DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service
Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement(s)
Solicitation #10–06 / PY2010
Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) National Technical Assistance Center Cooperative Agreement(s) for Program Year (PY) 2010, July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2010
AGENCY: Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability - SCA # 10-6.
DATES: The closing date for receipt of the application is 30 days from the date of publication in www.grants.gov.
Address: Applicants may apply electronically at http://www.grants.gov. Instructions for electronic applications are in Section IV of this Notice. Applications submitted by U.S. Mail, professional overnight delivery service or hand-delivery must be addressed to:
Department of Labor
Procurement Services Center
Attention: Cassandra Mitchell, Reference Solicitation # 10-06
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room S-4307
Washington, DC 20210
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
(Applicants for a Cooperative Agreement Should Read This Notice in Its Entirety)
The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL or Department), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), announces a cooperative agreement competition under 38 U.S.C. Section 2021, as added by Section 5 of Public Law 107–95, the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001 (HVCAA). Section 2021 authorizes programs to expedite the reintegration of homeless Veterans into the labor force. In order to assist the USDOL–VETS in carrying out 38 U.S.C. 2021, it is announcing the availability of funds for cooperative agreement(s) to assist in maintaining and improving upon the National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) for the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP).
The primary objective of the HVRP NTAC is to provide general technical assistance on Veterans’ homelessness programs and issues to existing HVRP grantees (approximately 80 grantees nationwide), potential HVRP applicants, employers, Veterans
Service Organizations, federal, state, and local agency partners, non-profit organizations (including faith-based and community organizations), the general public, and other interested stakeholders. Successful applicant(s) will assist USDOL–VETS by providing general technical assistance and guidance to eligible HVRP entities to improve their programs that help homeless Veterans. Applicants will also be responsible for developing, conducting, and documenting extensive outreach efforts to national, state, and local employers to increase their awareness of HVRP and its objectives in order to increase employment and training opportunities for homeless Veterans. Applicants will also be responsible for assisting USDOL–VETS by contacting current HVRP grantees in order to extract, document, and share at least twenty (20) “best practices” or other case-study oriented overviews, as defined by USDOL-VETS, with HVRP grantees and potential applicants. Finally, applicants will assist USDOL–VETS by conducting general research and program improvement based studies, as determined by USDOL–VETS.
Entities that are interested in assisting USDOL–VETS in providing technical assistance are to be aware that historically the HVRP annually receives thousands of nationwide inquiries via telephone, written correspondence, and e-mail concerning homeless Veterans and HVRP in general. Under the direction and supervision of USDOL-VETS, the awardee(s) will be responsible for answering a large number of these technical assistance inquiries and/or suggesting strategies for the USDOL-VETS to effectively address the issues and concerns contained within these inquiries. In addition, under the cooperative agreement(s), qualified entities may also be required to provide conference planning and management support and video or teleconferencing services via a web-based process to facilitate the distribution of information to grantees, potential grantees, and other interested parties.
Applicants are to be aware of and assist USDOL–VETS and their grantees in implementing the primary HVRP objectives:
(1) To provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless Veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force, and
(2) To stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless Veterans.
Under this solicitation for cooperative agreement(s) covering PY2010, VETS anticipates that up to $750,000 will be available for awarding cooperative agreement award(s) with a $500,000 maximum for any one award. Depending on the quality and content of the applications received, USDOL–VETS expects to award one (1) or two (2) cooperative agreement(s).
This notice contains all of the necessary information and forms to apply for funding. The period of performance for the PY2010 cooperative agreement(s) will be July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. An additional two (2) option years of funding may be available, depending upon Congressional appropriations and availability, the agency’s decision to exercise the option year(s) of funding, and the awardee(s) satisfactory technical and financial performance.
There may be future addendums to this solicitation published on www.grants.gov and/or the VETS website. All applicants are responsible for checking back to www.grants.gov and the VETS website regularly to ensure they have all of the latest information regarding any updates to this solicitation.
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
The USDOL-VETS announces a cooperative agreement competition under Title 38 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 2021, as added by Section 5 of Public Law 107–95, the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001 (HVCAA). Section 2021 authorizes programs to expedite the reintegration of homeless Veterans into the labor force. In order to assist the USDOL–VETS to fulfill their mandate under Section 2021, the Agency is announcing the availability of funds for the award of one (1) or two (2) cooperative agreement(s) to assist in maintaining and improving upon the National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) for the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP).
The HVRP NTAC’s primary objective is to provide general technical assistance and guidance to existing HVRP grantees (approximately 80 grantees nationwide), potential HVRP applicants, employers, Veterans Service Organizations, federal, state, and local agency partners, nonprofit organizations (including faith-based and community organizations), the general public, and other interested stakeholders seeking information on Veterans’ homelessness programs, issues, concerns, and referrals for additional information and assistance. The USDOL–VETS cooperative agreement(s) require substantial involvement between USDOL–VETS and the awardee(s) during the performance of this project. Such involvement will include active collaboration and participation by USDOL–VETS in the overall direction of the project throughout the period of the award(s).
The USDOL–VETS will provide expertise and guidance in decisions involving strategic planning and program implementation (including the development of a proactive plan to deliver technical assistance to existing HVRP grantees), allocation of resources, key personnel decisions, development and revision of public information materials, and analysis and implementation of any improvement studies or evaluation findings conducted under the cooperative agreement award(s).
There may be future addendums to this solicitation published on www.grants.gov and/or the VETS website. All applicants are responsible for checking back to www.grants.gov and the VETS website regularly to ensure they have all of the latest information regarding any updates to this solicitation.
1. Program Concept and Emphasis:
In order to increase the quality and quantity of HVRP applications received, U.S. DOL–VETS will provide successful applicant(s) with general guidelines on how to gather and electronically disseminate technical assistance and guidance to eligible HVRP entities. In order to assist and increase capacity building of existing HVRP grantees, successful applicant(s) for the cooperative agreement(s) will be responsible for instructing and assisting current HVRP grantees on numerous ways to improved their overall performance to include, but not limited to, identifying additional funding resources for similar and/or complimentary homeless Veterans programs.
Guidance will be provided to successful awardee(s) as they assist USDOL–VETS by developing, conducting, and documenting extensive outreach efforts to national, state, and local employers and other interested stakeholders, to increase their awareness of HVRP and its objectives and to increase job opportunities for homeless Veterans.
Guidance will be provided to successful awardee(s) as they assist USDOL–VETS either by conducting primary and/or secondary data research which may involve interviewing current HVRP grantees (via face-to-face, telephone, written correspondence, or email communications) in order to extract, document, publish, and share their “best practices” with other HVRP grantees and potential HVRP grantees. Entities that are interested in assisting USDOL–VETS in providing technical assistance are to be aware that historically the HVRP receives several thousand nationwide inquiries yearly via telephone, written correspondence, and e-mail concerning homeless Veterans and HVRP in general. Under the direction and supervision of USDOL-VETS, the awardee(s) will be responsible for answering a large number of these technical assistance inquiries and/or suggesting strategies for the USDOL-VETS to effectively address the issues and concerns contained within these inquiries. In addition, under the cooperative agreement(s), qualified entities may also be required to provide conference planning and management support and video or teleconferencing services via a web-based information process to facilitate the distribution of information to grantees, potential grantees, and other interested parties.
In order to provide timely information and updates, it is recommended that successful applicant(s) have an Internet-based website (or develop a website within 30 calendar days of receiving an award) which clearly states and presents information relative to Veteran homelessness and its associated issues and concerns. Successful applicant(s) will plan to gather and electronically disseminate technical assistance information through this website and identify additional resources for assistance that can be readily assessed by current HVRP grantees, potential applicants, Veterans Service Organizations, non-profit organizations (including faith-based and community organizations), federal, state, and local agency partners, the general public, and other interested stakeholders. USDOL–VETS will provide suggestions and guidance to the awardee(s) related to the structure and content of the website and will seek authorization to link to the successful awardee(s) web pages directly from the USDOL–VETS web page at http://www.dol.gov/vets as a resource for HVRP technical assistance purposes.
Applicants are to assist USDOL–VETS in implementing the HVRP objectives:
(1) To provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless Veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force, and
(2) To stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems addressing the complex problems facing homeless Veterans.
2. Scope and Program Design:
Successful applicants will assist U.S. DOL–VETS in improving the overall awareness of the HVRP and increasing the quality of the general technical and program management assistance provided to existing HVRP grantees. Successful applicants will assist U.S. DOL–VETS in providing outreach to national, state, and local employers for the purpose of increasing employer and other interested stakeholder awareness of the HVRP and its objectives in order to increase job opportunities for homeless Veterans. Successful applicants will assist USDOL–VETS by contacting and interviewing existing HVRP grantees in an effort to extract at least twenty (20) HVRP “best practices” or other case-study oriented overviews, as defined by USDOL-VETS, and summarize the findings associated with their efforts in a manner which is easily accessible from both the awardee(s) and the USDOL-VETS websites. Successful applicant(s) must plan to support the travel and associated costs of sending at least one (1) representative to periodic meetings with USDOL–VETS staff in Washington, DC (at least six times per year). Successful applicant(s) will assist U.S. DOL–VETS by planning to attend and provide general HVRP information at conference(s) sponsored by the USDOL–VETS and other USDOL agency partners such as the Employment and Training Administration, the Office of Disability Employment Policy, Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and other federal agency partners such as the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Department of Health and Human Services, as well as, various other social service provider organizations that target similar grantees who provide services to homeless persons, Veterans, and homeless Veterans.
II. AWARD INFORMATION
1. Type of Funding Instrument:
Successful applicant(s) will be granted a one (1) year cooperative agreement award with optional funding for an additional two (2) years depending on successful performance and the availability of funds. Note: Selection of an organization as an awardee(s) does not constitute final approval of the application and budget as submitted. Before or shortly after the actual award, USDOL-VETS may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing, and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support the cooperative agreement’s successful implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the application or terminate the award.
2. Funding Levels:
The total funding available for the cooperative agreement(s) to assist USDOL–VETS in maintaining and improving upon the HVRP NTAC is up to $750,000. Depending on the quality and content of the applications received, it is anticipated that one (1) or two (2) awards will be made under this solicitation. Awards are expected to range from $75,000 to a maximum of $500,000. The USDOL-VETS reserves the right to negotiate the amounts to be awarded under this competition. Please be advised that proposals will be evaluated in part on cost/value and that requests and or proposals exceeding $500,000 will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated. If there are any residual programmatic funds, the USDOL-VETS reserves the right to select for funding the next highest scoring applicant(s) on the competitive list developed for this solicitation for up to one (1) year after the initial performance period begins or June 30, 2011.
3. Period of Performance:
The period of performance will be for the twelve (12) month period of July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011, unless modified in writing by the Grant Officer. It is expected that successful applicant(s) will begin program operations under this solicitation on July 1, 2010. All program funds must be obligated by June 30, 2011, however, the USDOL-VET reserves the right to require that a limited amount of available funds be obligated and reserved for any potential follow-up and/or closeout activities.
4. Optional Year Funding:
Should Congress appropriate additional funds for HVRP purposes, VETS may consider up to two (2) additional years of optional funding. The Government does not, however, guarantee optional year funding for any awardee(s). In deciding whether to exercise any option year(s) of funding, VETS will consider awardee(s) performance during the previous period of operations as follows:
A. The awardee(s) will be responsible for providing timely responses (within 5 working days) to at least 85% of all the grantee or other interested stakeholder technical assistance inquiries received and within 10 working days for the remaining 15% of inquiries received;
B. The awardee(s) must have complied with all terms identified in the Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement(s), award document, and General and Special Provisions;
C. The awardee(s) must have successfully performed any and all mutually agreed upon tasks, as directed by USDOL-VETS, which are generally specified under Section I above;
D. All program and fiscal reports must be verified for accuracy and submitted to the Grant Officer Technical Representative by the established due dates.
III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
1. Eligible Applicants:
Applications for funds will be accepted from non-profit organizations, including faith-based and community organizations. If claiming 501(c)(3) status, the Internal Revenue Service statement indicating 501(c)(3) status approval must be submitted. Entities organized under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code are not eligible to receive funds under this announcement. Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, Public Law 104–65, 109 Stat. 691 (2 U.S.C. 1611) prohibits instituting an award, grant, or loan of federal funds to 501(c)(4) entities that engage in lobbying.
2. Cost Sharing:
Cost sharing and matching funds are not required.
3. Other Eligibility Criteria:
Legal rules pertaining to inherently religious activities by organization that receive Federal Financial Assistance apply to this solicitation. Neutral, non-religious criteria that neither favor nor disfavor religion will be employed in the selection of award recipient(s) and must be employed by awardee(s). The government is generally prohibited from providing direct financial assistance for inherently religious activities. These award funds may not be used for religious instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing or their inherently religious activities. In this context, the term direct financial assistance means financial assistance that is provided directly by a government entity or an intermediate organization, as opposed to financial assistance that an organization receives as the result of the genuine and independent private choice of a beneficiary. In other contexts, the term ‘‘direct’’ financial assistance may be used to refer to financial assistance that
an organization receives directly from the Federal government (also known as ‘‘discretionary’’ assistance), as opposed to assistance that it receives from a State or local government (also known as ‘‘indirect’’ or ‘‘block’’ grant assistance). The term ‘‘direct’’ has the former meaning throughout this paragraph.
IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
1. Address to Request an Application and Amendments:
This SCA, together with its attachments, includes all the information needed to apply. Additional application packages and amendments to this solicitation may be obtained from the VETS website at http://www.dol.gov/vets and/or the Federal Grant Opportunities website at www.grants.gov. Additional copies of the standard forms can be downloaded from: http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp. To be considered for funding under this SCA, applicants may submit applications by mail, overnight or hand-delivery, or electronically at the following website address: www.grants.gov.
All applications submitted by mail, overnight or hand-delivery must be addressed to:
Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center
Attention: Cassandra Mitchell
Reference Solicitation #07–08
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S–4307
Washington, DC 20210
Phone Number: (202) 693–4570 (this is not a toll-free number)
Applicants who choose to apply electronically may apply online at www.grants.gov. Applicants submitting proposals online are requested to refrain from mailing a hard copy application as well. If VETS receives multiple copies through www.grants.gov , we will take the latest submission.
It is strongly recommended that before the applicant begins to write the proposal, applicants 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 multiple 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 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. VETS will attempt to open the document, but will not take any “corrective” measures in the event of issues with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming application will not be considered for funding. Except as explained under this Section, any application received after the deadline will be considered as 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 back to www.grants.gov and the VETS website regularly to ensure they have all of the latest information regarding any updates to this solicitation.
2. Content and Form of Application:
The application must include the name, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address (if applicable) of a key contact person at the applicant’s organization in case questions should arise. To be considered responsive to this solicitation the application must consist of three (3) separate and distinct sections: the Executive Summary, the
Technical Proposal, and the Cost Proposal. The information provided in these three (3) sections is essential to demonstrating a clear understanding of the technical and program management assistance sought after under the proposed cooperative agreement(s). If there are missing documents, the applicant’s proposals will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated.
A complete grant application package must be written in English and must not exceed 50 single-sided pages (8-1/2” x 11”), double-spaced, typed 12-point font, single-sided pages with one inch left, right, top, and bottom margins (all attachments unless specifically noted in the instructions are included in the 50 page maximum.) Any pages over the 50-page limit will not be reviewed. Major sections and sub-sections of the application are to be divided and clearly identified (e.g. with tab dividers), and all pages must be consecutively numbered.
To be considered responsive, cooperative agreement applications must include (electronic submissions thru www.grants.gov will not require copies):
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),
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), an original, blue ink-signed, 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 specific financial and/or audit statement dated within the last 18 months (audit and financial statements do not count towards the 50-page limitation).
If any documents from the specified list noted 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.
The application should be comprised of the following sections:
Section 1—Executive Summary: A one to two page ‘‘Executive Summary’’ reflecting the applicant’s proposed overall strategy, timeline, and outcomes to be achieved in their cooperative agreement proposal is required. The Executive Summary should include:
An overview of the applicant’s proposed plan to assist U.S. DOL–VETS in maintaining and improving a nation-wide technical and program management assistance strategy and outreach effort to include: program design, process, methods, and proposed strategies or projects to provide technical assistance and information to various interested stakeholders;
The applicant’s experience in providing technical assistance and guidance on a nation-wide basis to assist homeless Veterans and/or a similar group of persons; and
Describe the measures of success for the plan. A summary of anticipated outcomes, goals, number of technical assistance responses provided, as well as, outreach methods proposed, number of employers and other stakeholders provided with HVRP related information, number of customers served, proposed methods of cost containment and effectiveness, proposed benefits, impact and results derived from the proposed service model, and a proposed measurement of the value-added by the project.
Section 2—Technical Proposal: Must not exceed 15 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 50 page maximum. In addition, if an applicant proposes any significant or critical linkages with organizations outside of their direct control, the USDOL-VETS expects that a copy of an executed memorandum of understanding (MOU), or similar type agreement be provided. The pages used to present the MOU do not count toward the 50 page maximum.
Required Content:
Applicants must be responsive to the rating criteria contained in Section V (1) below and address all of the rating factors as thoroughly as possible in the narrative in order to be found technically acceptable under this solicitation.
The technical proposal should consist of a narrative that demonstrates and describes the methodologies used in assisting U.S. DOL–VETS in maintaining and improving the HVRP NTAC and to provide general technical and program management assistance and guidance to existing HVRP grantees, potential HVRP applicants, employers, Veterans Service Organizations, federal, state, and local agency partners, non-profit organizations (including faith-based and community organizations), the general public, and other interested stakeholders.
Applicants will be required to explain how they propose to develop, conduct, and document their outreach efforts to national, state, and local employers and other interested stakeholders to increase their awareness of HVRP and its objectives, as managed and directed by USDOL-VETS. Applicants also will be required to explain how they propose to assist USDOL–VETS by contacting current HVRP grantees in order to extract, document, and share at least twenty (20) “best practices” or other case-study oriented overviews, as defined by USDOL-VETS. In addition, applicants also will be required to explain how they propose to assist USDOL–VETS in conducting general research and program improvement based studies, as determined and directed by USDOL–VETS.
Furthermore, the applicant is required to propose how they will, under the direction and supervision of USDOL-VETS, answer large numbers of technical assistance inquiries and/or suggest strategies for the USDOL-VETS to effectively address the issues and concerns contained within these inquiries. And finally, applicants will be required to explain how they will provide conference planning and management support and video or teleconferencing services via a web-based processes to facilitate the distribution of information to grantees, potential grantees, and other interested parties.
The applicant(s) must describe:
Organizational capability to provide required program activities including: key staff skills, experience, biographies, history, knowledge, qualifications, and capabilities. Office locations and an organizational chart must also be provided. USDOL-VETS prefer that the awardee(s) has experience in being a service provider and/or in advising service providers to Veterans, homeless individuals, homeless Veterans, or other similar type participants and not in the initial start-up phase or process. The applicant’s relevant current and prior experience (within the last three-year period) in operating technical assistance grants, cooperative agreements, and/or contracts must be clearly described, if applicable.
Measures of Success;
Applicants must describe the measures of success for their proposed plan. Applicants must be able to effectively summarize their anticipated goals and actual outcomes related to the requirements stated and explained above. Applicant’s should present how their service model will measure proposed benefits, feedback, impact and performance results and also a proposed measurement of the value-added by the project.
Sustainability: Applicants are to describe how the 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.
Section 3—The Cost Proposal: Applicants can expect that the cost proposal will be reviewed to ensure that the costs proposed are allocable, allowable, and reasonable. The cost proposal must contain the following:
(1) Standard Form SF–424, ‘‘Application for Federal Assistance’’ (with the original signed in blue-ink) (Appendix A) must be completed; The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program is 17.805 and it 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 Bradstreet Number (DUNS) of the applicant. Beginning October 1, 2003, all applicants for Federal funding opportunities are required to include a DUNS number with their application. See OMB Notice of Final Policy Issuance, 68 FR 38402 (June 27, 2003). Applicants’ DUNS number is to be entered into 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 the following Website: http://www.dunandbradstreet.com/. Requests for exemption from the DUNS number requirement must be made to the Office of Management and Budget. If no DUNS number is provided then the application will be considered nonresponsive.
(2) Standard Form SF–424A ‘‘Budget Information Sheet’’ (Appendix B) must be included.
(3) 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 the ‘‘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 by completing the ‘‘Direct Cost Descriptions for Applicants and Sub-Applicants’’ form (Appendix E);
Fringe Benefits—Applicants must provide an explanation and breakout of fringe benefit rates and associated charges that exceed 35% of salaries and wages;
Explanation of Costs and Methodologies—Applicants must provide an explanation of the purpose and composition of, and methodology used to derive the costs of each of the following: Personnel costs, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contracts, and any other costs. The applicant must include costs of any required travel described in this Solicitation. Planned travel expenditures may not exceed 20% of the total HVRP funds requested. Mileage charges may not exceed 50 cents per mile or the current Federal rate;
Equipment Purchases—Applicants must provide a description/specification of, and justification for, equipment purchases, if any. Tangible, nonexpendable, 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.
Other Funds—Applicants must describe other funding sources to include matching funds, leveraged funds, and in-kind services. Matching funds are not required for this HVRP NTAC cooperative agreement(s). When resources such as matching funds, leveraged funds, and/or the value of in-kind contributions are made available, please describe 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) (signed in blue ink) must be submitted;
A completed Direct Cost Descriptions for Applicants and Sub-Applicants (Appendix D) must be submitted;
All applicants must submit evidence of satisfactory financial management capability, which must include recent (within the last 18 months) program-specific financial and/or audit statements (does not count towards the 50-page limitation). All successful awardee(s) are required to utilize Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP), maintain a separate accounting for these cooperative agreement funds, and have a checking account;
All applicants must include, as a separate appendix, a list of all employment and training related government grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts that they have had in the past three (3) years, including grant/contract officer contact information. VETS reserves the right to have a USDOL representative review and verify this data;
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.
3. Submission Dates and Times (Acceptable Methods of Submission):
To be considered for funding under this SGA, applicants may submit applications by mail, overnight or hand-delivery, or electronically at the following website address: www.grants.gov. If VETS receives multiple copies through www.grants.gov we will take the latest submission. Applications submitted electronically through Grants.gov must be successfully submitted at www.grants.gov (not both) no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the closing date, and then subsequently validated by www.grants.gov. The submission and validation process is described in more detail below. The process can be complicated and time-consuming. Applicants are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if necessary.
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 and must be received at the address specified in this notice no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the due date. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington 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 multiple days or weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application. 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 successfully validated will be considered. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure a timely submission, therefore sufficient time should be allotted for submission (two business days), and if applicable, subsequent time to address errors and receive validation upon resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing submission). It is important to note that if sufficient time is not allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, the application will not be considered. To ensure consideration 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. VETS will attempt to open the document, but will not take any “corrective” measures in the event of issues with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming application will not be considered for funding.
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].
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 registered or certified mail not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application required to be received by the 20th of the month must be post marked by the 15th of that month) or (b) sent by professional overnight delivery service not later than one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of applications. “Post marked” means a printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable, without further action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. 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.
There may be future addendums to this solicitation published on Grants.gov and the VETS website. All applicants are responsible for checking back to Grants.gov and the VETS website regularly to ensure they have all of the latest information regarding any updates to this solicitation.
4. Intergovernmental Review: Not Applicable.
5. Funding Restrictions:
A. Proposals exceeding $500,000 will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated.
B. Pre-award costs will not be reimbursed unless specifically agreed upon in writing by the USDOL-VETS.
C. Entities described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive funds under this announcement because Section 18 of Public Law No. 104–65, 109 Stat. 691, prohibits the award of Federal funds to these entities.
D. 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 cooperative agreement 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. Furthermore, indirect costs are considered a part of administrative costs for HVRP purposes and, therefore, may not exceed 20% of the total cooperative agreement 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 cooperative agreement award with the appropriate USDOL Regional Office of Cost Determination or with the applicant’s cognizant agency for indirect cost rates (See Office of Management and Budget Web site at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/attach.html.
V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
SCA applications will be evaluated on the applicant’s capability to perform the work, technical approach, individual staff experience and qualifications, and applicant’s past performance as described below in Section V.1. Based on these evaluations, a Competitive Range consisting of the most highly rated proposals will be established. Applicants are advised that the Grant Officer will make the selection of award(s) for a cooperative agreement after a careful evaluation of the proposals by a panel of evaluators chosen by USDOL–VETS and the Grant Officer. Each panelist will evaluate the proposals for technical acceptability using a range of scores assigned to each factor as described below in Section V.1. The scores for each area in Section V.1., below will then be added and ranked in numerical order. The grant review panel will score each applicant’s proposal based on the grant applicant’s responses to the overall requirements as outlined in this SCA and the selection criteria in Section V.1., and recommend a proposal(s) based on the highest score.
1. Application Evaluation Criteria: Applications may receive up to 100 total points based on the following criteria:
A. Applicant’s overall plan and capability to assist USDOL VETS by maintaining and improving the HVRP NTAC under a cooperative agreement - 20 points.
The Government will evaluate each applicant’s overall plan and capability to assist USDOL VETS by maintaining and improving the HVRP NTAC on the basis of its proposed strategy for providing technical and program management assistance and guidance on a nation-wide or similar basis as described above. In making this evaluation, the government will consider an applicant’s:
Knowledge of the content of the work in terms of constituent activities, their inputs and outputs, and their interrelationships and interdependencies;
Recognition of the appropriate sequence and realistic duration of the work activities;
Knowledge of the appropriate types of resources required to perform the work activities;
Familiarity with the difficulties, uncertainties, and risks associated with the work; and
Knowledge of the personnel qualifications necessary to the performance of the work.
B. Technical Approach - 40 points
The applicant’s technical approach should reflect a clear understanding of the HVRP program and innovative approaches used to assist the USDOL–VETS in their successful accomplishment of all phases of this SCA, specifically, operational plan, design, implementation, project management and monitoring, and reporting. The applicant should demonstrate a clear understanding of each phase, task, and subtask.
The Government will evaluate the applicant’s knowledge and ability, based upon a clear understanding and articulation of the components of the HVRP in general and more specifically the role and function of the HVRP NTAC in assisting U.S. DOL VETS in promoting awareness of the HVRP in a positive and knowledgeable manner to the interested stakeholders identified above. Applicants must provide a detailed description of the approaches (with examples) that the applicant will use to assist the U.S. DOL VETS in maintaining and improving the HVRP NTAC. The applicant must demonstrate a strong ability to communicate HVRP objectives and to develop strong relationships with other organizations and interested stakeholders who provide services to Veterans and homeless Veterans or other similar type group of persons. In particular, USDOL VETS will review the following factors:
The applicant’s proposed work plan addresses all of the tasks and subtasks listed above in the SCA.
The applicant’s proposed sequencing, scheduling, and timely completion of tasks/subtasks by phases which demonstrates an clear understanding of the objectives and the applicant’s critical role in assisting the government in implementation of the HVRP objectives.
The applicants’ understanding of its role in assisting USDOL VETS in providing general technical and program management assistance and guidance to HVRP grantees, potential applicants, Veterans Service Organizations, non-profit organizations (including faith-based and community organizations), other federal agencies, the general public, and other interested stakeholders.
The applicant’s understanding of its role in relation to parties other than USDOL VETS federal and contractor staff, i.e., employers, organizations that support Veterans, State Workforce Agencies, the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program and Local Veterans’ Employment Representative staff, Workforce Development programs, and other USDOL VETS contractors and consultants.
C. Individual Staff Experience and Qualifications - 20 points.
Applicants must provide sufficient information to judge the quality and competence of staff proposed to assist USDOL VETS in maintaining and improving the HVRP NTAC and to meets the requirements within this SGA. Successful applicants should have staff that already possess (or are capable of acquiring within a short time period) knowledge of homeless Veterans, the HVRP program, and other related programs for Veterans and homeless Veterans (for example organizations such as: The Department of Veterans Affairs Grants and Per Diem Programs, Department of Housing and Urban Development grant programs and their Continuums of Care, and Stand Down Events). The proposal must include the current employment status of personnel proposed to work under this
SCA, i.e., whether these personnel are currently employed by the applicant or whether their employment is dependent upon award and planned recruitment. The Government, in its evaluation of the applicant’s proposal, will place considerable emphasis on the applicant’s commitment of personnel qualified for the work involved in accomplishing the assigned tasks. Accordingly, the following information must be furnished:
The names of the proposed Project Director and other staff to be assigned under this Cooperative Agreement;
A resume for all professional personnel which must include the individual’s current employment status and previous work experience, including position title, dates in position, duties performed, employing organization, education, and training.
D. Applicant’s Past Performance - 20 Points.
Successful applicants must describe their past experience in providing technical assistance on a nation-wide basis (or similar basis) concerning the homeless Veteran population, the HVRP program, Stand Down Events, and/or other similar type programs for Veterans and homeless Veterans or other similar type persons. Applicants must describe their role, duties, and responsibilities and to what extent they were involved in providing technical assistance on a nation-wide (or similar basis) on such programs. The application review panel and the Grant Officer will determine the relevance and extent of past performance information provided by each applicant.
2. Review and Selection Process:
Applications will be reviewed by a Department of Labor application review panel using the point scoring system specified above in Section V(1). The application review panel will assign a score after objectively and carefully evaluating each responsive application and all responsive applications will be ranked based on this score. The ranking will be the primary means of identifying applicants as potential awardee(s). The application review panel will establish a competitive range, based upon the proposal evaluation, for the purpose of selecting qualified applicants. For this SCA, the minimum acceptable score for consideration is 70, but the competitive range may be set higher. The Assistant Secretary for Veterans’ Employment and Training (ASVET) and the Grant Officer will make a final selection based on the application review panel findings and application scores. The application review panel’s findings and recommendations are solely advisory in nature and not binding on the ASVET or the Grant Officer.
A cost realism analysis will be performed by the application review panel. The purpose of this analysis is to 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 an award that a grantor agency or its representatives determine are not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal Cost Principles or other conditions contained in the SCA award. If the application review panel concludes that the cost proposal contains an expense(s) that is not allocable, allowable, and/or reasonable, they will inform the Grant Officer and he/she may request a revision to the application. The Grant Officer reserves the right to ask the applicant for clarification on any aspect of the SCA. The Grant Officer may consult with USDOL VETS staff on any potential awardee(s) concerns. The Grant Officer’s determination for award under this solicitation – SCA #10-06 is the final agency action.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates: The anticipated announcement of award is expected to occur by June 30, 2010 and will be awarded by no later than July 1, 2010.
VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
1. Award Notices:
A. 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 Application for Federal Assistance. Notice that an organization has been selected as an award recipient does not constitute final approval of the application and budget as submitted. Before the actual cooperative agreement 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. Please note: the Grant award occurs only after the prospective grantee and the Grant Officer signs the Grant award document.
B. A post-award conference will be held within forty-five (45) days of the SCA award(s) in Washington, DC with USDOL VETS staff and the Grant Officer Technical Representative (GOTR). The associated travel costs for this one (1) day meeting and an additional five (5) meetings with the GOTR who will be located in Washington, DC are to be included as a part of the applicant’s budget proposal. Both program and administrative matters will be reviewed and discussed during these meetings.
Successful cooperative agreement awardee(s) are required to budget and plan to attend the post-award conference for all HVRP grantees awarded PY2010 HVRP funds through a grant competition under SGA #10–01 and for those existing and active HVRP grantees who qualify for an award of second and third year optional funding. The applicant(s) awarded a cooperative agreement must attend and participate in the National HVRP Post-Award Training Conference that is expected to be held in July, 2010. The site of the National HVRP Post-Award Training Conference has not yet been determined, however, for planning and budgeting purposes, applicants should allot four (4) days and use Washington, DC as the potential conference site.
The successful awardee(s) are to propose a plan to develop and deliver specific training, with prior USDOL VETS and GOTR approval, at the National HVRP Post-Award Training Conference. Costs associated with attending this conference for up to three (3) representatives will be allowed as long as they are incurred in accordance with Federal travel regulations.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:
All awardee(s) must comply with the provisions of Title 38 U.S.C. and its regulations, as applicable.
A. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees and sub-awardees, including community and faith-based organizations, will be subject to applicable Federal laws (including provisions of appropriations law), regulations, and the applicable Office of Management and Budget Circulars. The grant(s) 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.
3. Reporting and Monitoring:
USDOL-VETS is responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of this Cooperative Agreement, in accordance with the provisions of this announcement and the terms of the Cooperative Agreement award document. The awardees must fully cooperate with USDOL-VETS staff while they conduct quarterly assessments of the awardees performance and periodic on-site reviews. Reviews will focus on timely project implementation, performance according to successfully meeting or exceeding the Cooperative Agreement’s objectives, tasks and responsibilities, expenditure of funds on allowable activities, and overall administration of project activities. The awardees must agree to fully cooperate with monitoring personnel and make available performance and financial records on all parts of project activity, including participant employment and wage data, and to provide access to personnel, as specified by the GOTR.
Prior to submitting any financial reports via E-Grants, grantees must submit these reports to their assigned GOTR for review and approval. Access to the E-grants reporting system 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. Please note that the “active” grant performance period is awarded July 1, 2010 thru June 30, 2011.
The awardees will be required to submit quarterly financial and programmatic accomplishment reports to their respective GOTR as described below:
A. Quarterly Financial Reports
No later than 30 days after the end of each Federal fiscal quarter (October 30th, January 30th, April 30th, and July 30th) the awardees must report outlays, program income, and other financial information on a Federal fiscal quarterly basis using the Federal Financial Report (FFR) SF-425 to their GOTR. These required quarterly financial reports must cite the assigned SCA number and be electronically submitted to the Department of Labor’s E-Grants Reporting System after the GOTR approves the submitted report.
B. Quarterly Program Narrative Technical Performance Reports
These quarterly program reports must cite the assigned grant number and may be submitted to the GOTR electronically via e-mail no later than 30 days after the end of each Federal fiscal quarter (October 30th, January 30th, April 30th, and July 30th). Awardees must submit a Quarterly Program Narrative Performance Report to the GOTR that contains the following:
(1) A comprehensive description of actual accomplishment under each of the program technical and program management assistance and guidance related activities described under Section I. Funding Opportunity Description and as defined by USDOL VETS and agreed upon with each of the awardees.
(2) An explanation for variances of plus or minus 15% of planned program and/or expenditure goals, to include: identification of corrective action that will be taken to meet the planned goals, if required; and a timetable for accomplishment of the agreed upon corrective action.
C. Final Financial and Program Narrative Technical Performance Report
The final financial and technical performance reports must cite the assigned grant number and may be submitted to the Grant Officer Technical Representative electronically via e-mail. An outline of the final report is due to the GOTR forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration of the cooperative agreement (May 15th) or before the expiration of the period of performance for the program year and for each of the potential optional program years that are executed. No later than 120 days after the (each) period of performance (October 30th), the awardees must submit a Final Financial and Program Narrative Technical Performance Report to their GOTR showing the Cooperative Agreements final results which, at a minimum, contains the following:
(1) Final FFR SF–425 data entered into the Department’s E-grants reporting system (that zeros out all un-liquidated obligations); and
(2) Final Program Narrative Technical Performance Report that describes the outcomes, technical assistance provided, employer outreach activities conducted as compared to the planned and agreed upon activities and a narrative description of the overall activities performed, lessons learned, and recommendations for programmatic improvement.
4. Agency Contact:
All questions regarding this SCA should be directed to Cassandra Mitchell, e-mail address: [email protected], at telephone number: (202) 693-4570 (note this is not a toll-free number). To obtain further information on the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program of the U.S. Department of Labor, visit the USDOL website of the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service at www.dol.gov/vets. Individuals with hearing impairments may call (800) 670-7008 (TTY/TDD).
OTHER INFORMATION
1. 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 dos 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.”
Public references to 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.
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 Darrin A. King, 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 Cooperative Agreement(s)” 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. Resources for the Applicant:
The Department of Labor maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. The website address for the USDOL VETS www.dol.gov/vets/programs/main.htm is a valuable source of information including for program highlights and brochures, glossary of terms, frequently used acronyms, general and special grant provisions, power point presentations on how to apply for HVRP funding, On-Site Monitoring Visits. The HVRP National Technical Assistance center at website http://www.dol.gov/vets/grants/hvrpnat.htm is also a valuable resource of information for grant applicants. The Interagency Council on Homeless at website address www.ich.gov has information from various departments 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 address at www.servicelocator.org provides a directory of our nation’s One-Stop Career Centers and website address www.workforce3one.org is another useful Department of Labor resource site. The National Association of Workforce Boards maintains a website address at www.nawb.org/asp/wibdir.asp that contains contact information for the State and local Workforce Investment Boards. Applicants may also review “VETS’ Guide to Competitive and Discretionary Grants” located at website address:
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 website addresses www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci and www.dol.gov/cfbci , as well as, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans website address at www.nchv.org.
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: Recommended Format for Planned Common Measures Quarterly Technical Performance Goals
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 Cities Nationwide
Appendix H: Common Measures Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) for Competitive Grantees
Appendix I: Indirect Charges or Certificate of Direct Costs
Signed at Washington, DC. this ______ day of __________, 2010.
Cassandra Mitchell, Grant Officer
BILLING CODE: 4510-79P
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| Last Modified By | fenner-kenneth |
| File Modified | 2010-03-12 |
| File Created | 2010-02-25 |