Department of Labor
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service
Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA)
[SGA # 11-01 / PY 2011]
Urban and Non-Urban Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) Grants for Program Year (PY) 2011, July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012.
AGENCY: Veterans’ Employment and Training Service
ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability SGA # 11-01
DATE(S): The closing date for receipt of the application is 30 days from the date of publication in grants.gov
Address: Applicants may apply electronically at http://www.grants.gov. Instructions for electronic applications are in Section IV. 3. of this Notice. Applications submitted by U.S. Mail, professional overnight delivery service or hand-delivery must be addressed to:
US Department of Labor
Procurement Services Center
Attention: Cassandra Mitchell, Reference SGA # 11-01
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room S-4307
Washington, DC 20210
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Applicants for Grant Funds Should Read This Notice in Its Entirety. This solicitation contains significant changes to previous HVRP solicitations. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to be aware of, responsive to, and in compliance with any new requirements described below.
The U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service announces a grant competition under 38 U.S.C. Section 2021, which provides that “the Secretary of Labor [the Secretary] shall conduct, directly or through grant or contract, such programs as the Secretary determines appropriate to provide job training, counseling, and placement services (including job readiness, literacy, and skills training) to expedite the reintegration of homeless Veterans into the labor force.” On October 13, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010 (Public Law No: 111-275). Section 201 reauthorizes the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program through fiscal year (FY) 2011.
Applications proposing to serve homeless Veterans under this HVRP solicitation will fall into one of two categories: Urban or Non-Urban geographical areas.
HVRP grants are intended to address two objectives:
To provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless Veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force, and
To stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless Veterans.
Successful applicants will design programs that expedite the reintegration of eligible homeless Veterans into the labor force by providing job placement services, job training, counseling, supportive services, and other assistance. There is no prescribed or mandatory model for applicants to specifically adhere to; however, applicants should address all of the operational, administrative, and financial requirements described within this solicitation. Successful applicants will have demonstrated a potential ability to address the universal challenges as well as the local or regional problems that have contributed to Veteran homelessness and have negatively impacted these Veterans from stabilizing their lives and reentering the workforce.
Under this solicitation, VETS anticipates that up to $2.5 million will be available for Urban grants, and up to $2.5 million will be available for Non-Urban grants with awards ranging from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum award of $300,000 for Urban grants and a minimum award of $100,000 to maximum award of $200,000 for Non-Urban grants. VETS expects to award grants in both the Urban and Non-Urban categories, however, the actual number of grants to be awarded in each category will be announced after selections are made as the grants are awarded based on the merit of the applications and the financial amounts proposed by the pool of successful applicants. Applicants must clearly identify the funding category for which they are applying. The Grant Officer reserves the right to negotiate proposed funding amounts and geographic service delivery areas under each of the designated funding categories.
The anticipated active period of performance for these grants will be from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. In addition, grantees will be required to provide follow-up and retention services during a nine (9) month period from July 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013. During this period, successful grantees will be expected to report on their follow-up and retention services for up to three quarters. Up to three (3) years of additional funding may be available, subject to the Department’s decision to exercise the additional year(s) of funding based upon an assessment of satisfactory grantee performance and the appropriation of available funds.
Through this solicitation, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL or Department), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) will help implement the goals presented within the Veteran Administration’s (VA) Five-Year Plan to End Homelessness and the National Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness endorsed by the Interagency Council on Homelessness. VETS also strongly encourages HVRP applicants to be active participants in local HUD Continuum of Care Committees as well as frequent contributors to the development of local Ten-Year Plans to End Homelessness within their proposed geographic service areas.
This notice contains all the necessary information and forms to apply for grant funding under the HVRP. There may be future addenda to this solicitation published on www.grants.gov and on the VETS website. All applicants are responsible for checking www.grants.gov and the VETS website regularly to ensure that they have all of the latest information regarding any updates to this solicitation.
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
Section 2021 of Title 38 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) requires the Secretary of Labor to conduct, directly or through grant or contract, such programs as the Secretary determines appropriate to provide job training, counseling, and placement services (including job readiness, literacy training, and skills training) to expedite the reintegration of homeless Veterans into the labor force. On October 13, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010, into law (Public Law No: 111-275). Section 201 reauthorizes the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program through fiscal year 2011. Furthermore, priority of service for Veterans in all Department of Labor funded training programs is established in 38 U.S.C. 4215. This section presents the program concept and emphasis as well as the required scope of program design that should be explicitly apparent within an applicant’s proposal. The Cost Sharing/Matching Funds Requirements also are presented within this section.
Program Concept and Emphasis:
No specific service model is mandatory, but successful applicants will design a program that addresses the multitude of challenges associated with homeless Veterans and is responsive to their employment and supportive service needs within the local community. HVRP grants are intended to address two universal objectives:
To provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless Veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force; and
To stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless Veterans.
For this PY 2011 grant solicitation, VETS seeks applicants that can demonstrate their ability to provide services through a client-centered case management approach and who can effectively collaborate and network with Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations to effectively target resources toward assisting homeless Veterans, including the more complex demands of serving chronically homeless Veterans. More specifically, successful applicants will demonstrate the following:
Ability to develop, define, and execute clear strategies and obtainable goals for training, employment and retention of employment for homeless Veterans;
Ability to design, develop, and execute programs that assist eligible Veterans by providing or collaborating with other entities to provide the following: job placement and retention services; job training; counseling; mentoring; supportive services; housing; and other forms of assistance to facilitate the reintegration of homeless Veterans into the labor force.
Applicants are encouraged to utilize, through partnerships or sub-awards, experienced public agencies, private non-profit organizations, private businesses, community-based organizations, and colleges and universities (especially those with traditionally high enrollments of minorities) that have an understanding of the barriers to employment unique to homeless Veterans, a familiarity with the geographic area to be served, linkages with federal agencies including the One-Stop Career Center(s), and the capability to effectively address the requirements stated within this solicitation.
2. Scope of Program Design:
The project design must include, either directly through the proposed applicant or through demonstrated collaborative agreements, the following dimensions: outreach; intake and assessment; employment services which include follow-up support services to enhance placement and retention in employment; training related services; supportive services that coordinate with Federal, State, and local entities and resources; and housing. More specifically, the project design must contain the following components:
A. Outreach:
Applicants should design, develop, and execute project orientation workshops and program promotion and awareness activities as a part of their proposed outreach. Applicants should be able to explain how their program will reach out to and collaborate with other local entities within their proposed service delivery area that encounter and assist homeless Veterans to introduce the HVRP program to potentially eligible homeless Veterans. Applicants also should specifically describe how their outreach approach will establish contact and build an effective level of collaboration with other entities that encounter homeless Veterans to inform potential program participants about the services provided under the HVRP.
Successful grantees should have experienced program staff that is intimately familiar with providing outreach services (direct personal experience whenever possible) and possess an empathetic understanding of homeless Veterans and their particular needs. In order to promote networking and collaboration between the HVRP and the array of local service providers (and thereby eliminate or reduce the duplication in services and enhance the level and amount of assistance to participants), the grantee must provide project orientation workshops and program awareness activities to the types of providers listed below. Grantees will have some flexibility concerning how they decide to meet this requirement through their proposed activities, however, such activities should include: attending service provider meetings, seminars, and conferences; out-stationing staff; and/or developing individual service contracts, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), or other formal agreements which involve other supportive service providers in the proposed service delivery area. More specifically, grantees will be responsible for providing project orientation workshops and program promotion and awareness activities to the following:
Direct providers of services to homeless Veterans, including shelter and soup kitchen operators;
Federal, State, and local agencies such as the local Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care Committees and their associated agencies and organizations; the Social Security Administration (SSA); the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), who provide mental and physical healthcare services; State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) and local One-Stop Career Centers, who provide employment and training services to include Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program specialist (DVOP) and Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) services and who integrate Workforce Investment Act (WIA) related services when available in their local area (see page 11 below for a further illustration of DVOP and LVER services); and other facilities who provide healthcare, substance abuse and detoxification services; and
Civic and private sector groups, in particular Veterans’ service organizations (VSO’s), support groups, and community-based organizations.
Applicants are encouraged to describe how they plan to participate in Stand Down activities. While no HVRP funding may be budgeted within this solicitation for these activities, applicants should describe how such activities will be integrated into their proposed outreach. In a change from previous HVRP solicitations, Stand Down activities will only be funded through a separate USDOL / VETS Stand Down Solicitation. VETS encourages potential HVRP grantees to apply for this separate funding.
B. Intake and Assessments:
Once potentially eligible homeless Veterans have been identified, an assessment must be made of each individual’s abilities, interests, needs, and barriers to employment. As a part of the assessment process, grantees should systematically determine a potential program participant’s state of job readiness. In some cases, participants may require referrals to services such as physical rehabilitation, drug or alcohol treatment, mental health services, and/or the assignment of a temporary or transitional shelter before they are enrolled into the HVRP program. Consequently, it is not unusual for the number of assessments to exceed the actual number of enrollments. Once an eligible homeless Veteran participant is stabilized, the assessment phase of the program should evolve toward intake.
During the intake process, grantees should concentrate on determining the employability of the individual and the appropriate timing related to when the individual is to be enrolled into the HVRP program. The intake and assessment process should be designed in order to maximize the potential of long-term success for the program participants. Grantees are expected to collaborate and coordinate their efforts with the VA and other locally-based Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) such as the American Legion; Disabled American Veterans; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Vietnam Veterans of America; and AMVETS to ensure participants apply for and/or receive the multitude of Veterans’ benefits for which they may be eligible. As appropriate, grantees should refer participants to the VA to file a claim for compensation or pension benefits. As a part of the referral process, grantees also will be expected to track and assist with the progress of a participant’s claim(s) and be able to report the ultimate outcomes related to these efforts within a participant’s case management file record.
C. Employment Services:
Once a participant is enrolled, the grantee must develop a formal employment and training services plan. The complete array of specific services proposed for each participant to maintain and improve their state of job readiness and employability must be noted within an Individual Employment Plan (IEP). The development of the initial IEP and the expected process that grantees must implement to periodically update it, are intended to help facilitate and monitor the participant’s progress toward a successful long-term employment outcome. Once an initial IEP is complete, program participants should be ready to enter into full-time employment and/or a specific job-training related program.
To complement the employment and training related services outlined within each participant’s IEP, grantees also must provide or arrange for the delivery and maintenance of appropriate supportive services that will enable the HVRP participant to successfully perform all the activities specified within the IEP (see Section I. 2. E. below). Grantees are required to provide directly or refer participants to the following employment services performed by qualified specialists such as DVOPs or LVERs: job search workshops; job counseling; assessment of skills; resume writing techniques; interviewing skills; on-the-job training (OJT); job development services; unsubsidized employment; and job placement follow-up services to enhance long-term retention. Additionally, subsidized or sheltered work environments, such as the VA’s Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program and/or preparatory classroom training, should be written into an IEP and integrated into the mix of services assigned to program participants, if a grantee case manager determines that such intervention would improve the eventual likelihood of long-term employment.
In addition to the employment and training services described above, participants who are assessed as “ready to enter employment” should be referred to One-Stop Career Centers, as appropriate. Grantees should establish a collaborative relationship with staff at the One-Stop Career Center or with local DVOPs and LVERs who should be made available to provide program participants with a full array of job development and job search assistance, employment and training services, employment-based case management services, career/employment counseling, and follow-up services usually at no additional cost to the HVRP grantee. VETS requires that all grantees collaborate closely with DVOP and LVER staff and other One-Stop Career Center personnel to maximize the funding allocated through the HVRP, reduce duplication of services, and to more effectively serve Veteran participants. VETS expects that applicants will be able to demonstrate an established collaborative relationships with the local One-Stop Career Center and/or the local DVOPs and LVERs through formal written agreements such as a defined MOU within their proposed application. After award, VETS will expect grantees to seek assistance from their assigned Grant Officer Technical Representative (GOTR) to facilitate access to these resources during the early stages of the first program year, if necessary.
As a part of their employment and training services provided to program participants, grantees must conduct follow-up and retention services to track a participant’s continued progress for as long as three quarters after a participant is placed into employment. VETS encourages the implementation of creative approaches and participant incentives to successfully address and sustain high levels of employment retention. Examples of such approaches are: peer-to-peer coaching, mentoring, alumni programs, transportation vouchers, and other follow up and retention-oriented services.
D. Training Services:
VETS expect grantees to provide meaningful job skills training to interested and capable program participants. All proposed training programs should be completed within a program year timeframe.
At least 80% of the enrolled HVRP participants must participate in job skills training activities. Examples of training services that contribute to the 80% training threshold are: classroom training, remedial education activities, on-the-job training, occupational skills training, apprenticeship, upgrading/retraining and skill specific vocational training; specialized and/or licensed training programs, and other formal training programs. Providing basic skills instruction and life skills and money management training should still be provided to participants, but this type of training is not considered as training activities which contribute to the 80% training threshold requirement.
E. Coordination With Federal, State, and local Supportive Services Programs:
Grantees will be expected to coordinate their proposed activities with a wide array of federal, state, and local supportive service programs and their associated agencies and/organizations. Supportive services are to include, but should not be limited to the following: the VA, including its Health Care for Homeless Veterans Outreach Coordinators; the USDOL Office of Disability and Employment Program’s (ODEP), including its Disability Navigator Program; HUD, including its local Continuum of Care Committees (CoC) and the associated agencies and organizations; and the Social Security Administration and its Ticket to Work Program. As a part of the Ticket to Work Program, grantees will be expected to register as an Employment Network (EN).
Grantees also will be expected to refer program participants to agencies and organizations, as necessary, which provide appropriate supportive services such health care, counseling, and rehabilitative services. These services may include, but not be limited to: alcohol and drug rehabilitation, therapeutic services, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) assessments and treatment, domestic abuse and sexual trauma counseling and care, vision and dental services, and physical and mental health services. Grantees also should coordinate with McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (MVHAA)-related programs and programs under the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act (HVCAA).
F. Housing:
Grantees are required to either directly provide supportive housing or refer program participants to various forms of emergency, transitional, and/or permanent housing assistance, as appropriate and necessary, to provide adequate shelter to at least the number of planned enrolled program participants. Grantees are expected to understand the differences between incorporating affordable housing alternatives as compared to permanent supportive housing options into their service mix and to make appropriate referrals based upon the needs of their enrolled program participants.
These housing programs may include but are not limited to: the VA’s Grant and Per Diem Program, which funds emergency and transitional housing programs; the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) food and shelter programs; and HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) programs and Section 8 single room occupancy housing programs, as well as other supportive, affordable and permanent housing programs for disabled homeless persons funded under MVHAA and HVCAA. It must be noted, that grantees are NOT allowed to expend HVRP funds directly for housing.
For homeless Veterans that do not have HUD VASH vouchers, but who may be HUD VASH eligible, grantees should coordinate HUD VASH resources after the date of HVRP enrollment. After the date of HVRP enrollment, grantees may refer Veterans to secure HUD VASH vouchers. Veteran participants are still eligible for participation in HVRP if they have a HUD VASH voucher which has not yet been executed and the grantee can document previous homelessness in the case record prior to securing housing.
3. Cost Sharing/Matching Funds Requirement:
Under this solicitation, cost sharing and matching funds are not required. While cost sharing and matching funds are not specifically required, VETS encourages grantees to maximize the resources available to the HVRP program and its participants through cost sharing and matching agreements with other funding agents. See page 31 in this SGA for instructions on how to report on this requirement.
The following section contains important information related to the Application Review process under the current PY 2011 HVRP SGA. The Application Review explains the required content of the application and the associated rating criteria and evaluation points that will be used to assess the technical acceptability of the SGA responses received. All applications must fully respond to the requirements described under this section, while demonstrating a thorough understanding of the HVRP program concept described in Section I. Programs must be “employment-focused” and be responsive to the rating criteria outlined below. Please note, if particular requirements requested below are not included, evaluation points will be deducted from the application.
1. Required Content of the Application, Rating Criteria and Evaluation Points:
The application should be organized into the following three sections: an executive summary, a technical proposal and a cost proposal. Applicants will be evaluated based upon the rating criteria and evaluation points assigned to those sections as described below. Applicants may receive up to a total of 110 points.
Section 1 – Executive Summary: A brief Executive Summary (1 -2 pages) reflecting the applicant’s proposed overall strategy, timeline, and outcomes to be achieved within their proposed activities is required. The geographic area to be served and the type of grant (Urban or Non-Urban) should be clearly identified. No direct evaluation points will be assessed based upon the information contained within the Executive Summary. However, applicants that fail to submit the required Executive Summary risk that their response will be determined as non-responsive and not evaluated.
Section 2 - Technical Proposal: The Technical Proposal is not to exceed 20 single-sided pages of double-spaced 12-point font with one inch left, right, top, and bottom margins and consistent with the instructions above. The pages used to present the Technical Proposal do count toward the 60-page total page maximum limitation described in detail within Section V .6 – Application and Submission Information. The technical proposal should consist of a narrative that fully illustrates the following elements: 1.) Demonstrated Program Need; 2.) Overall Approach or Strategy to Increase Employment and Retention; 3.) Organizational Linkages; 4.) Organizational and Staff Capability; and 5.) Housing Strategy. The associated rating criteria and evaluation points related to each of the program elements within the Technical proposal are provided below.
A. Demonstrated Program Need: 10 Points
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which they develop a complete and comprehensive narrative containing the following information. The applicant must identify the category type (Urban or Non-Urban) and the specific geographical area to be served. The applicant also must document the need for the proposed project by discussing the following: 1) the potential number or concentration of homeless individuals and homeless Veterans in the proposed project service area relative to other similar service geographic areas. These local numbers should be compared to state and National level data; 2) the rates of poverty and unemployment in the proposed project area as determined by the census or other surveys which should include state and National level comparisons; 3) the extent of the gaps in the local services which adversely affect the providing of services to homeless Veterans; and 4) the specific and unique employment barriers that local potential HVRP participants must overcome within the local service area. Applicants should identify the lack of local community supportive services that exacerbate the employment barriers faced by homeless Veterans. Applicants also should provide detailed local labor market information, current trends, and specific job opportunities within occupations and industries that are in demand within the geographical area to be served. Appropriate sources should be cited whenever possible to substantiate the applicant’s claims.
B. Overall Approach or Strategy to Increase Employment and Retention: 35 Points with the possibility of an additional 10 Points
This section includes a provision for 35 points plus an additional 10 points, if the applicant fully demonstrates an effective approach for successfully addressing barriers to employment faced by chronically homeless Veterans. Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which they develop a complete and comprehensive narrative containing the following information.
Applicants must describe their overall approach to providing comprehensive employment and training services. This overall approach must include outreach, intake, pre-enrollment assessment, employment development plan and case management capabilities, job training, job development and placement services that may include obtaining employer commitments to hire, and post-placement follow-up services. A participant flow chart should be provided to show the sequence and mix of services. This chart will NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limitation or the 60-page total page limitation.
Applicants are to clearly describe the proposed program awareness and participant outreach strategies. Applicants also must identify and fully describe the supportive services that will be provided to homeless Veteran participants as part of the applicant’s strategy to promote, prepare, and improve the participant’s state of “job readiness”.
Applicants must address how they will successfully target occupations that are locally in demand to benefit program participants by placing them in jobs with career growth potential and with sufficiently high wages to ensure long-term self-sufficiency. If available and established, applicants should describe the applicant’s local employer network, to include a list of employers that have pledged to hire and train HVRP participants and the various and potential types of jobs proposed to be filled by HVRP participants. This list will NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
Applicants must describe, in detail, the proposed employment-related services such as employment development plan and case management capabilities, job training, job development and placement services that may include obtaining employer commitments to hire, and post-placement follow-up and retention services. Applicants also should be able to describe how they propose to provide participants access to services within the One-Stop Career Centers and/or seek the cooperative assistance of locally-based Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) staff and the Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) personnel. Applicants should list the type of services that will be provided by each organizational and staffing entity and also note the type of formal agreement or MOU that is in place to support the delivery of employment related services, if applicable. Any formal agreements or MOUs between the grantee and any particular training providers should be attached; especially when such programs involve training that extends beyond the current program year. These agreements do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
The applicant must identify the local services and sources of training to be used to expand the vocational skills of program participants. Applicants should indicate the type(s) of training that will be provided and how such proposed training relates to the jobs that are in demand within the proposed geographic area to be served. Applicants should also indicate the length of training, the training curriculum, and how the training will improve the eligible Veterans’ employment opportunities.
As previously mentioned in Section I. 2.D, at least 80% of the enrolled HVRP participants must participate in job skills training activities. Examples of training services that contribute to the 80% training threshold are: classroom training, remedial education activities, on-the-job training, occupational skills training, apprenticeship, upgrading/retraining and skill specific vocational training; specialized and/or licensed training programs, and other formal training programs. Providing basic skills instruction and life skills and money management training are still encouraged, however, these types of training do not contribute to the grantees 80% training threshold requirement. A detailed description of the training services provided by the grantee and the relationships with other training providers and programs should be fully illustrated. Any formal agreements or MOUs between the grantee and any particular training providers should be attached; especially when such programs involve training that extends beyond the current program year. These agreements do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
Applicants must provide an adequate follow-up plan that addresses and tracks retention for three quarters after participants have been placed into employment. For a more detailed description of the reporting requirements, please refer to Section VI.4 under – Award Administration Information. If State Unemployment Insurance (UI) data will be used to substantiate the applicant’s follow-up results, it is suggested that the applicant include any formal agreement or MOU that enables the applicant to obtain such information. These agreements do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
Applicants must complete the PY2011 Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart (Appendix D), or a similar document containing the same detailed information, with proposed programmatic outcomes, including but not limited to, participants served, placements, and jobs retained. For a more detailed description of the job placement and reporting requirements, please refer to Section VI.4 under – Award Administration Information. If the applicant fails to provide the specific and required information contained with PY2011 Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart, the grant application will be considered non-responsive and it will not be evaluated. This chart does NOT count toward either the 20-Page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
Additional 10 Points:
Up to an additional 10 points under this Technical Proposal section will be awarded to applicants that propose to focus some of their effort toward addressing the complex barriers to employment faced by chronically homeless Veterans. For a more detailed description of the definitions related to the “chronically homeless”, please refer to Section IV. 4. under – Eligibility Information.
To receive full additional credit, applicants must be able to demonstrate their intimate understanding of the challenges faced by chronically homeless Veterans and be able to demonstrate that they have developed a comprehensive strategy that encompasses an established network of service providers to assist chronically homeless Veterans with services which include, but are not limited to: substance abuse recovery programs, mental and physical health services, subsidized employment opportunities, and housing that provides supportive services directly targeted to chronically homeless Veteran participants. It is recommended that any formal agreements or MOUs with providers of services that are specifically targeted to assisting chronically homeless Veterans be established and attached to the grant application request. These agreements do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
C. Organizational Linkages: 20 points
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which they develop a complete and comprehensive narrative containing the following information. Applicants must provide information on the quality and extent of linkages that the proposed program will have with employers, educational providers, and other providers of services to homeless Veterans within the local community. For each linkage, the applicant must specify who the provider is, the source of complementary funding (if known) related to the specific services provided by the organization, and the type of linkages/referral system established or proposed. Applicants must describe, to the extent possible, how the project will be incorporated into the local HUD Continuum of Care Committees, the VA’s five (5) year plan to end Veteran homelessness, and the local community’s ten (10) year plan to end homelessness, if applicable. See Interagency Council on Homelessness website address at www.ich.gov for additional information.
Applicants must describe program and resource linkages with other facilities that will be involved in identifying and serving potential clients for this program. Applicants are encouraged to submit a list of their local area network of service providers that offer and provide services to benefit program participants. Applicants must describe any networks with other related organizations, resources and/or programs that serve homeless Veterans and should fully illustrate how the proposed program will be coordinated with these identified efforts. It is recommended that any formal agreements or MOUs with providers of services that are specifically targeted to assisting homeless Veterans be established and attached to the grant application request. These agreements do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
As mentioned above, applicants must describe the linkages, networks, and relationships the proposed program will have with employers, educational providers, and other providers of services to homeless Veterans; include a description of the relationship with other employment and training programs in the One-Stop Career Centers such as Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP), the Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) program, and programs under the Workforce Investment Act such as the Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program (VWIP). For each entity and/or service, the applicant should list the type of services that will be provided and note the type of agreement in place, if applicable. Direct linkages with the workforce investment system and associated educational providers within the community are required. It is recommended that any formal agreements or MOUs with providers of services that are specifically targeted to assisting homeless Veterans be established and attached to the grant application request. These agreements do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
Applicants also must fully describe their proposed linkages with Federal agencies. These descriptions should include program and resource linkages with HUD and their related local Continuum of Care Committees, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the VA, to include its Health Care for Homeless Veterans, Domiciliary Care, Regional Benefits Assistance Program, Compensated Work Therapy (CWT), and Transitional Housing under the Homeless Provider Grant and Per Diem programs; and ODEPs Disability Navigator Program. In addition, grantees will be expected to register to be an Employment Network (EN) provider under the SSA Ticket to Work (Ticket) program. Although not required, it is recommended that any formal agreements or MOUs with providers of services that are specifically targeted to assisting homeless Veterans be established and attached to the grant application request. These agreements do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
D. Organizational and Staff Capability: 25 points
Applicants must describe their relevant prior experience in operating employment and training programs and in providing or coordinating supportive services to Veteran participants similar to those that are proposed under this solicitation. Specific outcomes previously achieved by the applicant must be fully described and presented. At a minimum, information related to the number of enrollments, number of placements, the number of participants that retained employment, the cost per placement into employment, and the benefits secured by program participants over a previous three (3) year period must be included within the applicant’s response.
Applicants must also address their capacity to address and identify any foreseen challenges related to timely startup of the program, as well as their ability to comply with the stated programmatic reporting and follow up requirements. VETS prefers that grantees be well-established service providers and not in the initial start-up phase or process; however, new applicants offering innovative and cost effective methods related to successfully serving the employment needs associated with homeless Veteran participants are encouraged to apply. Applicants who have not previously been HVRP grantees are obviously NOT required to submit 3 previous years of program outcomes, but they should be able to provide related program outcomes from other programs they managed.
Applicants must fully describe their organizational and staff experience and ability to manage the operational, administrative, programmatic, and financial reporting requirements specified within this SGA. Applicants must present and describe the skills, experience, work history, knowledge, qualifications, and educational credentials / certified capabilities of their key operational and management staff and directly associate this information to the activities proposed within their response. Applications should include an updated organizational chart which identifies all relevant divisions and office locations that will be involved in addressing the requirements presented within the SGA. If applicable, applicants should identify the number of staff who have direct experience with serving homeless individuals and/or Veterans. Applicants also should identify any staff members who are Veterans and/or who have previously been homeless. Submission of staff resumes and/or detailed bios is strongly recommended and they do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
Applicants must include a recent grant specific financial statement and/or audit that comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The financial statement and/or audit must be within 18 months of issuance. This audit does NOT count toward the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation. Any previous or existing audit exceptions or negative administrative findings must be identified and should be fully explained. This information will be reviewed by the Department’s Grant Officer and may be assessed separately prior to grant award. If at any time, it is discovered that an applicant failed to fully disclose any previous or existing audit exceptions and/or negative administrative findings within their application, it may be grounds for and result in either a designation of the application as non-responsive or if an award has occurred, the immediate termination of the grant at the discretion of the Grant Officer.
Applicants must fully and clearly describe and present their relevant current and prior experience in operating employment and training programs, if applicable. While previous HVRP experience is not a requirement for this grant, applicants who have at any time, performed as an HVRP grantee, must submit a full three (3) years of financial and technical cumulative final year end performance reports related to the most recent grant year period in which they operated.
Applicants with no previous HVRP experience, but who can demonstrate previous experience with similar programs, must submit their most recent three (3) year period of financial and programmatic cumulative final year end performance reports related to those similar programs as evidence of their ability to operate and manage employment and training type service programs. A summary narrative of program experience and a descriptive illustration of the programs employment and training performance outcomes also are required.
Please note that the Department’s grant review panel members, who will be reviewing all grant applications submitted as a result of this solicitation, may not have access to any reporting information systems during the review process; therefore, if the required final or year end cumulative quarterly technical performance reports mentioned above are not submitted, the grant application will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated.
Applicants are to describe the measures of success for the proposed plan. This plan should include a proposed system to monitor the implementation of program activities and achievements of program outcomes. Applicants must indicate their planned level of performance utilizing the reporting methodology as described in the Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) for Competitive Grantees (Appendix H). The TAG includes specific directions related to the proper completion and submittal of the Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart which is explained in more detail in Section VI. 4 and 5 under Award Administration Information below.
All applicants must submit evidence of satisfactory financial management capability, which must include recent (within the last 18 months) grant specific financial and/or audit statements. These audits do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation. All successful grantees are required to utilize Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP), maintain a separate accounting for these grant funds, and have a checking account. If an audit or other grant specific financials are not included, the application will receive zero (0) points in the section of the evaluation identified above under the Technical Proposal.
Finally, in regard to sustainability, applicants are required to fully describe how their proposed program can or will outlast the federal funding being provided under this grant after either the first year of funding or, if awarded, after the possible option year or years of funding.
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which they develop a complete and comprehensive narrative containing the following information. Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed program will obtain or access affordable and/or supportive housing resources for program participants. Applicants should fully illustrate the provisions that will be made for program participants to access temporary, transitional, and/or permanent housing through various community resources including, but not limited to: the VA’s Grant and Per Diem Program, which funds emergency and transitional housing programs; the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) food and shelter programs; and HUD’s VASH programs and Section 8 single room occupancy housing programs, as well as other supportive, affordable and permanent housing programs for disabled homeless persons funded under MVHAA and HVCAA.
Applicants should demonstrate that they are able to, either directly or through established relationships with organizations that provide housing and housing related services, to provide an adequate number of housing interventions or referrals to serve the proposed level of participants enrolled into the program. Applicants also should describe how their program delivers a rapid response strategy for addressing the immediate housing needs of homeless Veterans and potential program participants early in the service delivery process. It is recommended that any formal agreements or MOUs with service providers that are specifically targeted to assisting homeless Veterans related to housing and housing related services be established and attached to the grant application request. These agreements do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
Applicants are expected to be able to demonstrate their understanding of the differences between incorporating affordable housing alternatives as compared to permanent supportive housing options into their service mix. Applicants should also make appropriate referrals based upon the needs of their enrolled program participants. Applicants are cautioned not to suggest housing strategies that “execute” secured HUD VASH vouchers prior to an HVRP program participant’s enrollment since such timing may jeopardize a potential Veteran’s “homeless” eligibility requirement for HVRP participation. It is highly recommended that applicants refer to the Veterans Health Administration for Veterans’ status of eligibility to determine what appropriate housing options a participant may be eligible to receive, which may include HUD VASH vouchers. Applicants also must be aware that HVRP funds are NOT to be used for the purpose of emergency, transitional, or permanent housing, rent and/or deposit payments for an apartment/house or the purchasing or leasing of vehicles.
Section 3 – The Cost Proposal: Applicants can expect that the cost proposal will be reviewed for financial appropriateness and reasonableness. No direct evaluation points will be awarded based upon the information contained within the Cost Proposal; however, applicants must provide the specific information required or risk their response to this solicitation deemed as non-responsive and thus not evaluated.
The Cost Proposal must contain a fully completed Standard Form SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” with the original signed in blue ink (Appendix A). The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program is 17.805 which must be entered on the SF-424 in Block 11. The organizational unit section of Block 8 of the SF-424 must contain the Dun and Beginning October 1, 2003; all applicants for Federal grant funding opportunities are required to include a DUNS number with their application. See OMB Notice of Final Policy Issuance, 68 Federal Register 38402 (June 27, 2003). The applicant’s DUNS number is entered in Block 8 of SF-424. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. There is no charge for obtaining a DUNS number. To obtain a DUNS number call 1-866-705-5711 or access their website at http://www.dunandbradstreet.com/. If no DUNS number is provided, the grant application will be considered non-responsive and it will not be evaluated. Requests for exemption from the DUNS number requirement must be made to the Office of Management and Budget. All applicants are advised of the effect of noncompliance with a requirement to obtain a DUNS number or register in the CCR:
(a) An agency may not make an award to an entity until the entity has complied with the requirements described in 2 CFR §25.200 to provide a valid DUNS number and maintain an active CCR registration with current information (other than any requirement that is not applicable because the entity is exempted under 2 CFR §25.110).
(b) At the time an agency is ready to make an award, if the intended recipient has not complied with an applicable requirement to provide a DUNS number or maintain an active CCR registration with current information, the agency:
May determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award; and
(2) May use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.
Standard Form SF-424A “Budget Information Sheet” (Appendix B) also must be included. As an attachment to SF-424A, the applicant must provide a detailed cost breakout of each line item on the Budget Information Sheet. Please label this page or pages as “Budget Narrative” and ensure that costs reported on the SF- 424A correspond accurately with the Budget Narrative. The Budget Narrative must include, at a minimum:
Personnel Costs. Applicants must provide a breakout of all personnel costs by position, title, annual salary rates, and percent of time of each position to be devoted to the proposed project (including sub-grantees) by completing the “Direct Cost Descriptions for Applicants and Sub-Applicants” form
(Appendix E).
Fringe Benefits. Applicants must provide an explanation and breakout of extraordinary fringe benefit rates and associated charges (i.e., rates exceeding 35% of salaries and wages).
Explanation of Costs and Methodologies. Applicants must provide an explanation of the purpose, composition, and methodology used to derive all costs which must include: personnel, fringe, travel, equipment, supplies, sub-awards/contracts, and any other costs associated with executing the grant. The applicant must include costs of any required travel described in this Solicitation. Planned travel expenditures may not exceed 5% of the total HVRP funds requested. Mileage charges may not exceed the current Federal rate.
Updated federal mileage rates may be secured through the GSA’s website at www.gsa.gov.
Follow-Up Services. Applicants must describe all associated costs for obtaining and retaining participant information pertinent to the follow-up services required for the three quarters after the active program year performance period ends, including any costs of using State Unemployment Insurance data to substantiate an applicant’s follow-up results, if applicable.
Equipment Purchases. Applicants must provide a description/specification of, and justification for, all equipment purchases, if any. Tangible, non-expendable, personal property having a useful life of more than one year and a unit acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit must be specifically identified and approved by the GOTR before purchase.
Other Funds. Applicants must describe other funding sources to include matching funds, leveraged funds, and in-kind services. Matching funds are not required for HVRP grants, however, they are encouraged. When resources such as matching funds, leveraged funds, and/or the value of in-kind contributions are made available, describe these items in Section B of the Budget Information Sheet.
In addition the following items must be included:
A completed Assurance and Certification signature page (Appendix C) must be submitted.
All applicants must submit evidence of satisfactory financial management capability, which must include recent grant specific financial and/or audit statements. These audits must have occurred within the last 18 months, but do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation. All successful grantees are required to utilize Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP), maintain a separate accounting for these grant funds, and have a checking account. If an audit or other grant specific financials are not included, the application will receive zero (0) points in the section of the evaluation identified above under the Technical Proposal.
All applicants must include, as a separate appendix, a list of all employment and training government grants and contracts that they have had in the past three (3) years, including grant/contract officer contact information. The Department reserves the right to have an agency representative review and verify this data. This list does NOT count toward the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the
60-page total page limitation,
A completed Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants (Appendix F) must be provided.
A completed Indirect Charges or Certificate of Direct Costs (Appendix I) must be provided.
III. AWARD INFORMATION
The following section contains important award information which defines the parameters of the grant. The following dimensions are explained in more detail below: Type of Funding Instrument, Funding Level, Period of Performance, and Option Year Funding.
1. Type of Funding Instrument:
One (1) year grants with the potential for additional funding for up to an three (3) years (as described in paragraph 4, below) and each with associated three quarter or nine-month follow-up periods, (as described in section 3, below), will be awarded. It should be noted that the selection process involves an initial acceptance of an organization’s grant application, but does not constitute final approval. Before or shortly after the actual grant is awarded, USDOL may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing, funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission and agreement, the Grant Officer reserves the right to either terminate the negotiation, decline to fund the application, or terminate the award.
Funding Level:
Under this solicitation covering PY 2011, VETS anticipates that up to $2.5 million will be available for Urban and up to $2.5 million for Non-Urban grants. The number of grants to be awarded in each category will be announced after selections are made as the grants are awarded based on merit of the applications and the financial amounts proposed by the pool of successful applicants. It is anticipated that awards will range from $100,000 to a maximum of $200,000 for grants that serve Non-Urban areas and from $100,000 to a maximum of $300,000 for grants that serve Urban areas. Applicants must indicate in writing whether they are applying for an Urban or Non-Urban grant award. Urban areas are those that serve a high concentration of homeless Veterans in the metropolitan areas of the 75 U.S. cities largest in population and the metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and are listed in Appendix G. All Urban HVRP grant applicants must provide written documentation and maps, if available, which demonstrate that the proposed area to be served has a population equal to or more than 569,463, the smallest population on the list of 75 U.S. cities largest in population as counted in the 2000 Census. Non-Urban areas are those areas that serve homeless Veterans that are not listed on Appendix G. All Non-Urban HVRP grant applicants must provide written documentation and maps, if available, which demonstrate that the proposed area to be served has a population less than 569,463, the smallest population on the list of 75 U.S. cities largest in population as counted in the 2000 Census. Applicants must indicate whether they are applying for an Urban or Non-Urban grant award on their grant application. The written documentation and maps used to demonstrate the area to be served should be a part of the Technical Proposal but they do NOT count toward either the 20-page Technical Proposal limit or the 60-page total page limitation.
The Department reserves the right to negotiate the amounts to be awarded under this competition. Please be advised that requests exceeding the maximum award amounts within each award category for which the application has been submitted will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated. If there are any residual program funds, the Department reserves the right to select for funding the next highest scoring eligible applicant(s) on the competitive list developed for this SGA, as late as July, 2011.
Period of Performance:
The anticipated active period of performance will be for the twelve (12) month period of July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012, unless modified by the Grant Officer. The follow-up period of performance will be for three (3) additional quarters or nine (9) months after the end of the active period of performance or for the period from July 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013. It is expected that successful applicants will begin program operations under this solicitation by July 1, 2011.
All program funds, including all funds to be used for follow-up activities, must be obligated by the grantee by June 30, 2012. Funds must be obligated and reserved for nine months of follow-up activities and closeout by June 30, 2012. Follow-up services are to be performed and reported by the grantee for each eligible HVRP participant that enters employment during the active performance period (through March 31, 2013) as indicated by the reporting requirements described in more detail below in Section IV.4.
Optional Year Funding:
Should Congress appropriate additional funds for this purpose, VETS may consider up to three (3) additional years of optional funding under the proposed grants. The Government does not, however, guarantee optional year funding for any grantee. In deciding whether to exercise the first two option year(s) of funding, VETS will consider grantee performance during the previous period of operations as follows:
The grantee must meet, at minimum, 85% of planned cumulative quarterly goals by the end of the second quarter of the current Program Year for:
Enrollments;
Placements;
Placement Rate; and
Cost Per Placement,
To be eligible for a third optional year of funding, VETS will consider grantee performance during the previous period of operations as follows:
The grantee must be fully compliant with all critical cumulative planned performance goals at the end of the first option year as well as meet, at minimum, 85% of planned cumulative quarterly goals by the end of the second quarter of the 2nd Option Year for:
Enrollments;
Placements;
Placement Rate; and
Cost Per Placement
Upon notification of award, grantees should contact their GOTR to ensure they fully understand the performance requirements and their relationship to the potential to earn an additional option year of funding based upon acceptable levels of program performance.
In deciding whether to exercise any optional year of funding, VETS also will consider grantee performance during the previous period as follows:
1) If a grantee does not meet the criteria described above, VETS is under no obligation to fund a grantee for a third optional year of funding;
2) The grantee must have complied with all terms identified in the SGA, the grant award document, and the General and Special Grant Provisions, as verified by the GOTR;
3) All program and fiscal reports must have been submitted by the established due dates and the grantee must verify these reports for accuracy; and
4) All issues related to performance measures not in compliance which resulted in a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) at any time during the program year (PY) must be addressed to the satisfaction of the GOTR.
IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
The following section contains important information which defines the eligibility definitions within the SGA. The Applicant Eligibility, Applicant Designated Geographic Funding Category, Participant Eligibility, and Other Eligibility Criteria definitions are explained in more detail below. Legal Rules Pertaining to Inherently Religious Activities by Organizations that Receive Federal Financial Assistance also are fully explained.
.
Applicant Eligibility:
Applications for grant funds will be accepted from State and local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), local public agencies, for-profit/commercial entities, and non-profit organizations, including community-based organizations. Applicants must have a familiarity with the area and population to be served and the ability to administer an effective and timely program. Please note that entities organized under Section 501(c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code are not eligible to receive funds under this announcement.
Applicants are encouraged to utilize, through partnerships or sub-awards, experienced public agencies, private non-profit organizations, private businesses, community-based organizations, and colleges and universities (especially those with traditionally high enrollments of minorities) that have an understanding of unemployment and the barriers to employment unique to homeless Veterans, a familiarity with the area to be served, linkages with the One-Stop Career Center(s), and the capability to effectively provide the necessary supportive services.
Eligible applicants will generally fall into one of the following categories:
State and local WIBs, established under Sections 111 and 117 of the Workforce Investment Act.
Public agencies, meaning any public agency of a State or of a general purpose political subdivision of a State that has the power to levy taxes and spend funds, as well as general corporate and police powers. (This typically refers to cities and counties.) A State agency may propose in its application to serve one or more of the jurisdictions located in its State. This does not preclude a city or county agency from submitting an application to serve its own jurisdiction.
For-profit/commercial entities.
Non-profit organizations (community-based organizations). If claiming 501(c) (3) status, a current and valid Internal Revenue Service statement indicating 501(c) (3) status approval must be submitted with the application or the application will be deemed non-responsive and it will not be evaluated.
2. Applicant Designated Geographic Funding Category:
Applicants within Urban and Non-Urban geographic areas serving homeless Veterans will be considered for funding under this HVRP solicitation. Applicants must clearly indicate whether they are applying for an Urban or a Non-Urban grant award on their grant application and specifically define the boundaries of their proposed geographic service area. If the grant application does not clearly designate the geographic grant funding category, the application will be considered non-responsive and it will not be evaluated.
Urban areas are defined as those that serve a high concentration of homeless Veterans in the metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) related to the 75 largest (in population) U.S. cities. The list of the largest (in population) 75 MSAs is provided in Appendix G. All Urban HVRP grant applicants must provide written documentation and maps, if available, which demonstrate that the proposed area to be served has a population of at least 569,463, the smallest population on the list of 75 U.S. cities largest in population according to the 2000 Census.
Non-Urban areas are those areas that serve homeless Veterans that are not listed on Appendix G. All Non-Urban HVRP grant applicants must provide written documentation and maps, if available, which demonstrate that the proposed area to be served has a population less than 569,463, the smallest population on the list of 75 U.S. cities largest in population according to the 2000 Census.
3. Religious Activities:
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.
4. Participant Eligibility Criteria:
To help meet the Interagency Council on Homelessness and the VA’s goals to end homelessness, the following eligibility criteria is presented for purposes of this SGA. To be eligible for enrollment as a participant under this HVRP grant an individual must be homeless and a Veteran defined as follows:
The term “homeless” or “homeless individual” found at 42 U.S.C. 11301(a), and amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-22) includes:
1) persons who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;
2) persons living in supervised public or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living arrangements;
an individual who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting and institution where he or she temporarily resided; and
persons with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
Inadequate nighttime residence examples include, but are not limited to, sleeping in the streets, in the woods, in public parks, in cars, on outside benches, under bridges, in tents, in caves, under a lean-to, etc.
Additionally, under the HEARTH Act, the term also includes an individual or family who will imminently lose their housing, can identify no subsequent residence, and which lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing. Evidence that an individual or family will imminently lose their housing includes: a court order resulting from an eviction action that notifies the individual or family that they must leave within 14 days; having current primary nighttime residence that is a room in a hotel or motel, but lacking the resources necessary to reside there for more than 14 days; or credible evidence, including a credible oral statement from the individual or family, indicating that the owner or renter of the housing will not allow the individual or family to stay for more than 14 days.
Finally, under the HEARTH Act, the term also includes unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other Federal statutes who have experienced a long term period without living independently in permanent housing; have experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period; and can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment.
The term “Veteran” means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. [38 U.S.C. 101(2)]. Veterans who received a “dishonorable” discharge are ineligible for HVRP services.
The term “chronically homeless'' is defined as an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or who has had at least four (4) episodes of homelessness in the past three (3) years. A disabling condition is defined as a diagnosable substance abuse disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability, or chronic physical illness or disability including the co-occurrence of two or more of these conditions. A disabling condition limits an individual's ability to work or perform one or more activities of daily living.
The following section contains important information related to the specific application and submission criteria within the SGA. The following dimensions are explained in more detail below: Requesting an Application and Amendments, Additional Resources for the Applicant, Submission Dates and Times (Acceptable Methods of Submission), Late Applications, Funding Restrictions, and Form of Application and Contact Information, Review and Selection process, and Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates.
1. Requesting an Application and Amendments:
This SGA, together with its attachments, includes all the information needed to apply. Additional application packages and amendments to this SGA may be obtained from the VETS website at www.dol.gov/vets, or the Federal Grant Opportunities website at www.grants.gov. Additional copies of the standard forms can be downloaded from the grants website at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp.
To be considered for funding under this SGA, applicants must submit applications by mail, overnight or hand-delivery, or electronically at www.grants.gov.
If VETS receives multiple copies through www.grants.gov, the latest submission will be considered the final version. It is strongly recommended that before the applicant begins to write the proposal, applicants should immediately review the www.grants.gov website, to include answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), and initiate and complete the “Get Started” registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted. These steps may take several days to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for electronic submission in order to avoid facing unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application as untimely. To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as either a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text) .XLS (excel) or .PDF (portable document) format (VETS must be able to easily copy and paste information from applications into other file formats). If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent us from considering the application. VETS will attempt to open the document but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming application will not be considered for funding. Except as provided in Section IV.3., any application received after the deadline will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated.
There may be future addendums to this solicitation published on www.grants.gov and the VETS website. All applicants are responsible for checking Grants.gov and the VETS website regularly to ensure they have all of the latest information regarding any updates to this solicitation.
2. Additional Resources for the Applicant:
The Department of Labor maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. The website for the USDOL VETS, www.dol.gov/vets/programs/main.htm, is a valuable source of information including program highlights and brochures, glossary of terms, frequently used acronyms, general and special grant provisions, and Power-Point presentations on how to apply for HVRP funding, and On-Site Monitoring Visits. The HVRP National Technical Assistance center at website http://www.dol.gov/vets/grants/hvrpnat.htm is also a valuable source of information for grant applicants. The Interagency Council on Homeless, www.ich.gov has information from various Agencies that assist homeless persons including updated information on local community ten (10) year plans to end homelessness and Continuums of Care plans. America’s Service Locator website, www.servicelocator.org, provides a directory of our nation’s One-Stop Career Centers and at www.workforce3one.org is another useful Department of Labor resource site. The National Association of Workforce Boards maintains a website, www.nawb.org/asp/wibdir.asp, containing contact information for State and local Workforce Investment Boards. Applicants may also review “VETS’ Guide to Competitive and Discretionary Grants” located at http://www.dol.gov/vets/grants/Final_VETS_Guide-linked.pdf. For a basic understanding of the grants process and basic responsibilities of receiving Federal grant support, please see “Guidance for Faith-Based and Community Organizations on Partnering with the Federal Government” at, www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci and www.dol.gov/cfbci , as well as the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans at www.nchv.org.
3. Submission Dates and Times (Acceptable Methods of Submission):
To be considered for funding under this SGA, applicants must submit applications by mail, overnight or hand-delivery, or electronically at www.grants.gov.
If an applicant wishes to submit its application on grants.gov, applications submitted electronically through Grants.gov must be successfully submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on the closing date, 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 encouraged to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if necessary.
Applications submitted by e-mail, telegram or facsimile (fax) will not be accepted. Applications submitted by U.S. Mail, professional overnight delivery service or hand-delivery must be received at the address specified in this notice no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on the published due date. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington, D.C. area may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures.
It is strongly recommended 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 several 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. It is highly recommended 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 email messages to provide the status of application progress through the system. The first email, almost immediate, will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The second email will indicate the application has either been successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors. Only applications that have been successfully submitted and 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 of materials submitted through www.grants.gov, the components of the application must be submitted saved as either .doc, .xls, or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the application bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent our ability to consider the application.
The Grants.gov helpdesk is available 24 hours per day 7 days per week. 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/email_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 email your concern to [email protected].
4. Late Applications:
For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only applications that have been successfully submitted no later 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the closing date and successfully validated will be considered. For applicants not submitting on 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, was properly addressed, and was: (a) sent by U.S. Postal Service via registered or certified mail no 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 no 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. 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. Failure to adhere to the above instructions will be a basis for a determination of non-responsiveness.
5. Funding Restrictions:
The following funding restrictions apply to the SGA:
Proposals exceeding $300,000 for Urban and $200,000 for Non-Urban applications will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated.
There is a limit of one (1) application per submitting organization and physical location serving the same HVRP participant population. If two (2) applications from the same organization for the same physical location serving the same HVRP participant population are submitted, the application with the later date will be considered. Please do not submit duplicate grant applications as only one (1) grant application will be considered for funding purposes.
Due to the limited availability of funding, if an organization was awarded Fiscal Year 2009 or Fiscal Year 2010 HVRP funds for a specific physical location serving the same HVRP participant population and will be awarded second and possible third year funding in PY 2011, then that organization may not submit an application to serve the specific physical location serving the same HVRP participant population under this SGA.
Pre-award costs will not be reimbursed unless specifically agreed upon in writing by the Department of Labor.
Limitations on Administrative and Indirect Costs: Administrative costs, which consist of all direct and indirect costs associated with the supervision and management of the program, are limited to and may not exceed 20% of the total grant award. Indirect costs claimed by the applicant must be based on a federally-approved rate. A copy of the current negotiated approved and signed indirect cost negotiation agreement must be submitted with the application. Indirect costs are considered a part of administrative costs for HVRP purposes and, therefore, may not, when combined with direct administrative costs, exceed 20% of the total grant award. If the applicant does not presently have an approved indirect cost rate, a proposed rate with justification may be submitted. Successful applicants will be required to negotiate an acceptable and allowable rate within 90 days of grant award with the appropriate DOL Regional Office of Cost Determination or with the applicant’s cognizant agency for indirect cost rates. For a list of cognizant agencies, see Office of Management and Budget website at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/attach.html .
Successful grant applicants that receive HVRP funds and also receive VWIP funds are not authorized to co-enroll participants in both the HVRP and VWIP programs. A grantee may provide employment and training services to eligible participants through either HVRP or VWIP, but not both. If the same grantee provides services under both HVRP and VWIP, it may be considered an audit exception. However, an HVRP grantee and a separate non-affiliated VWIP grantee may coordinate efforts on behalf of eligible Veterans.
An original, blue ink-signed, and two (2) copies of the cover letter.
An original and two (2) copies of the Executive Summary (see below).
An original and two (2) copies of the Technical Proposal (see below) that includes a completed Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart (Appendix D). Also include all attachments with the Technical Proposal, such as the applicant’s MOUs and their program performance related information showing outcomes of employment and training programs that it has had in the past three (3) years in terms of enrollments and participants who have entered into employment.
An original and two (2) copies of the Cost Proposal (see below) that includes an original , blue ink-signed, Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424 (Appendix A), a Budget Narrative, Budget Information Sheet SF 424A (Appendix B), and original, blue ink-singed, Assurances and Certifications Signature Page (Appendix C), a Direct Cost Description for Applicants and Sub-applicants (Appendix E), a completed Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants (Appendix F), and the applicant’s grant specific financial audit and /or audit statement dated within the last 18 months. The Cost Proposal does not count toward the 60-page total page limitation.
If any documents listed above are missing, the application will be considered non-responsive and it will not be evaluated. However, if an electronic submission is made through www.grants.gov, copies are not required.
7. Review and Selection Process:
Grant applications will be reviewed by a Department of Labor grant review panel using the point scoring system specified above in Section II. Urban and Non-Urban applications will be evaluated against the same criteria. All responsive applications will be reviewed within their separate category. The grant review panel will assign a score after objectively and carefully evaluating each responsive grant application and all responsive grant applications will be ranked based on this score. The ranking will be the primary basis to identify applicants as potential grantees. The grant review panel will establish a competitive range, based upon the proposal evaluation, for the purpose of selecting qualified applicants. For this solicitation, the minimum acceptable score for consideration is 70, but the competitive range may be set higher.
The Grant Officer will make a final selection based on the grant review panel findings, grant application scores, geographical presence of the applicants, existing grants, and the areas to be served. VETS also reserves the right to select a lower scoring application from one category (Urban and Non-Urban) over a higher-rated application from the other category if the Grant Officer determines it is necessary to achieve an appropriate mix of Urban and Non-Urban projects. The grant review panel’s conclusions are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer.
The grant review panel and Grant Officer will screen all applicant cost proposals to ensure expenses are allocable, allowable, and reasonable. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles, e.g. Non-Profit Organizations – OMB Circular A-122. Unallowable costs are those charges to a grant that a grantor agency or its representatives determined not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal Cost Principles or other conditions contained in the grant. If the grant review panel and Grant Officer conclude that the cost proposal contains an expense(s) that is not allocable, allowable, and/or reasonable, the Grant Officer may request a revision of the application for funding. Further, the grant review panel will consider applicant information concerning the proposed cost per placement, percentage of participants who are placed into unsubsidized employment, average hourly wage at placement, and retention in employment percentages. The national average cost per placement for HVRP for PY2009 was approximately $2,800. Applicants should present a cost per placement goal that is consistent with the actual program performance measured in previous years; however, higher cost of placement may be considered if the applicant can justify that the higher cost per placement measure leads to significantly higher average wages and/or higher levels of placement and retention rates.
The Government reserves the right to ask the applicant for clarification on any aspect of a grant application. The Grant Officer may consult with Department of Labor staff on any potential concerns about an applicant or grantee. The Grant Officer’s determination for award under SGA # 11-01 is the final agency action. The submission of the same proposal from any prior year HVRP competition does not guarantee an award under this Solicitation.
8. Announcement and Award Dates:
Announcement of these awards is anticipated to occur by July 1, 2011. Grant agreements are expected to be awarded on or about July 1, 2011.
VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
The following section contains important information related to the administration of the award after the grantee selection process has been completed. The following dimensions are explained in more detail below: Award Notices and Post Award Conference, Requests for Grant Information, Administrative and National Policy Requirements, Reporting, Critical Performance Measures, and Agency Contact.
1. Award Notices and Post Award Conference:
The Notice of Award signed by the Grant Officer is the authorizing document and will be provided through postal mail and/or by electronic means to the authorized representative listed on the SF-424 Grant Application. Notice that an organization has been selected as a grant recipient does not constitute final approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant award, the Grant Officer and/or the Grant Officer’s Technical Representative may enter into negotiations concerning such items as program components, funding levels, and administrative systems. If the negotiations do not result in an acceptable submittal, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the proposal. Grant award occurs only after the prospective grantee and the Grant Officer signs the Grant award document.
A post-award conference will be held for those grantees awarded PY 2011 HVRP funds through this competition. The post-award conference is expected to be held in July or August 2011 and up to two (2) grant recipient representatives must be present. The site of the post-award conference has not yet been determined; however, for planning and budgeting purposes, applicants should allot four (4) days and use Washington, DC as the conference site. The post-award conference will focus on providing information and assistance on reporting, record keeping, grant requirements, and also include networking opportunities to learn of best practices from more experienced and successful grantees. Costs associated with attending this conference for up to two (2) grantee representatives will be allowed as long as they are incurred in accordance with Federal travel regulations. These travel costs must be reflected in the proposed budget.
2. Requests for Grant Information: Upon request, grantees will cooperate with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Interagency Council on Homelessness, the VA, and the HVRP National Technical Assistance Center concerning requests for grantee information on performance activities, monitoring activities, and requests for specific data as approved by the USDOL/VETS.”
3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:
All grantees must comply with the provisions of Title 38 U.S.C. and its regulations, as applicable. , All grantees, including community organizations, will be subject to applicable Federal laws (including provisions of appropriations law), regulations, and the applicable Office of Management and Budget Circulars. The grants awarded under this SGA will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions, if applicable:
29 CFR part 2 – General Participation in Department of Labor Programs by Faith-Based and Community Organizations; Equal Treatment of All Department of Labor Program Participants and Beneficiaries.
29 CFR part 30 – Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training.
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.
29 CFR part 32 - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
29 CFR part 33 – Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of Labor.
29 CFR part 35 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs and Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.
29 CFR part 36 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance.
29 CFR part 37 – Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
29 CFR part 93 – New Restrictions on Lobbying.
29 CFR part 94 – Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance).
29 CFR part 95 - Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit Organizations, and with Commercial Organizations.
29 CFR part 96 - Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts and Other Agreements.
29 CFR part 97 - Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.
29 CFR part 98 – Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non procurement).
29 CFR part 99 - Audit of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.
Applicable cost principles and audit requirements under OMB Circulars A-21, A-87, A-110, A-122, A-133, and 48 CFR part 31.
In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, Public Law 104-65 (2 U.S.C. 1611), non-profit entities incorporated under 501(c) (4) that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to received Federal funds and grants.
38 U.S.C. Section 4215 – Requirements for priority of service for Veterans in all Department of Labor training programs.
4. Reporting:
Title 38, Section 2021 provides that, “The Secretary of Labor shall collect such information as that Secretary considers appropriate to monitor and evaluate the distribution and expenditure of funds appropriated to carry out this section. The information shall include data with respect to the results or outcomes of the services provided to each homeless Veteran under this section.” All HVRP grantees will enter data electronically and attach their Quarterly Technical Performance Report, success stories, and other job related information into the U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, VETS Operations and Program Activity Report (VOPAR) system. Since the Federal Financial Report (FFR) SF-425 has replaced the SF-269 and the SF-272, all grantees also are required to use and submit the FFR.
Prior to submitting the financial reports via E-Grants, grantees must submit these reports to their assigned GOTR for review and approval. Access to both VETS Operations and Program Activity Report (VOPAR) and E-grants reporting systems will be authorized to successful grant applicants within 45 days of the date of award. Failure to provide timely and accurate financial reports electronically may affect option year grant award and affect the allowability of costs. Please note that the active grant performance period is awarded July 1, 2011 thru June 30, 2012, with the follow-up period immediately following starting July 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013, as per the grant award reporting requirements.
The applicant’s proposed service program must include a reliable and effective strategy for tracking of program participants. Participant tracking should begin with the referral and assessment process and continue through to placement into employment as well as through the three quarters of the follow-up periods after the participant is placed into employment (Retention Measures). It is important that the grantees maintain contact with Veterans after placement to ensure that employment-related problems are identified and addressed. The three quarters of follow up after placement are critical to assessing the program’s longer-term impact and results. Grantees need to budget their follow-up activity so that it can be performed for those participants who enter employment at or near the end of the grant performance period. All grantees, prior to the end of the grant performance period, must obligate sufficient funds to ensure that follow-up activities are completed. Such results will be reported in the final Technical Performance Report for each specific program grant year.
No later than 30 days after the end of each program year quarter (October 30, January 30, April 30, July 30) the grantee must report outlays, program income, and other financial information on a program year quarterly basis using the Federal Financial Report (FFR) SF-425. This financial report must be entered into the E-Grants system and must cite the assigned grant number.
Grantees must submit final electronic quarterly fiscal and performance reports via E-Grants and VOPAR, respectively, no later than 30 days after the end of each program year quarter of the program year and for the three follow-up quarters:
1st Quarter by no later than October 30, 2011
2nd Quarter by no later than January 30, 2012
3rd Quarter by no later than April 30, 2012
4th Quarter by no later than July 30, 2012
90-day (5th Quarter) by no later than October 30, 2012
180-day (6th Quarter) by no later than January 30, 2013
270-day Final (7th Quarter) by no later than April 30, 2013
The Technical Performance Narrative (TPN) must contain the following:
A comparison of actual accomplishments to planned goals for the reporting period and for the cumulative goals to date, as well as any findings related to monitoring efforts; and
An explanation for variances of plus or minus 15% of planned program and/or expenditure goals for both the reporting period and for the cumulative goals to date.
5. Performance Measures:
For purposes of assessing performance of grantees selected under this SGA, VETS will focus on the following four performance measures: Enrollments, Placements, Placement Rate, and Cost Per Placement. The grantee will be required to be fully compliant with all planned performance goals by meeting, at minimum, 85% of their planned cumulative quarterly goals. If a grantee does not meet the minimum rate of performance then a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) may be required to be submitted. Details related to requirements under a CAP will be provided to all grantees after award.
Grantees also will be required to report additional performance information, as explained in the Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) for Competitive Grantees (Appendix H). All technical performance outcomes will be reported quarterly using an Internet-based reporting system called VOPAR, with access provided to grantees after the award process has been completed. There are three (3) outcome measures with established historic and strategic targets for HVRP grants. Applicants should consider these historic and strategic targets when proposing the goals submitted within their application.
The first outcome target is the Placement Rate with a performance target for grantees to meet a minimum Placement Rate of 65%. This is determined by dividing the number of participants who were placed into employment by the number of participants who have enrolled in the program. Grantees also will be expected to meet a rate of 65% for Entered Employment. The Entered Employment Rate is a Common Measure based tern which is determined by dividing the number of participants who obtained and retained employment one quarter after their initial placement or when they “exited” the program by the total number of participants who have exited the program. In order to determine the entered employment rate, the program must track the employment status of their enrollees after they leave the program by re-contacting them in some way.
The second outcome target is the Retention Rate at three (3) quarters following placement with a performance target for grantees to meet a minimum rate of retention of 65%. This is determined by dividing the number of participants who entered employment (or those exiters who earned wages in the quarter after their placement) by those exiters who also earned wages in all three quarters after their placement. Grantees will not have a reported retention rate in the first, second, or third quarters because it requires three quarters after placement to determine employment retention.
The third outcome target (and previously mentioned critical performance measure) is the Cost Per Placement (CPP) with a performance target for grantees to meet of $2,800. This is determined by dividing the total annual costs by the number of Placements. Please note that the national average cost per placement for HVRP in PY2009 was approximately $2,800. VETS expects that applicants will propose a planned cost per placement that is consistent with the previous year national average. A higher cost per placement may be considered if the applicant can justify that the higher cost per placement leads to significantly higher average wages and/or higher levels of placement and retention rates.
The Technical Assistance Guide for Competitive Grantees (Appendix H) describes in detail the specific technical performance data grantees will be required to collect and report on their related definitions, methodologies, and reporting requirements. The Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) for Competitive Grantees (Appendix H) and the Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart (Appendix D) are provided to assist applicants in determining their planned goals and to demonstrate their understanding of the prescribed reporting methods within their application.
6. Agency Contact:
All questions regarding this SGA should be directed to Cassandra Mitchell, Grant Officer, at (202)693-4570 (this is not a toll-free number) or by e-mail at [email protected]. For additional information on the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program, please visit the VETS website at www.dol.gov/vets. Individuals with hearing impairments should call (800) 670-7008 (TTY/TDD).
VII. OTHER INFORMATION
The following section contains additional important information related to the administration and execution of the grant award. The following dimensions are explained in more detail below: Public Acknowledgement of USDOL Funding, the OMB Information Collection Reference, and the Appendices.
1. Public Acknowledgement of USDOL Funding.
A. Printed Materials / Intellectual Property: In all circumstances, the following must be displayed on printed materials prepared by the grantee while in receipt of USDOL grant funding: “Preparation of this item was funded by the United States Department of Labor under Grant No. [Insert the appropriate grant number].” All printed materials must also include the following notice: “This workforce solution and its associated documents were funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service. The solution and its associated documents were created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor and/or the Veterans Employment and Training Service.
The U.S. Department of Labor and/or the Veterans Employment and Training Service 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 are permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.”
B. Public References to the Grant: When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and other documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with Federal money, all grantees receiving Federal funds must clearly state:
The percentage of the total costs of the program or project, which will be financed with Federal money;
The dollar amount of Federal financial assistance for the project or program; and
The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
C. Use of USDOL Logo: Prior to the use of the USDOL Logo, the Grant Officer must approve such use. In addition, once approval is given the following guidance is provided:
The USDOL logo may be applied to USDOL-funded material prepared for distribution, including posters, videos, pamphlets, research documents, national survey results, impact evaluations, best practice reports, and other publications of global interest. The grantee(s) must consult with USDOL on whether the logo may be used on any such items prior to final draft or final preparation for distribution. In no event will the USDOL logo be placed on any item until USDOL has given the Grantee permission to use the logo on the item.
All documents must include the following notice: “This documentation does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.”
2. OMB Information Collection No 1225-0086, Expires November 30, 2012.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Labor, to the attention of Michel Smyth, Departmental Clearance Officer, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N1301, Washington, DC 20210. Comments may also be emailed to [email protected] .
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant. The information collected through this “Solicitation for Grant Applications” will be used by the Department of Labor to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicant best suited to perform the functions of the grant. Submission of this information is required in order for the applicant to be considered for award of this grant. Unless otherwise specifically noted in this announcement, information submitted in the respondent’s application is not considered to be confidential.
3. Transparency.
DOL is committed to conducting a transparent grant award process and publicizing information about program outcomes. Posting grant applications on public websites is a means of promoting and sharing innovative ideas. For this grant competition, we will publish the Executive Summary required by Section V.6, for all applications on the Department’s website or similar location. Additionally, we will publish a version of the narrative portion of the Technical Proposal required by Section V.6, for all those applications that are awarded grants, on the Department’s website or a similar location. No other parts of or attachments to the application will be published. The Technical Proposals and Executive Summaries will not be published until after the grants are awarded. In addition, information about grant progress and results may also be made publicly available.
DOL recognizes that grant applications sometimes contain information that an applicant may consider proprietary or business confidential information, or may contain personally identifiable information. Information is considered proprietary or confidential commercial/business information when it is not usually disclosed outside your organization and when its disclosure is likely to cause you substantial competitive harm. Personally identifiable information is information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual‘s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, or biometric records, or other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information.1
Executive Summaries will be published in the form originally submitted, without any redactions. However, in order to ensure that confidential information is properly protected from disclosure when DOL posts the winning Technical Proposals, applicants whose technical proposals will be posted will be asked to submit a second redacted version of their Technical Proposal, with proprietary, confidential commercial/business, and personally identifiable information redacted. All non-public information about the applicant’s staff should be removed as well. The Department will contact the applicants whose technical proposals will be published by letter or email, and provide further directions about how and when to submit the redacted version of the Technical Proposal. Submission of a redacted version of the Technical Proposal will constitute permission by the applicant for DOL to post that redacted version. If an applicant fails to provide a redacted version of the Technical Proposal, DOL will publish the original Technical Proposal in full, after redacting personally identifiable information. (Note that the original, unredacted version of the Technical Proposal will remain part of the complete application package, including an applicant’s proprietary and confidential information and any personally identifiable information.)
Applicants are encouraged to maximize the grant application information that will be publicly disclosed, and to exercise restraint and redact only information that truly is proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, or capable of identifying a person. The redaction of entire pages or sections of the Technical Proposal is not appropriate, and will not be allowed, unless the entire portion merits such protection. Should a dispute arise about whether redactions are appropriate, DOL will follow the procedures outlined in the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations (29 CFR part 70).
Redacted information in grant applications will be protected by DOL from public disclosure in accordance with federal law, including the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1905), FOIA, and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). If DOL receives a FOIA request for your application, the procedures in DOL’s FOIA regulations for responding to requests for commercial/business information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA exemptions and procedures. 29 CFR § 70.26. Consequently, it is possible that application of FOIA rules may result in release of information in response to a FOIA request that an applicant redacted in its “redacted copy.”
4. Appendices.
(Located at U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service website address www.dol.gov/vets follow link for the applicable SGA listed under announcements.)
Appendix A: Application for Federal Assistance SF-424
Appendix B: Budget Information Sheet SF-424A
Appendix C: Assurances and Certifications Signature Page
Appendix D: Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart
Appendix E: Direct Cost Descriptions for Applicants and Sub-Applicants
Appendix F: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants
Appendix G: List of 75 Largest in Population MSAs / Cities Nationwide
Appendix H Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) for Competitive Grantees
Appendix I: Indirect Charges or Certificate of Direct Costs
Appendix J: Definitions and Terms
Signed at Washington, DC. this ______ day of __________, 2011.
Cassandra Mitchell, Grant Officer
BILLING CODE: 4510-79P
1 Memorandums 07-16 and 06-19. GAO Report 08-536, Privacy: Alternatives Exist for Enhancing Protection of Personally Identifiable Information, May 2008, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08536.pdf.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Draft 2010 SGA |
| Subject | Homeless Veterans |
| Author | Palumbo |
| Last Modified By | Michel Smyth |
| File Modified | 2011-05-25 |
| File Created | 2011-05-25 |