DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for H-1B Technical Skills Training Grants
Announcement Type: Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA)
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY-10-13
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.268
Key Dates: Applications for grant awards will be accepted immediately upon publication of this notice in the Federal Register with two closing dates of May INSERT, 2011, and October INSERT, 2011. Applications must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing dates. Applicants may only submit one application for each closing date, but successful applicants will only receive funding for one grant. Applicants that submit more than one application to a round of funding will be considered non-responsive, and none of their applications will be considered for funding. A pre-recorded webinar will be on-line (http://www.workforce3one.org) and accessible for viewing on [insert date and time] Eastern Time, and will be available for viewing anytime after that date. While a review of this webinar is encouraged it is not mandatory that applicants view this recording.
Addresses: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Thomas Martin, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 10-13, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV.
Summary: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or the Department), announces the availability of approximately $240 million in funds for an H-1B Technical Skills Training Grants program. This grant program is designed to provide education, training, and job placement assistance in the occupations and industries for which employers are using H-1B visas to hire foreign workers, and the related activities necessary to support such training. H-1B technical skills training grants are financed by a user fee paid by employers to bring foreign workers into the United States under the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program. This technical skills training program was authorized under Section 414 (c) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA), as amended (29 USC 2916a). Grant awards will be made only to the extent that funds are available.
The Department will make awards to two types of training grants: those that provide On-the-Job Training (OJT) to all participants and those that use other training strategies. Of the awards granted through this Solicitation, at least $150 million will be awarded to grantees that provide OJT to all participants. Between the two types of grants awarded (OJT and other training strategies), DOL intends to fund at least $45 million to applicants proposing to provide training for occupations in the health care industry and at least $60 million to applicants that serve long-term unemployed individuals. While this Solicitation is open, DOL anticipates that additional funding will accrue for this grant program. Such additional funding may be made available for awards during the second round of funding, depending on the quality of applications received.
Grants may be awarded to partnerships of private and public sector entities, which may include: business-related nonprofit organizations, such as trade associations; education and training providers, including community colleges and community-based organizations; and entities involved in administering the workforce investment system established under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and economic development agencies. Additional partners that reflect the character and resources of the local or regional economy are strongly encouraged.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Solicitation consists of nine (9) sections:
Section I provides a description of this funding opportunity.
Section II provides award information.
Section III provides eligibility information.
Section IV provides information on the application and submission process.
Section V describes the criteria against which applications will be reviewed and explains the proposal review process.
Section VI describes award administration information.
Section VII provides agency contacts.
Section VIII provides additional resources of interest to applicants.
Section IX provides other information.
The United States supports a very large, diverse, and innovative economy. Current economic conditions have intensified the country’s need to employ practical and effective solutions to our most pressing socio-economic challenges. While the economy is showing positive signs, the recession is still playing out in many parts of the country, including an increased number of layoffs. Job creation has been slow in many urban and rural communities which also has led to prolonged unemployment. At the same time, there are still skill shortages in some industries and occupations, and this grant program creates an opportunity to address both issues.
In response to industry skill shortages in high-growth industries and occupations, Congress established the H-1B visa category for non-immigrants seeking work in high-skill or specialty occupations, imposed a user fee on employers for H-1B applications, and set annual limits on the number of H-1B visas granted. ACWIA, as amended, authorized the Department to use a portion of those fees to finance an H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant Program. This grant program is designed to provide education, training, and job placement assistance in the occupations and industries for which employers are using H-1B visas to hire foreign workers, and the related activities necessary to support such training.
The H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant Program is intended to raise the technical skill levels of American workers so they can obtain or upgrade employment in high-growth industries and occupations. Over time, these education and training programs will help businesses reduce their use of skilled foreign professionals permitted to work in the U.S. on a temporary basis under the H-1B visa program. While the occupations at H-1B skill levels are generally defined as a bachelor's degree or comparable experience, education and training conducted through this program is not limited to skill levels commensurate with 4-year undergraduate degrees, and can include the preparation of workers for employment along career pathways for a broad range of occupations and industries in which employers are using H–1B visas to hire foreign workers. H-1B Technical Skills Training Grants are not intended to address entry-level skill shortages nor may they fund programs aimed at imparting basic educational skills; however, applicants may propose courses that support technical skills development at the post-secondary level, e.g., math, science, or language courses directly related to technical skills training.
B. Targeted Industries, Occupations and Participants
Technical Skills Training Grants under this SGA will focus on high-growth industries and occupations defined in ACWIA as those that: 1) are projected to add substantial numbers of new jobs to the economy; 2) are being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skill sets for workers; 3) are new and emerging businesses that are projected to grow; or 4) have a significant impact on the economy overall or on the growth of other industries and occupations. To meet the legislative intent of training American workers to reduce the need for foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, applicants must design their education and training programs to support industries and occupations for which employers are using H–1B visas to hire foreign workers. According to recent data, a wide range of industries may meet these criteria in local and regional areas around the country.
Applicants should review the attached list of industries and occupations that are using H–1B visas to hire foreign workers (See Attachment A). This list is not exhaustive and applicants are advised to also refer to the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center Web site (http://www.flcdatacenter.com/CaseH1B.aspx) for the latest database of occupations approved under H-1B petitions. For this Solicitation, ETA is particularly interested in training for occupations within the following industries: information technology, communication and broadband technology, advanced manufacturing and health care.
ETA intends to fund at least $45 million to applicants proposing to provide training in the health care industry (including Health Information Technology). The health care industry has grown rapidly and is projected to grow in the future due to advances in medical knowledge and the increased need for medical services required by an aging population. Of the 20 fastest growing occupations, half are within the health care industry. The absence of sufficient numbers of qualified workers in this diverse sector threatens the quality and availability of medical care, and the economic stability and growth potential of local communities in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Moreover, the growing complexity of health care delivery will require workers to continuously upgrade their skills.
While grants will serve participants who may be currently employed or unemployed, the Department is particularly focused on reaching those individuals who have been unemployed the longest, and will work to ensure that at least $60 million in grant awards goes to those applicants that focus on this population. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' December 2010 Employment Situation Summary, the long-term unemployed make up about 44 percent of all unemployed workers. These unemployed workers may be near or past the exhaustion of their unemployment benefits or may be discouraged from looking for work. They may need additional assistance to enhance their skills to become re-employed.
C. Training Strategies and Allowable Activities
Applicants must propose projects that provide job training and related activities that are designed to assist workers in gaining the skills and competencies needed to obtain or upgrade employment in high-growth industries and occupations, or along the career pathways for such industries and occupations. A career pathway may generally be defined as a system of career options which allows opportunities for professional growth and upward mobility. Training under this Solicitation may not be used for entry-level occupations, but should focus on occupations along the career pathways that require higher skill levels. DOL will fund two types of training programs: those that provide OJT to all participants, or those that use other promising training strategies. With each type of training strategy, there are a number of activities that applicants can include to ensure that the programs meet participants’ needs. All training strategies must: 1) target skills and competencies in demand by industries and occupations for which employers are using H–1B visas to hire foreign workers (see Attachment A); 2) provide education and training for jobs currently available; and 3) whenever possible, result in an industry recognized credential. ETA encourages applicants to use program models with demonstrated success in serving the eligible participants, especially those with strong program evaluations showing positive impacts on participants.
1. On-the-Job Training (OJT)
ETA intends to commit at least $150 million to grants that employ training strategies that provide On-the-Job Training (OJT) to every participant. Incumbent worker training does not qualify for OJT and does not count toward the $150 million set aside. This does not preclude the applicant from proposing and implementing other types of training strategies in support of OJT, however, OJT must be a component of each participant’s training strategy. OJT is distinguished from other types of workplace training, including customized training, by several factors: (1) participants are hired (or employed) and earn wages from employers during training; (2) it is based on an individualized training plan that reflects the results of an individual skills assessment and an analysis of job requirements; (3) training is conducted in the work setting under the direction of one or more of the employer’s supervisory personnel; and (4) the employer is paid a reimbursement to cover the extraordinary costs of the training.
OJT can bridge the divide between unemployment and employment by addressing gaps in an individual’s skill level. Individuals who participated in OJT in the past have demonstrated improved labor market attachment and enhanced job tenure, as illustrated by higher rates of job placement and retention. OJT also offers participants a “learn and earn” training option, allowing individuals to learn new skills while earning a regular paycheck.
2. Other Training Strategies
Under the second type of training strategy (non-OJT) to be funded, applicants must not offer OJT to participants. Other types of training strategies include but are not limited to: classroom occupational training; contextualized learning; distance learning; and customized training, including incumbent worker training, for particular employers or groups of employers.
3. Activities that Support the Training Strategies
In implementing either type of training program, applicants may propose to use grant funds for a wide range of activities that support the direct education and training of eligible participants including but not limited to the following:
Developing math, science or language courses at the post-secondary level that are integrated into the technical skills training;
Costs related to accrediting employer- and/or industry-recognized credentials;
Other costs of program development such as using subject matter experts from industry, education, and other areas to assist in curriculum design;
Developing and implementing articulation agreements with universities and other educational partners that allow for recognition of course credits in exchange for the education and/or training provided;
Recruitment of eligible participants;
Initial assessment of skill levels, aptitudes, abilities, and competencies;
Job search and placement assistance, as well as career counseling;
Supportive services that enable individuals to participate in grant activities (see Section IV.E.7); and
Updating or replicating existing industry-recognized curricula to support direct education and training provided through the grant.
Activities that are not directly related to the development and implementation of education, training, and other related services for high-growth industries for which employers are using H-1B visas are not allowable activities under this grant. Applicants should refer to Section VI of the SGA for a list of relevant OMB Circulars related to cost principles, administrative and other requirements that apply to this Solicitation and to Section IV.E for a discussion of costs that are not allowable under this Solicitation.
Through this single Solicitation, ETA is making approximately $240 million in funds available through two rounds of funding, and expects to fund 75 - 100 grants with individual grant amounts ranging from $1 million to $5 million. Between these two rounds of grants, DOL intends to award at least $150 million to grantees that provide On-the-Job Training (OJT) to all participants. The remaining funding will be awarded to applicants that provide other training strategies to participants. Across the two types of grants awarded (OJT and other training strategies), DOL intends to award at least $45 million to applicants proposing to provide training in the health care industry and $60 million to applicants proposing to focus on the long-term unemployed. These set-asides are not mutually exclusive; in other words, applicants can propose to provide OJT in the health care industry and if successful, their funding amount will count toward both set-asides. ETA reserves the right to change these amounts depending on the quantity and quality of applications submitted under this SGA. DOL anticipates that additional funding will accrue for this grant training program between the first and second rounds of grants contained in this Solicitation Such additional funding may be made available for awards during the second round of funding, depending on the quality of applications received. Grant awards will be made only to the extent that funds are available.
Any grant application with a proposed value greater than $5 million will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered.
Applicants may only submit one application for each closing date; successful applicants will only receive funding for one grant. Applicants that submit more than one application to a round of funding will be considered non-responsive, and none of their applications will be considered for funding. If an applicant is not successful when submitting an application during round one, it should note that ETA cannot ensure that applicants will receive a summary of the panel’s comments on the original application before the second closing date. Therefore, if an applicant chooses to submit a second application for the later closing date, absent receipt of the summary of the panel’s comments, any changes to their original proposal will be made at their own discretion.
Grants proposing the two types of training strategies (OJT and non-OJT) will be paneled separately.
B. Period of Performance
The period of grant performance will be up to 48 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 expenditures.
Section III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Grants may be awarded to a partnership of private and public sector entities as defined in ACWIA. This partnership must include at least two entities from among the following groups: 1) business-related nonprofit organizations, such as trade associations; 2) education and training providers, including community colleges and other community-based organizations; and 3) entities involved in administering the workforce investment system established under Title I of the WIA, and economic development agencies.
All applicants must clearly identify the lead organization that will serve as the grantee and have overall fiscal and administrative responsibility for the grant, as well as each member of the partnership and the required partner(s) in the required Abstract (see Section IV.B. Part III.) The grantee organization must be the organization specified in Section 8 of the SF-424 Application Form, and will be: 1) the point of contact with DOL to receive and respond to all inquiries or communications under this SGA and any subsequent grant award; 2) the entity with authority to withdraw or draw down funds through the Department of Health and Human Services - Payment Management System (HHS-PMS); 3) responsible for submitting to DOL all deliverables under the grant, including all technical and financial reports related to the project, regardless of which consortium member performed the work; 4) the entity that may request or agree to a revision or amendment of the grant agreement or statement of work; 5) the entity with overall responsibility for carrying out the programmatic functions of the grant, as well as for the stewardship of all expenditures under the grant; and 6) the entity responsible for working with DOL to close out the grant.
For the purposes of this SGA, these partner groups are defined as:
1. Business-related Nonprofit Organizations
Business-related Nonprofit Organizations include trade or industry associations such as local Chambers of Commerce and small business federations, and labor organizations. These entities may contribute to one or more aspects of the grant activities, such as defining the program goals, identifying necessary skills and competencies, providing resources to support education and training (e.g. equipment, instructors, funding, internships, or OJT and other work-based learning activities or situations), and convening consortia of employers, particularly small businesses.
2. Education/Training Providers and Other Community-Based Organizations
For the purposes of this SGA, education and training providers are institutions of higher education as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). These "institutions of higher education" include public or other nonprofit educational institutions. Applicants must identify their institution type in Section 9 of the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance. Eligible institutions must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association that has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. A database of institutions that are accredited by bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education can be found at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. Applicants are strongly encouraged to check this Web site, as the Department will use this database in determining an applicant’s accreditation to ensure eligibility. Generally, institutions of higher education include 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions, among others.
Community-based organizations are key providers of basic skills training, technical skills training, supportive services, and workforce development services in communities across the country. Community-based organizations understand the importance of leveraging resources, engaging employers to better understand their workforce needs and secure employment for their participants, and providing comprehensive supportive services in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the extent legally allowed, for workers and training participants.
3. The Workforce Investment System and Economic Development Agencies
Public workforce system entities are involved in administering the workforce investment system established under Title I of WIA, and include state and local Workforce Investment Boards and their One-Stop Career Center systems. These types of organizations may participate in the grant activities, such as: 1) understanding and analyzing the need for education and training in the local area including identifying targeted industries, occupations, and hiring needs, as well as populations to be served, and providing relevant sources of data including the workforce investment board’s strategic plan, labor market information, and other tools or reports; 2) assessing potential participants for the grant program; 3) identifying and referring candidates for education and training in the grant program; 4) connecting and placing participants with employers that have job openings; and, 5) collecting, tracking, and reporting participant data to ETA.
State, regional, and/or local economic development agencies work closely with employers, understand regional economic needs, and are involved in activities that help to generate and retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth. The role of economic development agencies is to seek out new economic opportunities and retain their existing employer community. Economic development agencies do not create jobs, but support new and existing businesses in doing so. Economic development agencies may support the project by ensuring that there are sufficient economic development programs and incentives in place to assist the businesses in achieving their goals.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider integrating employment and training programs with collaborative regional economic development strategies that align with key economic development investments to ensure that workers are being prepared for growth industries in their regional economy.
B. Required Partnerships with Employer(s) or Consortia of Employers
In addition to the entities included in the partnership, applicants must also work with at least one employer or consortium of employers that is engaged in the project in one or more of the following ways: defining the program goals and activities, identifying necessary skills and competencies, providing resources to support education/training (such as equipment, instructors, funding, internships, or OJT and other work-based learning activities), providing assistance with program design, and, where appropriate, hiring qualified participants who complete grant-funded education and training programs based on real job projections.
ETA particularly encourages partnerships that include multiple employers in an industry cluster, which is a concentration of interconnected businesses, suppliers, research and development, service providers, and associated institutions in a particular field that are linked by common workforce needs. Working with multiple businesses helps ensure that training prepares workers for a range of employer needs in the target industry, making participants more employable and giving businesses a stronger employee pool.
All training approaches work best when the employment experience is closely tied to anticipated employment opportunities. Applicants proposing OJT, in particular, should consider the hiring plans of interested employers to maximize the number of participants who are hired permanently. Employers have the added incentive to participate in all phases of the training development since OJT offers a unique opportunity to offset initial training costs and assist in filling skilled positions while building organizational productivity as the participant learns the job requirements.
C. Cost Sharing or Matching
The general administrative requirements related to cost sharing or match are found at 29 CFR 97.25 or 29 CFR 95.23. Under these requirements, cash match is defined as funds made available to the grantee (or subgrantee) to be used specifically for project activities. The grantee has control over and disburses these funds and they are tracked and accounted for in their accounting system. Other federal resources may not be counted towards the match requirements. Examples of cash match include funds provided for grant activities by the applicant; funds the applicant receives from employers or salaries paid by employers providing the incumbent worker training; and cash funds the applicant receives from partners of the applicant including foundations, private entities or state or local governments, provided that the government resources are not comprised of any federal funds. In-kind contributions are non-cash contributions provided by the applicant or non-Federal third parties. In-kind contributions may be in the form of equipment, supplies, and other expendable property, donated time, and the value of goods and services that directly benefit and are specifically identifiable to the project program.
The portion of an incumbent worker’s salary paid while the worker is participating in incumbent worker training (i.e., employee paid release time) may be counted as match under these grants. Fringe benefits and other personal benefits cannot be counted as match. For employer partners (or subrecipients), these funds may be counted as cash match. Please note that salaries paid by employers to OJT participants cannot count as match.
D. Other Eligibility Criteria
1. Grant Recipient Training
Grant recipients are required to participate in all ETA training activities related to orientation, financial management and reporting, performance reporting, product dissemination, and other technical assistance training as appropriate during the life of the grant. These trainings may occur via conference calls, through virtual events such as webinars, and in-person meetings. Applicants should budget for at least two staff members to attend two in-person training events during the life of the grant.
2. Transparency
The Department is committed to conducting a transparent grant award process and publicizing information about program outcomes. Applicants are advised that their application and information related to its review and evaluation (whether or not the application is successful) may be made publicly available, either fully or partially. In addition, information about grant progress and results may also be made publicly available.
E. Eligible Participants
1. Participants Eligible to Receive Training
Applicants must propose projects that focus on providing education and training to unemployed and/or employed workers, however, incumbent workers are not eligible for OJT under this SGA. The Department is particularly interested in making sure that grants focus on serving long-term unemployed workers, especially those who have been unemployed the longest.
In order to be considered as an applicant focusing on this population, at least 75% of the applicant’s participants should be documented as long-term unemployed. While long-term unemployed individuals are defined as those who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more, the Department is also interested in making sure that applicants have the flexibility to serve individuals from their communities that have been unemployed the longest. Individuals who have lost their jobs during the recent recession (commencing from January 1, 2008 forward), and have exhausted unemployment benefits, or have not yet reconnected with a job that provides comparable responsibility and pay (underemployment), or who are working part-time job(s) when they want a full-time job, or who have become discouraged and have stopped looking for a job should be considered among the long-term unemployed. Applicants should consult their state’s unemployment data to target individuals who have been unemployed for much longer than 27 weeks. (Data on unemployment is available at http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/)
Candidates for education and training funded through these grants should not be at the beginning of a career pathway and should have at least a high school diploma or a GED, as well as some post-secondary education and/or work experience that would allow them to enter the defined career pathway at a later point. Candidates may already have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, but they do not necessarily have to possess advanced degrees to be eligible. Applicants must propose projects that serve only individuals who are at least 18 years of age and are pursuing a high-skill occupation.
2. 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 equally 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 first 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 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 for funding. 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. If applicants are proposing incumbent worker training, the budget narrative must include a description of the amount and nature of the match provided for incumbent worker training to support grant activities. Please note, any funds provided in excess of 50% should be listed as leveraged resources and not match. Do not include leveraged resources on the SF-424 or SF-424A. Match and leveraged resources must be described separately in the budget narrative with the applicant clearly distinguishing between what will be considered matching funds and what will be considered additional leveraged resources. The amount of match must be broken down between the amount of cash match and the amount of in-kind contributions, as well as the total match provided. Additionally, in the budget narrative the entirety of the match must be calculated as a percentage of the grant amount as outlined in Section III.C. Please see the requirements of 29 CFR 97.24 or 29 CFR 95.23 for the definition of match as well as requirements for determining the value of in-kind contributions.
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; they should be discussed in the budget narrative. For applicants including incumbent worker activities, the match amount must be listed on the SF-424 and -424A or your application will be deemed non-responsive. However, for all other applicants, including OJT and other training strategies that do not use incumbent worker training, do not include an amount for match or leveraged resources 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:
The applicant must provide an Abstract, not to exceed two pages, which will serve as a summary of the grant and will be shared publicly, and which includes the following sections: 1) the project name; 2) the lead applicant, the lead applicant’s Federal Tax Identification Number, and each required partner within the project (identified in Section III.A and III.B); 3) the applicant’s city/state; 4) the grant’s targeted high-growth industry(ies) and/or occupation(s) and the related industry and/or occupation from the H-1B visa lists 5) the funding level requested and match amount (if applicable); 6) a summary of the specific program activities (see Section I.C), including whether it is an OJT program or one using other training strategies (and if so, whether or not it includes incumbent worker training; 7) the eligible participants to be served, including whether there is a focus on long-term unemployed; and 8) public contact information where grantee wants public inquires to be addressed (may be an email, website, or phone number).
Each applicant must submit one signed letter of commitment from the partners, including the required employer partner(s), as required in Section III.B of the SGA . The letter must confirm the commitment of each organization involved in the project to fulfill their responsibilities during the life of the grant as outlined in the project work plan which is part of the technical proposal (see Section IV.B.). The letter of commitment should not reiterate the activities and other details of the work plan.
A graphic display of the applicant’s proposed career pathway that highlights point(s) along the pathway where the skills training will occur and which reflects participants entry into and progression along the pathway (see Section V.A.2.i);
The lead organization (the organization specified in Section 8 of the SF-424 Application Form) must include the unique Federal Tax Identification Number in the Abstract (Part III a)). Applications where the lead organization fails to provide the unique Federal Tax Identification Number will be considered non-responsive and those applicants will not be considered for funding.
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.
Applications for grant awards will be accepted immediately upon publication of this notice in the Federal Register with two closing dates of April XX, 2011, and September 30, 2011. Grant awards will be made based on the quality and quantity of proposals received and only to the extent that funds are available. Applicants may submit one application for each closing date, but successful applicants will only be eligible to receive funding once under this SGA. Applicants that submit more than one application to a round of funding will be considered non-responsive, and none of their applications will be considered for funding.
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 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing dates. Applications submitted on grants.gov must also be successfully submitted (as described below) no later than 4:00 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: Thomas Martin, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 10-13, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, D.C. 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 (document), .RTF (rich text) .XLS (Excel) or .PDF (portable document) format (ETA must be able to easily copy and paste information from applications into other file formats). If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent us from considering the application. 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.
Under this Solicitation, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a project or program may not use more than 10 percent of the amount of the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or project. Administrative costs could be direct or indirect costs, and are defined at 20 CFR 667.220. Administrative costs do not need to be identified separately from program costs on the SF-424A Budget Information Form. However, they must be tracked through the grantee’s accounting system. To claim any administrative costs that are also indirect costs, the applicant must obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement from its Federal Cognizant agency, as specified above.
3. Equipment Costs
As with all costs charged to the grant, the costs of equipment must meet the standards in the applicable Federal cost principles, including that the costs are reasonable and necessary to achieve grant outcomes. While grant funds may be used to purchase equipment that is used for education and training activities provided through the proposed project, applicants are strongly encouraged to use leveraged resources to support these costs to maximize the use of their grant funds for program specific activities. Evidence of efforts to purchase equipment with non-grant funds after the receipt of the grant will be required for approval of the use of grant funds for equipment. DOL will closely review the equipment costs listed in the SF-424A and the Budget Narrative to determine their reasonableness and necessity. DOL reserves the right to negotiate or reject any equipment costs which do not meet these standards.
4. Intellectual Property Rights
“This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This solution is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.”
5. On-the-Job Training
Under this Solicitation, OJT will follow the definitions and requirements under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) section 101(31). Incumbent workers are not eligible for OJT under this SGA. OJT is provided under a contract with an employer in the public, private-nonprofit, or private sector. Through the OJT contract, occupational training is provided for the grant participant in exchange for the reimbursement to the employer of up to 50 percent of the wage rate to compensate for the employer’s extraordinary costs of training the individual. The employer pays wages to the participant. Section 667.264 of the WIA regulations specifically prohibit grant funds from being spent on payment of wages of incumbent employees. For complete information on the specific WIA parameters for OJT, please refer to WIA regulations 20 CFR 663.700 – 663.710, as well as 20 CFR 663.730. Applicants will be required to follow the parameters for OJT included in the WIA law and regulations with the following policy exceptions:
Eligible participants cannot be currently employed by the employer;
Participant placements may only occur in private for-profit and non-profit sectors (i.e., the grant does not allow for public sector placements);
No placement may be made in agencies providing workers on a temporary basis to employers for which the agency receives compensation from the employer;
The period of reimbursement should be an adequate length to ensure the participant has acquired the technical skills needed for employment but no longer than 12 months. Individuals may not be co-enrolled in other ETA programs for the purpose of extending OJT beyond 12 months. Twelve months exceeds the average length of time for current WIA OJT activities, so grantees should negotiate contracts with employers that lead to transitioning participants to permanent employment as soon as possible. DOL’s expectation is that grantees would establish contracts that may be longer than 12 months, however, the reimbursement for each individual that participates in OJT cannot be longer than 12 months.
Typically, the negotiated reimbursement percentage for OJT under WIA may be as high as 50 percent of the participant’s hourly wage. However, for grants awarded under this Solicitation, the negotiated reimbursement percentage may be as high as 90 percent of the participant’s hourly wage based on employer size: up to 90 percent of the participant’s wage rate for employers with 50 or fewer employees; up to 75 percent of the participant’s wage rate for employers with 51-250 employees; and up to 50 percent for employers with more than 250 employees. Grantees are also encouraged to negotiate lower rates or variable rates (such as starting at 90 and reducing the subsidy over time) where possible to ensure that the maximum number of participants is served by the project.
Finally, upon receipt of a grant, applicants must develop sound on-the-job-training (OJT) contracts. The contract process sets the ground-rules for an OJT with an employer and assists in making the determination if an employer is eligible to provide an OJT opportunity. The contract must include the federally-required elements of an OJT agreement; however, states, counties or municipalities may have additional contract requirements. Contracts also outline the terms and conditions that the employer and OJT provider agree to provide for an OJT experience. Contracts with an employer can be set up for a specific period of time but need not necessarily specify the individual trainees to whom they apply. This allows the employer to provide training to more than one trainee. If an employer only has one position or plans to limit the training experience to one employee, then a contract must also include the individual trainee’s information. For these grants, contracts must provide that the employer is responsible for documenting skills gained by participants during the training period. It should also include a description of how the reimbursement level was determined. For sample templates and other resources, grantees may access ETA’s on-line technical assistance related to an OJT contract at the following web address: https://ojttoolkit.workforce3one.org/page/contracts_and_mods
6. Payments to Participants
For the purposes of grants awarded under this SGA, the following will apply: Organizations may only use grant funds to pay for the wages of participants in three specific activities: paid work experience, paid internships and incumbent worker training.
i. Work Experience and Internships
Work experience and internships are defined as a planned, structured learning experience that takes place in a workplace for a limited period of time, and may be paid or unpaid. Labor standards apply in any work experience where an employee/employer relationship, as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), exists. For more information on the FLSA, applicants may visit http://www.dol.gov/whd/.
For a work experience or internship that supports training, applicants will need to describe how the work experience or internship is connected to and supports the education and training activities included in the grant. Grantees have flexibility in the design and implementation of work experience and internships, however they must meet the following parameters:
Provide an individual with monitored or supervised work or service experience in his or her expected career field where the individual has prescribed learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience. These learning goals can include a) academic learning, career development, and skill development, and b) the attainment of credentials in the individual’s expected career field;
Are part of structured programs where the grantee established the criteria for determining who will participate in these programs;
Are for a set period of time;
Relate to training provided through the grant, and help participants prepare for the employment opportunities on which the grant focuses; and
May or may not carry an offer of regular employment upon successful completion of the internship.
ii. Incumbent Worker Salaries
For applicants that are implementing other training strategies and not implementing OJT, the following applies:
Incumbent worker salaries paid by the employer are NOT allowable costs to be reimbursed under this grant; however, for the purposes of this grant, the amount of salary, excluding fringe benefits, paid to employees while participating in incumbent worker training may be counted as matching resources.
7. Use of Funds for Supportive Services
Under this Solicitation, supportive services for training participants will follow the definitions in WIA Sections 101(46) , 134(e)(2), and 134(e)(3). They include services such as transportation, child care, dependent care, and housing that are necessary to enable an individual to participate in education and training activities funded through this grant. Under WIA Section 134(e)(3), supportive services can include needs-related payments (NRPs) that are necessary to enable individuals to participate in training activities funded through this grant. Supportive services activities may include, but are not limited to, provision of the actual supportive service (i.e. childcare); providing participants with a voucher for the service (i.e. public transportation cards or tokens); or providing a stipend directly to the participant. Applicants should note that where stipends for supportive services are provided, the stipend amount must be for costs of a specific supportive service (i.e. childcare), rather than simply based on an unidentified need.
For the purposes of this SGA, grantees, using either training strategy, may use up to 10% of grant funds to provide supportive services only to individuals who are participating in education and training activities provided through the grant when: 1) they are unable to obtain such services through other programs, and 2) such services are necessary to enable individuals to participate in education and training activities under the grant. Grantees may establish limits on the provision of supportive services or provide their subrecipients with the authority to establish such limits, including a maximum amount of funding and maximum length of time for supportive services to be available to participants. Grantees must ensure that their use of grant funds on supportive services is consistent with their organization’s established written policy on the provision of supportive services and relevant WIA regulations. Additionally, ETA encourages grantees to leverage other sources of funding for supportive services, including WIA formula funds.
8. Prohibition on Use of Funds for Economic Development
General economic development projects, including revolving loan accounts, do not meet the H-1B requirements for training and development of job opportunities in high-growth industries and occupations. Examples of general economic development that may not meet this standard include but are not limited to infrastructure investments in businesses, increases in inventory, participation in trade shows, revolving loan accounts1, new or additional equipment used for purposes other than training activities, capital asset purchases, and other costs not specifically related to increases in actual job opportunities.
Sub-Grant Profit
For commercial organizations, the earning of profit is not an allowable cost item. For governmental, non-profit, and public or non-profit educational institutions, earnings above actual costs incurred are to be treated as program income. Any program income earned must be used for program purposes.
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 will be used for each category to evaluate grant proposals. The evaluation criteria are described below:
Criterion |
Points |
|
30 |
|
45 |
|
25 |
TOTAL |
100 |
H-1B technical skills training applicants must provide a clear and compelling description of the need for education and training programs in the industries and occupations for which they propose training in the State, region, or local area that will be served by the project. Applicants must demonstrate the need for the proposed project using data on the H-1B sectors and occupations (see Attachment A) in which they propose training , Labor Market Information, consultation with local employers and industry associations, and other related information.
Points in this section will be awarded based on the extent to which applicants address the following factors:
i. Targeted Industries and Occupations (20 points)
Applicants must identify the targeted high-growth industry(ies) or occupation(s) on which the project will focus, and fully describe the current and future projected employment opportunities within the State, region, or local area to be served by the project, as well as the education and skills required for workers to meet the employment demand. Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which the applicant’s discussion of the following factors is clear and logical:
Clear identification of the high-growth industry(ies) and/or occupation(s) targeted by the project. Applicants must cite evidence that the industry and/or occupation is one that employers currently seek H-1B visas for and/or is an occupation(s) along the career pathway to the occupation or in the relevant industry. Applicants must also cite evidence that the industry and/or occupation is high-growth according to one or more of the following factors: 1) projected to add substantial numbers of new jobs to the economy; 2) are being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skill sets for workers; 3) are new and emerging businesses that are projected to grow; or 4) have a significant impact on the economy overall or on the growth of other industries and occupations;
Clear description of the skills and/or credentials necessary for entry into or retention in the industry/occupation and a clear discussion of the education and training required to attain the competencies, and degrees/credentials required for the targeted high-growth industry or occupations;
Clear identification of the average, current wages offered in the industry and/or occupation, based on national, state or local data;
Clear description of the current and future workforce needed by the required employer(s) and/or employer cluster; and,
Clear description of evidence that the local or regional employers face a gap in skills of the available workforce and in the training available to the workforce, including a description of the current and future projected demand for employment, including how that demand coincides with the proposed program. Applicants should cite the source of the current and projected demand, such as from DOL, State workforce agencies, employers, and other relevant sources.
ii. Targeted Population (10 points)
Applicants must clearly identify the workers to be targeted through the project, their characteristics and why they are targeted and the recruitment strategies that will be employed to attract sufficient number of participants to the grant program. Applicants should make every effort to target and recruit minorities and women, with the ultimate goal of increasing diversity. Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which the applicant’s discussion demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the following factors:
Clear description of the recruitment and selection process for program participants, employed and/or unemployed. If an applicant chooses to target long-term unemployed individuals, then the applicant must include a discussion about the outreach and recruitment that will occur to ensure that at least 75 percent of participants are long-term unemployed individuals;
Clear description of the criteria to be used to assess and enroll individuals for H-1B level education and training and a discussion of the role of the employer partner(s) in the selection, and a determination of whether the selection process might affect the diversity of the program;
Clear description of methods that will be used to insure that a diverse and inclusive set of program participants will be recruited, identifying specific strategies of outreach to diverse populations that will be used, including the choice of the private or public partner in the proposal, particularly if the selection process might affect achieving a diverse set of program participants;
Clear description of the prerequisites for the occupational training being proposed; the minimum educational level requirements proposed for trainees; and how these requirements position trainees to enter occupations for which H-1B visas are currently used and/or into the higher-levels of the career pathway (not entry-level); including a determination of whether the prerequisites might affect the diversity of program participants;
Clear description of the existing diversity of the workforce, and a clear description of how the proposal will maintain or improve the diversity of the workforce; and,
Clear description of the commitment from employers to hire workers who successfully complete the program and the anticipated wages that participants may expect to earn.
2. Program Activities and Project Management (45 points)
The applicant must provide a complete and clear explanation of the proposed training strategies, the proposed project work plan, the applicant’s capacity to manage the project, and plans for project sustainability. Points for this criterion will be awarded for the following factors:
i. Description of Training Strategy (15 points)
Applicants must provide a description of the training strategy(ies) selected. Applicants must fully explain how each strategy will meet the skill needs of the targeted occupation(s)/industries, as described in the Statement of Need. Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which applicants describe a training strategy which addresses the skill needs of employer(s) and the training needs of workers by discussing the following:
Clearly identify the specific activities to be used in the proposed project, beginning with a description of the OJT or the other training strategy(ies) and how the selected project meets the requirements outlined in Section I.C;
Clearly describe how the applicant and its required partners will develop and implement the career training program(s), and ensure that work begins immediately to deliver training and assistance with job placement to participants;
Identify the degrees and industry-recognized credentials that will result from the training programs implemented by the project, or the specific documentation that you will gather from the employer(s) to validate the completion and attainment of the specific skills trainees obtained from training. Describe these credentials or skills in the context of how they fit the specific H-1B occupation or into those along the career pathway. The applicant must include a graphic display of the career pathway along which the skills training will occur (this will not count against the 20 page limit); and,
Clearly explain how the proposed project will directly address the skills and training gaps identified earlier, allowing eligible participants to obtain employment or advance along the career pathway.
Clearly explain how the proposed project will help eligible participants to obtain employment or advance along the career pathway following exit from the program, including any activities that will be customized to long-term unemployed workers. Applicants may cite related research showing that the proposed training strategies have positive employment impacts for participants, and applicants with experience providing the proposed training may cite data showing that the proposed training strategy has led to good jobs for participants.
ii. Program Activities (20 points)
The applicant must present a comprehensive description of program activities that aligns to the proposed description provided in response to Section V.A.2.i of this Solicitation. Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which applicants: 1) present a coherent and comprehensive program that demonstrates the applicant’s complete understanding of all responsibilities and costs required to implement each phase of the project within the timeframe of the grant; 2) include feasible timeframes for accomplishing all procurement and other necessary grant start-up activities immediately following the grant start date; 3) include specific timeframes for accomplishing the activities performed during operation; and, 4) explain how the costs in the proposed project work plan align with the proposed budget, specifically the budget narrative, and are justified as adequate and cost-effective for the resources requested. Applicants must present either a table or a narrative that includes descriptions of the following:
Activities: The applicant must identify the specific activities that will be funded through the grant, including the anticipated start date and end date for each activity to be funded. The activities should include descriptions of the steps necessary to develop the training that will take place, the specific tasks and roles of the required employer partner(s), the staff hiring process, the processes for recruiting and assessing participants, the implementation of the training activities, the provision of any supportive services, the job placement assistance that will be provided to participants, and follow-up activities.
Implementer(s): For each activity, the applicant must include the name of the organization that will be responsible for implementing the activity and the specific roles and responsibilities of partners, and the expected contributions of each partner organization and how they will support meeting the project’s outcomes, which will all be confirmed through the organization’s signature in the letter of commitment (see Section IV.B. Part III); and,
Costs: Applicants must describe how the budget dollar amount associated with each activity in the budget narrative is adequate to fund that activity. The applicant must also estimate the per-trainee cost related to each activity, including any relevant wage reimbursement.
iii. Project Management (10 points)
The applicant must fully describe its capacity to effectively manage the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative aspects of the proposed investment. In addressing this criterion, applicants should provide:
The professional qualifications that the applicant will require of the full-time project manager and demonstrate that these qualifications are sufficient to ensure proper management, including management of partner activities;
An organizational chart that identifies all relevant leadership, program, administrative, and advisory positions and demonstrates that the project will be implemented through a comprehensive management structure that allows for efficient and effective communication between all levels of the project and across partner organizations;
A description of the applicant’s procurement processes and procedures including a description of the accounting system being used that demonstrates that the applicant is equipped to meet Federal, State (if applicable), and other relevant procurement requirements; and,
If the applicant has previously closed down a training program, a description of how the applicant has closed down other training programs, either federally-funded or not, including a description of how effective practices were integrated into general operations, how participants were able to access resources after the training program ended (if at all) or how the applicant secured resources to continue operations with a different funding source.
Applicants must provide projections for all outcome categories relevant to measuring the success or impact of the project. The applicant’s projected outcomes will be used as the basis for negotiating the outcome goals for the grant. Outcomes will also be compared with labor market information provided by the applicant and used in evaluating the applicant’s outcome goals.
The applicant must collect participant-level data on individuals who receive education/training and other services provided through the grant. This data will be the basis for reporting against the outcomes listed below as well as additional outcomes that will be defined through reporting requirements. An applicant must collect and report participant-level data from the following categories: demographic and socioeconomic characteristics; services provided; and, outcomes achieved.
The applicant must comprehensively address each of the areas outlined below:
The applicant must provide projections for the entire project and track outcomes quarterly for each of the following outcome categories for all participants served with grant funds. Applicants must present their information in a performance outcomes table (see Attachment C), that is included within the technical proposal and counts against the page limit (not the attachments to the technical proposal). The table should be formatted to include each of the following projections for each type of individual served (employed/incumbent and unemployed):
Total participants served;
Total participants beginning education/training activities;
Total participants completing education/training activities;
Total participants who complete education/training activities that receive a degree, or other type of credential;
Total number of credentials each participant is expected to receive;
Total participants who complete education/training activities who enter unsubsidized employment. (If serving employed or incumbent workers, this outcome is not applicable because it should be the same as the number who complete education/training activities);
Total participants who complete education/training activities who are placed into unsubsidized employment, who retain an employed status in the first and second quarters following initial placement (this includes incumbent workers who retained their positions after the program); and,
The average wage that participants will earn at placement into unsubsidized employment (this includes incumbent workers who retain their positions and get wage gains after the program).
The applicant must provide a narrative that explains how the cost per participant is impacted by the participants served and demonstrates that the applicant will be able to provide information on participants to DOL during the grant. In addressing this criterion, applicants should provide:
A description of how the cost per participant proposed through this program aligns with similar training programs that the applicant, a partner or another organization has conducted, including how the costs may be impacted by the characteristics of participants served and the jobs for which they are being trained; and,
A description of systems in place for tracking the participant characteristics and services provided to participants, the attainment of skills and the employment outcomes of participants throughout the life of the grant, including a description of how the applicant will collect data on employment outcomes of participants.
B. Review and Selection Process
Applications for grant awards will be accepted immediately upon publication of this notice in the Federal Register with two closing dates of April XX, 2011, and September 30, 2011. It is anticipated that review panels will convene to evaluate applications approximately 60 days after these two closing dates. Applications that focus on OJT will be reviewed separately from applications that focus on other training strategies. 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.A. Applications that propose to implement OJT will be reviewed with other OJT applications, and applications that focus on other training strategies will be paneled with those proposing to implement other training strategies.
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; balance across the allowable training strategies and activities under this SGA; balance across high-growth industries and occupations targeted through this SGA, including emphasis on the health care industry; emphasis on serving long-term unemployed individuals; 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 executed 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), codified at 2 CFR Part 230, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements)
ii. Educational Institutions – OMB Circular A–21 (Cost Principles), codified at 2 CFR Part 220, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
iii. State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments – OMB Circular A–87 (Cost Principles), codified at 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
Applicants must ensure that it has the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. Law 109-282, as amended by section 6202 of Pub. Law 110-252) (Transparency Act), as follows:
All applicants, except for those excepted from the Transparency Act under sub-paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 below, must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, should they receive funding.
Upon award, applicants will receive detailed information on the reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, as described in 2 CFR Part 170, Appendix A, which can be found at the following website: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-22705.pdf.
The following types of awards are not subject to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act:
Federal awards to individuals who apply for or receive Federal awards as natural persons (i.e., unrelated to any business or non-profit organization he or she may own or operate in his or her name);
Federal awards to entities that had a gross income, from all sources, of less than $300,000 in the entities' previous tax year; and
Federal awards, if the required reporting would disclose classified information.
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. Evaluation
ETA plans to set aside a small portion of H-1B fee funding for Federal provision of technical assistance and evaluation, and may arrange for or conduct an independent evaluation of the outcomes and benefits of the projects to measure the impacts of these skill training grants. By accepting grant funds, grantees agree to participate in an evaluation should they be selected to participate. Grantees must make records on participants, employers and funding available and to provide access to program operating personnel and to participants, as specified by the evaluator(s) under the direction of ETA, including after the period of operation.
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. Grantees will be required to report on post-program outcomes for all participants, as well as on post-program follow-up and tracking activities for all 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 Jeannette Flowers, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, at (202) 693-3322. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 10-13, 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.
DOL maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. For example, the CareerOneStop portal (http://www.careeronestop.org), which provides national and state career information on occupations; the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Online (http://online.onetcenter.org ) which provides occupational competencies and career profiles; America's Service Locator (http://www.servicelocator.org), which provides a directory of our nation's One-Stop Career Centers; and My Skills My Future (http://www.myskillsmyfuture.org/), which provides career exploration options based on past jobs and tools to compare careers, find training, and search for jobs.
ETA recently unveiled a complementary, online tool called My Next Move which is aimed at providing jobseekers with information on more than 900 occupations, as well as local job openings and training opportunities in a simple, user-friendly format. My Next Move is intended to assist all job seekers and may be especially helpful for students, young adults and other workers as they explore potential careers based on their interests.
ETA supports an Industry Competency Model Initiative to promote an understanding of the skill sets and competencies that are essential to an educated and skilled workforce. A competency model is a collection of competencies that, taken together, define successful performance in a particular work setting. Competency models serve as a starting point for the design and implementation of workforce and talent development programs. To learn about the industry-validated models visit the Competency Model Clearinghouse (CMC) at http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel. The CMC site also provides tools to build or customize industry models, as well as tools to build career pathways for specific regional economies.
Career Clusters and Industry Competency Models both identify foundational and technical competencies, but they are not duplicative. The Career Clusters link to specific career pathways in sixteen career cluster areas and place greater emphasis on elements needed for curriculum performance objectives; measurement criteria; scope and sequence of courses in a program of study; and development of assessments. Information about the sixteen career cluster areas can be found by accessing: www.careerclusters.org.
ETA
has distributed an electronic guide to State and local workforce data
to support analysis and informed decision making.
This document is designed to provide an understanding of State and
local labor market information/workforce information (LMI/WI) on
various topics for a wide variety of users.
To view this guide in Training
and Employment Notice No. 19-10, please visit:
http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN19-10.pdf.
Section 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 [insert date], in Washington, D.C. by:
Thomas Martin
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration
Attachment A: H-1B Visa Information
Visit the Department of Labor’s Foreign Labor Certification Data Center Web site (http://www.flcdatacenter.com/CaseH1B.aspx) for the latest database of occupations approved under H-1B petitions.
Top 2010 H-1B Visas by North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) Codes, Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Codes,
SOC Occupation Titles, and Annual Median Wage
STEM – Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (NAICS: 54)
SOC Codes |
SOC Occupation Titles |
Annual Median Wage |
11-9041 |
Engineering Managers |
117,000 |
15-2041 |
Statisticians |
72,820 |
17-2141 |
Mechanical Engineers |
77,020 |
17-2071 |
Electrical Engineers |
83,110 |
17-2072 |
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer |
89,310 |
17-2051 |
Civil Engineers |
76,590 |
17-2041 |
Chemical Engineers |
88,280 |
17-2199 |
Engineers, All Other |
89,560 |
17-1011 |
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval |
72,700 |
17-2031 |
Biomedical Engineers |
78,860 |
17-2131 |
Materials Engineers |
83,190 |
41-9031 |
Sales Engineers |
83,190 |
19-1021 |
Biochemists and Biophysicists |
82390 |
19-1029 |
Biological Scientists, All Other |
66,510 |
19-2031 |
Chemists |
68,220 |
19-4021 |
Biological Technicians |
38,700 |
19-1099 |
Life Scientists, All Other |
63,970 |
19-1021 |
Biochemists |
82,390 |
19-2012 |
Physicists |
106,390 |
19-1022 |
Microbiologists |
66,580 |
19-2032 |
Materials Scientists |
80,300 |
19-3011 |
Economists |
86,930 |
27-1024 |
Graphic Designers |
43,180 |
27-3031 |
Public Relations Specialists |
51,960 |
MANUFACTURING (NAICS: 31-33)
SOC Codes |
SOC Occupation Titles |
Annual Median Wage |
|
11-1021 |
General and Operations Managers |
92,650 |
|
11-1011 |
Chief Executives |
160,720 |
|
11-2022 |
Sales Managers |
96,790 |
|
11-3051 |
Industrial Production Managers |
85,080 |
|
13-1111 |
Management Analysts |
75,250 |
|
13-1081 |
Logisticians |
67,960 |
|
17-2112 |
Industrial Engineers |
75,110 |
|
27-1021 |
Commercial and Industrial Designers |
58,060 |
|
27-1022 |
Fashion Designers |
64,260 |
|
27-1014 |
Multi-Media Artists and Animators |
58,250 |
|
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (NAICS: 61)
SOC Codes |
SOC Occupation Titles |
Annual Median Wage |
25-2031 |
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education |
52,200 |
25-2021 |
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education |
50,510 |
25-1071 |
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary |
84,840 |
25-1124 |
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary |
56,740 |
25-1011 |
Business Teachers, Postsecondary |
73,320 |
25-3099 |
Teachers and Instructors, All Other |
31,540 |
25-1022 |
Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary |
63,640 |
25-1032 |
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary |
85,830 |
25-2022 |
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational |
50,770 |
25-2041 |
Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten |
50,950 |
Health Care and Social Assistance (NAICS: 62)
SOC Codes |
SOC Occupation Titles |
Annual Median Wage |
11-9111 |
Medical and Health Services Managers |
81,850 |
19-1042 |
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists |
74,590 |
29-1069 |
Physicians and Surgeons, All Other |
> 166,400 |
29-1123 |
Physical Therapists |
74,480 |
29-1051 |
Pharmacists |
109,180 |
29-1063 |
Internists, General |
> 166,400 |
29-2011 |
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists |
55,140 |
29-1122 |
Occupational Therapists |
69,630 |
29-1111 |
Registered Nurses |
63,750 |
29-1062 |
Family and General Practitioners |
160,530 |
29-1199 |
Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners, All |
65,220 |
29-9099 |
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other |
44,670 |
29-1127 |
Speech-Language Pathologists |
65,090 |
29-1021 |
Dentists, General |
142,090 |
29-1065 |
Pediatricians, General |
152,240 |
Information (NAICS: 51)
SOC Codes |
SOC Occupation Titles |
Annual Median Wage |
11-3021 |
Computer and Information Systems Managers |
113,720 |
15-1021 |
Computer Programmers |
70,940 |
15-1051 |
Computer Systems Analysts |
77,080 |
15-1031 |
Computer Software Engineers, Applications |
87,480 |
15-1032 |
Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software |
93,470 |
15-1071 |
Network and Computer Systems Administrators (incl. Computer Security Specialists) |
67,710 |
15-1061 |
Database Administrators |
71,550 |
15-2031 |
Operations Research Analysts |
70,070 |
15-1099 |
Computer Specialists, All Other (includes Software Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers; Computer Systems Engineers/Architects; Network Designers; Web Developers; and Web Administrators) |
77,010 |
15-1081 |
Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts |
73,250 |
15-1041 |
Computer Support Specialists |
44,300 |
15-1011 |
Computer and Information Scientists, Research |
101,570 |
15-2011 |
Actuaries |
87,210 |
17-2061 |
Computer Hardware Engineers |
98,820 |
FINANCE AND INSURANCE (NAICS: 52)
SOC Codes |
SOC Occupation Titles |
Annual Median Wage |
11-3031 |
Financial Managers |
101,190 |
13-2051 |
Financial Analysts |
71,750 |
13-1111 |
Management Analysts |
75,250 |
13-2011 |
Accountants and Auditors |
60,340 |
13-1199 |
Business Operations Specialists, All Other |
60,610 |
13-2041 |
Credit Analysts |
57,470 |
13-2099 |
Financial Specialists, All Other |
58,350 |
Attachment B: Health Care Occupations
i. Allied Health
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) defines the term “allied health professional” as meaning an individual who graduated with an allied health professions degree or certificate, and is employed as an allied health professional in a health care setting. The Association of Schools of Allied Health Professionals expands upon its definition to include a cluster of health professions that covers as many as 100 occupational titles, and employment growth is seen for medical assistants, respiratory therapists, pharmacy technicians, emergency medical technicians, and clinical lab technologists working in hospitals, home health care, medical laboratories, and ambulatory care settings.
Allied health specialties are likely to evolve over the next several years, and occupations in this complex sub-sector will continue to grow with the rest of the health care industry. Changes in the way that medical care is provided are producing substantial demand for technicians who can operate advanced medical equipment. This increasing demand will involve not only new facilities and services, but more employees needed across a wide range of occupations requiring varying levels of education and training.
In 2010, in response to public comments solicited in a 2008 Federal Register notice, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) added Community Health Workers (CHWs) to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. Community health workers, also known as “promotoras” or “promotores,” assist individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors, particularly in areas where substantial health hazards exist. Occupational growth for community health workers is also projected as communities seek to build effective linkages with the health care system to provide health education and information, advocate for underserved individuals to receive appropriate services, and build the capacity of the community in addressing health issues.
ii. Nursing
Recent trends in the delivery of health care services increasingly rely on highly skilled nurses working with allied health professionals in supporting clinical roles. Nursing roles range from primary patient care to case management and directing complex health care systems. Career pathway programs with articulated credit agreements can ease transitions for graduates of nursing education and training programs at community colleges, and help transfer students qualify for entry-level and mid-level nursing positions.
Increasing demand for medical care, rehabilitation, nursing, and long-term care will broaden the range of healthcare occupations and require varying levels of education and training. With further education and training, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), direct support professionals, home health aides, medical assistants, and personal and home care aides may advance to higher-level positions or transfer to new occupations within healthcare industry settings. Skill certifications and credentials may include licenses, certificates, and degrees from accredited nursing programs that lead to the Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) or vocational licensure for Licensed Practical Nurses, and positions as CNAs. Career pathway programs can help individuals develop competencies that are relevant across a number of occupations enabling incumbent workers to advance from an ADN to the bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN).
iii. Health Information Technology
Health information technology (HIT) makes it possible for health care providers to better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information. Health IT includes the use of electronic health records (EHRs) instead of paper medical records to maintain people's health information. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act seeks to improve American health care delivery and patient care through an unprecedented investment in HIT. The provisions of the HITECH Act are specifically designed to offer the necessary assistance and technical support to providers, enable coordination and alignment within and among states, establish connectivity to the public health community in case of emergencies, and assure the workforce is properly trained and equipped to be meaningful users of EHRs.
The transition from traditional, paper-based medical files to EHR technologies will expand career pathways in health information management and technology. HIT jobs will be created in hospitals, physicians’ offices, home healthcare and outpatient clinics, and residential care facilities. Career pathway projects can support the health information workforce by using a variety of learning strategies for individuals who want to specialize in the management of health information, as well as workers who must use HIT to perform the duties of their jobs.
Attachment C: Sample Performance Outcomes Table
Measure |
Projected Performance (unemployed) |
Projected Performance (employed or incumbent) |
Total Participants Served
|
|
|
Total Participants Beginning Education/Training Activities |
|
|
Total Participants Completing Education/Training Activities
|
|
|
Total Participants Who Complete Education/Training Activities that Receive a Degree or Other Credential |
|
|
Total Number of Credentials Each Participant is Expected to Receive
|
|
|
Total Number of Participants Who Complete Education/Training Activities who Enter Unsubsidized Employment
|
|
|
Total Number of Participants Who Retain Unsubsidized Employment in the First and Second Quarters Following Initial Placement
|
|
|
Average Wage that Participants will Earn at Placement
|
|
|
Billing Code: 4510-FN-P
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| Author | frugoli.pam |
| Last Modified By | Michel Smyth |
| File Modified | 2011-04-21 |
| File Created | 2011-04-21 |