U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for YouthBuild Grants
Announcement Type: Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA)
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY 11-06
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.274
Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [insert date 60 days after date of publication in Federal Register]. Applications must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Addresses: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 11-06, 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 $75 million in grant funds authorized by the YouthBuild provisions of the Workforce Investment Act [29 USC 2918a].
YouthBuild grants will be awarded through a competitive process. Under this solicitation, DOL will award grants to organizations to oversee the provision of education, occupational skills training, and employment services to disadvantaged youth in their communities while performing meaningful work and service to their communities.
Based on FY 2012 funding, DOL hopes to serve approximately 5,210 participants during the grant period of performance, with projects operating in approximately 75 communities across the country.
YouthBuild is a youth and community development program that simultaneously addresses several core issues facing low-income communities: affordable housing, education, employment, crime prevention, and leadership development. The YouthBuild model balances in-school learning that leads to the achievement of a high school diploma or passing the General Education Development (GED) test and occupational skills training that prepares youth for career placement. The in-school component is an alternative education program that assists youth who are often significantly behind in basic skills to obtain a high school diploma or GED credential. The target populations for YouthBuild are high school dropouts who may also be adjudicated youth, youth aging out of foster care, youth with disabilities, and other at-risk youth populations. For more information on the YouthBuild program please go to: www.doleta.gov/youth_services/YouthBuild.cfm.
The Final Rule for YouthBuild was published on February 15, 2012. This Final Rule clarifies the requirements of the Transfer Act for YouthBuild program providers and participants. The final rule sets the standards under which YouthBuild program providers can carry out the goals of the program. The Final Rule can be found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/02/15/2012-2373/youthbuild-program.
This solicitation contains two significant differences from previous DOL YouthBuild solicitations. First, there are distinct application evaluation criteria for new applicants versus previously-funded DOL YouthBuild applicants.
By using separate evaluation criteria, the Department seeks to evaluate the past performance of previously-funded DOL YouthBuild applicants to ensure that their outcomes reflect those of an effectively managed program. New applicants’ ability to implement and manage an effective DOL YouthBuild program will be evaluated using evidence of past success in other relevant programs, including non-DOL YouthBuild programs. An organization is considered a new applicant if the organization has not received funds from DOL to operate a YouthBuild program. If the organization has received funds from DOL to operate a YouthBuild program, but is applying for a grant to serve a different target area, the organization qualifies as a previously-funded grantee and the criteria for previously-funded applicants must be used. If the organization has been funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or any other entity to operate a YouthBuild program, but has not received any funding from DOL to operate a YouthBuild program, then the evaluation criteria for a new applicant must be used.
The second major difference in this solicitation is that, in addition to the required construction skills training, previously awarded applicants may provide occupational skills training in industries other than construction provided that the training is for an in-demand industry(ies) as demonstrated by local labor market information; that the training must allow for the attainment of one or more industry-recognized credentials; and that the industry(ies) selected must produce a positive benefit for the community.
All prospective applicants must demonstrate their commitment to the goal of increasing the supply of permanent housing for homeless individuals and low-income families. This commitment must be demonstrated by having a sufficient number of youth enrolled in and completing the construction skills training component over the grant period of performance to enable the program to complete at least one unit of housing that will be utilized by homeless and/or low-income individuals and families. Units include: new construction or substantial renovation of single family homes, a single unit of a condominium, townhouse, or apartment or substantial renovation of existing housing units. Substantial renovation includes those activities that will provide YouthBuild participants with significant construction experience and knowledge that will prepare them for entry-level employment in the construction industry and are tied to the construction curriculum used by the program. Painting or cleaning apartments between tenants and simple weatherization tasks do not constitute substantial construction training. Youth must be exposed to and provided with opportunities to learn a range of construction and carpentry skills.
Construction skills training is central to the overall philosophy of the YouthBuild program and often provides a visible transformational experience for young people who have rarely had opportunities to see tangible and positive results of their efforts. In order to create this experience, applicants may choose, but are not required, to structure their program in such a way to allow all students (as opposed to a subset of students) to participate in the construction skills training for a minimum period of time and then move into other occupational skills training. Applicants proposing to structure their program in this way must still ensure that a sufficient number of students continue in construction to meet the criteria laid out in the preceding paragraph. The evaluation criteria do not provide any preference for programs based on the occupational skills for which they propose to provide training, as long as they meet the minimum threshold of providing the required construction component.
Award Amount
Under this competition, ETA intends to fund approximately 75 grants ranging from $700,000 up to $1.1 million each from the FY 2012 appropriation. This money will be to fund both new and previously-funded applicants not funded in the most recent FY 2010 or FY 2011 competition. Applicants are encouraged to submit budgets for projects at whatever funding level within this range is appropriate to their project. Applications requesting less than $700,000 will be considered, however, applicants requesting more than $1.1 million will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be reviewed. The average annual cost-per-participant should be between $15,000 and $18,000. In the event that additional funds become available, ETA reserves the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this solicitation.
B. Period of Performance
The period of performance for these grant awards will be three (3) years and four (4) months from the effective date of the grant. This includes an up to four-month planning period, two years of core program operations (education, occupational skills training, and youth leadership development activities) for one or more cohorts of youth, plus an additional nine-to-twelve months of follow-up support services and tracking of participant outcomes for each cohort of youth. This grant period of performance includes time for all necessary implementation and start-up activities. Applicants must plan to fully expend grant funds during the period of performance while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all expenditures. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to carefully consider their ability to spend the level of funding requested during the allotted time. Only in rare circumstances will no-cost extensions to the period of performance be granted.
Grantees will have a four-month planning period following the receipt of their grant award document before beginning program operations. Within this four-month planning period, grantees must achieve certain milestones which include the hiring of or committing additional core program staff, (including the Project Director, Construction Trainer(s), Classroom Teacher(s), and Case Manager(s) positions). Grantees will also be expected to have solidified all necessary partnerships for the successful delivery of services and to have initiated recruitment and outreach efforts for enrollment of participants during this period. Work site financing and access must be reconfirmed. Applicants must submit a timeline for completion of critical activities to be completed during the planning period. Completion of these milestones within the grant’s planning phase will be reviewed by the Federal Project Officer. Grantees who have not met milestones may be subject to corrective action.
C. YouthBuild Program Requirements
There are several required program conditions. These conditions are necessary to document the level of need of the project in the area to be served, the education and training services to be provided to participants, and the satisfaction of grant requirements for award and administration. These conditions include:
Targeted Service Area: The proposal must identify the county or counties where each community to be served is located. For more information about how to determine the appropriate county or counties, please see the instructions in Section VIII.A. Applicants proposing to serve American Indian Areas, Alaska Native Areas, Hawaiian Homelands, or outlying areas that are not listed in the American Fact Finder tables should use, and cite, another appropriate data source for poverty rate information. If the data for the community to be served is on the spreadsheet, that data must be used.
Cost-Per-Participant: Cost-per-participant must fall in the range of $15,000 – 18,000 and the applicant must indicate the projected enrollment per year. The cost per participant should take into consideration the projected enrollment, leveraged funds and other resources supporting the program.
Projected Enrollment: The projected enrollment described in the application is not binding. At the time of grant award, DOL will inform grantees of expected enrollment goals as well as expected outcomes. DOL reserves the right to set expected performance outcomes at a later date.
Training Requirement: Each program must be structured so that at least 50 percent of the program model involves academic programming that leads to a high school diploma, GED, degree certificate, or other state-recognized equivalent including recognized alternative standards for people with disabilities, and at least 40 percent of the time is spent on on-site construction training or in other occupational skills training. All programs must provide construction training.
Worksite Requirement: Each program must have access to a work site to use for on-site construction training. This must be new construction or substantial renovation of either low-income apartments or housing. Substantial renovation may include complex weatherization but must incorporate other aspects of construction training such as cabinet, drywall, door and window installation. Cleaning an apartment between tenants is not considered substantial renovation.
Industry-Recognized Credential: All training must lead to the award of at least one industry-recognized credential. Driver’s licenses, CPR and OSHA certificates will not count towards the credential attainment performance measure. See Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 17-05 and TEGL 15-10 for additional information on industry recognized credentials. http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2195
http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2967
Program Safety: YouthBuild projects must follow OSHA guidelines in the operation of their construction projects and other skills training that is offered. YouthBuild grantees must submit incident reports to DOL of injuries occurring on worksites or other training venues. YouthBuild grantees must provide comprehensive documented safety training to participants in each industry for which occupational skills training is provided. Youth working on YouthBuild construction projects must be able to demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency in hazard identification, abatement, and safe work practices; demonstrate compliance with Federal and state child labor laws and occupational safety and health regulations; provide necessary personal protective equipment to youth working on YouthBuild projects; and report to DOL all worksite injuries to youth working on YouthBuild projects, along with documentation on remedial measures to prevent future similar injuries and help ensure that YouthBuild is a model program that takes active steps for participant safety and health.
Matching Funds: Applicants must provide new cash or in-kind matching funds equivalent to 25 percent of the grant award amount. Please note that neither prior investments nor Federal resources may be counted towards the matching funds threshold. Please see section III. B. for more information on Matching Fund Requirements.
Travel and Technical Assistance: All applicants should include in their budget funds to cover travel to DOL-sponsored technical assistance training events. DOL expects YouthBuild programs to attend at least three DOL-sponsored (not to be confused with YouthBuild USA-sponsored) events for each year of program operation. This would include one national learning exchange normally offered once in the fall and once in the spring; one regional peer-to-peer training event which will be held in the city where ETA’s regional office for that grantee’s region is located; and one DOL multi-site gathering. DOL expects programs to send multiple levels of staff to specialized training that is offered either at learning exchanges or in specific training programs. These are important professional development opportunities for program staff. For example, the Department offers construction training certification several times a year in various locations across the country. In addition to sending the construction supervisor, grantees may consider sending the classroom instructor(s) as well, to create stronger connections between educational and construction components of YouthBuild programs. Funds should also be included for staff to attend Management Information System (MIS) training and grantee orientation, if needed. Applicants may also budget grant funds for participation in other non-DOL sponsored events, such as those sponsored by YouthBuild USA or other government or non-governmental entities. It is expected that funds allocated to travel outside of DOL-sponsored events is reasonable and provides a direct benefit to the program.
Fair Housing: Further, as a Federal agency, DOL has a statutory duty to affirmatively further fair housing. DOL requires the same of its funding recipients under this solicitation. If the organization is a successful applicant, the organization will have a duty to affirmatively further fair housing opportunities for classes protected under the Fair Housing Act. Protected classes include race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status. Therefore, the grantee must take specific steps to:
Overcome the effects of impediments to fair housing choice that were identified in the jurisdiction’s Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair Housing Choice;
Remedy discrimination in housing; or
Promote fair housing rights and fair housing choice.
Further, the applicant has a duty to carry out the specific activities provided in its responses to this solicitation that address affirmatively furthering fair housing.
Construction Skills Training: The final rule sets the standards under which YouthBuild program providers can carry out the goals of the program, which are to assist at-risk youth in obtaining a high school diploma or GED and acquiring occupational skills training that leads to employment through the construction/rehabilitation of housing for low-income or homeless individuals and families in the community. Furthermore, the final rule expands the occupational skills training opportunities in YouthBuild beyond construction skills training. DOL has determined, based on our program administration experience, that allowing other occupational skills training will help YouthBuild programs provide more successful job placement outcomes and secondary schools placements for program participants. However, in order to preserve one of the core aspects of the YouthBuild program as a construction skills training program, we have decided to incrementally transition to these expanded training opportunities. Our initial step is to permit programs that have demonstrated success with the traditional construction-based program to expand into other training opportunities. This assures that new training will augment well-established construction skill training programs. At this time, we will require new applicants for DOL funding to demonstrate success with core, construction skill training before they can be determined as ready to offer other training opportunities. It is DOL’s experience that the complexity of operating a YouthBuild program, which includes the construction or renovation of a property, an alternative education program, and services to at-risk youth, requires a dedicated focus to ramp up successfully and, based on that experience, the Department believes it is important for first-time DOL grantees to focus first on establishing a successful core program before offering other training opportunities.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants for these grants are public or private non-profit agencies or organizations including rural, urban or Native American agencies, but not limited to:
Faith-based and community organizations;
An entity carrying out activities under Workforce Investment Act (WIA), such as a local workforce investment board, One-Stop Career Center, or local school board;
A community action agency;
A state or local housing development agency;
An Indian tribe or other agency primarily serving American Indians;
A community development corporation;
A state or local youth service conservation corps;
A consortium of such agencies or organizations with a designated lead applicant; or
Any other public or private non-profit entity that is eligible to provide education or employment training under a Federal program.
Because grantees who received funding from the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 – 2011 YouthBuild competition [SGA/DFA PY 10-02] have funding through 2014, these grantees (including any affiliates or members or affiliates of a grantee’s leadership team) are not eligible to participate in this competition. The Department plans to hold annual YouthBuild competitions, and those who received awards in FY 2010 or FY 2011 through the combined competition will be eligible to participate in the FY 2013 competition.
As noted in Section II. C., cost sharing or matching funds are required as a condition for application. Applicants must provide new cash or in-kind resources equivalent to 25 percent of the grant award amount as matching funds. Please note that neither prior investments nor Federal resources may be counted towards the matching funds threshold. Construction materials that are acquired without grant funds and are used for approved projects as part of the training for YouthBuild participants may be used in fulfilling the 25 percent match requirement.
To be allowable as part of match, an expenditure must be an allowable charge for Federal grant funds. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles as indicated in Part IV.E. If the cost would not be allowable as a grant-funded charge, then it cannot be counted toward the applicant’s matching funds.
Please note that in addition to the Federal amount you are requesting, the matching funds must be shown on the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance and the SF-424A, Budget Information form. The SF-424A is required even though the form states “Non-Construction Programs.” If there is a discrepancy in the amount of matching funds specified on the SF-424, SF-424A, or Budget Narrative, DOL will consider the amount of funds specified on the SF-424 as the amount of the applicant’s match.
Applicants are encouraged to leverage additional resources beyond the required match to supplement grant activities. Leveraged resources can be used to cover costs or materials that might otherwise be an unallowable charge to grant funds. However, the proposed amount of leveraged resources has no bearing on an applicant’s score.
Any cash or in-kind resources committed beyond the 25 percent of the grant award amount required as matching funds should be counted and documented as leveraged funds. Applicants must clearly make the distinction between what will be considered matching funds and what will be considered "additional" leveraged resources, and explain the amount and source(s) of leveraged resources in the budget narrative separately from the explanation of the amount and source(s) of matching funds. Do not include the leveraged funds on the SF-424 or SF-424A.
Both matching funds and leveraged resources can come from a variety of sources, including but not limited to: the public sector (e.g., state or local governments); the non-profit sector (e.g., community organizations, faith-based organizations, or education and training institutions); the private sector (e.g., businesses or industry associations); the investor community (e.g., angel networks or economic development entities); and the philanthropic community (e.g., foundations).
Grantees must track and report both matching funds and other non-Federal leveraged resources quarterly on Form ETA-9130. Instructions and the form may be found at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/financial_reporting.cfm.
C. Other Applicant Eligibility Criteria
There are no other eligibility criteria for submitting an application.
D. Eligible Participants
Participants Eligible to Receive Training
An individual may participate in a YouthBuild program if the individual:
Is between the ages of 16 and 24 on the date of enrollment; and
Is a member of a low-income family, a youth in foster care (including youth aging out of foster care), a youth offender, a youth who is an individual with a disability, a child of an incarcerated parent, a migrant youth; and
Is a school dropout or an individual who has dropped out of high school and re-enrolled in an alternative school, if that re-enrollment is part of a sequential service strategy.
Up to, but not more than, 25 percent of the participants in the program may be youth who do not meet criteria 1.b. or 1.c. above, but they must:
Be basic skills deficient, despite attainment of a secondary school diploma, GED credential, or other state-recognized equivalent (including recognized alternative standards for individuals with disabilities); or
Have been referred by a local secondary school for participation in a YouthBuild program leading to the attainment of a secondary school diploma. Referrals from secondary schools to YouthBuild programs that provide only a GED certificate are not allowed.
Veterans Priority for Participants
The Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-288) requires grantees to provide priority of service for veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. The regulations implementing this priority of service can be found at 20 CFR Part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans’ priority. ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.
Transparency
DOL is committed to conducting a transparent grant award process and publicizing information about program outcomes. Posting grant applications on public websites is a means of promoting and sharing innovative ideas. For this grant competition, we will publish the abstracts required by Section IV.B. Part IIIa, for all applications on the Department’s public website or similar publicly accessible location. Additionally, we will publish a version of the Technical Proposal required by Section IV.B. Part II, for all those applications that are awarded grants, on the Department’s website or a similar location. No other parts of or attachments to the application will be published. The Technical Proposals and Abstracts will not be published until after the grants are announced. In addition, information about grant progress and results may also be made publicly available.
DOL recognizes that grant applications sometimes contain information that an applicant may consider proprietary or business confidential information, or may contain personally identifiable information (PII). Proprietary or confidential commercial/business information is information that is not usually disclosed outside your organization and the disclosure of which is likely to cause you substantial competitive harm. PII is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual‘s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information.1
Abstracts will be published in the form originally submitted, without any redactions. However, in order to ensure that PII and proprietary or confidential commercial/business information is properly protected from disclosure when DOL posts the winning Technical Proposals, applicants whose technical proposals will be posted will be asked to submit a second redacted version of their Technical Proposal, with any proprietary, confidential commercial/business, and PII redacted. All non-public information about the applicant’s staff should be removed as well. The Department will contact the applicants whose technical proposals will be published by letter or email, and provide further directions about how and when to submit the redacted version of the Technical Proposal. Submission of a redacted version of the Technical Proposal will constitute permission by the applicant for DOL to make the redacted version publicly available. If an applicant fails to provide a redacted version of the Technical Proposal, DOL will publish the original Technical Proposal in full, after redacting PII. (Note that the original, unredacted version of the Technical Proposal will remain part of the complete application package, including an applicant’s proprietary and confidential information and any PII.)
Applicants are encouraged to maximize the grant application information that will be publicly disclosed, and to exercise restraint and redact only information that clearly is proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, or PII. The redaction of entire pages or sections of the Technical Proposal is not appropriate, and will not be allowed, unless the entire portion merits such protection. Should a dispute arise about whether redactions are appropriate, DOL will follow the procedures outlined in the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations (29 CFR Part 70).
Redacted information in grant applications will be protected by DOL from public disclosure in accordance with federal law, including the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1905), FOIA, and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). If DOL receives a FOIA request for your application, the procedures in DOL’s FOIA regulations for responding to requests for commercial/business information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA exemptions and procedures. 29 CFR § 70.26. Consequently, it is possible that application of FOIA rules may result in release of information in response to a FOIA request that an applicant redacted in its “redacted copy.”
This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
Proposals submitted in response to this SGA must consist of three separate and distinct parts: (I) a cost proposal; (II) a technical proposal; and (III) attachments to the technical proposal. Applications that do not contain all of the three parts or that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section will be deemed non-responsive and will not be reviewed. 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://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). 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. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, the signature of the authorized representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization is in compliance with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). The SF-424B is not required to be submitted with the application.
In addition, the applicant’s signature in block 21 of the SF-424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of the following in accordance with 29 CFR § 37.20:
As a condition to the award of financial assistance from the Department of Labor under Title I of WIA, the grant applicant assures that it will comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), which prohibits discrimination against all individuals in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against beneficiaries on the basis of either citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States or participation in any WIA Title I—financially assisted program or activity; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color and national origin; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities; The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs. The grant applicant also assures that it will comply with 29 CFR part 37 and all other regulations implementing the laws listed above. This assurance applies to the grant applicant's operation of the WIA Title I-financially assisted program or activity, and to all agreements the grant applicant makes to carry out the WIA Title I-financially assisted program or activity. The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance.
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://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). In preparing the Budget Information Form, the applicant must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.
Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It should also include a description of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.
Note that the entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) must be included on the SF-424 and SF-424A and budget narrative. No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF-424 and SF-424A. The amount listed on the SF-424, SF-424A and budget narrative must be the same. Please note, the funding amount included on the SF-424 will be considered the official funding amount requested if any inconsistencies are found. Applications that fail to provide an SF-424 including D-U-N-S® Number, SF-424A, and a budget narrative will be considered non-responsive and will not be 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 https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/ . 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 will not be reviewed. Grants.gov will reject applications if an applicant’s CCR registration has expired.
Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit the following attachments:
An organizational chart that reflects how the YouthBuild program will be staffed. In instances where the YouthBuild program is part of a larger organization (e.g., a Housing Authority), applicants must include a diagram that indicates how the YouthBuild program fits within the larger organization;
Job descriptions for key staff as described in Sec. V. C. 1 “Program Management and Organizational Capacity”;
Monthly/Program Calendars as described in Sec. V.A. 2. g;
Timeline for completing critical activities within the four month planning period as described in Sec. B “ Period of Performance”;
Signed letters of commitment from partners;
A two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project, including applicant name, project title, whether the applicant is a new or previously-funded applicant, a description of the area to be served, projected enrollment for each year, the funding level requested, and the industry(ies) to be targeted by the project. The abstract must note whether the application is being submitted as an urban, rural, or Native American application. If using grants.gov for submission, this document must be attached under the Mandatory Other Attachment section and labeled abstract. Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes provided and failure to meet those outcomes may have a significant impact on future grants with ETA;
Project/Performance Site Location(s) form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). If using grants.gov for submission, this form must be attached under the required forms section. Please note that this is a standard form used for many programs and has a check box for applying as an individual. Disregard this box on the form as individuals are not eligible to apply for this solicitation;
Applicants that have previously received DOL funding for a YouthBuild program, must include their most recently submitted Quarterly Performance Report (Form ETA-9136). For 2009 YouthBuild grantees, this will be the Quarterly Performance Report for the quarter ending September 30, 2011 (Quarter 1 of Program Year 2011);
Applicants that have previously received DOL funding for a YouthBuild program must include their most recently submitted ETA Financial Report (Form ETA-9130). For 2009 YouthBuild grantees, this will be the Quarterly Performance Report for the quarter ending September 30, 2011 (Quarter 1 of Program Year 2011);
Report submissions charts that clearly identifies the type of report submitted, due date of report and date of actual submission as described in Sec. V. B. 1(e) “Timeliness of Report Submissions”;
Chart of past performance as described in Sec. V. C. 2. “Evidence of Past Performance in a Non-DOL funded YouthBuild or Other Relevant Programs”; and
Most recent audited financial statements and management letter as described in Sec. V. C. 1. “Program Management and Organizational Capacity.”
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 25-page (new applicant) and 20-page (previously-funded grantee) page limits. The required attachments must be affixed as separate, clearly identified appendices to the application. Additional materials such as résumés or general letters of support or commitment will not be considered.
Applicants should not send documents separately to DOL, because documents received separately will be tracked through a different system and will not be attached to the application for review. DOL will not accept general letters of support submitted by organizations or individuals that are not partners in the proposed project and that do not directly identify the specific commitment or roles of the project partners.
Part IV. The Worksite Description. A signed Worksite Description Form (ETA-9143) including all required attachments, which describes the planned worksite that will be used for on-site housing rehabilitation and construction training for youth participants must be submitted or the application will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed. This form can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/General_YouthBuild_Information.cfm.
Updated information on property for use in year two of the grant may be required. These forms do not count against the page limitation for the technical proposal or the technical proposal attachments. This is a separate part of the proposal. Please note that before finalization of the grant award document, and before grant funds are released, prospective award winners must be able to re-verify information about the worksite(s) and the applicant’s access to the property(ies).
Section 10 of ETA-9143 requests information about the property owner or property management company or companies allowing access to the housing site(s) for on-site construction training. DOL will deem non-responsive any application that fails to specifically identify the location of the construction site(s), including evidence of site access. Evidence of site access is:
If the applicant has a contract or option to purchase the property, the application must include a copy of the contract or option; or
If a third party owns the property or has a contract or option to purchase, that third party must provide a letter stating the nature of the ownership and specifically providing access to the property for the purposes of the program and the time frame in which the property will be available. In the case of a contract or option, the application must include a copy of the document. These should be included in Part III of the application and do not count against page limitations.
The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [insert date 60 days after date of publication in Federal Register]. Applications may be submitted electronically on http://www.grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or hand delivery (including overnight delivery). Hard copy applications must be received at the address below no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. 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: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 11-06, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington DC 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 4:00 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. Grants.gov will reject applications if the applicant’s CCR is expired. 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, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .rtf or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent us from considering the application. ETA will attempt to open the document but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming application will not be considered for funding.
We strongly advise applicants to use the various tools and documents, including FAQs, which are available on the “Applicant Resources” page at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.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 or 606-545-5035 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 proposed project costs must be necessary and reasonable and in accordance with Federal guidelines. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles. Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant.
Applicants, whether successful or not, will not be entitled to reimbursement of pre-award costs.
4. Intellectual Property Rights
The Federal Government reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use for Federal purposes: i) the copyright in all products developed under the grant, including a subgrant or contract under the grant or subgrant; and ii) any rights of copyright to which the grantee, subgrantee or a contractor purchases ownership under an award (including but not limited to curricula, training models, technical assistance products, and any related materials). Such uses include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise. The grantee may not use federal funds to pay any royalty or license fee for use of a copyrighted work, or the cost of acquiring by purchase a copyright in a work, where the Department has a license or rights of free use in such work. If revenues are generated through selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual property, these revenues are program income. Program income is added to the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities.
If applicable, the following needs to be on all products developed in whole or in part with grant funds:
“This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.”
Under Sec. 173A (c)(2) of WIA, which was added by Section 2 of the YouthBuild Transfer Act, grantees may provide stipends for work experiences. Similar to WIA youth programs, stipends and incentives provided under YouthBuild grants must be in accordance with the policies and procedures of the grantee organization. Payments to youth may take the form of wages or stipends. Grantees must maintain documentation on how the amount for the stipend was set and the circumstances under which stipends will be provided. Grantees providing wages, stipends or incentive payments to youth should be aware of the implications under IRS provisions. Please consult http://www.irs.gov for more information.
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 to evaluate grant applications from for each applicant category – new applicant or previously-funded grantee. The Department will fund YouthBuild programs that are able to demonstrate the need for a program in their community, solid outcomes for youth, strong financial and program management, success in providing construction and other occupational skills training, innovative academic programming that is designed to engage at-risk youth and build basic skill levels, and well-thought out and developed post-program transition strategies.
The first two evaluation criteria in Section V.A are required for both new and previously-funded applicants. Parts V.B and V.C. address additional criteria to which applicants are required to respond depending on whether they are previously-funded or new applicants. Previously-funded applicants must respond to the evaluation criteria in V.B, and new applicants must respond to the evaluation criteria in V.C.
Required Evaluation Criteria for All Applicants |
Points |
1. Statement of Need |
28 |
2. Program Design |
32 |
Total |
60 |
1. Statement of Need (28 points):
The proposal must identify the county or counties where each community to be served is located and the number of youth, ages 16 to 24, expected to be served. For the county or counties to be served, applicants must provide the following information:
a. Unemployment Rate (Maximum 6 points): The proposal will receive points based on the average unemployment rate of the combined counties identified as part of the target community(ies) compared to the national unemployment rate as of the latest available comparable data as follows:
Applicant will receive 6 points for this sub criterion if the unemployment rate for the combined counties in the community to be served is greater than the national unemployment rate.
Applicants will receive 3 points for this subsection if the unemployment rates is equal the national unemployment rate.
Applicants will receive 0 points for this subsection if the unemployment rate is less than the national unemployment rate.
Applicants must use Bureau of Labor Statistics data for the national unemployment rate and for the local areas to be served. This data can be found through the Census’ Web site at: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml
b. Poverty Rate (Maximum 7 points): The proposal must provide, for each county, the poverty rate that is listed in the Poverty Data spreadsheet available for download at
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. Detailed instructions on how to find the poverty rate data is found in Section VIII.A.
Applicants will receive 7 points for this subsection if the Poverty Data spreadsheet lists an average poverty rate of 15% or more across all counties to be served.
Applicants will receive 5 points for this subsection if the Poverty Data spreadsheet lists an average poverty rate of 10% to 14.99% across all counties to be served.
Applicants will receive 3 points for this subsection if the Poverty Data spreadsheet lists an average poverty rate of 5% to 9.99% across all counties to be served.
If the Poverty Data spreadsheet does not list an average poverty rate of at least 5% across all counties to be served, the applicant will receive 0 points.
c. Graduation Rate (Maximum 5 points): Using data found at http://www.edweek.org/apps/gmap/ , the applicant must compare the graduation rates in each of the counties to be served with the national graduation rate.
Points will be awarded as follows:
Applicants will receive 5 points for this subsection if the average graduation rate for the schools located in the county or counties to be served is 25% or more below the national graduation rate as listed at the website above.
Applicants will receive 3 points for this subsection if the average graduation rate for the schools located in the county or counties to be served is 15% to 24.99% below the national graduation rate as listed at the website above.
Applicants will receive 2 points for this subsection if the average graduation rate for the high-schools located in the county or counties to be served is 5% to 14.99% below the national graduation rate as listed at the website above.
Applicants will receive 0 points for this subsection if the average graduation rate for the schools located in the county or counties to be served is equal to or above the national graduation rate OR 0 – 4.99% below the national graduation rate as listed at the website above.
d. Industry Focus (Maximum 10 points): All applicants must provide construction training; however, organizations that have not previously received DOL funding for YouthBuild may only provide construction training. Previously-funded applicants proposing to offer training in addition to construction skills training must guarantee, as noted in Section I. Funding Opportunity Description, that a sufficient number of students will be enrolled and complete construction skills training during the grant period of performance to enable the grantee to build or renovate at least one unit of affordable housing for low-income individuals or transitional housing for the homeless. There is no scoring differential for prospective applicants who offer only construction skills training or offer construction skills training and occupational skills training in an additional industry. If a previously-funded applicant plans to offer occupational skills training in addition to construction skills training, information on the industry focus of the occupational skills training that will be offered must be provided. The applicant must include local labor market data that supports the decision to provide occupational skills training in the additional targeted field(s). The applicant must describe the curriculum (or curricula) that will be used and the industry-recognized credential(s) that will result from this training. The applicant must describe how the industry(ies) selected will benefit the target community(ies). For example, the construction of affordable housing benefits not only the youth but the community where the affordable housing is built or renovated. The applicant must describe how industry partners have or will be engaged in the design of the program.
Applicants must also describe the condition and availability of affordable housing in the community, including a description of existing housing, such as the number and percentage of substandard and/or overcrowded units, rent burden (defined as average housing cost divided by average income), and/or the incidence of homelessness.
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application provides evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: The local labor market data as derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics data or other relevant sources, such as city, county or state labor market reports.
Factor two: Using local labor market and economic information, applicants seeking to implement non-construction programs must provide a clear and compelling case for the selection of the additional industry(ies) targeted.
Factor three: Industry partners have or will play a role in the review and/or development of the curricula and credentialing.
Factor four: The credential resulting from the occupational skills training is industry-recognized and portable.
Factor five: The benefit of the participation of youth in occupational skills training within the selected industry(ies) that will be derived to the community.
Factor six: The lack of affordable housing or incidence of homelessness for the proposed target area relative to national averages.
Factor seven: Evidence that the grantee will have sufficient youth in the construction skills training to build or renovate at least one unit of housing over the grant period of performance.
2. Program Design (32 points)
The applicant must identify and describe the various components of the proposed program, how these components are integrated with each other, and how youth will progress through the program. The applicant must include, as an attachment to the Technical Proposal, a monthly program schedule as well as a calendar covering the programming for the entire cycle of one cohort of youth. The applicant must indicate how the program activities will support achievement of the performance goals established for the YouthBuild program. These performance goals are: Placement in Education or Employment, Certificate/Degree Attainment, Literacy/Numeracy Gains, Post-Program Retention in Education and Employment, and the Recidivism Rate. The applicant must describe the partners that will assist with the implementation and operation of the YouthBuild program.
Scoring for this section will be based on the extent to which the applicant addresses the criteria under each of the required components listed below.
a. Education and Occupational Skills Training (Maximum 8 points):
In this section, the applicant must fully describe the academic and occupational skills training that will be offered to YouthBuild participants. Applicants with existing or previously-funded DOL programs who wish to offer other occupational skills training in addition to construction must clearly describe the type of training that will be offered for both construction and other occupations skills training. Applicants must also describe how green construction skills training will be delivered to students. The applicant must fully demonstrate how the academic program is integrated with the occupational skills training component of the program. Given the connection between education and earnings, the academic component must be rigorous and challenging, and must provide participants with opportunities to transition to post-secondary training. The program must be structured so that participants in the program are offered education and related services designed to meet educational needs for at least 50 percent of the time during which they participate in the program. YouthBuild program participants must be offered work and skill development activities in occupational skills training for at least 40 percent of the time during which they participate in the program. The 50-40 time allocation applies at the program level and not to the actual time that an individual spends in a component. The remaining 10 percent of the time can be added to either the education or occupational skills training components or used for another type of training, such as youth leadership development or community service learning.
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application provides evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: The evidence that the type of academic instruction offered by the program will result in participants earning a GED, high school diploma or degree certificate, or other state-recognized equivalent including recognized alternative standards for people with disabilities.
Factor two: The applicant has provided a full description of the academic program, including the qualifications of the teaching staff, and the use of partner organizations.
Factor three: The applicant has provided a full description of innovative curriculum elements, including the use of any instructional strategies to address basic skills deficiencies, and the extent to which project-based learning or other methods of integrating education and occupational skills training are used.
Factor four: The applicant has fully described how the academic portion of the program differs from that of a traditional comprehensive high school.
Factor five: The applicant has fully described how it will determine student mastery of skills.
Factor six: The applicant has fully described the occupational skills training component of the program, including where and how the training will be conducted, how the curriculum is developed, the type of industry-recognized credentials that result from the training, and how green construction skills training will be included.
Factor seven: The applicant has fully described the involvement of industry partners and apprenticeship programs in the development of the training, and the skills and qualifications of the occupational skills training instructors.
Factor eight: The applicant has demonstrated a comprehensive safety plan for the occupational skills training worksite(s), including the training of staff and participants in OSHA guidelines.
b. Post-Program Placement and Follow-Up Services (Maximum 5 points): In this section, applicants must describe the post-program transition services that they will offer to prepare youth for employment placements and/or educational placements.
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application provides evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: The applicant describes a detailed and thorough approach to post-program transition that includes an assessment of each participant’s college and employment readiness skills, as well as supportive service or other post-program needs.
Factor two: Work readiness and career exploration are clearly and fully integrated into the culture, core mission, and activities of the program.
Factor three: The applicant has an integrated approach to providing post-program planning for participants.
Factor four: The structure of the participant follow-up service strategy is comprehensive and designed to ensure ongoing communication and retention support during the nine- to twelve-month follow-up period.
Factor five: The applicant describes how it will link program participants to local community and four-year colleges and trade schools, particularly for YouthBuild programs that offer GEDs to participants.
c. Community Service Learning and Leadership Development (Maximum 4 points):
In this section, applicants must describe the community service learning and leadership development opportunities that will be provided for youth in the program.
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application provides evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: An effective strategy for community service learning has been developed and includes input from youth participants.
Factor two: An effective strategy for youth leadership development opportunities has been developed including how youth will be engaged in the decision-making process.
Factor three: The applicant describes how staff will be trained on the curriculum used and/or principles underlying both the community service learning and youth leadership development components of the program.
Factor four: Youth leadership development and community service learning activities are clearly integrated with the academic, skills training, and career exploration/work readiness components of the program.
d. Partners (Maximum 4 points):
Because disadvantaged youth possess a wide range of challenges that must be addressed through multiple strategies, collaboration among a variety of partners, including youth-serving agencies/organizations is critical to the success of YouthBuild. Partners and their roles will vary depending on the applicant’s strategy and participant needs. In this section, applicants must identify the key partners who will be involved in the proposed YouthBuild project and describe the activities that will be undertaken by these partners. This section is scored based on the quality of partnerships, not the quantity. Applicants must describe the partners that will assist with the implementation and operation of the YouthBuild program, and must demonstrate that all partners understand their areas of responsibility in the program as well as how they will contribute to strong performance outcomes. Each partner must have a clearly defined role. These roles must be verified through a signed letter of commitment submitted by each partner including resources committed, if appropriate. Please note that letters of support are not the same as letters of commitment, and letters of support must not be included. Letters of commitment will not count against the 25-page (new applicant) or 20-page (previously-funded grantee) limit of the technical proposal. Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application provides evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: The applicant provides information on any partnerships in place and/or planned to support implementation and operation of the program in meeting performance goals and defines the clear role of each partner.
Factor two: The applicant demonstrates the ability to successfully manage partnerships.
Factor three: The applicant describes a comprehensive strategy for communication among partners that includes how partners will be trained. Training must include an explanation of partner roles and responsibilities as well as the impact of the partnership on program outcomes.
Factor four: The applicant includes letters of commitment (not letters of support) that indicate key partners’ knowledge and experience about the proposed project activities and understanding of their areas of responsibility and ability to impact the success of the project.
e. Outreach, Recruitment, and Selection (Maximum 4 points):
In this section, applicants must describe how eligible youth will be recruited and selected as participants for the YouthBuild program, including methods for outreach, referral, and selection.
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application provides evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: The applicant demonstrates a recruitment strategy including methods for outreach, referral, and selection in a manner that will ensure diverse and full enrollment.
Factor two: The program describes the targeted approach for recruiting young women as well as the successful past efforts to recruit eligible young women (including young women with dependent children) into the YouthBuild program or another comparable youth workforce development program.
f. Program Integration (Maximum 4 points):
In this section, applicants must describe the design and integration of the required program components, including education; occupational skills training (including how they will be exposed to and provided with opportunities to learn a range of skills in the training provided); youth leadership development; career exploration and planning; post-program support; and community service learning opportunities. The applicant must also describe the degree to which career and college exploration and planning activities will be incorporated into the overall culture of the program.
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application provides evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: The applicant has an effective strategy to integrate all program elements, including the integration of community service and leadership activities supporting career exploration and occupational skill training.
Factor two: The academic program is explicitly integrated with occupational skills training. Factor three: The applicant describes training and professional development opportunities for program staff in order to support program integration.
g. Monthly/Program Calendars (Maximum 3 points): The applicant must include as an attachment to the Technical Proposal comprehensive monthly and program cycle calendars and a description of how youth will progress through the program towards successful outcomes.
Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application provides evidence of the following factor:
Factor one: Monthly and program calendars are provided and demonstrate sufficient time periods during which educational programming and occupational skills training will be offered (including when the programming will be offered and the amount of time that it will be offered) to meet the program requirements, as well as demonstrating how a young person would move through a program cycle to achieve important milestones.
B. Required Evaluation Criterion for Previously-Funded Applicants
Required Evaluation Criterion for Previously-Funded Applicants |
Points |
1. Past Performance |
40 |
Total |
40 |
1. Past Performance (40 points)
Organizations that have previously received a YouthBuild award from the Department of Labor must include the most recent Quarterly Performance Report (ETA-9136) as an attachment. See the chart below.
YouthBuild Grantees (for the Period of Performance) |
Submit Quarterly Report for Period Ending |
October 15, 2007 – October 14, 2010 |
December 31, 2010 (Q2 of PY10) |
July 21, 2008 – July 20, 2011 |
September 30, 2011 (Q1 of PY11) |
July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2012 |
September 30, 2011 (Q1 of PY11) |
These attachments will not count against the 15-page limitation for the Technical Proposal. If the applicant’s organization has received multiple YouthBuild awards from DOL, please submit the most recent ETA-9136 for each grant and respond to a through d using this report. If the organization has never received funding from DOL to operate a YouthBuild program, applicants should skip this section and proceed to Section V.C. Required Evaluation Criteria for New Applicants. Points will be awarded as follows:
a. Placement in Education or Employment (Maximum 8 points):
Applicants with placement rates of 89.51% or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Applicants with placement rates of 79.51% – 89.50% will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Applicants with placement rates of 69.51% - 79.50% will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Applicants with placement rates of 59.51% - 69.50% will receive 5 points for this subsection.
Applicants with placement rates of 49.51% - 59.50% will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Applicants with placement rates of 39.51% – 49.50% will receive 3 points for this subsection.
Applicants with placement rates of 39.50% or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.
b. Certificate/Degree Attainment (Maximum 8 points):
Applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 89.51% or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 79.51% – 89.50% will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 69.51% - 79.50% will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 59.51% - 69.50% will receive 5 points for this subsection.
Applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 49.51% - 59.50% will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 39.51% –49.50% will receive 3 points for this subsection.
Applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 39.50% or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.
c. Literacy/Numeracy Gains (Maximum 8 points):
Applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 89.51% or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 79.51% – 89.50% will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 69.51% - 79.50% will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 59.51% - 69.50% will receive 5 points for this subsection.
Applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 49.51% - 59.50% will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 39.51% – 49.50% will receive 3 points for this subsection.
Applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 39.50% or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.
d. Retention in Education or Employment (Maximum 8 points):
Applicants with retention rates of 89.51% or higher will receive 8 points for this subsection.
Applicants with retention rates of 79.51% – 89.50% will receive 7 points for this subsection.
Applicants with retention rates of 69.51% - 79.50% will receive 6 points for this subsection.
Applicants with retention rates of 59.51% - 69.50% will receive 5 points for this subsection.
Applicants with retention rates of 49.51% - 59.50% will receive 4 points for this subsection.
Applicants with retention rates of 39.51% – 49.50% will receive 3 points for this subsection.
Applicants with retention rates of 39.50% or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.
e. Timeliness of Report Submissions (Maximum 3 points):
An applicant will receive points for the timely submission of quarterly performance, narrative, and financial reports for the last year of the most recent grant received (which will cover four reporting quarters). For example, for applicants that received a grant in 2007 but not in 2009, this will be the period covering October 15, 2009 through October 14, 2010. For applicants that received a grant in 2009, this will be the period July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. Applicants must submit a chart that includes the type of report to be submitted for each reporting period, the date the report was due and the actual submission date. Information provided will be verified using data collected from the YouthBuild Case Management and Performance system as of the date that the reports were first submitted. If revised reports were submitted at later dates, applicants will not be penalized as the first date of the report submission will be used. Points will be assigned as follows:
Applicants that have submitted all quarterly performance, narrative, and financial reports on or before the due date will receive 3 points.
Applicants that have submitted a complete set of quarterly report s (quarterly performance, narrative, and financial reports) for three of the four quarters on or before the due date will receive 2 points.
Applicants that have submitted a complete set of quarterly reports (quarterly performance, narrative, and financial reports) for fewer than three quarters on or before the due date will receive 0 points.
f. Spending Rate Analysis (Maximum 3 points):
The Department makes awards to support two years of program operation plus an additional year for follow-up services. Spending grant funds within the period of performance indicates that the applicant organization has the ability to adequately deploy the resources provided by the Department and manage a budget effectively.
The calculation used for the spending rate analysis will allow a six-month window at the start of the grant, based on the fact that grantees will take time to fully hire staff and begin expending the grants funds. This analysis will be based on the applicant’s most recent grant. For example, if the applicant’s organization received an award in 2007 and in 2009, information regarding the spending rate will be based on the 2009 award. Applicants must include with the application the most recent ETA-9130 financial report that you submitted to the Department. This will not count against the 20-page limit for the Technical Proposal.
Points will be awarded as follows:
For organizations that received a YouthBuild award in 2007 (period of performance from 10/15/2007 – 10/14/2010):
Applicants that expended 100% of grant funds within the original period of performance and met 100% of their original proposed match requirement will receive 3 points.
Applicants that expended at least 90% of grant funds within the original grant period of performance and met 100% of their original proposed match requirements will receive 2 points.
Applicants that expended 90% or less of grant funds or did not report the match on the ETA 9130 as originally proposed will receive 0 points.
For programs that received a YouthBuild award in 2008 (period of performance from July 21, 2008 – June 20, 2011):
Applicants that have expended 100% of the grant funds through September 30, 2011 and have reported 100% of the match requirement will receive 3 points.
Applicants that have expended at least 80% - 99% of the grant funds through September 30, 2011and that have reported at least 80% - 99% of the match requirement will receive 2 points.
Applicants that have expended 80% or less or reported less than 80% of the match amount originally proposed will receive 0 points.
For programs that received a YouthBuild award in 2009, including ARRA-funded YouthBuild awards (period of performance from July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2012):
Applicants that have expended at least 80% of grant funds through September 30, 2011 and that have reported at least 50% of the match requirement will receive 3 points.
Applicants that have expended at least 80% of grant funds through September 30, 2011 and that have reported less than 50% of the match requirement will receive 2 points.
Applicants that have expended less than 80% of grant funds through September 30, 2011 and have not reported at least 50% of the match requirement will receive 0 points. Applicants that expend less than 80% of grant funds and report more than 50% of match requirement will also receive 0 points.
g. Organizational Chart and Staffing Plan (Maximum 2 points):
Applicants are expected to submit an organizational chart that reflects how the YouthBuild program will be staffed, including key positions, such as Program Director, Case Managers, Job Developers, etc. In instances where the YouthBuild program is part of a larger organization, include a diagram that indicates how the YouthBuild program fits within the larger organization. The chart and staffing plan should be included as Technical Proposal Attachments and do not count against the 15-page limitation of the Technical Proposal.
C. Required Evaluation Criteria for New Applicants
An organization is considered a new applicant if the organization has not received funds from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to operate a YouthBuild program.
Required Evaluation Criteria for New Applicants |
Points |
1. Program Management and Organizational Capacity |
20 |
2. Evidence of Past and Projected Success in a non-DOL-funded YouthBuild or Other Relevant Programs |
20 |
Total |
40 |
1. Program Management and Organizational Capacity (20 points)
The applicant must provide a description of its organization and a statement of its qualifications for operating a YouthBuild program, including years of operation, current annual budget, continuity of leadership, the experience of staff, their roles, as well as those of any consultants and collaborative organizations that may be part of operating the YouthBuild program. Applicants must include as an attachment to the Technical Proposal, an organizational chart that reflects how the YouthBuild program will be staffed and, in instances where the YouthBuild program is part of a larger organization (e.g., a Housing Authority), a diagram that indicates where the YouthBuild program fits within the larger organization. Applicants should include the time commitment of the proposed staff dedicated to the YouthBuild program. Applicants should ensure that staff allocation is sufficient to ensure proper direction, management, and timely completion of the project including oversight and management of consultants and any partnering agencies.
The applicant must fully describe the organization’s capacity to track and report outcomes and its ability to collect and manage data in a way that allows consistent, accurate, and expedient reporting. The applicant must discuss the professional development activities available to staff.
The applicant must fully describe any previous experience of the organization in operating grants from either Federal or non-Federal sources. The application must describe the fiscal controls in place in the organization for auditing and accountability procedures. Applicant must also provide information on the overall financial stability of the organization having financial oversight for the YouthBuild program. Applicants must include the most recent audited financial statements and, if applicable, the accompanying management letter. In addition, the applicant’s budget and narrative should include the cost per participant to be served. The cost per participant must be between $15,000 and $18,000. This attachment will not count against the 20-page limit for either the technical proposal or attachments to the technical proposal.
The applicant must describe the organization’s ability to handle multiple funding streams with appropriate accounting systems in place. The applicant must describe its proposed project management structure including, where appropriate, the identification of or a job description for a proposed project manager, discussion of the proposed staffing pattern, and the qualifications and experience of key staff members or, for those positions not yet filled, short job descriptions and their time commitment to the project. Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which applicants provide evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: The overall financial stability of the organization is demonstrated by strong accounting systems, fiscal controls, previous grants management efforts, and audited financial statements.
Factor two: The capacity of the applicant organization to accomplish the goals and outcomes of the project is demonstrated, including the ability to collect and manage data in a way that allows consistent, accurate, and expedient reporting.
Factor three: The time commitment of the proposed staff dedicated to the YouthBuild program is sufficient to ensure proper direction, management, and timely completion of the project and the roles and contribution of staff, consultants, and collaborative organizations are clearly defined and linked to specific tasks.
Factor four: The budget and narrative proposed for the program model, including the cost per participant (which must not be higher than the range of $15,000 – $18,000), is reasonable and comprehensive.
Factor five: The organization and key staff qualifications are sufficient to meet the expected goals and outcomes of the program.
2. Evidence of Past Performance in a Non-DOL-Funded YouthBuild or Other Relevant Program (20 points)
The applicant must fully describe and document past accomplishments it has achieved operating a non-DOL funded YouthBuild program or another youth workforce development and construction training program that is comparable to YouthBuild in its complexity and duration in the provision of education and skills training for at-risk youth. Applicants that have not operated a construction training program must explain how their experience in operating a youth workforce development program has prepared them to undertake the complexities of operating a construction program. The applicant must describe the program and how long the program has been in operation. Applicants must fully describe how both the academic and skills training curricula were developed and how long they have been used. Applicants that have operated a YouthBuild program with non-DOL funding or another comparable youth workforce development program must provide in a chart, which may be single-spaced, the following information:
Program duration (e.g. months participants are enrolled in the program);
Number of youth recruited;
Number of youth enrolled;
Number of youth who successfully completed the program;
Number and percent of youth receiving their GED, high school diploma, and/or other state-recognized equivalent, including recognized alternative standards for individuals with disabilities (applicants must differentiate between these credentials);
Percent of participants demonstrating literacy and numeracy gains;
Number and percent of youth who have entered construction-related employment;
Number and percent of youth who have entered other employment;
Employment retention rates for the three quarters after exit;
Number and percent of youth who have entered post-secondary training or education;
Post-secondary training or education retention rates (where available, applicant must indicate the number of participants who have completed post-secondary training or education and have achieved a credential, including the number and type of credentials received);
Number and percent of youth who have entered registered apprenticeship programs; and
Cost per participant.
Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which applicants provide evidence of the following factors:
Factor one: The data on the relevant program is provided and documented adequately.
Factor two: The organization has demonstrated success in connecting at-risk youth to employment and educational opportunities and placements.
Factor three: The applicant proposes an enrollment goal that provides a sufficient number of youth to be served during the program period.
Factor four: The programming activities undertaken are integrated and sufficiently complex to yield positive performance outcomes and youth are exposed and trained in a variety of industry-recognized certification programs.
Factor five: The applicant uses occupational skills training curricula that results in youth receiving industry-recognized credentials, e.g., the National Center for Construction Education and Research, the Home Builders Institute’s curriculum, or the Building Trades Multi-Craft Core curriculum; and
Factor six: The applicant uses state-approved curricula for either the GED or high school diploma, degree certificate, or other state-recognized equivalent including recognized alternative standards for people with disabilities.
PART V. POINT DISTRIBUTIONS |
||
|
Previously- Funded Applicants |
New Applicants |
A. All Applicants |
|
|
1. Statement of Need |
28 |
28 |
2. Program Design |
32 |
32 |
|
|
|
B. Previously-Funded Applicant Section |
|
|
1. Past Performance |
40 |
|
|
|
|
C. New Applicant Section |
|
|
1. Program Management and Organizational Capacity |
|
20 |
2. Evidence of Past and Projected Success in a non-DOL-funded YouthBuild or Other Relevant Programs |
|
20 |
Total Available Points |
100 |
100 |
Applications for grants under this Solicitation will be accepted after the publication of this announcement and until the specified time on the closing date. A technical review panel will 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. 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; whether the States to be served have previously received grants for YouthBuild programs; the availability of funds; and which proposals are most advantageous to the government. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to his/her attention. The government may elect to award the grant(s) with or without discussions with the applicant. Should a grant be awarded without discussions, the award will be based on the applicant’s signature on the SF-424, including electronic signature via E-Authentication on http://www.grants.gov, which constitutes a binding offer by the applicant.
All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted directly before the grant’s execution. Non-selected applicants will be notified by mail or email and may request a written debriefing on the significant weaknesses of their proposal.
Selection of an organization as a grantee does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, ETA may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and decline to fund the application. DOL reserves the right to not fund any application related to this SGA.
1. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees will be subject to all applicable Federal laws, regulations, and the applicable OMB Circulars. The grant(s) awarded under this SGA will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions:
i. Non-Profit Organizations – OMB Circular A–122 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 230, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements)
ii. Educational Institutions – OMB Circular A–21 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 220, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
iii. State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments – OMB Circular A–87 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 225, and 29 CFR Part 97 (Administrative Requirements).
iv. Profit Making Commercial Firms – Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) – 48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
v. All Grant Recipients must comply with the applicable provisions of The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law No. 105-220, 112 Stat. 936 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) and the applicable provisions of the regulations at 20 CFR 660 et seq. Note that 20 CFR part 667 (General Fiscal and Administrative Rules) includes unsuccessful applicant appeal information.
vi. All entities must comply with 29 CFR Part 93 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), 29 CFR Part 94 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)), 29 CFR 95.13 and Part 98 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension, and drug-free workplace requirements), and, where applicable, 29 CFR Part 96 (Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts, and Other Agreements) and 29 CFR Part 99 (Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations).
vii. 29 CFR Part 2, subpart D—Equal Treatment in Department of Labor Programs for Religious Organizations, Protection of Religious Liberty of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and Beneficiaries.
viii. 29 CFR Part 31—Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Labor—Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
ix. 29 CFR Part 32—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
x. 29 CFR Part 35— Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.
xi. 29 CFR Part 36—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
xii. 29 CFR Part 37 – Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
xiii. 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30—Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.
2. Other Legal Requirements:
i. Religious Activities
The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. Section 2000bb, applies to all Federal law and its implementation. If your organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be entitled to receive Federal financial assistance under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act and maintain that hiring practice even though Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act contains a general ban on religious discrimination in employment. If you are awarded a grant, you will be provided with information on how to request such an exemption.
ii. Lobbying or Fundraising the U.S. Government with Federal Funds
In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-65) (2 U.S.C. 1611), non-profit entities incorporated under Internal Revenue Service Code Section 501(c) (4) that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive Federal funds and grants. No activity, including awareness-raising and advocacy activities, may include fundraising for, or lobbying of, U.S. Federal, State or Local Governments (see OMB Circular A-122).
iii. Transparency Act Requirements
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 sub-award 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.
iv. Safeguarding Data Including Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Applicants submitting proposals in response to this SGA must recognize that confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the Department of Labor and must be observed except where disclosure is allowed by the prior written approval of the Grant Officer or by court order. By submitting a proposal, Grantees are assuring that all data exchanges conducted through or during the course of performance of this grant will be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable Federal law. All such activity conducted by ETA and/or Grantee/s will be performed in a manner consistent with applicable state and Federal laws.
By submitting a grant proposal, the applicant agrees to take all necessary steps to protect such confidentiality by complying with the following provisions that are applicable in governing their handling of confidential information:
(1) Grantees shall not extract information from data supplied by DOL/ETA for any purpose not stated in the SGA.
(2) Grantees shall retain data received from DOL/ETA only for the period of time required to utilize it for assessment and other purposes, or to satisfy applicable federal records retention requirements, if any. Thereafter, the Grantee agrees that all data will be destroyed, including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and permanent deletion of electronic data.
(3) Grantees shall ensure that any information used during the performance of this Grant has been obtained and is being transmitted in conformity with applicable Federal and state laws governing the protection of PII and the confidentiality of information. Information transmitted to DOL/ETA containing sensitive information including personally identifiable information (PII) must be encrypted using National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 validated products. The encrypted information must be encrypted in a form that would allow the receiver of the information to decrypt the information without installing additional software or tools.
(4) Access to any information created by DOL/ETA shall be restricted to only those employees of the Grant recipient who need it in their official capacity to perform duties in connection with the Scope of Work outlined in this SGA.
(5) Grantee employees and other personnel who will have access to sensitive/confidential/proprietary/private data and PII shall be advised of the confidential nature of the information, the safeguards required to protect the information, and the civil and criminal sanctions for noncompliance with such safeguards that are contained in Federal and state laws.
(6) Prior to being able to have access to PII and other confidential data, Grantee employees and other personnel shall execute a standard document acknowledging their understanding of the confidential nature of the data and the safeguards with which they must comply in their handling of such data as well as the fact that they may be liable to civil and criminal sanctions for improper disclosure.
(7) Grantees further acknowledge that all data obtained through DOL/ETA shall be stored in an area that is physically safe from access by unauthorized persons at all times and the data will be processed using grantee issued equipment, managed information technology (IT) services, and designated locations approved by DOL/ETA. Accessing, processing, and storing of DOL/ETA data on personally owned equipment, at off-site locations e.g. employee’s home, and non-Grantee managed IT services, is strictly prohibited unless approved by DOL/ETA.
(8) All PII and other data shall be processed in a manner that will protect the confidentiality of the records/documents and is designed to prevent unauthorized persons from retrieving such records by computer, remote terminal or any other means. Data may be downloaded to, or maintained on, mobile or portable devices only if the data are encrypted using NIST FIPS 140-2 validated products. In addition, wage data may only be accessed from secure locations.
(9) Data obtained by the Grantee through a request shall not be disclosed to third parties except as permitted by the Grant Officer.
(10) Grantees shall permit ETA to make onsite inspections during regular business hours for the purpose of conducting audits and/or to conduct other investigations to assure that the Grantee is complying with the confidentiality requirements described above. In accordance with this responsibility, Grantees shall make records applicable to this Agreement available to authorized persons for the purpose of inspection, review, and/or audit.
(11) Grantees shall take the steps necessary to ensure the privacy of all PII obtained from participants and/or other individuals and to protect such information from disclosure to unauthorized individuals. Grantees shall maintain such PII in accordance with the DOL/ETA standards for information security provided herein, including any updates to such standards provided to the Grantee by DOL/ETA. Grantees shall report immediately to the DOL ETA Information Security Officer (ISO) any suspected or confirmed breaches or compromise of PII obtained from participants and/or other individuals.
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
DOL may require that the program or project participate in an evaluation of overall performance of ETA grants and require the cooperation of the grantee as a condition of award.
Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. Quarterly financial reports, quarterly narrative progress reports, and quarterly performance reports 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 Narrative Progress Reports.
The grantee must submit a quarterly narrative progress report electronically within 45 days after the end of each quarter. This report must provide a detailed account of activities undertaken during that quarter. The quarterly progress report should be in narrative form and should include:
i. In-depth information on accomplishments, including project success stories, upcoming grant activities, and promising approaches and processes.
ii. Progress toward performance outcomes, including updates on product, curricula, and training development.
3. Quarterly Performance Reports.
Organizations must submit updated data on enrollment, services provided, placements, and outcomes within 45 days after the end of each quarter. The report must include quarterly information on grant activities. The last quarterly performance report that grantees submit will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report. This report will be generated and submitted electronically through a government-procured, Web-based Case Management and Performance Reporting system that will be provided at no charge to all grantees. Grantees will be required to have industry-standard computer hardware and high-speed Internet access in order to use the this system. Grant funds may be used with the prior approval of the Grant Officer to upgrade computer hardware and Internet access to enable projects to use the system for case management and performance reporting.
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.
4. 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 Kia Mason, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, at (202) 693-2606. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 11-06, 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.
Instructions for identifying county-level unemployment data using the American Fact finder
To find the unemployment rate, go to www.census.gov. Click on American Fact Finder which you’ll find at the bottom of the home page in the blue shaded box under Find Data. The next screen automatically directs you to the latest version: factfinder2.census.gov. For best results, use Mozilla Firefox 3.6 and Internet Explorer 7. Mozilla Firefox 3.6 can be downloaded for free at http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all-older.html.
Use the Quick Start feature of the tool, if you know the county or counties in which the communities you propose to serve are located. This feature is in the middle of the Main page. Type S2301 EMPLOYMENT STATUS in the topic and table name box and the county and state in which the communities you serve are located in the state, county or place box. If you’re unsure about which county name to enter, use the address lookup feature described in Step 5.c.i. Once you have entered the search terms and clicked ‘GO’, skip to Steps 7 and 8 of these instructions. Otherwise follow Steps 3-8 of the instructions below.
Finding poverty rates using this tool requires that you select filters from the left navigation bar on the Main page (see the tab at the top of the page) of the dissemination tool. The next two steps provide instructions on how to select the filters.
Select the Topics filter by clicking on Topics or expand by clicking on the arrow next to Topics.
Next, click on People or expand by clicking on the plus sign.
Then click on Employment or expand by clicking on the plus sign.
Finally at the next level, click on Employment (Labor Force) Status.
Select the second filter: Geographies by clicking on Geographies or expand the filter by clicking on the arrow.
A Select Geography box appears. Under the Name tab, to the left you will find Geography Filter Options, select Within State, click on it or expand by clicking on the plus sign.
A list of states appear, select from the list the State(s) in which the communities you serve is/are located.
To the right, in the Geography Results box, all counties within the State appear under Geography Name. Select the particular County or Counties in which the communities you propose to serve is/are located.
If you’re unsure of the county, use the address lookup feature. Click on the Address tab. Type in the street address, city, state and zip code in the address boxes. (Note: you will need to know the street address to use this feature.) From information in the Geography Results table, click on the name of the county found under Geography Name.
Add the County or Counties selected to your selections by clicking on Add (above Geography Name)
Close the Select Geographies pane by clicking on the x in the upper right hand corner of the box.
Your selections should be shown in the Your Selections box at the top left of the page. It should read People:Employment:Employment (Labor Force) Status, and the selected county and state, for example, Newport County, Rhode Island.
In the Search Results pane on the right hand side of the page, select Table S2301 EMPLOYMENT STATUS for the 2010 ACS 5-year estimates by clicking on and checking the box next to the title. Then view the selected table.
Use the unemployment rate estimate for population ages 16 to 19 years and ages 20 to 24 years to provide the unemployment rates.
Instructions for indentifying county-level poverty data using the American Fact Finder.
To find the poverty rate, go to www.census.gov. Click on American Fact Finder, which you’ll find at the bottom of the home page in the blue shaded box under Find Data. The next screen automatically directs you to the latest version: factfinder2.census.gov. For best results, use Mozilla Firefox 3.6 and Internet Explorer 7. Mozilla Firefox 3.6 can be downloaded for free at http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all-older.html.
Use the Quick Start feature of the tool, if you know the county in which the communities you serve are located. This feature is in the middle of the Main page. Type S1701 POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS in the topic and table name box and the county and state in which the communities you serve are located in the state, county or place box. If you’re unsure about which county name to enter, use the address lookup feature described in Step 5.c.i. Once you have entered the search terms and clicked ‘GO’, skip to Steps 7 and 8 of these instructions. Otherwise, follow Steps 3-8 of the instructions below.
Finding poverty rates using this tool requires that you select filters from the left navigation bar on the Main page (see the tab at the top of the page) of the dissemination tool. The next two steps provide instructions on how to select the filters.
Select the Topics filter by clicking on Topics or expand by clicking on the arrow next to Topics.
Next, click on People or expand by clicking on the plus sign.
Then click on Poverty or expand by clicking on the plus sign.
Finally, click on Poverty.
Select the second filter: Geographies by clicking on Geographies or expand the filter by clicking on the arrow.
A Select Geography box appears. Under the Name tab, to the left you will find Geography Filter Options, select Within State, click on it or expand by clicking on the plus sign.
A list of states appear. Select from the list the State(s) in which the communities you propose to serve are located.
To the right, in the Geography Results box all counties within the State appear under Geography Name. Select the particular County or Counties in which the communities you serve are located.
If you’re unsure of the county, use the address lookup feature. Click on the Address tab. Type in the street address, city, state and zip code in the address boxes. (Note: you will need to know the street address to use this feature.) From information in the Geography Results table, click on the name of the county found under Geography Name.
Add the County or Counties selected to your selections by clicking on Add (above Geography Name)
Close the Select Geographies pane by clicking on the x in the upper right hand corner of the box.
Your selections should be shown in the Your Selections box at the top left of the page. It should read People:Poverty:Poverty, and the selected county and state, for example, Bronx County, New York.
In the Search Results pane on the right hand side of the page, select Table S1701 POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS for the 2010 ACS 1-year dataset by clicking on and checking the box next to the title. Then view the selected table.
Use the percent below poverty level estimate for total population to provide the poverty rate.
B. Web-Based Resources
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 competency profiles; and America's Service Locator (http://www.servicelocator.org), which provides a directory of our nation's One-Stop Career Centers.
C. Industry Competency Models and Career Clusters
ETA supports an Industry Competency Model Initiative to promote an understanding of the skill sets and competencies that are essential to an educated and skilled workforce. A competency model is a collection of competencies that, taken together, define successful performance in a particular work setting. Competency models serve as a starting point for the design and implementation of workforce and talent development programs. To learn about the industry-validated models visit the Competency Model Clearinghouse (CMC) at http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel. The CMC site also provides tools to build or customize industry models, as well as tools to build career ladders and career lattices for specific regional economies.
Career Clusters and Industry Competency Models both identify foundational and technical competencies, but their efforts are not duplicative. The Career Clusters link to specific career pathways in sixteen career cluster areas and place greater emphasis than Industry Competency Models 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: http://www.careerclusters.org.
D. Workforce3One Resources
1. ETA encourages applicants to view the information gathered through the conference calls with Federal agency partners, industry stakeholders, educators, and local practitioners. The information on resources identified can be found on Workforce3One.org at: http://www.workforce3one.org/view/2001008333909172195/info.
2. ETA encourages 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.
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 _______________, in Washington, D.C. by:
Donna Kelly
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration
1 Memorandums 07-16 and 06-19. GAO Report 08-536, Privacy: Alternatives Exist for Enhancing Protection of Personally Identifiable Information, May 2008, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08536.pdf.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| Author | frugoli.pam |
| Last Modified By | Naradzay.Bonnie |
| File Modified | 2012-02-29 |
| File Created | 2012-02-28 |