DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Cooperative Agreements under the Disability Employment Initiative
Announcement Type: Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA)
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY-11-XX
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.207
Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [insert date 45 days after date of publication in Federal Register]. Applications must be received no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
Addresses: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: B Jai Johnson, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 11-XX, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, D.C. 20210. For complete application and submission information, including on-line application instructions, please refer to Section IV.
Summary:
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), in coordination with Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), announces the availability of approximately $21.5 million for a second round of cooperative agreements to state agencies that administer the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). [This sentence will be updated when the Appropriations Act is passed] included these funds for ETA and ODEP to develop and implement a plan for improving effective and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the workforce. DOL is using this funding to implement the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI), through which the Department intends to make six to ten grant awards designed to:
1) improve educational, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes of youth and adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits; and 2) help these individuals with disabilities find a path into the middle class through exemplary and model service delivery by the public workforce system. The DOL will award DEI grants for a three-year period of performance.
The Appropriation Committee Senate Report 111-66 on H.R. 3292 stated that:
“these funds…will improve the accessibility and accountability of the public workforce development system for individuals with disabilities. The Committee further expects these funds to continue promising practices implemented by disability program navigators, including effective deployment of staff in selected states to: improve coordination and collaboration among employment and training and asset development programs carried out at a state and local level, including the Ticket to Work program and build effective community partnerships that leverage public and private resources to better serve individuals with disabilities and improve employment outcomes.”
The DEI was established under the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2010, P.L. 111-117, and it includes reference to this Report.
This solicitation provides background information and describes the application submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible entities must use to apply for funds covered by this solicitation, and outlines the evaluation criteria used as a basis for selecting the grantees.
A. Overview
On September 30, 2010, ETA awarded funds, using both ETA and ODEP money, to nine states (Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia) for three years to implement the first round of DEI projects. Information on DEI projects can be found at https://disability.workforce3one.org. This SGA funds a second round of DEI projects.
Previous DOL grants to improve employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities through systems change in the public workforce system include ETA’s Work Incentive Grants (WIG), the Disability Program Navigator Initiative (DPN), and employment service models, such as ODEP’s Customized Employment, Workforce Action (Olmstead), the START-UP Initiative, and State Intermediary Youth grants. DOL has incorporated a number of promising practices from these grants into this SGA. In addition, Federal, state, and local systems have developed numerous other successful employment service models.
Systems Change Models. From Program Years (PY) 2000 through 2010, DOL/ETA funded 65 WIGs and 51 DPN Initiative cooperative agreements to states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands to improve services in the One-Stop Career Center system and improve employment outcomes of persons with disabilities. WIGs were competitively awarded to state and local workforce areas that addressed systemic issues in the workforce system and resulted in the development of numerous tools and protocols to improve services to job seekers with disabilities. By 2003, DOL shifted the focus of the WIG funds toward supporting a full-time, dedicated staff person with disability expertise because this strategy has shown promise in expanding the capacity of the One-Stop Career Center system to provide integrated, accessible, and comprehensive services, and promote career and employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities. In PY 2003 the Department decided to devote funds previously used for WIGs to support the DPN initiative through 2010. DPNs or Navigators were located in local workforce investment areas to: 1) conduct outreach to the disability community; 2) promote meaningful and effective access to the One-Stop Career Center system; 3) establish linkages to employers to increase job opportunities; and 4) create systemic change through: i) ongoing partnerships and comprehensive, wrap-around services for job seekers with disabilities: and ii) integrated resource teams to blend, braid, and leverage resources across workforce and disability systems. The DPN Initiative created innovation and transformation in the public workforce system by: building relationships with state and local partners; facilitating youth transition services; promoting asset development and financial literacy training; implementing the Ticket to Work Program; building upon Medicaid Infrastructure Grants; improving linkages to the employer community; improving access to and use of the One-Stop Career Center service delivery system; and linking to other community providers.
Employment Service Models. Federal and state service systems use a number of employment service models, including the traditional Vocational Rehabilitation, Supported Employment, Transitional Employment, Self-Employment, and various forms of self-direction that provide control and choice to the individual job seeker. These models complement and reinforce the WIG/DPN successful strategies in One-Stop Career Centers.
For example, from 2001 through 2006, ODEP funded development and research work on Customized Employment in the One-Stop Career Centers through 26 grants across the country. Customized employment is a flexible process designed to personalize the employment relationship between a job candidate and an employer in a way that meets the needs of both. It is based on an individualized match between the strengths, conditions, and interests of a job candidate and the identified business needs of an employer. Customized employment will often take the form of: task reassignment; job carving; job sharing; self-employment. ODEP expected these projects to increase the capacity of service-delivery systems to effectively serve people with disabilities and other “hard-to-serve'' populations through individualized employment and placement services.
A 2005 study of the initiative resulted in several key findings, including the importance of the following strategies for increasing employment and wages for individuals with disabilities:
1. Increasing partnership and collaboration among and across generic and disability-specific systems that provide employment or employment-support services to produce more effective and efficient services through leveraging resources and funding across multiple systems;
2. Increasing use of self-direction in service and integration of funding among and across cross-generic and disability-specific systems (including the blending and braiding of resources and funding across systems and programs), and the use of self-directed accounts providing choice and control to the individual job seeker, including through the use of “flexible dollars” to assist in achieving employment outcomes (such as individual career accounts/budgets for needed services and supports including but not limited to transportation, assistive technology, resource ownership) that the existing system does not provide due to funding and/or time restrictions;
3. Increasing economic self-sufficiency through leveraging relevant generic and disability-specific tax incentives, financial education, social security work incentives, benefits planning, and other strategies for enhancing profitable employment resulting in the ability of people with disabilities to accrue assets and resources through employment;
4. Increasing the use of universal design as the framework for the organization of employment policy and the implementation of employment services; and
5. Increasing the use of customized and other forms of flexible work options for individuals with disabilities and others with complex barriers to employment. (“Evaluation of Disability Employment Policy Demonstration Programs,” Westat, June 2005).
ODEP’s WorkFORCE Action grants supported local non-profit organizations in demonstrations of customized employment strategies for persons with disabilities covered by the Olmstead Supreme Court decision of 1999 (Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581, 119 S. Ct. 2176-1999). Key organizations involved in these efforts included Local Workforce Investment Boards, disability organizations and other community organizations in order to build the capacity to provide employment services to those persons with disabilities covered by the Olmstead decision, and to document their employability, particularly through individually negotiated, customized jobs. The WorkFORCE Action grants documented effective partnerships across programs implemented under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, and other Federal legislation and programs, in combination with experts on strategies for securing employment for people moving to the community or people at risk of institutionalization, in order to ensure that employment is a component of all efforts to move people out, or keep them out, of institutions or nursing homes, and to document the ability of such individuals to become employed in integrated employment at minimum wage or above.
ODEP funded the Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resource, & Training (START-UP/USA) cooperative agreements to document the viability of self-employment for people with disabilities including those with significant disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) ort Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Congress designated these funds to ODEP for the further development of self-employment of individuals with disabilities. START-UP provided technical assistance and disseminated resources nationally to persons with disabilities interested in pursuing self-employment. START-UP/USA also provided technical assistance to three sub-national projects in Alaska, Florida, and New York. This initiative generated data and information to validate systems capacity building strategies and system change models for increasing self-employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, and documented the success of self-employment for such individuals (http//www.start-up-usa.biz).
Youth Transition Models. In 2003 eight states received State Intermediary Grants to assist states in improving transition outcomes for youth with disabilities and conducting local pilot demonstrations to ensure that youth with disabilities (ages 14 to 24) obtain transition services consistent with the Guideposts for Success. These grants assisted states, under the leadership of State Workforce Investment Boards (SWIBs), in the design, implementation, and evaluation of systems changes needed to improve transition outcomes of youth with disabilities at the local level. ODEP’s research indicates that all youth, including those with disabilities, need exposure to 1) school-based preparatory experiences; 2) career preparation and work-based learning experiences; 3) youth development and leadership; 4) connecting activities, including knowledge of transportation, health care, and financial planning; and 5) family involvement and support. ODEP branded these five areas the Guideposts for Success (http://www.ncwd-youth.info/topic/guideposts).
In addition to articulating the general needs of all youth, Guideposts for Success also addresses the specific needs of youth with disabilities within each of the five categories. As a result of the grants, both state and local level organizations began to more effectively coordinate services for youth with disabilities. State and local level intermediaries provided training that enabled many organizations and individuals to become knowledgeable about services and resources available to youth with disabilities. Grantees developed cross-agency, multi-year state plans to support broader educational, vocational rehabilitation, and workforce development plans. The grants demonstrated that intermediaries can serve a key function by helping to define roles within a partnership.
B. DEI Project Description
The Department’s prior grant initiatives have resulted in significant improvements in the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities through the workforce system, including: increased accessibility of the One-Stop Career Centers; expanded capacity to serve persons with disabilities; trained front-line and partner staff; and increased partnerships. DOL is now looking to refine and verify these delivery strategies for further replication across the workforce system. This DEI SGA requires that applicants develop a project plan that includes all of the Required Project Components in Section I.C. and uses at least two of the Strategic Service Delivery Components in Section I.D, in addition to the partnership and collaboration strategy, which is required. Due to the level of effort expected from grantees and consideration for the level of funding available, DOL requires applicants to focus primarily on either adults or youth (ages 14-24) in order to develop and refine replicable models and expertise. Almost all states and territories have received funding under ETA and/or ODEP grant opportunities made available from PY/Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 to PY/FY 2010. These grants helped identify a number of promising strategies to improve education, training, and employment outcomes of adults and youth with disabilities. Selection of a DEI focus on adults or youth must not preclude the provision of services to all individuals with disabilities, regardless of age, who are accessing the workforce system. From prior experience, the Department expects that most customers of the public workforce system will benefit from the implementation of the DEI cooperative agreement, regardless of which population is the focus.
C. Required Project Components
The state’s DEI technical proposal design must include the following components:
1. State Level DEI Project Lead - Applicants must designate a DEI project lead at the state level that will be responsible for the following:
Identifying and coordinating with the participating local WIBs to ensure that issues and challenges are addressed and that common goals are achieved;
Representing the state in administrative communications with the designated ETA Federal Project Officer (FPO), ETA Grant Officer, and National Office ETA and ODEP representatives;
Facilitating state and local DEI participation in training and technical assistance activities;
Establishing and coordinating partnerships, via both formal and informal mechanisms, with other state-level agencies that may be critical to the success of education, training, and employment activities, and that are often most effectively engaged at the state level (e.g., Education, Medicaid Agency and Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Projects, Vocational Rehabilitation, Mental Health, Work Incentive Planning and Assistance Projects, and Intellectual Disability/
Developmental Disability agencies, among others);
Coordinating implementation of Ticket to Work administrative activities, such as access to WIA and Wagner-Peyser individualized records and coordination with SSA or its representatives (e.g., MAXIMUS); and
Facilitating implementation of additional data collection and process evaluation requirements, as DOL may require, for evaluation purposes.
2. Disability Resource Coordinator - Local WIBs that participate in the DEI cooperative agreement must commit to hiring a new, or designating an existing, full-time staff person(s), as the disability resource coordinator(s) to implement the strategic approach of the applicant’s proposal. This person or persons should have disability-related knowledge skills, experience, and abilities, including experience with the employment and public workforce system challenges of persons with disabilities that can be applied to implementing the project design at the local level. To the extent possible, local WIBs should consider former DPNs for employment in this role due to the extensive training and knowledge they acquired over the years. The Department also encourages local WIBs to hire individuals with disabilities for this employment position.
3. One-Stop Physical, Programmatic, and Communications Accessibility - Applicants must verify that all the participating local WIBs and all participating One-Stop Career Centers comply with physical, programmatic, and communication accessibility requirements established in non-discrimination regulations in 29 CFR part 37, which implemented Section 188 of WIA. Participation in the DEI cooperative agreement is contingent on compliance. Applicants must address the status of the most recent accessibility survey in local workforce areas participating in the DEI cooperative agreement, along with the corrective actions identified or completed within 90 days of grant award. The Department expects that applicants and local WIBs will continue to review and upgrade access to their One-Stop Career Center system as part of their on-going administration and compliance obligations.
4. Participation in SSA’s Ticket to Work Program as an Employment Network (EN) - Operating as an EN under SSA’s Ticket to Work program is an important strategic approach to sustainability and collaboration in addressing the needs of people with disabilities receiving SSI/SSDI cash benefits. Involvement in DEI by any state workforce agency or local WIB requires that either the agency or LWIB: 1) already operate as an EN under the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act; or 2) stipulate their commitment to apply for EN status to SSA within 60 days of the DEI grant award. Establishing EN status for workforce programs at the state level is an important factor in successful execution of the EN role for administrative and other reasons because it simplifies and expedites the application and payment processes for employment and training services already provided to Ticket holders.
A number of WIBs and One-Stop operators have become ENs and accept Tickets for the provision of training or employment services. Full participation in the Ticket to Work Program by the public workforce system can provide significant resources for services to individuals with disabilities. Active participation in the Ticket Program could greatly enhance funding and future sustainability of the DEI projects. While the Department recognizes that WIBs are, in fact, serving and obtaining employment for significant numbers of SSI/SSDI beneficiaries, there are still challenges with fully engaging workforce entities as ENs. The Department will work with states, local WIBs, and SSA to identify and to overcome administrative challenges that emerge. Information on SSA’s procedures for requesting EN status is available at http://www.cessi.net/ttw/EN/one_stops/onestop.asp.
Sustainability - The applicant must agree to make every effort to
sustain the disability resource coordinator(s) after the grant period ends and to incorporate the promising practices that were successfully implemented by the project into state policies and procedures.
Mandatory Evaluation Process – To assess the effects of the DEI, state applicants must identify all the local WIBs in their states that have the capacity to implement the DEI and are willing to be part of the evaluation. Post-award, the Department will conduct a modified site lottery (in consultation with the state) in each grantee state to determine which half of the identified WIBs will receive funding through the state to implement the SGA project. All adults and youth with disabilities in the DEI sites will have access to the services implemented under this SGA. All adults and youth with disabilities in the non-selected sites will have access to all the standard WIA and Wagner-Peyser services their WIBs and the state offers. The outcomes of these individuals across the two groups of WIBs will be compared to evaluate the effects of DEI. To that end, all WIBs listed in the application--whether they are selected or not in the lottery--must participate in the evaluation which would entail providing the evaluation contractor with the individual records of all adults and youth with disabilities served. Up to 5% of the state’s grant funds available may be used to help offset the cost of increased data requirements for all WIBs in the evaluation.
Successful state applicants will work with the Department and the evaluator on the lottery rules that will be used to select the local WIBs that will participate in the DEI grant project in order to ensure that all identified WIBs and their workforce investment areas have a fair chance at receiving funding. DOL will make the final decision identifying which local WIBs will receive funding to implement the DEI project and which WIBs will be part of the control group and just collect data for evaluation.
The state applicant must agree to participate with DOL’s data collection and evaluation activities and have the capacity to do so to be considered for the grant award. The Department will make maximum use of participant data from the Workforce Investment Act Standardized Record Data (WIASRD) and Wagner-Peyser reporting system, but DOL will require additional data collection. For example, the evaluation contractor will conduct a series of site visits for the purpose of documenting grantee progress and to develop case studies. In addition, DOL will require local WIBs that are identified as willing to participate in the state application (i.e., WIBs selected to participate in the DEI plan and those designated as part of the control group) to collect additional participant data; thereby allowing the Department to determine how services received differ between the enhanced and non-enhanced workforce investment areas and the extent to which outcomes of the adults and youth with disabilities differ during the course of the grant project in these sites. DOL will require awardees to provide access to individualized records that contain sufficient information to allow data matching with SSA disability records.
Please note that the Department will work with states that are single state workforce investment areas and receive a DEI grant award to determine an evaluation approach that is consistent with this evaluation design. Again, DOL will make the final identification of which local WIBs will receive DEI funds and which WIBs will participate only as control sites in the evaluation study (and therefore will receive additional funds only to support data collection).
D. Strategic Service Delivery Components
At a minimum, an applicant must identify at least two of the following six strategic components, plus a seventh strategy component which DOL requires all applicants to use as significant elements of the service delivery approach for the youth or adult population the applicant plans to serve. Some of these strategies are not mutually exclusive nor are they always distinct or separate activities. These are practices and strategies that DOL has identified through both ETA and ODEP grant initiatives to increase education and employment outcomes of persons with disabilities.
1. Integrated Resource Teams (IRT)
IRT is a promising practice identified by the DPN Initiative whereby a team comprised of representatives from different agencies and service systems (both general workforce and disability-specific) coordinate services and leverage funding to meet the employment needs of an individual job seeker with a disability. The job seeker is a member of the IRT working with providers (e.g., interpreter service, community college, etc.) to identify and strategize how their combined services and resources can benefit and support an individual job seeker’s education, training, or employment goals. IRTs lead to improved communication and coordination of services for those impacted by multiple systems and benefit variables. More information on IRTs and other DPN promising practices can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/disability/ and http://www.disability.workforce3one.org.
2. Integrating Resources and Services, Blending and Braiding Funds, Leveraging Resources
Integrating
services and the blending and braiding of funds from multiple funding
sources are strategies that are often incorporated into IRT,
Guideposts for Success, Vocational Rehabilitation, customized
employment, self-employment, and other employment models. Leveraging
different Federal and state program funds involves two or more
agencies contributing resources to the individual job seeker’s
education, training, or employment goals. For example, one provider
may cover supportive services, while another agency or program covers
training costs. The job seeker with a disability may have multiple
challenges that are best addressed through a diversified funding
strategy. For the purposes of this SGA, we use the term “blended
funding'' to describe mechanisms that pool dollars from multiple
sources and make them in some ways indistinguishable. “Braided
funding''
uses similar mechanisms, but the funding streams remain separate.
Both mechanisms are used to provide greater efficiency and
effectiveness by leveraging multiple resources to assist the
individual customer in achieving his/her employment outcomes.
3. Customized Employment
Customized employment is a flexible process that involves individualizing the relationship between job seekers and employers in ways that meet the needs of both. It is based on an individualized determination and discovery of the strengths, requirements, and interests of a person with multiple challenges. It is based on an individualized match between the strengths, conditions, and interests of a job candidate and the identified business needs of an employer. Customized employment will often take the form of: task reassignment; job carving; job sharing; self-employment. Customized employment provides an avenue to employment for job seekers who feel that traditional job search methods do not meet their needs. More information on customized employment is available on ODEP's Web site at http://www.dol.gov/odep/CE-FWA/.
4. Self-Employment
Self-employment has long been an employment alternative for individuals seeking a new or better career. Today, many job seekers with disabilities are turning to the flexibility of self-employment to meet both their career aspirations and financial goals. Self-employed persons have increased latitude in determining the hours they work, the type of work they do, and how much money they make. Self-employment strategies for youth and adults with disabilities are consistent with ETA’s policy guidance (Training and Employment Guidance Letter, No.12-10, “Supporting Entrepreneurial and Self-Employment Training through the Workforce Investment System, November 15, 2010) in this area. You can find additional information on ODEP’s self-employment initiative at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/workforce/self.htm#init.
5. Youth Guideposts for Success
ODEP, in collaboration with the National Collaborative on Workforce Disability for Youth, identified Guideposts for Success as a set of key educational and career development interventions that can make a positive difference in the lives of all youth, including youth with disabilities. The Guideposts, also described in Section I.A. of the SGA under “Youth Transition Models,“ are based on an extensive literature review of research, demonstration projects, and effective practices covering a wide range of programs and services, including youth development, quality education, and workforce development programs. For more information on Guideposts for Success, please visit http://www.ncwd-youth.info/guideposts.
6. Asset Development Strategies
Asset development strategies include various approaches to enhance long-term economic self-sufficiency, including individual development accounts, financial literacy training for youth and adults, SSA PASS plans and other work incentives, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other tax provisions, and self-directed benefit and resource accounts, among others. Asset development strategies include benefits and services that are funded through resources other than those made available under WIA, such as tax filing assistance, housing, nutrition, health care, or child care assistance. Information on asset development strategies and tax credits, including their relevance for the workforce development system, can be found at http://www.dol.gov/odep/fineddev.htm.
7. Partnerships and Collaboration
The Department requires that applicants use partnerships and collaboration as one of its strategies under this SGA. Applicants should demonstrate that the proposed project will include coordination with a variety of partners that impact the ability of adults and youth with disabilities to successfully participate in education, training, and employment opportunities. Applicants must include a description of coordination plans, memorandum of understanding, and partnership strategies in the project proposal. Coordination across multiple agencies includes outreach to customers and consumers, service and/or partner co-location and integration in One-Stop Career Centers, and leveraging available funds, resources, and organizational expertise. Partnering across multiple systems and programs is often a pre-requisite to providing all the supports that are needed to successfully address multiple challenges to employment. Potential partners include, but are not limited to: state and local Vocational Rehabilitation; Medicaid/Medicare; Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Projects, Mental Health; Developmental Disability/Intellectual Disability Agency; state and local Education Departments; SSA programs, such as Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Projects and SSA Area Work Incentive Coordinators; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); higher education institutions; vocational training, health, and education programs; community services organizations including employment service providers; national, state, and local financial literacy and asset development programs and resources; and older worker programs. Finally, it is important that the application discuss partnerships and collaborations with relevant DOL programs. DOL anticipates that applicants will consider the following DOL programs in their strategic approach: WIA adult, dislocated worker, and youth training opportunities; Veterans Employment Training Services (VETS) programs; Job Corps; YouthBuild; ex-offender programs; Senior Community Employment Service Program (SCESP); registered apprenticeship programs; Indian and Native American; Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers Program; and other relevant DOL-funded grant activities.
E. Allowable Uses of Grant Funds
Grantees may use grant funds to fulfill the requirements identified above in the Section I.A. and B. (e.g., required project components, strategic service delivery components) and may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Disability resource coordinators or other project staff required to implement project design;
Partnership coordination and collaboration activities or meetings required to support the project objectives;
Necessary travel to conduct activities across the state or workforce investment area;
Necessary travel to attend one national conference per year; and
Service and programmatic activities to implement the objectives of the DEI cooperative agreement.
Up to 15 percent of grant funds are available for flexible spending purposes, which may include, but is not limited to, procurement of software upgrades, and other assistive technology equipment, supportive or intensive services to assure availability of training and employment needs for individual job seekers, or other innovative approaches to meet the unique needs of an individual participant. The budget plan should include travel expenses to enable the state lead and local area disability coordinators/project leads to attend an ETA/ODEP-sponsored conference. For example, the applicants should budget for a conference to be held in Washington DC, at least once a year. Grantees should use WIA, Wagner-Peyser or other program resources to the greatest extent possible to fund all education, training, job search activities, and supportive services. DOL believes that the successful outcomes of adults and youth with disabilities accessing the One-Stop Career Center systems during the life of DEI initiative (and indeed the success of the DEI projects) depends upon the leveraging of funds and resources beyond the DEI grant funds for education, training, and other activities. Up to 5 percent of grant funds are available for possible additional data collection expenses.
DOL will issue the grants as cooperative agreements with the expectation that there will be considerable engagement by ETA and ODEP with states and their local workforce investment areas throughout the life of the initiative. DOL will make extensive technical assistance available to grantees and DOL will conduct an independent evaluation by using quantitative and qualitative data from grantees.
B. Period of Performance
The period of performance will be 36 months from the date of execution of the grant documents. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities. Applicants should plan to fully expend grant funds during the period of performance while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all project expenditures.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Applicants must not have received DEI project funding in 2010. Applicants must be the state WIA administrative agency. Congress’ intent was that these funds be used to “improve the accessibility and accountability of the public workforce development system for individuals with disabilities.” (Appropriations Committee, Senate Report 111-66). Therefore, the state WIA administrative agency must not pass these funds through to any other entity for administration.
As discussed in Section I.B, where a state has at least four local WIBs, the state workforce agency must select at least two local WIBs that have the capacity to implement the state’s proposal under this SGA. If a state workforce agency chooses to select only two, only one of the sites will be selected via the modified site lottery to implement the DEI. The other site must function as a control.
States with a single workforce area may select at least two distinct areas within the state that can serve in the same roles as states with multiple WIBs. Also, states with fewer than four local WIBs may select two of their local WIBs that can serve in the same roles as local WIBs in states with four or more WIBs. In either case, DOL will score these applications on the same basis as those offering multiple WIBs. All evaluation criteria would apply to these applications including the modified site lottery.
The Department will (in consultation with the state) conduct a modified site lottery of the identified WIBs to identify the participating WIBs and will require that the other half of the WIBs not selected participate in the evaluation component and the collection of additional individualized data. DOL will make the final decision on which WIBs will receive funds to provide services under the DEI projects, plus receive funds for data collection, and which WIBs will be a control group and only receive funds for data collection, as required by evaluation.
The Department requires that, the states select local WIBs (to be included as either DEI projects or controls) which meet the following minimum capacities: 1) demonstrated success in serving individuals with disabilities as evidenced by their WIA and Wagner-Peyser data and outcomes; 2) provided assurance of physical, programmatic, and communication accessibility; 3) demonstrated commitment to prior partner collaboration that suggests a high likelihood of success in the implementation of the DEI cooperative agreement’s goals and objectives; 4) incorporated policies and procedures into the operations of One-Stop Career Centers to help them effectively serve with disabilities; and 5) demonstrated ability to conduct outreach to the disability community and employers to facilitate the hiring of people with disabilities.
Applicants must require that local WIBs selected to implement the objectives of the DEI cooperative agreement will work with DOL training, technical assistance, and evaluation contractors as applicable. All WIBs identified in the application must agree to collect and provide relevant data, or other information identified by DOL as critical to the evaluation.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as a condition for application, but leveraged resources are strongly encouraged and may affect the applicant’s score in Section V., Subsection A. Leveraged resources can come from a variety of sources, including public (e.g., Federal, state, or local governments) and non-profit sectors
C. Other Eligibility Criteria
Applicants will not be reviewed unless they meet the following required project components, identified in Sections I.C and D of the SGA.
1. State Level DEI Project Lead - Applicants must identify or designate a DEI project lead at the state level.
2. Disability
Resource Coordinators (DRCs) - LWIBs
participating in DEI must hire a new staff or designate existing
full-time staff persons as DRCs.
DOL expects the Disability
Coordinator(s) to work full time on the initiative and for grantees
to consider former DPNs as a possible valuable resource to fill this
position
3. Accessibility - Applicants must verify physical, programmatic, and communications accessibility.
4. Become an EN(s) - The state workforce agency or local WIBs to be involved in DEI must be an EN, or applicants must stipulate their commitment to apply for EN status to SSA within 60 days of the DEI grant award.
5. Evaluation - Applicants must agree to participate in the site lottery evaluation.
6. Strategic Service Delivery - Applicants must identify at least two of the seven service delivery strategies to be part of their DEI project (Refer to pages 16 - 21).
7. Population Focus - Applicants must select either adult or youth as their primary population to be served.
D. Eligible Participants
1. Veterans Priority for Participants
The Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-288) requires grantees to provide priority of service for veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. The regulations implementing this priority of service can be found at 20 CFR part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans priority. ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.
This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
Proposals submitted in response to this SGA must consist of three separate and distinct parts: (I) a cost proposal; (II) a technical proposal; and (III) attachments to the technical proposal. Applications that do not contain all of the three parts or that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.
Part I. The Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal must include the following items:
SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp). The SF-424 must clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant shall be considered the authorized representative of the applicant. All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®) number, and must supply their
D-U-N-S® Number on the SF-424. The D-U-N-S® Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a D-U-N-S® Number, you can get one for free through the D&B website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.
The SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp). In preparing the Budget Information Form, the applicant must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.
Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It should also include a description of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.
Note that the entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) must be included on the SF-424 and SF-424A and budget narrative. No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF-424 and SF-424A. The amount listed on the SF-424, SF-424A and budget narrative must be the same. Please note, the funding amount included on the SF-424 will be considered the official funding amount requested if any inconsistencies are found. Applications that fail to provide an SF-424 including D-U-N-S® Number, SF-424A, and a budget narrative will be considered non-responsive and not reviewed.
Regardless of the method of application submission, all applicants must register with the Federal Central Contractor Registry (CCR) before submitting an application. Step-by-step instructions for registering with CCR can be found at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step2.jsp. An awardee must maintain an active CCR registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration. To remain registered in the CCR database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update on an annual basis from the date of initial registration or subsequent updates its information in the CCR database to ensure it is current, accurate and complete. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicant is the entity that meets the eligibility criteria and has the legal authority to apply and to receive the award. Failure to register with the CCR before application submission will result in your application being found non-responsive and not being reviewed.
Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit the following attachments:
a) A two-page abstract, which will serve as a summary of the grant and will be shared publicly, that includes, but not limited to, the scope of the project, population focus, strategies selected, and proposed outcomes.
b) A chart displaying the WIA and Wagner-Peyser data to address evaluation criteria in Section V.A.
c) A chart displaying state, population of state, and list of each local WIB.
d) A work plan and implementation schedule, staff responsibility, expected milestones, and outcomes (A sample work plan is attached to the SGA).
Applications that do not include the required attachments will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
Only those attachments listed above as required attachments will be excluded from the page limit. The required attachments must be affixed as separate, clearly identified appendices to the application. Additional materials such as resumes or general letters of support or commitment will not be considered.
The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [insert date 45 days after date of publication in Federal Register]. Applications may be submitted electronically on http://www.grants.gov or in hard-copy by mail or hand delivery (including overnight delivery). Hard-copy applications must be received at the address below no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications submitted on grants.gov must also be successfully submitted (as described below) no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted.
Applicants submitting proposals in hard-copy must submit an original signed application (including the SF-424) and one (1) ‘‘copy-ready’’ version free of bindings, staples or protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the proposal by DOL. Applicants submitting proposals in hard copy are also required to provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on compact disc (CD). If discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD copy are identified, the application on the CD will be considered the official applicant submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hardcopy and CD format may have an impact on the overall evaluation.
If an application is physically submitted by both hard-copy and through http://www.grants.gov, a letter must accompany the hard-copy application stating which application to review. If no letter accompanies the hard-copy, we will review the copy submitted through http://www.grants.gov. Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice will be considered non-responsive. No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted. Further, documents submitted separately from the application, before or after the deadline, will not be accepted as part of the application.
Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: B Jai Johnson, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 11-XX, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington area may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-delivered proposals will be received at the above address. All overnight mail will be considered to be hand-delivered and must be received at the designated place by the specified closing date and time.
Applications that are submitted through Grants.gov must be successfully submitted at http://www.grants.gov no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time on 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 advised to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if necessary.
The Department strongly recommends that before the applicant begins to write the proposal, applicants should immediately initiate and complete the “Get Registered” registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. Applicants should read through the registration process carefully before registering. These steps may take as much as four weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application. The site also contains registration checklists to help you walk through the process. The Department strongly recommends that applicants download the “Organization Registration Checklist” at http://www.grants.gov/assets/Organization_Steps_Complete_Registration.pdf and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last minute searches for required information and save time.
As described above, applicants must have a D-U-N-S® Number and must register with the Federal Central Contractor Registry (CCR).
The next step in the registration process is creating a username and password with Grants.gov to become an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). AORs will need to know the D-U-N-S® Number of the organization for which they will be submitting applications to complete this process. To read more detailed instructions for creating a profile on Grants.gov visit: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step3.jsp.
After creating a profile on Grants.gov, the E-Biz point of Contact (E-Biz POC) - a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for CCR - will receive an email to grant the AOR permission to submit applications on behalf of their organization. The E-Biz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and approve an applicant as the AOR, thereby giving him or her permission to submit applications. To learn more about AOR Authorization visit: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step5.jsp, or to track AOR status visit: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step6.jsp.
An application submitted through Grants.gov constitutes a submission as an electronically signed application. The registration and account creation with Grants.gov, with E-Biz POC approval, establishes an AOR. When you submit the application through Grants.gov, the name of your AOR on file will be inserted into the signature line of the application. Applicants must register the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for the applicant organization as the AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submissions.
When a registered applicant submits an application with Grants.gov, an electronic time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. Within two business days of application submission, Grants.gov will send the applicant two email messages to provide the status of the application’s progress through the system. The first email, sent almost immediately, will contain a tracking number and 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 by the deadline and subsequently successfully validated will be considered. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure a timely submission. While it is not required that an application be successfully validated before the deadline for submission, it is prudent to reserve time before the deadline in case it is necessary to resubmit an application that has not been successfully validated. Therefore, sufficient time should be allotted for submission (two business days) and, if applicable, additional time to address errors and receive validation upon resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing submission). It is important to note that if sufficient time is not allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, the application will not be considered.
To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .xls or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent us from considering the application. ETA 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.
We strongly advise applicants to use the various tools and documents, including FAQs, which are available on the “Applicant Resources” page at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp.
ETA encourages new prospective applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.
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 “[email protected]”. The Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is closed on federal holidays.
Late Applications: For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only applications that have been successfully submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated will be considered. Applicants take a significant risk by waiting to the last day to submit by Grants.gov.
Any hard-copy application received after the exact date and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made, it was properly addressed, and it was: (a) sent by U.S. Postal Service mail, postmarked not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application required to be received by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of that month); or (b) sent by professional overnight delivery service to the addressee not later than one working day before the date specified for receipt of applications. ‘‘Postmarked’’ means a printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable, without further action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ‘‘bull’s eye’’ postmark on both the receipt and the package. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be a basis for a determination that the application was not filed timely and will not be considered. 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.
This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”
All proposal costs must be necessary and reasonable and in accordance with Federal guidelines. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles. Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant.
Applicants, whether successful or not, will not be entitled to reimbursement of pre-award costs.
4. Intellectual Property Rights: The Federal Government reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use for Federal purposes: i) the copyright in all products developed under the grant, including a subgrant or contract under the grant or subgrant; and ii) any rights of copyright to which the grantee, subgrantee or a contractor purchases ownership under an award (including but not limited to curricula, training models, technical assistance products, and any related materials). Such uses include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise. Federal funds may not be used to pay any royalty or licensing fee associated with such copyrighted material, although they may be used to pay costs for obtaining a copy which is limited to the developer/seller costs of copying and shipping. If revenues are generated through selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual property, these revenues are program income. Program income is added to the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities.
If applicable, the following needs to be on all products developed in whole or in part with grant funds:
“This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.”
Withdrawal of Applications: Applications may be withdrawn by written notice to the Grant Officer at any time before an award is made.
This section identifies and describes the criteria that DOL will use for each category to evaluate grant proposals. DOL will award points based on how well an applicant fully demonstrates its approach and/or qualifications and clearly provides that required information. We recommend that applicants structure their Technical Proposal around the evaluation criteria and sub-criteria in the same order in which they are listed and described below:
CRITERION |
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS |
1. Program Delivery- Strategic Approach |
40 |
a. Primary Focus, Rationale and Objectives |
(5) |
b. Strategies Approach |
(20) |
c. One-Stop Career Center System |
(15) |
2. Partnership Commitment and Resources |
20 |
a. Strategic Partners |
(10) |
b. Partner Resources |
(10) |
3. Demonstrated Experience |
20 |
a. Services and Outcomes to Adults or Youth with Disabilities |
(5) |
b. Physical, Communication, and Programmatic Accessibility |
(5) |
c. Programmatic Experience and Initiative |
(5) |
d. Registration and Operation as an Employment Network |
(5) |
4. Project Management |
10 |
a. Staff Capacity |
(5) |
b. Fiscal and Administrative Capacity |
(5) |
5. Outcomes and Sustainability |
10 |
a. Outcomes |
(5) |
b. Sustainability |
(5) |
TOTAL POINTS |
100 |
1. Program Delivery - Strategic Approach (40 Points)
Discuss the strategic approach and how you will incorporate required and strategic service delivery components set forth in Sections I.C and I.D into the project activities, including how the strategic approach will result in increased access to and use of the One-Stop Career Center system’s services by adults and/or youth with disabilities and their improved education, training, and/or employment outcomes. Note that depending on the selected Strategic Service Delivery Components in Section I.C., not all of the items in the paragraphs below will apply.
DOL will assess the 40 possible points for this criterion as follows:
a. Primary Focus, Rationale, and Objectives (5 Points) – We will score under this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Clearly defines the primary focus of the DEI project (i.e., adults or
youth focus). For purposes of this SGA, youth are ages 14 - 24 (applicants may select the full age range given or age limits within this range). States and local workforce areas are required to serve both adults and youth with disabilities through the One-Stop delivery system; however for the purpose of this SGA, DOL requires the applicants to focus on only one population for the purpose of developing replicable models and expertise, given the level of effort that is required with the currently limited available funds;
Clearly and fully explains the rationale for the selection of adults or
youth focus;
Describes the overall objectives of the project and explains how these
objectives are consistent with and support the goals of the DEI;
Provides adequate demographic information and explains whether the
project will focus on urban or rural environments, as well as
identifying any additional special focus of the project on other
targeted populations, such as: veterans with disabilities,
homeless individuals, TANF recipients; individuals with
developmental, psychiatric, and/or other non-visible disabilities, out-
of-school youth, ex-offenders, or other populations with significant
disabilities;
Includes adults/youth with disabilities from racial or ethnic minorities
in the project;
Includes SSI/SSDI beneficiaries in the project design.
b. Strategies Approach (20 Points) – We will score under this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant provides a convincing narrative that:
Fully describes the overall strategic approach to be implemented and
demonstrates how this approach addresses the unique needs of the
primary population and focus;
Clearly identifies the workforce areas the project expects to
participate;
Explains how the project design is expected to lead to success in
achieving the goals of the DEI;
Explains how the strategic service delivery components in Section I.D
will be deployed to achieve the stated objectives (a minimum of
two of the strategic service delivery components must be a significant
part of the project design, but more can be included).
i. Adult Focus – In addition, for projects which have an adult focus, scoring under this criterion will also be based on the extent to which the applicant provides a convincing narrative:
Explains how the overall approach addresses the specific challenges
and needs of adult job seekers with disabilities, including the
availability of learning and skill assessments, retraining options, on-
the-job training, customized employment, part-time employment, and
self-employment options, among others;
Provides information on the availability of supportive services,
including assistance with transportation and other short-term
requirements for participation in training or employment;
Provides adequate information on the state’s economy, including
career opportunities in high-growth job sectors, and explains how the
project will incorporate this information in the project design;
Provides examples of linkages to the employer community and
explains how engagement of businesses and employers will facilitate
improved employment outcomes and achievement of goals;
Includes strategies for outreach to the population the project expects to
serve, marketing of One-Stop services to job seekers with disabilities;
Demonstrates experience in conducting similar outreach activities
similar to those described directly above;
Identifies how it will use various asset development strategies in
achieving project goals;
Identifies approaches that the project will use to improve outcomes for
any targeted populations included in the project design, such as
veterans with disabilities, TANF recipients, and persons who are
homeless;
Includes early intervention strategies, including deployment of
Medicaid Buy-in and explains how the project will use SSA work
incentive strategies for SSI/SSDI beneficiaries to achieve the goals of
the DEI.
Or
ii. Youth Focus - In addition, for projects which have a youth focus, scoring under this criterion will also be based on the extent to which the applicant provides a convincing narrative:
Explains how the overall strategic approach addresses the needs of
the youth the project intends to serve, including providing detailed
information on the extent to which the focus is on transitioning into the
workforce and the age range of the youth to be served;
Includes outreach to out-of-school and at-risk youth;
Explains how the project will incorporate Guideposts for Success, as
referenced in Section I.C;
Identifies what vocational assessments, transition and
intermediary services and parental involvement will be components of
the project;
Identifies strategies for linkages with middle and secondary schools
and other education components;
Explains how the project will accomplish the availability of work
experience, summer youth activities, mentoring opportunities, on-the-
job training and other opportunities for youth to engage in work
experience;
Identifies linkages to the employer community and explains how
engagement of business and employers will facilitate quality work
experience and help achieve the project goals;
Identifies the availability of education, training, and employment
opportunities that focus on career opportunities, in particular in high-
growth job sectors, and explains the applicant’s approach to further
career pathways;
Explains clearly the objectives of the project design in terms of
education outcomes, including access to community college and other
post secondary education, and the extent to which youth with
disabilities will obtain credentials or other certificates of
accomplishment;
Identifies the extent to which the project will make part-time,
temporary and self-employment options available.
Describes how the project design will address systemic challenges to
education and employment of youth on SSI, and identifies the extent to
which the project will include youth on SSI; and
Includes apprenticeship training and employment options, if
applicable.
c. One-Stop Career Center System (15 Points) – We will score under this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant provides a convincing narrative:
Explains how the state will incorporate the following requirements provided in Section III.A in the selection of at least two local WIBs: 1) demonstration of success in serving individuals with disabilities as evidenced by their WIA and Wagner-Peyser data and outcomes;
2) provision of assurances of physical, programmatic, and communication accessibility; 3) demonstration of commitment to prior partner collaboration that suggests a high likelihood of success in the implementation of the DEI cooperative agreement’s goals and objectives; 4) incorporation of policies and procedures to help the One-Stop Career Centers to effectively serve persons with disabilities; and 5) provision of outreach to the disability community and employers to facilitate the hiring of people with disabilities. For single state workforce area states selecting distinct areas within the state that would serve in the same roles as local WIBs in the states with multiple WIBs, DOL will evaluate single state workforce areas based upon the applicants addressing these factors at the state level;
Identifies any additional criteria the state will use for selecting local WIBs to participate in the DEI project, including an overview of the number of local workforce areas that exist in the state, and how many local areas the state plans to include;
Explains how the requirements set forth in Section I.C. will be met;
Demonstrates the applicant’s status as an EN or explains its plans for becoming an EN at the state and/or local WIB level, and explains what part the EN role will play in the overall design and implementation of the project;
Identifies whether the state currently collects SSI/SSDI status as part of registration in WIA and Wagner-Peyser funded programs;
Explains planned activities under the DEI project to improve physical, programmatic, and communication access, if applicable;
Explains how the project design will impact the workforce development system, expand comprehensive service delivery, facilitate systems change, incorporate universal design, and improve the effective and meaningful education, training, and employment opportunities for adults or youth with disabilities.
2. Partnership Commitment and Resources (20 points)
Discuss the partners with which the applicant is planning to collaborate with in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the adult or youth DEI project, including the extent to which the partners will be engaged (include informal arrangements - e.g., cross-staff training, shared data, cross-referral, co-enrollment - and formal agreements such as MOUs), and funds and resources will be leveraged. Include the criteria that the applicant will use to address partnerships and linkages among the WIBs participating in the cooperative agreement.
DOL will assess the 20 possible points for this criterion as follows:
Strategic Partners (10 Points) - We will score under this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant provides a convincing narrative that:
Identifies and explains the participation of primary partners that will
actively participate in the DEI project in terms that demonstrate
understanding of the adult or youth focus and makes clear how these
partners are integral to the goals and objectives of the applicant’s
project design;
Identifies partners involved at the state-level, and explains the extent to which strong partnerships with state-level agencies (both general workforce systems and disability specific programs and systems) have been forged, what additional systems change efforts will be sought through the DEI cooperative agreement, and how the project will use state-level partnerships at the local level to increase service delivery and outcomes;
Identifies the linkages the project plans to develop and explains how these will facilitate improved services and outcomes for SSI/SSDI beneficiaries, including partnerships to address work incentives, asset development, and SSA work provisions;
Identifies the extent to which co-location of and coordination amongst Vocational Rehabilitation, Area Work Incentive Coordinators, education, TANF, Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program, ENs, Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Projects, or other organizational or community providers is a factor in the state’s workforce system.
Partner Resources (10 Points) - We will score under this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant provides a convincing narrative:
Explains how the program will leverage and incorporate partner resources and programs in the project design and how these will improve the services and outcomes of the adults or youth with disabilities, as well as accomplish DEI objectives and
Identifies resources and program dollars that the program plans to use for the education and training of adults or youth, including resources that will be available from WIA adult, dislocated worker, and youth programs;
Explains how flexible funding dollars (if applicant plans to use them) will augment the available resources of individual job seekers and
identifies partner resources the program anticipates will be available
to the adult or youth with a disability through individual development
accounts, through IRTs, or other funds that expand the likelihood of
individual success and economic independence, including flexible
funding available through partner systems or the flexible-spending
fund.
3. Demonstrated Experience (20 Points)
Provide information about the applicant’s achievements to date in the education, training, and employment or self-employment of adults and/or youth with disabilities; actions taken to assure physical, programmatic, and communication accessibility of the workforce system; and the extent to which the applicant has promoted services that addressed the needs of job seekers with disabilities. Provide criteria the applicant will use to identify WIBs with significant accomplishments in the areas below.
DOL will assess the 20 possible points for this criterion as follows:
a. Services and Outcomes of Adults and Youth with Disabilities (5 Points) - We will score under this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Provides full and complete data on WIA and Wagner-Peyser services for adults and youth in PYs 2008 and 2009. Applicants can provide this information in chart form as an attachment. Applicants focusing the DEI project on adults should include data on the: 1) number of all exiters/registrants, number and percent of people with disabilities;
2) total number and percent entering employment, number and percent of persons with disabilities; 3) total number and percent retaining employment, number and percent of people with disabilities; and
4) average wage of all and average wage of people with disabilities. Applicants focusing the DEI project on youth should include data on the: 1) number of all exiters participating in older and younger WIA youth programs, number of percent of people with disabilities;
2) educational achievements of all youth and those with disabilities; and 3) employment outcomes of older youth. DOL will rate applicants on the extent to which they have achieved successful outcomes when providing services to adults or youth with disabilities;
Demonstrates prior participation with ETA’s DPN initiative and ODEP’s Customized Employment or Youth demonstration grants and identifies outcomes achieved.
b. Physical, Communication, and Programmatic Accessibility (5 Points) - We will score under this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Provides full and complete information on the status of physical, communication, and programmatic accessibility in the state’s workforce system, including the status of accessibility surveys, workforce areas covered in the survey, corrective actions identified, and current status. Information should also include the level of commitment or innovation that has occurred at the state level and the local WIB level;
Explains implementation of assistive technologies, percent of workforce areas covered, and what improvements are still needed;
Identifies the status of communication access and strategies deployed to meet the needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing;
Demonstrates the implementation of deliberate strategies to address accessibility and the level of commitment taken by the applicant to improve accessibility and assure accessibility requirement have been met since the implementation of WIA.
c. Programmatic Experience and Initiative (5 Points) – We will score this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Provides full and complete information on any special initiatives or projects that have been implemented to address the particular needs of adults or youth with disabilities;
Demonstrates experience in successfully implementing a DPN or ODEP grant, including the identified promising practices and the extent to which the applicant implemented other initiatives and actions to serve adults and youth with disabilities and/or other populations with significant challenges to employment;
Presents a convincing plan to become an EN and describes the benefits of becoming an EN;
Demonstrates the successful implementation of special projects or initiatives that have been directed to populations that are known to often have a substantial number of individuals with disabilities such as veterans, TANF recipients, homeless individuals, and ex-offenders.
Demonstrates the commitment of the state to capture partnership involvement and contributions (e.g., resources leveraged) to outcomes.
d. Registration and Operation as an Employment Network (5 Points) – We will score this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Demonstrates registration as an EN;
Demonstrates prior success in participation as an EN at the state or local level;
4. Project Management (10 Points)
Describe the capacity of the state to effectively implement its applicant’s proposal. Applicants must complete a work plan, and example of which is found in Attachment A. Explain how you will monitor progress through the work plan, implementation schedule, staff responsibilities, expected milestones, and outcomes to ensure that you meet the objectives. You must demonstrate that you have the management and administrative capacity to collect the data required by the evaluation and to participate in each of the evaluation phases. Describe how you will use management information systems will be used to report on the performance outcomes of WIA and Wagner-Peyser adults and youth with disabilities in local workforce areas, and whether those adults and youth with disabilities have access to the DEI interventions or the standard WIA and Wagner-Peyser services. Explain how maximum use of participant data from the Workforce Investment Act Standardized Record Data (WIASRD) and Wagner-Peyser reporting system, and additional data collections will be made available to the Department.
DOL will assess the 10 possible points for this criterion as follows:
a. Staff Capacity (5 Points) – Scoring under this criterion will be based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Demonstrates the experience of the project lead regarding workforce and disability knowledge;
Provides a plan to hire an experienced and knowledgeable disability coordinator (or more than one) at the local WIB level and identifies the criteria that the applicant will use to assure that participating WIBs hire individuals with disability expertise and include current or former DPNs in the DEI disability resource coordinator positions when possible (the applicant needed to explain why it selected someone other than an existing or former DPN);
Identifies the likely employing entity (e.g., state, local WIB, One-Stop Career Center) of disability resource coordinator position(s). Identify any utilization of consultants anticipated during the course of the DEI project.
b. Fiscal and Administrative Capacity (5 Points) Scoring under this criterion will be based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Demonstrates the capacity of the state to administer the DEI project, including fiscal and oversight capability, its capacity for early start-up, its capacity to timely and completely submit WIA quarterly fiscal, and program reporting, and its ability to make participant data available to the Department.
Identifies the status of common intake, Management Information Systems (MIS), and integrated data sets for WIA, Wagner-Peyser, Vocational Rehabilitation, and non-mandated WIA programs such as TANF.
Discusses audit or FPO findings and recommendations since PY 2007 and the status of corrective action(s).
Describes its management and administrative capacity to collect the data required by the evaluation and to participate in all phases of the evaluation.
Identifies how the state will provide access to the Department’s duly designated contractor for evaluation purposes. DOL will protect the confidentiality of these records and they will be protected to the fullest extent possible under the law.
Commits to working with the Department’s independent evaluator.
5. Outcomes and Sustainability (10 points) DOL will assess the 10 possible points for this criterion as follows:
a. Outcomes (5 Points) – Scoring under this criterion will be based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Identifies an achievable set of anticipated outcomes that will result from grant activities, including achieved goals and number of individuals with disabilities served;
Demonstrates its ability to achieve the stated outcomes and provide timely or routine data on results within the timeframe of the grant;
Clearly explains the scope of the project in terms of adults or youth with disabilities expected to receive core, intensive, and training services; education and employment outcomes expected; retention expectations; and average wage the applicant expects participants will receive (If a grantee states that it expects employment outcomes that will result in sub-minimum wages for participants, DOL will consider the grant applicant non-responsive and not consider it for funding);
Demonstrates the capacity of the workforce system to capture program co-enrollments (e.g., individuals enrolled in WIA and at least one other program, such as TANF, VR, ENs, etc.).
b. Sustainability (5 Points) – Scoring under this score this criterion based upon the extent to which the applicant:
Develops and explains sustainability strategies for implementing successful approaches that are demonstrated to improve the education and employment outcomes of adults and youth with disabilities beyond the end of the DEI grant;
Provides detailed information on WIA and Wagner-Peyser, Ticket to Work, and other program resources that the applicant will use to replicate or expand the promising practices implemented by the project to other LWIBs and One-Stop Career Centers.
Applications for grants under this Solicitation will be accepted after the publication of this announcement and until the closing date. A technical review panel will carefully evaluate applications against the selection criteria. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this SGA. Up to 100 points may be awarded to an application, depending on the quality of the responses to the required information described in Section V., Subsection A. The ranked scores will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding, in conjunction with other factors such as urban, rural, and geographic balance; the availability of funds; and which proposals are most advantageous to the government. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to his/her attention. The government may elect to award the grant(s) with or without discussions with the applicant. Should a grant be awarded without discussions, the award will be based on the applicant’s signature on the SF-424, including electronic signature via E-Authentication on http://www.grants.gov, which constitutes a binding offer by the applicant.
All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted directly before the grant’s execution. Non-selected applicants will be notified by mail or email and may request a written debriefing on the significant weaknesses of their proposal.
Selection of an organization as a grantee does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, ETA may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and decline to fund the application. DOL reserves the right to not fund any application related to this SGA.
1. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees will be subject to all applicable Federal laws, regulations, and the applicable OMB Circulars. The grant(s) awarded under this SGA will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions:
i. Non-Profit Organizations - OMB Circular A-122 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 230, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
ii. Educational Institutions - OMB Circular A-21 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 220, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
iii. State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments - OMB Circular A-87 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 225, and 29 CFR Part 97 (Administrative Requirements).
iv. Profit Making Commercial Firms - Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) - 48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
v. All Grant Recipients must comply with the applicable provisions of The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law No. 105-220, 112 Stat. 936 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) and the applicable provisions of the regulations at 20 CFR 660 et seq. Note that 20 CFR part 667 (General Fiscal and Administrative Rules) includes unsuccessful applicant appeal information.
vi. All entities must comply with 29 CFR Part 93 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), 29 CFR Part 94 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)), 29 CFR 95.13 and Part 98 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension, and drug-free workplace requirements), and, where applicable, 29 CFR Part 96 (Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts, and Other Agreements) and 29 CFR Part 99 (Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations).
vii. 29 CFR Part 2, subpart D - Equal Treatment in Department of Labor Programs for Religious Organizations, Protection of Religious Liberty of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and Beneficiaries.
viii. 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.
ix. 29 CFR Part 32 - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
x. 29 CFR Part 35 - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.
xi. 29 CFR Part 36 - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
xii. 29 CFR Part 37 - Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
xiii. 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30 - Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.
2. Other Legal Requirements:
i. 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.
ii. Lobbying or Fundraising the U.S. Government with Federal Funds
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 Internal Revenue Service Code Section 501(c) (4) that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive Federal funds and grants. No activity, including awareness-raising and advocacy activities, may include fundraising for, or lobbying of, U.S. Federal, State or Local Governments (see OMB Circular A-122).
iii. Transparency Act Requirements
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 abstracts required by Section IV, Part IIIa, for all applications on the Department’s website or similar location. Additionally, we will publish a version of the Technical Proposal required by Section IV, Part II, for all those applications that are awarded grants, on the Department’s website or a similar location. No other parts or attachments to the application will be published. The Technical Proposals and abstracts 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
Abstracts 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.”
The Department is working with OMB to meet the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1965 (PRA), and will not require any applicants to submit any redactions until the PRA process has been completed.
3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions
Except as specifically provided in this SGA, DOL/ETA’s acceptance of a proposal and an award of Federal funds to sponsor any programs(s) does not provide a waiver of any grant requirements and/or procedures. For example, the OMB Circulars require that an entity’s procurement procedures must ensure that all procurement transactions are conducted, as much as practical, to provide open and free competition. If a proposal identifies a specific entity to provide services, the DOL’s award does not provide the justification or basis to sole source the procurement, i.e., avoid competition, unless the activity is regarded as the primary work of an official partner to the application.
4. Special Program Requirements
i. Mandatory Participation in the Evaluation
To assess the effects of DEI, the Department is asking state applicants to identify all the local WIBs in their states that have the capacity to implement the pilot and are willing to be part of the evaluation. Post-award, the Department will conduct a modified random site lottery (in consultation with the state) for each grantee state. Under this lottery, each site identified by the state will have a 50/50 chance of being chosen to receive funding through the state to implement the SGA project.
For example, if the state applicant nominates six sites to participate in the DEI, three sites will be selected by the site lottery to implement the DEI and three sites would be control sites that would not implement the DEI. All adults and youth with disabilities in the control sites will have access to all the standard WIA and Wagner-Peyser services their WIBs and the state offers. The outcomes of these individuals across the two groups of WIBs will be compared to evaluate the effects of DEI. To that end, all WIBs listed in the application-whether they are selected or not in the lottery-must participate in the evaluation which would entail providing the evaluation contractor with the individuals records of all adults and youth with disabilities served. Up to 5% of the state’s grant funds available may be used to help offset the cost of increased data requirements for all WIBs in the evaluation.
DOL requires that the program or project participate and fully cooperate in the evaluation of DEI’s impact on programs and individuals with disabilities as a condition of award. Participating in the evaluation entails:
1) participating in a site lottery in which all local WIBs identified in the winning applications are entered to determine which of them receive the DEI services; 2) having both the selected DEI and the non-selected DEI WIBs collect the additional data items needed from the evaluation from all individuals with disabilities that receive services from the WIBs; and 3) by accepting fund the state applicant and the local WIBs agree to comply with all other DOL’s data collection and other evaluation activities. The Department will make maximum use of participant data from the Workforce Investment Act Standardized Record Data (WIASRD) and Wagner-Peyser reporting system, but additional data collection will be necessary. DOL will require awardees to provide access to individualized records that contain sufficient information to allow data matching with SSA disability records.
Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS data must be submitted by the grantee electronically. The grantee is required to provide the reports and documents listed below:
1. Quarterly Financial Reports
A Quarterly Financial Status Report (ETA 9130) is required until such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. Grantees must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to grantees.
2. Quarterly Performance Reports
The grantee must submit a quarterly progress report within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. The report must include quarterly information regarding grant activities and information on employment outcomes for those individuals who have exited to date. This reporting will require post-program exit follow-up and tracking of participants.
The last quarterly progress report that grantees submit will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report. This report should provide both quarterly and cumulative information on the grant activities. It must summarize project activities, employment outcomes and other deliverables, and related results of the project, and should thoroughly document the training or labor market information approaches used by the grantee. DOL will provide grantees with formal guidance about the data and other information that is required to be collected and reported on either a regular basis or special request basis. Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements.
3. Record Retention
Applicants must be prepared to follow Federal guidelines on record retention, which require grantees to maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of not less than three years from the time of final grant close-out.
For further information about this SGA, please contact Serena Boyd, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, at (202) 693-3338. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 11-XX, and along with question(s), include a contact name, fax and phone number. This announcement is being made available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants and at http://www.grants.gov.
A. DOL Web-Based Resources for the Applicant
1. DOL maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. These include Workforce3One Resources. For example, the Disability and Employment Workforce3one Web site, https://disability.workforce3one.org provides disability and employment resources for the workforce investment system, including promising practices to promote the positive employment outcomes of persons with disabilities and Disability Program Navigator (DPN) successful strategies and promising practices. It also has archived materials from the past seven years of DPN training and technical assistance activities.
2. In addition to ODEP’s Web-based resources noted in other parts of this SGA, applicants may find additional helpful information on disability and employment issues at http://www.dol.gov/odep.
3. ETA encourages applicants to view the on-line tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.
IX. Other Information
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 about 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 the Departmental Clearance Officer, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N1301, Washington, DC 20210. Comments may also be emailed to [email protected]. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN THE COMPLETED APPLICATION TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND IT TO THE SPONSORING AGENCY AS SPECIFIED IN THIS SOLICITATION.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant. The information collected through this “Solicitation for Grant Applications” will be used by the Department of Labor to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicant best suited to perform the functions of the grant. Submission of this information is required in order for the applicant to be considered for award of this grant.
Signed XX, 2011, in Washington, D.C. by:
B Jai Johnson
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration
Billing Code: 4510-FN-P
Attachment A: Sample Project Work Plan Project Work Plan |
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Priority 1: |
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Activities |
Implementer(s) |
Costs |
Time |
Deliverables |
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Strategy 1.1: |
Develop a virtual training environment for medical record technicians. The eligible applicant will develop software, curriculum, faculty user guides, and web interface testing and maintenance. This activity will be supported through a subcontract to Organization X to beta-test software and provide technical support. |
Strategy Total: |
$500,000 |
Start Date: |
May 2011 |
100 persons trained using A virtual training environment that will result in the training of 100 persons. |
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Equipment: |
300,000 |
End Date: |
May 2014 |
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Year 1: |
$350,000 |
Milestones: |
Subcontract awarded – May 2011 |
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Equipment purchases complete – February 2012 |
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Year 2: |
$100,000 |
Curriculum and user guides complete – July 2012 |
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Cohorts begin virtual training – September 2012 |
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Year 3: |
$50,000 |
Cohorts complete virtual training – May 2014 |
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Strategy 1.2: |
Strategy Total: |
$ |
Start Date: |
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Equipment: |
$ |
End Date: |
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Year 1: |
$ |
Milestones: |
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Year 2: |
$ |
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Year 3: |
$ |
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Priority 2: |
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Activities |
Implementer(s) |
Costs |
Time |
Deliverables |
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Strategy 2.1: |
Strategy Total: |
$ |
Start Date: |
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Equipment: |
$ |
End Date: |
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Year 1: |
$ |
Milestones: |
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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 | DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| Author | frugoli.pam |
| Last Modified By | Marissa Gordon-Nguyen |
| File Modified | 2011-05-12 |
| File Created | 2011-05-12 |