup, Recruitment, Training, Placement, and Retention.
Activities: Identify the major activities required to
implement each phase of the project. For each activity, include the
following information: (a) Start Date; (b) End Date; (c) Project
partner(s) that will be primarily responsible for performing each
activity; (d) Key tasks associated with each activity; (e) At key
project milestones, list the target dates and associated outcomes
projected for recruitment, training, placement, and retention
activities; and (f) As accurately as possible, list the sub-total
budget dollar amount associated with each activity.
4. Outcomes and Deliverables (20 points)
Applicants must demonstrate a results-oriented approach to managing
and operating their project by providing projections for all applicable
outcome categories relevant to measuring the success or impact of the
project, describing the products and deliverables that will be produced
as a result of the grant activities, and fully demonstrating the
appropriateness and feasibility of achieving these results. Applicants
must include projected outcomes, which will be used as goals for the
grant. Applicants may earn up to 20 points by comprehensively
addressing each of the areas outlined below.
i. Projected Performance Outcomes (5 Points)
Applicants must provide projections and track outcomes for each of
the following outcome categories for all participants served with grant
funds:
Total participants served;
Total number of participants beginning education/training
activities;
Total number of participants that receive basic education
services;
Total number of participants that receive supportive
services funded by the grant;
Total number of participants completing education/training
activities;
Total number of participants that complete education/
training activities that receive a degree/certificate;
Total number of participants that complete education/
training activities that are placed into unsubsidized employment;
Total number of participants that complete education/
training activities that are placed into training-related unsubsidized
employment; and
Total number of participants placed in unsubsidized
employment who retain an employed status in the first and second
quarters following initial placement.
Please note that applicants will need to be prepared to collect
participant-level data on individuals who receive training and other
services provided through the grant. These data should be the basis for
reporting against the outcomes listed above, and may be required for
reporting on other employment-related outcomes in the future. ETA will
provide appropriate technical assistance to the grantees in collecting
these data, including the development of a participant tracking system
for the grantees. Please note that in some cases, the data requested
below may require appropriate partnerships with state and local
workforce investment system entities.
Applicants will be required to collect participants' Social
Security numbers as part of individual level data collection. Social
security numbers will be used for the calculation of employment history
and program outcomes. It is anticipated that by collecting Social
Security numbers of participants, ETA will be able to calculate most
employment outcomes administratively through the use of Unemployment
Insurance wage record information. Applicants must ensure that Social
Security numbers will be maintained in a secure and confidential
manner.
Applicants should be prepared to collect and report participant-
level data from the following categories:
Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics
Employment history
Services provided
Outcomes achieved
Applicants should describe their capacity to collect both
participant level data and aggregate outcomes.
ii. Appropriateness and Feasibility, Degrees or Certificates Resulting
From Training, and Deliverables (10 points)
The applicant must fully demonstrate the appropriateness
and feasibility of its projections of the project outcomes by
addressing three factors: (1) The extent to which the expected project
outcomes are realistic and consistent with the objectives of the
project and the needs of the community; (2) the ability of the
applicant to achieve the stated outcomes and report results within the
timeframe of the grant; and (3) the appropriateness of the outcomes
with respect to the requested level of funding.
Project activities leading to an industry-recognized
degree or certificate must identify the degree or certificate that
participants will earn as a result of the proposed training, and the
employer-, industry-, or State-defined standards associated with the
degree or certificate. If the degree or certificate targeted by the
training project is performance-based, applicants should either: (a)
Demonstrate employer engagement in the curriculum development process,
or (b) demonstrate that the degree or certificate will translate into
concrete job opportunities with an employer.
If applicable, applicants must provide a comprehensive
list of expected deliverables consistent with the project work plan
that includes a brief description of the deliverable (such as updated
curriculum and outreach materials), the anticipated completion date,
and an estimated timeframe and method for electronic delivery to ETA.
Electronic delivery may include e-mail for smaller documents, DVDs or
other electronic media for transmission of larger files.
iii. Suitability for Evaluation (5 Points)
Under this Solicitation, the Department of Labor seeks to support
programs that will provide training that improves participants'
employment outcomes. The Department is committed to evaluating program
results to assess whether programs meet this goal and which models are
most effective, providing a basis for future program improvements and
funding decisions. The Department intends to select some portion of
grantees to participate in a rigorous evaluation. This section asks for
evidence that applicants will be able to participate productively in an
evaluation. To receive points under this section, applicants must
describe their plans for meeting the following criteria. Specifically,
the applicant must:
Explain a recruitment plan that could yield a large number
of qualified applicants for the program, and potentially more
applicants than the number of positions available;
[[Page 30149]]
Be able to collect participant-level information on
individuals who apply to participate in the program;
Have project retention strategies to minimize client
attrition and help researchers track those who leave the program before
completion;
Work collaboratively with an outside evaluator selected by
the Department of Labor;
Be willing to work with academics who are independent
researchers qualified to conduct rigorous research; and
Provide additional information about why funding this
proposal will enhance knowledge about effective programs in a way that
has the potential to benefit individuals and communities not directly
served by the program.
B. Review and Selection Process
Applications for grants under this solicitation will be accepted
after the publication of this announcement and until the closing date.
A technical review panel will make careful evaluation of applications
against the selection criteria. These criteria are based on the policy
goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this SGA. Up to 100 points
may be awarded to an application, depending on the quality of the
responses to the required information described in Section V.A. The
ranked scores will serve as the primary basis for selection of
applications for funding, in conjunction with other factors such as
urban, rural, and geographic balance; representation across industries
specified in this SGA and applicant types; the availability of funds;
and which proposals are most advantageous to the government. The panel
results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer.
The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to his/her
attention. The government may elect to award the grant(s) with or
without discussions with the applicants. 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 including electronic signature via E-Authentication on http://www.grants.gov.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted
directly before the grant's execution and non-selected applicants will
be notified by mail. Selection of an organization as a grantee does not
constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the
actual grant is awarded, ETA may enter into negotiations about such
items as program components, staffing and funding levels, and
administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the
negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the
Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and
decline to fund the application.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
1. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees will be subject to all applicable Federal laws,
regulations, and the applicable OMB Circulars. The grant(s) awarded
under this SGA will be subject to the following administrative
standards and provisions:
i. Non-Profit Organizations--OMB Circulars A-122 (Cost Principles)
and 29 CFR part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
ii. Educational Institutions--OMB Circulars A-21 (Cost Principles)
and 29 CFR part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
iii. State and Local Governments--OMB Circulars A-87 (Cost
Principles) and 29 CFR part 97 (Administrative Requirements).
iv. Profit Making Commercial Firms--Federal Acquisition Regulation
(FAR)--48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 29 CFR part 95
(Administrative Requirements).
v. All entities must comply with 29 CFR parts 93 and 98, and, where
applicable, 29 CFR parts 96 and 99.
vi. 29 CFR part 2, subpart D--Equal Treatment in Department of
Labor Programs for Religious Organizations, Protection of Religious
Liberty of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and
Beneficiaries.
vii. 29 CFR part 31--Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted
Programs of the Department of Labor--Effectuation of Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964.
viii. 29 CFR part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in
Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal Financial
Assistance.
ix. 29 CFR part 33--Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis
of Handicap in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of
Labor.
x. 29 CFR part 35-- Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in
Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the
Department of Labor.
xi. 29 CFR part 36--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in
Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial
Assistance.
The following administrative standards and provisions may be
applicable:
i. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law
111-5, 123 Stat. 115, Division A, Title VIII (February 17, 2009).
ii. The Green Jobs Act of 2007, Public Law 110-140, 121 Stat. 1748
(codified at 29 U.S.C. 2916).
iii. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law 105-220, 112
Stat. 939 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) and 20 CFR
part 667 (General Fiscal and Administrative Rules).
iv. 29 CFR part 29 and 30--Apprenticeship and Equal Employment
Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training; and
v. 29 CFR part 37--Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and
Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA),
42 U.S.C. section 2000bb, applies to all Federal law and its
implementation. If your organization is a faith-based organization that
makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be
entitled to receive Federal financial assistance under Title I of the
Workforce Investment Act and maintain that hiring practice even though
Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act contains a general ban on
religious discrimination in employment. If you are awarded a grant, you
will be provided with information on how to request such an exemption.
vi. Under WIA Section 181(a)(4), health and safety standards
established under Federal and State law otherwise applicable to working
conditions of employees are equally applicable to working conditions of
participants engaged in training and other activities. Applicants that
are awarded grants through this SGA are reminded that these health and
safety standards apply to participants in these grants.
In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of
1995 (Pub. L. 104-65) (2 U.S.C. 1611) non-profit entities incorporated
under Internal Revenue Service Code section 501(c)(4) that engage in
lobbying activities are not eligible to receive Federal funds and
grants.
Except as specifically provided in this SGA, DOL's acceptance of a
proposal and an award of Federal funds to sponsor any programs(s) does
not provide a waiver of any grant requirements and/or procedures. For
[[Page 30150]]
example, the OMB Circulars require that an entity's procurement
procedures must ensure that all procurement transactions are conducted,
as much as practical, to provide open and free competition. If a
proposal identifies a specific entity to provide services, the DOL's
award does not provide the justification or basis to sole source the
procurement, i.e., avoid competition, unless the activity is regarded
as the primary work of an official partner to the application.
2. Special Program Requirements
i. Evaluation
To measure the impact of grants funded under the SGA, ETA intends
to fund one or more independent evaluations, which could include a
random-assignment impact evaluation. By accepting funding, grantees
must agree to participate in such an evaluation, should their site(s)
be selected to participate. Grantees must agree to make records on
participants, employers, and funding available and to provide access to
program personnel and participants, as specified by the evaluator(s)
under the direction of ETA, including after the expiration date of the
grant.
ii. Definition of Certificates
A certificate is awarded in recognition of an individual's
attainment of measurable technical or occupational skills necessary to
gain employment or advance within an occupation. These technical or
occupational skills are based on standards developed or endorsed by
employers. Certificates awarded by workforce investment boards are not
included in this definition. Work readiness certificates are also not
included in this definition. A certificate is awarded in recognition of
an individual's attainment of technical or occupational skills by:
A state educational agency or a state agency responsible
for administering vocational and technical education within a state.
An institution of higher education described in Section
102 of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1002) that is qualified to
participate in the student financial assistance programs authorized by
Title IV of that Act. This includes community colleges, proprietary
schools, and all other institutions of higher education that are
eligible to participate in Federal student financial aid programs.
A professional, industry, or employer organization (e.g.,
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence certification,
National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Inc., Machining Level I
credential) or a product manufacturer or developer (e.g., Microsoft
Certified Database Administrator, Certified Novell Engineer, Sun
Certified Java Programmer) using a valid and reliable assessment of an
individual's knowledge, skills, and abilities.
A registered apprenticeship program.
A public regulatory agency, upon an individual's
fulfillment of educational, work experience, or skill requirements that
are legally necessary for an individual to use an occupational or
professional title or to practice an occupation or profession (e.g.,
FAA aviation mechanic certification, state certified asbestos
inspector).
A program that has been approved by the Department of
Veterans Affairs to offer education benefits to veterans and other
eligible persons.
Job Corps centers that issue certificates.
Institutions of higher education which is formally
controlled, or has been formally sanctioned, or chartered, by the
governing body of an Indian tribe or tribes.
iii. Definitions of Populations and Other Key Terms
Organizations submitting an application in response to this SGA
should use the following definitions for any of the following
populations and/or other key terms that are specifically identified in
this SGA:
Disadvantaged individuals within areas of high poverty:
For the purposes of this SGA, disadvantaged individuals are defined as
individuals with no incomes or low incomes who live in areas where the
poverty rate is 15% or greater and who can benefit from skill training
that will help them enter or advance in the energy efficiency and
renewable energy industries identified in WIA section 171(e)(1)(B)(ii),
and/or will enable them to acquire or enhance skills needed to enter
occupations within one or more of the ``growth, enhanced, and
emerging'' green industries referenced in Supplementary Information:
Part B of this SGA.
High school drop-outs: For the purposes of this SGA, ETA
defines ``high school drop-out'' as an individual who is no longer
attending any secondary school and who has not received a secondary
school diploma or its recognized equivalent.
Individuals in need of updated training related to the
energy efficiency and renewable energy industries: For the purposes of
this SGA, this term refers to individuals who are currently employed;
or were terminated or laid-off or have received a notice of termination
or lay-off from employment; or were self-employed but are now
unemployed; and can benefit from training that will help them enter or
advance in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries
identified in WIA section 171(e)(1)(B)(ii), and/or will enable them to
acquire or enhance skills needed to enter occupations within one or
more of the ``growth, enhanced, and emerging'' green industries
referenced in Supplementary Information: Part B of this SGA.
Individuals with a criminal record: For the purposes of
this SGA, ETA defines this term as an individual who is or has been
subject to any stage of the juvenile or criminal justice process, for
whom services under this Act may be beneficial; or who requires
assistance in overcoming artificial barriers to employment resulting
from a record of arrest or conviction. ETA includes individuals with a
juvenile or criminal record in the definition for this term.
Unemployed individuals: For the purposes of this SGA, ETA
defines ``unemployed individual'' as an individual who is without a job
and who wants and is available to work.
Veterans: For the purposes of this solicitation, ETA
follows the WIA definition of veteran under 29 U.S.C. 2801(49)(A),
which defines the term ``veteran'' as ``an individual who served in the
active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or
released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable.''
Active military service includes full-time duty (other than full-time
duty for training purposes) in Reserve components ordered to active
duty, or in National Guard units called to Federal Service by the
President.
Workers impacted by national energy and environmental
policy: For the purposes of this SGA, ETA defines this term as
individuals who: (1) Are currently employed in an occupation in the
utilities; transportation and warehousing; manufacturing; construction;
mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; or other sectors that
have been adversely affected by national energy and environmental
policies; and have received a notice of termination or lay-off from
employment; or (2) were employed in an occupation in the utilities;
transportation and warehousing; manufacturing; construction; mining,
quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; or other sectors that have been
adversely affected by national energy and environmental policies; and
are now unemployed.
[[Page 30151]]
National labor-management organization: A national labor-
management organization is a nonprofit entity, such as a training fund,
training trust fund, or an education trust fund, with joint
participation of employers and labor organizations on its executive
board or comparable governing body. This entity must have a formalized
agreement between the employer(s) and labor organization(s) to operate
a joint labor management training program(s) in multiple sites across
the country through the state, local, or regional networks affiliated
with the nonprofit entity.
U.S. territories: For the purposes of this SGA, the term
``U.S. territories'' includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well
as the following outlying areas: the United States Virgin Islands,
Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of
Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
3. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5)
Provisions
Prospective applicants are advised that, if they receive an award,
they must comply with all requirements of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 [Pub. L. 111-5]. Applicants are advised to
review the Act and implementing OMB guidance in the development of
their proposals. Requirements include, but are not limited to:
Adherence to all grant clauses and conditions as they
relate to Recovery Act activity.
Prohibition on expenditure of funds for activities at any
casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course or
swimming pool.
Compliance with the requirements to obtain a D-U-N-
S[supreg] Number and register with the Central Contractor Registry
(CCR). ETA will issue additional guidance related to this requirement
shortly.
Submission of required reports in accordance with Section
1512 of the Recovery Act. These reports will be due quarterly within 10
days of the end of the reporting period and are in addition to the ETA
required reports addressed in Section VI.C of this SGA. ETA will issue
additional guidance related to these reports and their submission
requirements shortly.
Implementing OMB guidance may be found at http://www.recovery.gov.
C. Reporting
Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS
data will be submitted by the grantee electronically. The grantee is
required to provide the reports and documents listed below:
1. 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's On-Line Electronic
Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to
grantees.
2. Quarterly Performance Reports
The grantee must submit a quarterly progress report within 45 days
after the end of each calendar year quarter. In order to submit these
quarterly reports, grantees will be expected to track participant-level
data regarding the individuals that are involved in training and other
services provided through the grant and report on participant status in
a variety of fields and outcome categories, as well as provide
narrative information on the status of the grant. The last quarterly
progress report that grantees submit will serve as the grant's Final
Performance Report. This report should provide both quarterly and
cumulative information on the grant's activities. It must summarize
project activities, employment outcomes and other deliverables, and
related results of the project, and should thoroughly document the
training or labor market information approaches utilized by the
grantee. DOL will provide grantees with formal guidance about the data
and other information that is required to be collected and reported on
either a regular basis or special request basis. Grantees must agree to
meet DOL reporting requirements.
3. Record Retention
Applicants should be aware of Federal guidelines on record
retention, which require grantees to maintain all records pertaining to
grant activities for a period of not less than three years from the
time of final grant close-out.
VII. Agency Contacts
For further information regarding this SGA, please contact Melissa
Abdullah, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance,
at (202) 693-3346 (This is not a toll-free number). Applicants should
e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must
specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 08-19, and along with question(s),
include a contact name, fax and phone number. This announcement is
being made available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants and at http://www.grants.gov.
VIII. Additional Resources of Interest to Applicants
A. Instructions for Identifying Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) and
Locating Poverty Rates
Refer to the guidance below for help in locating the poverty data
information described in Section V.A.1.i:
1. Identify PUMA(s) To Be Served
As described in Section III.C.2 and Section V.A.1.i, applicants
must identify, for each community served, the one or more contiguous
Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) that the project will serve. PUMAs
are geographic statistical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau.
To locate the appropriate 5-digit PUMA code(s), applicants can find
PUMA maps for each State at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/maps/puma5pct.htm. Applicants can also utilize the PUMA Lookup spreadsheet
available for download at http://www.workforce3one.org/view/2000916359265073156/info. This spreadsheet provides PUMA codes sorted
by State and area name (such as townships, cities, and counties).
2. Locating Poverty Rate for Each PUMA
As described in Section V.A.1.i, applicants must provide the
poverty rate for each PUMA identified. After locating the appropriate
5-digit PUMA code(s), utilize the Poverty Data spreadsheet to identify
the poverty rate for each PUMA, which is found in the rightmost column
of the spreadsheet on Tab 1. Note that this spreadsheet has three Tabs,
listing poverty rates for: (1) United States, DC, and Puerto Rico; (2)
American Indian Areas, Alaskan Native Areas, and Hawaiian Home Lands;
and (3) Outlying Areas. Download the spreadsheet from http://www.workforce3one.org/view/2000916359251042484/info. The data for Tab 1
were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005-2007 American
Community Survey (ACS) 3-Year Estimates. Because ACS data is not
currently available for many American Indian Areas, Alaska Native
Areas, Hawaiian Homelands, and outlying areas, data for Tabs 2 and 3
were obtained from the 2000 Decennial Census. Applicants proposing to
serve PUMAs, American Indian Areas, Alaska Native Areas, Hawaiian
Homelands, or outlying areas that are not listed in the Poverty Data
spreadsheet should use, and cite, another appropriate data source for
poverty rate information.
[[Page 30152]]
B. Other Web-Based Resources
DOL maintains a number of Web-based resources that may be of
assistance to applicants. America's Service Locator (http://www.servicelocator.org) provides a directory of our nation's One Stop
Career Centers.
C. Industry Competency Models
ETA supports an Industry Competency Model Initiative to promote an
understanding of the skill sets and competencies that are essential to
an educated and skilled workforce. A competency model is a collection
of competencies that taken together define successful performance in a
particular work setting. Competency models serve as a starting point
for the design and implementation of workforce and talent development
programs. To learn about the industry-validated models visit the
Competency Model Clearinghouse (CMC) at http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel. The CMC site also provides tools to build or customize
industry models, as well as tools to build career ladders and career
lattices.
D. Federal Collaboration
DOL encourages other Federal partners to recommend or require,
where appropriate, that organizations receiving Recovery Act funding
list jobs created with their state public labor exchange. The
Department is developing specific strategies to link job listings,
training opportunities and placement among programs funded by
Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Education, and
the Environmental Protection Agency. Where the grantee is not the
public workforce system, they are strongly encouraged to work with the
local One Stop Career Center to make these connections.
E. Links to Federal Recovery Sites
For specific information on a range of Federal agency Recovery Act
activities and funding opportunities:
Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html.
Department of Energy: http://www.doe.gov/recovery.
Department of Housing and Urban Development: http://www.hud.gov/recovery.
Department of Transportation: http://www.dot.gov/recovery/.
Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/recovery.
F. Promising Training Approaches
ETA encourages applicants to research promising training approaches
in order to inform their proposals. The following list of Web sites
provides a starting place for this research, but by no means should be
considered a complete list:
ETA's home site (http://www.doleta.gov) and the ETA
Research Publication Database (http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm).
ETA's knowledge sharing site (http://www.workforce3one.org), including the ``workforce solutions'' section
that contains over 6,000 additional resources applicants may find
valuable in developing workforce strategies and solutions.
The National Governors Association Center for Best
Practices (http://www.nga.org).
The National Association of State Workforce Agencies
(http://www.workforceatm.org).
The National Association of Workforce Boards (http://www.nawb.org).
IX. Other Information
OMB Information Collection No. 1225-0086
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 OMB
Desk Officer for ETA, Department of Labor, in the Office of Management
and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503. Please do not return the
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 SGA will be used by DOL
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.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 19th day of June, 2009.
Donna Kelly,
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-14928 Filed 6-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P