DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Senior Community Service Employment Program National Grants for Program Year (PY) 2012
Announcement Type: Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA)
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY-11-04
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.235
Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [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: Jeannette Flowers, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 11-04, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-4716, 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 a grant competition for national grantees funded under the Community Service Employment for Older Americans program, authorized under title V of the Older Americans Act (OAA) as amended in 2006, Pub. L. No. 109-365. This program is commonly referred to as the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). Approximately $346,000,000 in grant funds will be available for national grantees.
SCSEP grant funds are awarded to states and territories, and to competitively-chosen national grantees. This funding opportunity is for national grantees. SCSEP is the only Federally-sponsored employment and training program targeted specifically to low-income older individuals who want to enter or re-enter the workforce. Program participants receive work experience at local public or non-profit agencies and are paid the higher of the Federal, State, or local minimum wage, or the prevailing wage for similar employment, for approximately 20 hours per week while in community service and other job training (OAA Amendments § 502(b)(1)(J); 20 CFR 641.565(a)). The dual goals of the program are to promote useful opportunities in community service job training and to move SCSEP participants into unsubsidized employment, where appropriate.
The following information describes key aspects of the program to provide information to new applicants to the program. For a more in-depth understanding, read the resources listed in Section VIII of this SGA.
Eligible Participant. An individual is eligible for SCSEP if he or she is not employed at the time of enrollment, is age 55 or older, and has an income of no more than 125 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines.
Priority of Service for Individuals with Multiple Barriers to Employment. SCSEP provides priority of service to those most-in-need as provided at 20 CFR 641.520. These individuals:
Are veterans (or eligible spouses of veterans) for purposes of §2(a) of the Jobs for Veterans Act , 39 U.S.C. 4215 (a)
Are age 65 or older;
Have a disability;
Have limited English proficiency
Have low literacy skills;
Reside in a rural area;
Have low employment prospects;
Have failed to find employment after using services provided through the One-Stop delivery system; or
Are homeless or are at risk of homelessness.
Individual Employment Plans (IEP). As required at 20 CFR 641.535, grantees and sub-recipients must assess each SCSEP participant to determine his or her skills and employment-related needs, and must develop a plan to improve the participant’s employability. The initial IEP must include an appropriate employment goal for each participant. The grantee or sub-recipient must then provide or arrange for training and other supportive services identified in participants’ IEPs that are consistent with the SCSEP’s goal of unsubsidized employment. (Other employment and training programs sometimes refer to this type of plan as an Individual Development Plan or Individual Training Plan.) Grantees must monitor the participant’s IEP progress regularly and are required to do a reassessment for each participant at least twice during a 12-month period and, as necessary, update the IEP. If the grantee or sub-recipient determines that the initial goal of unsubsidized employment is not feasible, the grantee or sub-recipient must revise the IEP to reflect other approaches, including transitioning to other services or programs, to help the participant achieve maximum self-sufficiency and an enhanced quality of life after SCSEP participation has ended.
Unsubsidized Employment. An important goal of the program is to help participants achieve self-sufficiency when they exit the program. For participants whose IEP includes a goal of unsubsidized employment, grantees must provide training opportunities that enable participants to obtain such employment. In addition, grantees must provide regular follow-up communication with former participants and employers to ensure that the former participant retains the job. Grantees may also provide supportive services to successfully placed participants for up to 12 months to help them to remain employed. Quality training efforts, appropriate placements, and good relationships between the program and the local employer community increase the likelihood of successful unsubsidized employment and job retention for SCSEP exiters.
Community Service Work-Based Training. Providing subsidized work-based training through community service is the core feature of the SCSEP service delivery model. Participants obtain income, as well as confidence and skills needed for successful employment; the organizations that host the participants benefit from the participants’ work. As provided at 20 CFR 641.140, community service may include but is not limited to such activities as social, health, welfare and educational services; counseling services, including tax counseling; environmental efforts; weatherization efforts; and economic development. The training provided at these host agencies must be consistent with the participant’s IEP. Participants receive wages paid by the grantee while they are in work-based or other training, as provided in their IEP.
Participant Wages and Fringe Benefits. Grantees must spend a minimum of 75 percent of their SCSEP Federal grant funds on participant wages and fringe benefits. Subject to Departmental approval, a grantee may use up to 10 percent of these funds to provide additional training and supportive services to participants (see 20 CFR 641.874). Participant wages are based on the higher of the Federal, State, or local minimum wage, or the comparable wage for similar employment, for time spent in approved program activities only (e.g., community service training, other permissible training, orientation). See Section II.A.2 and 3 of this SGA for funding calculation information. Generally, grantees pay participants’ wages every two weeks.
SCSEP regulations list required fringe benefits as the offer of an annual physical examination; workers’ compensation coverage; unemployment compensation coverage (only if required by State law); compensation for scheduled work on Federal holidays; and necessary sick leave. Prohibited fringe benefits include contributions to retirement plans, annual leave, bonuses, or any carryover of benefits from one program year to the next. See CFR 641.565(b).
Host Agencies. Host agencies provide the work sites for program participants and may be public agencies or organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including community- and faith-based organizations, authorized Federal agencies, State agencies, or local public agencies. See 20 CFR 641.140 for limits on types of host agencies. Host agencies are an essential component of the program because they provide training and work experience for participants. Grantees must work with host agencies to identify appropriate training that does not lead to maintenance of effort violations. Therefore, grantees’ communication with the host agencies directly affects the value of the work-based training experience for the participants and the participants’ ability to obtain unsubsidized employment.
Maintenance of Effort. A community service assignment for a SCSEP participant is permissible only when specific maintenance of effort requirements are met. Each project funded must not: (1) reduce the number of employment opportunities or vacancies that would otherwise be available to individuals not participating in the program; (2) displace currently employed workers (including partial displacement, such as a reduction in the hours of non-overtime work, wages, or employment benefits); (3) impair existing contracts or result in the substitution of Federal funds for other funds in connection with work that would otherwise be performed; and (4) employ or continue to employ any eligible individual to perform the same work or substantially the same work as that performed by any other individual who is on layoff (OAA § 502(b)(1)(G).
Other Permissible Training. Training other than work-based community service training is an important tool to improve the skills and talents of participants, to help them succeed in their community service assignments, and to facilitate their placement in unsubsidized employment. Grantees and sub-recipients tailor the quantity and type of training to each individual participant’s IEP. Training may include classroom training, general skills training or specialized training.
Coordination with One-Stop Career Centers, State and Local Workforce Investment Boards, State Units on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, Other Grantees. As a required partner, all SCSEP grantees must coordinate activities with local One-Stop Career Centers (One-Stops) administered by Local Workforce Investment Boards under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq., through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). For instance, as provided at 20 CFR 641.230, a participant assessment or IEP completed by the SCSEP satisfies any condition for an assessment, service strategy, or IEP completed at the One-Stop, and vice-versa.
We require grantees and sub-recipients to coordinate with State units on aging and area agencies on aging, as necessary, to ensure seamless support of aging individuals, which also helps participants achieve self-sufficiency. These organizations often operate local SCSEP programs but also offer supportive services to seniors. We also encourage grantees to coordinate efforts with other SCSEP grantees.
Equitable Distribution (ED). Section 507 of the OAA requires us to ensure that services are provided equitably within each State. We use Census data by county and annual program appropriations to calculate the number of authorized positions or “slots” that are allocated to each county in each State. The number of authorized positions is proportional to the number of eligible people in the county compared to the eligible State population. For every authorized position, one or more individuals can receive services during the program year. For instance, when a participant exits the program for employment or when participants are on an approved break, a grantee may enroll a new individual based on remaining program funds. Grantees may only enroll participants who reside in the county in which they have authorized positions.
We will use the American Community Survey data for 2006-2010 to allocate authorized positions by county in each State for PY 2012. The total existing allocation of State grantee authorized positions will remain the same as in PY 2011; however, some modifications on a county level may be required by the new Census data. We will then use the Census data to allocate national grantee authorized positions by county throughout each State in order to achieve equitable distribution and minimize disruption to current participants. See Appendix F.
Applicants must acknowledge that (1) as a condition of any award under this SGA, they will comply with the ED plan for each State in which they operate, and (2) that they will not make any change in the location of authorized positions within a county, except in accordance with the State ED plan and with DOL approval. The State plan is filed annually by the State grantee for all authorized positions, and grantees must relocate, as necessary, authorized positions that become vacant to comply with the ED plan.
Right of First Refusal. Under this solicitation, all successful applicants must allow current participants to remain in the program under the same conditions they experienced before the competition in order to minimize disruptions to participants and to the program. Therefore, participants must be able to continue community service work-based training with the same host agency for a minimum of 90 days after October 1, 2012, even though they may be transferred to a new grantee as a result of the competition. During these 90 days, grantees will be required to provide orientation to their participants. After 90 days, participants are subject to all of the procedures and requirements of the new grantee.
Administrative Costs. The administrative cost allowance for the program is 13.5 percent of the Federal share. Administrative costs are defined in the OAA Amendments at section 502(c)(4) and 20 CFR 641.856. This administrative limit may be increased to 15 percent as permitted under section 502(c)(3) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.867.
Non-Federal Share Requirement. Each grantee must contribute a minimum of 10 percent to the program through cash or in-kind contributions. (This requirement also applies to Federal agency grantees unless a statutory exemption is available.) Grantees may not require local projects or sub-recipients to provide a match as a condition of receiving funds. For more information on non-Federal share requirements, please see 20 CFR 641.809 and 29 CFR 95.23. Projects located in “economically depressed areas” as defined at OAA § 502(c)(1)-(2) may be exempted from cost-sharing.
Sub-recipients. We define a sub-recipient as any organization that provides program services on behalf of the grantee. There are no statutory restrictions on the type of entity that may be a sub-recipient; however, all sub-recipients are required to follow all applicable Department rules, regulations, and policy advisories. Regardless of how or through which entities the grantee chooses to deliver services, the grantee remains liable for complying with all the terms and conditions of its grant, including all SCSEP rules, regulations, and policy advisories. Some examples of entities that may be sub-recipients include, but are not limited to, community- and faith-based organizations, community colleges, State agencies, One-Stop Career Centers, for-profit organizations, and tribal organizations.
Extension of Funding. Grantees may request that any unspent program year grant funds be extended beyond the end of the program year. We may grant an extension request if we determine that the extension is necessary to ensure the effective use of funds.
Performance Measures. The performance measures for the program are outlined in 20 CFR part 641 subpart G and Appendix I. We designed these measures to ensure that grantees enroll only those individuals who need the most training assistance to obtain employment. They also hold grantees accountable for placing participants into and retaining participants in unsubsidized jobs. Section VI explains how the performance goals for national grantees will be established for awards under this SGA. The Department expects continuous performance improvement from the program overall, which is measured under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 through established nationwide program goals. Failure to meet performance goals for four consecutive years disqualifies a grantee from re-competing as a national grantee. However, no current grantee is disqualified under this criterion.
(1) Funding Amount and Total Awards. The total amount of funds available for national grantees in PY 2012 is approximately $346,000,000. This represents 78 percent of the total appropriation for PY 2012 (i.e., July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013). By statute, the remaining 22 percent of the appropriation is reserved for State formula-funded programs and, therefore, is not included in this SGA.
We anticipate making between 10 and 20 awards under this SGA, including at least one award to an Indian and Native American organization and at least one award to an Asian and Pacific Islander organization, as required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments. Hereafter, applicants for these statutory set-asides will be referred to as “set-aside applicants” and applicants for other national grant funding will be referred to as “general applicants.”
(2) Maximum Request for Funding.
A. General Applicants – The maximum request for funding for general applicants is $150 million. All applicants must apply to provide services in more than one State.
B. Set-Aside Applicants – The maximum request for funding for Indian and Native American set-aside fund applicants is $6,107,847 or 630 authorized positions, which is equivalent to the total amount of funding available for Indian and Native American set-aside organizations. The maximum request for funding for Asian and Pacific Islander set-aside applicants is $6,107,847 or 630 authorized positions, which is equivalent to the total amount of funding available for Asian and Pacific Islander set-aside organizations.
(3) Minimum Request for Funding.
General Applicants - In order to deliver services more efficiently, the Department seeks to increase the number of positions per national grantee in local areas through this SGA. To that end, we have placed certain minimum size requirements on requests for funding. These requirements are based on an appropriation of $448,251,000.
Applicants must apply for at least 10 percent of the State allocation or $1,600,170 (or approximately 165 positions) in each State, whichever is greater. (See examples 1 and 2 below.) This requirement does not preclude an applicant from applying for more than 10 percent of the allocated amount in a State. In fact, the Department encourages applicants to apply for 20-25 percent of a State’s allocation for maximum operational efficiency.
Applicants must also apply for all of the positions allocated in a county, except in large counties that exceed the 10 percent or the $1,600,170 State minimum. See item 4 of this section for instructions on calculating funds based on positions. We may award two or more grants (or more than $1,600,170) in a large county that has more than 165 positions. For those large counties, the applicant may apply for a portion of the county, but if that portion does not meet the 10 percent or $1,600,170 State minimum, the applicant must also apply for surrounding contiguous counties.
In addition, applicants may request positions in multiple counties in a State, but the counties requested must be contiguous (i.e., all counties must border at least one other county in the cluster). An applicant may apply for more than one cluster of counties in a State, such as in larger States, but each cluster must meet the minimum State funding requirements.
Applicants must list their requests for locations and number of positions by county and State through an online application. The online application and instructions are located at www.SCSEPapply.org. The online application shows all national grantee authorized positions by county and provides a mechanism for grantees to bid electronically on those authorized positions. After bidding through this online tool, applicants will be able to generate a table showing their bids. Applicants must submit this table as part of their application packet, either electronically through Grants.gov or in hard copy.
Example 1: Organization A submits an application to provide services in a State with 165 available positions. For that part of its application, Organization A must apply for all of the available positions in the State.
Example 2: Organization B submits an application to provide services in a larger State with 4,080 available positions but only wants to operate in one particular county which is entitled to 158 positions. For the application to be considered responsive, Organization B must meet the minimum funding requirements, which in this case is 10 percent or $3,956,784 (408 positions). Organization B must apply for the 158 positions in the county or $1,532,284, and the positions in any contiguous counties to meet the minimum State funding requirement. In this example three other contiguously-located are entitled to 81,131, and 62 positions respectively. Therefore, Organization B would also apply for 81, 131, and 62 positions in those contiguous counties, or $785,538, $1,270,438, and $601,276, respectively, for a total funding request of $4,189,536 to meet (or exceed) the minimum State funding requirements.
B. Set-Aside Applicants – There is no minimum funding request for set-aside applicants. In addition, set-aside applicants are exempt from clustering requirements. However, set-aside organizations should consider program management and effectiveness when selecting States and counties for which they are bidding.
(4) Location of Authorized Positions. Appendix F lists the number of authorized positions by county and State. We determine the allocation of authorized positions among the States and the proportion within each State allocated to national grantees by the process described in section 506 of the OAA Amendments. Please note that national grant funds are not allocated for the States of Alaska, Delaware, and Hawaii, and for the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
(5) Fund Calculation Formula. Applicants can calculate the estimated amount of funds allocated to a State by county using the “cost per authorized position” formula in section 506(g)(1) of the OAA Amendments. Calculations must be based on the number of authorized positions as a result of equitable distribution, rather than the number of positions that currently exists in the county. The unit cost is roughly $9,698 per authorized position per 12-month period, based on the Federal minimum wage. This amount represents the total funding allocated for each authorized position (exclusive of the 10% grantee match), including administrative costs. Applicants should multiply this amount by the number of positions in the county as listed in the new county allocations.
Example: A county has 61 available authorized positions. Therefore, the amount of funding for a 12-month period would be $9,698 x 61 = $591,578. (Please note again that the cost per position is an estimate. However, it is a useful tool for applicants to determine their funding request under this proposal.)
Note: A higher State minimum wage does not impact the position funding calculation, but we do take this into account in performance measure calculations.
(6) Disqualification. Failure to adhere to the requirements in paragraphs (1) through (5) above will result in the disqualification of the applicant to compete for the area(s) impacted.
Note: Because of the requirement that all counties in the U.S. receive SCSEP services, we may require you to negotiate on the geographic areas you will serve. Alternatively, we may require you to serve one or more counties that you did not identify in your application. We reserve the right to make final decisions on the grantees in an area and may take into consideration special local conditions and otherwise unforeseen circumstances, including combining metropolitan areas across State borders to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
We expect successful applicants under this SGA to begin serving participants on October 1, 2012. This is a four-year grant, renewable annually for each of those four years based on annual Departmental application requirements and subject to the availability of funds. The grant may be extended for a fifth year at the Department’s discretion, contingent upon the grantee meeting or exceeding the minimum negotiated performance measures as required by section 514(a) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.700.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Eligible entities include any non-profit organization, Federal public agency, or Tribal organization and consortium that has the ability to administer a multi-State program and that meets the eligibility and responsibility requirements outlined in 20 CFR part 641 subpart D. The Department’s evaluation criteria for selecting eligible applicants are described in Section V and are largely based on the statutory criteria listed in section 514(c) of the OAA. After selection, grantees’ Statement of Work will consist of the Technical Proposal submitted in response to this SGA, the number of positions assigned by county, and the signed programmatic assurances in Appendix D.
In order to be eligible to compete for funds under this SGA, the applicant must provide information to establish that it is capable of administering a multi-State program as required at 20 CFR 641.400. This means that the applicant must: (a) provide evidence of its legal authority to operate a multi-State program, and (b) apply to provide services in more than one State based on the award information requirements in Section II (A)(2). We reserve the right to award a grant to only one applicant per State, and to only award an applicant funds to serve one State. This reservation does not, however, permit an applicant to apply to provide services in only one State.
Applicants may apply to receive a grant under one or more of the following three (3) categories:
(1) General National Grant Funds. The Department will accept applications for general SCSEP national grant funds from Federal public agencies and private nonprofit organizations that are familiar with the areas and populations to be served and that have the ability to administer an effective program in more than one State. These include faith- and community-based organizations and tribal organizations, consistent with section 502(b)(1) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.400(a).
We define “nonprofit” as an agency, institution, or organization which is, or is owned and operated by, one or more corporations or associations no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual (42 U.S.C. § 3002(39)).
In order to receive funding as a “Federal public agency,” a Federal agency must demonstrate that it has the statutory authority to receive other Federal grant funds (also known as gift authority).
We define “tribal organization” as the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe, or any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body (P.L. 89-73, § 102(54) and 20 CFR 641.140). In any case in which a contract is let or grant made to an organization to perform services benefiting more than one Indian tribe, the approval of each such Indian tribe is a prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract or grant.
Applicants must mark a “G” on the front page of the application and state specifically in the application that they are applying for general SCSEP national grant funds.
(2) Indian and Native American Set-Aside Grant Funds. We will accept applications from public or nonprofit national Indian and Native American aging organizations with the ability to provide community service work-based training to older Indians as required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments.
“Indian” means a person who is a member of an Indian tribe (P.L. 89-73, § 102(26) and 20 CFR 641.140).
“Indian tribe” means any tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians (including Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) which (A) is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians; or (B) is located on, or in proximity to, a Federal or State reservation (P.L. 89-73 § 102(27) and 20 CFR 641.140).
Applicants must mark an “I” on the front page of the application and state specifically in the application that they are applying for Indian and Native American SCSEP national grant funds.
(3) Asian and Pacific Islander Set-Aside Grant Funds. We will accept applications for Asian and Pacific Islander national grant funds will be accepted from national public or nonprofit Asian and Pacific Islander aging organizations with the ability to provide community service work-based training to older Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, as required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments.
“Asian American and Pacific Islander” means Americans having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands (OAA Amendments § 518(a)(5)).
Applicants must mark an “AP” on the front page of the application and state specifically in the application that they are applying for Asian American and Pacific Islander SCSEP national grant funds.
(4) Other Requirements. Applicants must also meet the responsibility and eligibility tests under section 514(b)-(d) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.430 – 641.440 and the funding requirements in Section II above.
Applicants applying for more than one category above must submit separate applications for each category for which they are applying. Please note, however, that regardless of the category selected, all successful applicants are required to serve any eligible individual within the awarded counties and States.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
All applicants, including Federal agencies, must provide a minimum of 10 percent non-Federal contribution to the program and the source of this non-Federal share as part of their required budget submission. Federal agencies that have a statutory exemption to their non-Federal share requirement must attach a copy of that exemption (please see 20 CFR 641.809 for further information). Applicants that are located in “economically depressed areas” as defined at OAA 502(c)(1)(B) are exempt from the non-Federal share requirement; those applicants must attach a copy of that determination.
C. Other Eligibility Criteria
We will not accept proposals from the following applicants:
(1) Organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying, which are prohibited from receiving Federal awards under Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, Public Law 104-65.
(2) Non-Federal public agencies, such as State agencies or local governments.
(3) Entities that have been debarred or suspended in accordance with 29 CFR Part 98; entities that have been convicted of a violation of 18 U.S.C. 665 or 666, and in default of any debt repayment agreement signed with the Department of Labor or any Federal agency.
D. Eligible Participants
1. Participants Eligible to Receive Training. An individual is eligible for the program if he or she is unemployed at the time of enrollment, is age 55 or older, and has an income of no more than 125 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines. Eligible participants are persons who have poor employment prospects, would benefit from unsubsidized employment in the public or private sector, and are not job-ready (individuals who are job-ready only need job search assistance or job referral services, and do not require further education or training to perform work that is available in their labor market).
Grantees must give priority to eligible individuals who have one or more of the characteristics listed in 20 CFR 641.520.
2. Veterans Priority for Participants. The Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-288) requires grantees to provide first priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses of 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 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. Specific application of Veterans Priority of Service to SCSEP is contained in the SCSEP regulations at Section 641.520(b)-(c).
E. Other Grant Specifications
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, Part IIIa, for all applications on the Department’s website or similar location. Additionally, we will publish a version of the Technical Proposal required by Section IV. Part II, for all those applications that are awarded grants, on the Department’s website or a similar location. No other parts of or attachments to the application will be published. The Technical Proposals and abstracts will not be published until after the grants are awarded. In addition, information about grant progress and results may also be made publicly available.
DOL recognizes that grant applications sometimes contain information that an applicant may consider proprietary or business confidential information, or may contain personally identifiable information. Information is considered proprietary or confidential commercial/business information when it is not usually disclosed outside your organization and when its disclosure is likely to cause you substantial competitive harm. Personally identifiable information is information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual‘s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, or biometric records, or other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information.
Abstracts will be published in the form originally submitted, without any redactions. However, in order to ensure that confidential information is properly protected from disclosure when DOL posts the winning Technical Proposals, applicants whose technical proposals will be posted will be asked to submit a second redacted version of their Technical Proposal, with proprietary, confidential commercial/business, and personally identifiable information redacted. All non-public information about the applicant’s staff should be removed as well. The Department will contact the applicants whose technical proposals will be published by letter or email, and provide further directions about how and when to submit the redacted version of the Technical Proposal. Submission of a redacted version of the Technical Proposal will constitute permission by the applicant for DOL to post that redacted version. If an applicant fails to provide a redacted version of the Technical Proposal, DOL will publish the original Technical Proposal in full, after redacting personally identifiable information. (Note that the original, unredacted version of the Technical Proposal will remain part of the complete application package, including an applicant’s proprietary and confidential information and any personally identifiable information.)
Applicants are encouraged to maximize the grant application information that will be publicly disclosed, and to exercise restraint and redact only information that truly is proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, or capable of identifying a person. The redaction of entire pages or sections of the Technical Proposal is not appropriate, and will not be allowed, unless the entire portion merits such protection. Should a dispute arise about whether redactions are appropriate, DOL will follow the procedures outlined in the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations (29 CFR part 70).
Redacted information in grant applications will be protected by DOL from public disclosure in accordance with federal law, including the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1905), FOIA, and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). If DOL receives a FOIA request for your application, the procedures in DOL’s FOIA regulations for responding to requests for commercial/business information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA exemptions and procedures. 29 CFR § 70.26. Consequently, it is possible that application of FOIA rules may result in release of information in response to a FOIA request that an applicant redacted in its “redacted copy.”
This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.
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. 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.org/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 http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step2.jsp. An awardee must maintain an active CCR registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration. To remain registered in the CCR database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update on an annual basis from the date of initial registration or subsequent updates its information in the CCR database to ensure it is current, accurate and complete. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicant is the entity that meets the eligibility criteria and has the legal authority to apply and to receive the award. Failure to register with the CCR before application submission will result in your application being found non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
Current grantee general applicants: 25 pages
Current grantee set-aside applicants: 30 pages
New general applicants: 30 pages
New set-aside applicants: 35 pages
Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit the following attachments:
An up to two-page abstract with the following information:
The applicant’s name
Project title
Project summary
Funding level requested.
Partners
Key occupations, if appropriate
Proposed outcomes
If using grants.gov for submission, this document must be attached under the Mandatory Other Attachment section and labeled abstract.
An organizational chart, resumes of key personnel, and complete staffing plans. Resumes of all key staff (those who provide programmatic, fiscal, performance, and management functions, e.g., Executive Director, Project Director, etc.) must include a description of each individual’s roles and responsibilities, his/her current employment status and previous work experience, including position title, duties, dates in position, employing organizations, and educational background. Applicants without key staff already in place may describe the qualifications and experience that they will require for key positions. Staffing plans must identify all key tasks, the person(s) or days required to complete each task, and the percentage of time allocated to the program by individuals assigned to the task, including sub-contractors and consultants.
A list of all government grants and contracts the applicant and its affiliates have had in the past 3 years, including grant officer contact name, telephone number and e-mail address, amount of award, summary of the work performed, period of performance, and performance record and/or accomplishments. For purposes of this SGA, the term “affiliate” refers to the applicant’s subsidiaries, divisions, predecessors, and successors.
A table listing the number of positions for which the applicant is applying to serve by county and State. The applicant must provide this information as an attachment to the application. All applicants, including those submitting hard copy proposals, must enter the requested positions into an online tool available at www.SCSEPapply.org. The online tool shows all national grantee authorized positions by county and provides a mechanism for grantees to bid electronically on those authorized positions. After bidding through this online tool, applicants will generate a table showing their bids. This table must be submitted as an attachment to the proposal.
A copy of the programmatic assurances (Appendix D) signed by the grant signatory and indicating acceptance of all assurances.
If the applicant is a Federal agency, a clearly identifiable copy of the statutory provision that permits the Federal agency to receive other Federal funds and a clearly identifiable copy of any applicable exemptions from the non-Federal share requirements.
Your most recent audited financial statements and, if applicable, the accompanying management letter.
If applicable under Section V.5, “Partnerships,” Memoranda of Understanding that describe services, referrals and cost share with key partners; Memoranda of Agreement with key partners that describe relationship and obligations of each party; and/or signed letter(s) of commitment (not letter(s) of support).
Note: Before we make the final awards, winning applicants must submit audit reports for the past three years for the applicant and its affiliates. This is in addition to the audit information required in (g) above.
Applications that do not include the required attachments will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
Only those attachments listed above as required attachments will be excluded from the page limit. The required attachments must be affixed as separate, clearly identified appendices to the application. Additional materials such as resumes or general letters of support or commitment will not be considered.
The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is 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. 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: Jeannette Flowers, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 11-04, 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, .xls, .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/resources.jsp.
ETA encourages new prospective applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.
To receive updated information about critical issues, new tips for users and other time sensitive updates as information is available, applicants may subscribe to “Grants.gov Updates” at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription_signup.jsp.
If applicants encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 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 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.
Grantees will have the opportunity to use grant funds for transition activities that occur prior to the start of grant activities. The use of funds for transition activities is subject to approval by the Grant Officer on a case-by-case basis.
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 sub-recipient or contract under the grant or sub-recipient; and ii) any rights of copyright to which the grantee, sub-recipient 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.”
Withdrawal of Applications: Applications may be withdrawn by written notice to the Grant Officer at any time before an award is made.
Submission to Governors: General applicants and Pacific Islander and Asian-American set-aside applicants must submit a copy of the technical proposal (including the abstract and chart of service areas for which the applicant is bidding) and the SF-424 to the Governor or highest government official in each State that it proposes to serve before submitting an application to the Department as required by section 503(a)(5) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.410. Under this provision, the Governor of each State may submit a recommendation to the Secretary relating to the anticipated effect of an applicant's proposal on the overall distribution of positions within the State; recommendations for redistribution of positions to under-served areas (i.e., equitable distribution); and recommendations for distribution of any newly available positions. The Department will review all recommendations submitted by governors related to this provision, but the Department will not consider comments that are outside the scope of this provision.
Please note that although governors have the option to provide comments to the Department, either before or after the rating, we do not require governors to provide comments to applicants. Therefore, applicants should not wait for communication from the Governor(s) before submitting the application to the Department.
We do not require applicants submitting as an Indian and Native American (“I”) grant to submit copies of their applications to the Governors under this section, but we encourage them to voluntarily comply with this provision. All other applicants must comply with this provision.
This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be used for each category to evaluate grant proposals. They reflect the statutory criteria for the selection of eligible applicants that are listed in section 514(c) of the OAA Amendments. There are separate but overlapping sets of criteria for general applicants and set-aside applicants. The evaluation criteria are described below:
Criteria – General Applicants |
Points |
|
15 |
|
30 |
|
30 |
|
10 |
|
15 |
TOTAL |
100 |
Criteria – Set-Aside Applicants |
Points |
|
15 |
|
30 |
|
30 |
|
10 |
|
15 |
|
5 |
TOTAL |
105 |
We require all applicants to use the Rating Criteria format when developing their proposals. The technical panel will review grant applications against the criteria listed below on the basis of 100 maximum points for general applicants or 105 maximum points for set-aside applicants. In order to receive full credit, applicants must provide detailed information that does more than reiterate the requirement statement. Responses must be thoughtful and reflect a strategic vision for how applicants will meet these requirements. In addition, we will not provide full credit to an applicant that describes only what has been accomplished in the past but lacks a full description of what it will do during the grant period.
We will determine scores based on past performance in administering a SCSEP grant in the case of current grantees, or based on past performance in administering a similar grant in the case of all other applicants. We will review all proposals based upon the same criteria; however, different factors and instructions for responding may apply depending on whether or not the applicant is a current grantee. For questions that rely on past performance, we will rate current SCSEP grantees based on data from their current SCSEP grant. We will rate applicants with non-SCSEP grant experience based on data from similar programs they have administered over the last four years. Similar programs are those that comprehensively serve targeted populations with significant barriers to employment. For current SCSEP grantees, the questions on past performance indicate whether the grantee must provide SCSEP data or whether the Department will use the data available to it to answer the questions.
1. Program Design (15 points) – For General and Set-Aside Applicants
SCSEP is a community service and work-based training program for unemployed older workers (55 and above) with poor employment prospects. Grantees pay participants’ wages while they serve an average of 20 hours a week in a community service training assignments at local non-profit and public agencies. The community service training assignments are meant to be a bridge to employment for many participants. Participants may also receive employment services at local One-Stop Career Centers. Grantees may provide additional training beyond the community service training assignment in order to develop specific work skills. SCSEP’s goal is to promote both economic and non-economic self-sufficiency for participants while providing assistance to organizations that benefit from increased civic engagement.
All Applicants:
You must describe how you will implement SCSEP by addressing the program factors below. For each component, if you have had experience providing these or similar services, include a discussion of what you have done, what outcomes you have achieved, and what changes to your current program design(s), if any, you will make if awarded a grant under this competition. Include data on the prior experience where applicable.
We will award points based on the quality of description of the following strategies:
Factor 1. Working with employers
Engaging employers to determine their needs and helping them to hire older workers from this program
Factor 2. Working with host agencies
Recruiting host agencies to serve as training sites for older workers. How will you ensure that host agencies provide participants with the kinds of training opportunities (e.g. general, specialized, or on-the-job experience training – see Older Worker Bulletin 04-04 at www.doleta.gov/seniors/Other_docs/04-04.pdf) they need to eliminate their barriers to employment and become job-ready? How will you ensure that host agencies are training participants for in-demand industries and careers?
Factor 3. Providing quality service to participants
Assessing and developing IEPs for participants, and ensuring training assignments and any host agency rotations are consistent with participants’ IEPs
Offering additional training beyond the community service training assignment, including enhancing the computer skills of participants, that are consistent with participants’ IEPs
Provide or arrange for supportive services that are necessary to successfully participate in a SCSEP project
Using the on-the-job experience (OJE) option
Recruiting applicants, especially those with significant barriers to employment
Engaging bilingual staff in the local offices to serve a diverse population where applicable
2. Performance (30 points) – For General and Set-Aside Applicants
Section 514(c)(4) of the OAA requires that grants be awarded on the basis of prior performance. As described below, you must describe your prior performance, in SCSEP or in comparable programs, in the following areas:
Greatest number served and most-in-need
Community service employment
Unsubsidized employment
Core measures and additional measures
Criteria A, B, and C measure actual performance, while D represents performance compared to negotiated goals.
Greatest Number Served and Most-in-Need (7 points)
We will rate you on your ability to administer a project that serves the greatest number of eligible individuals, giving particular consideration to individuals with greatest economic need, individuals with greatest social need, and individuals described in subsection (a)(3)(B)(ii) or (b)(2) of section 518.
We will determine your ability to serve the greatest numbers, with a focus on those with significant barriers to employment, by past performance in administering a SCSEP grant, in the case of current grantees, or a similar grant, in the case of all other applicants. For current SCSEP grantees, we will use the relevant data from the SCSEP Performance and Results QPR System (SPARQ) for PY 2007-2010 where applicable; PY 2011 data will not be used as the year is in progress.
Current SCSEP Grantees Only:
Do not submit any data. We will use the data in SPARQ to assess the following factors.
Factor 1. Ability to serve the greatest number of eligible individuals
The average actual service level for PY 2007 and PY 2008
Factor 2. Greatest economic need
The average percent of participants for PY 2007-PY 2010 who were at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level at the time of enrollment
Factor 3. Greatest social need and individuals described in subsection (a)(3)(B)(ii) or (b)(2) of section 518
The average actual performance on the most-in-need measure for PY 2008-2010
All Other Applicants Only:
Describe in detail your experience with serving individuals in a program that is comparable to SCSEP in its complexity and duration for each of the following factors. This description must provide the data specified under each factor and must specify the source of the data, the year(s) the data cover, and whether the data were filed with the project’s funder.
Factor 1. Ability to serve the greatest number of eligible individuals
Provide the number of individuals served under a comparable grant or program, compared to the numbers that the funding was designed to support
Factor 2. Greatest economic need
The eligibility or service requirements, if any, put in place by the funding source for participants with incomes at or near the Federal Poverty Level
The percentage of participants at applicable thresholds of the Federal Poverty Level (e.g., below 100%, 100%, 150%)
Factor 3. Greatest social need and individuals described in subsection (a)(3)(B)(ii) or (b)(2) of section 518
The average percent of individuals served who had each of the following barriers to employment, or have other characteristics that the program defines as “most-in-need” (and the rationale for any additional characteristics):
(i) Have a severe disability;
(ii) Are frail;
(iii) Are age 75 or older;
(iv) Meet the eligibility requirements related to age for, but do not receive, benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.);
(v) Live in an area with persistent unemployment and are individuals with severely limited employment prospects;
(vi) Have limited English proficiency;
(vii) Have low literacy skills;
(viii) Have a disability;
(ix) Reside in a rural area;
(x) Are veterans or spouses of veterans;
(xi) Have low employment prospects;
(xii) Have failed to find employment after using services provided under title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.); or
(xiii) Are homeless or at risk for homelessness.
Community Service Employment (5 points) – For General and Set-Aside Applicants
We will rate you on your ability to administer a project that provides community service or employment and training assignments for eligible individuals in the communities in which the individuals reside, or in nearby communities.
We will determine the rating by past performance in administering a SCSEP grant, in the case of current grantees, or a similar grant in the case of all other applicants with grant experience, or by whatever comparable evidence is provided by applicants without grant experience. For current SCSEP grantees, we will use the relevant data from SPARQ and from the customer satisfaction surveys.
Current SCSEP Grantees Only:
Do not submit any data. We will use the data in SPARQ and from customer satisfaction surveys to assess the following factors.
Factor 1. Community service assignments that are geographically convenient and appropriate for participants
Participant customer satisfaction survey, average score on Question 10 (assignment convenient) for PY 2008-2010
Participant customer satisfaction survey, average score on Question 8 (assignment just right for me) for PY 2008-2010
Participant customer satisfaction survey, average score on American Customer Satisfaction Survey (ACSI) for PY 2008-2010
Factor 2. Ability to engage host agencies and contribute to the general welfare
Host agency customer satisfaction survey, average score on Question 10 (participants were a good match) for PY 2008-2010
Host agency customer satisfaction survey, average score on Question 18 (ability to provide services) for PY 2008-2010
Host agency customer satisfaction survey, average score on American Customer Satisfaction Survey (ACSI) for PY 2008-2010
The average actual performance on the community service measure for PY 2007 and 2008
All Other Applicants Only:
You must describe in detail your experience administering a program comparable to SCSEP in its complexity and duration that provides community service or employment and training assignments, such as on-the-job training or longer-term work experiences, for eligible individuals in the communities in which the individuals reside, or in nearby communities. Your description must provide the data specified under each factor and must specify the source of the data, the year(s) the data cover(s), and whether the data were filed with the project’s funder.
Factor 1. Community service or training site assignments that are geographically convenient and appropriate for participants
Responses to surveys of participants that indicate the opportunity provided was appropriate, e.g., questions about the utility of the opportunity, the appropriateness of the opportunity, or other questions of similar nature for the last three years if available
Data showing the average distance from participant residence to the opportunity for the last four years, if available
Other relevant information
Factor 2. Ability to engage training sites and contribute to the general welfare
Number of different training, community service, or similar opportunity sites for the last four years, if available
Responses to survey of organizations providing opportunities for training, community service, or similar opportunities that indicate helpfulness of the program operator, the utility of the program, and the satisfaction with program participants for the last three years, if available
Other
relevant information
Unsubsidized Employment (8 points) – For General and Set-Aside Applicants
We will rate you on your ability to administer a project that places participants into unsubsidized employment, with a focus on the placement of participants with barriers to employment.
We will determine the rating by past performance in administering a SCSEP grant, in the case of current grantees, or a similar grant in the case of all other applicants, or by whatever evidence applicants without grant experience can provide. For current SCSEP grantees, we will use the relevant data from SPARQ.
Current SCSEP Grantees Only:
Do not submit any data. We will use the data in SPARQ to assess the following factors.
Factor 1. Placement into unsubsidized employment
The average actual performance on the entered employment rate for PY 2007-2010
The average actual performance on the employment retention measure for PY 2007-2010
Factor 2. Placement into unsubsidized employment for participants who are most-in-need
The average most-in-need rate for participants who entered employment for PY 2008-2010
All Other Applicants Only:
You must describe in detail your experience placing participants, including those who are hardest to serve, into unsubsidized employment. This description must provide the data specified under each factor and must specify the source of the data, the year(s) the data cover(s), and whether the data were filed with the project’s funder.
Factor 1. Placement into unsubsidized employment
The average actual performance on the common entered employment rate measure or a similar measure
The average actual performance on the common employment retention measure or a similar measure
Factor 2. Placement into unsubsidized employment for participants who are most-in-need
The average percentage of individuals who entered employment who have at least one of the following barriers to employment, or other characteristics that render them most-in-need:
(i) Have a severe disability;
(ii) Are frail;
(iii) Are age 75 or older;
(iv) Meet the eligibility requirements related to age for, but do not receive, benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.);
(v) Live in an area with persistent unemployment and are individuals with severely limited employment prospects;
(vi) Have limited English proficiency;
(vii) Have low literacy skills;
(viii) Have a disability;
(ix) Reside in a rural area;
(x) Are veterans or spouses of veterans;
(xi) Have low employment prospects;
(xii) Have failed to find employment after utilizing services provided under title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.); or
(xiii) Are homeless or at risk for homelessness.
D. Core Measures and Additional Indicators (10 points)
We will rate you on your past performance in meeting or on your ability to meet the negotiated goals for the six SCSEP core measures and in addressing the additional measures for which there are no goals, or comparable performance measures applicable to your program. We will determine the rating by past performance in administering a SCSEP grant, in the case of current grantees, or a similar grant, in the case of all other applicants. For current SCSEP grantees, we will use the relevant data from SPARQ.
Current SCSEP Grantees Only:
Do not submit any data. We will use the data in SPARQ to assess the following factors.
Factor 1. Performance on SCSEP core measures
Average aggregate percent of goal on the SCSEP core measures for PY 2007-2010
Factor 2. Performance in addressing the additional SCSEP measures
Average actual performance on retention at one year for PY 2007-2010
Participant customer satisfaction survey, average score on American Customer Satisfaction Survey (ACSI) for PY 2008-2010
Host agency customer satisfaction survey, average score on American Customer Satisfaction Survey (ACSI) for PY 2008-2010
All Other Applicants Only:
You must describe in detail your ability to meet the SCSEP core measures of performance and additional measures by describing your performance on comparable performance measures applicable to your program. The description must present data on your past performance, if any, in administering any State- or Federally-funded employment and training, community service, or comparable program. The description must provide the data specified under each factor and must specify the source of the data, the year(s) the data cover(s), and whether the data were filed with the project’s funder.
Factor 1. Ability to address the SCSEP core measures
Data on measures of placement, entered employment, and employment retention at 6 months for the last four years, if available. Please provide the definition of each measure provided, including the numerator and denominator.
Data on measures of average weekly wage for those being placed or entering employment for the last four years, if available. Please provide the definition of each measure provided, including the numerator and denominator.
Data on the dollar value of community service or similar community benefit provided by the program for the last four years, if available.
Factor 2. Ability to address the additional SCSEP measures
Customer satisfaction of program participants, organizations providing community service or similar, and employers who hire program participants for the last three years, if available.
Retention at one year, or a comparable measure (see Section VI(3)(D) for a definition). Please provide the definition of each measure provided, including the numerator and denominator.
Factor 3. Past performance in administering a State- or federally-funded employment and training, community service, or comparable program
Percentage of goal achieved for all reported performance measures for the last four years, if available.
3. Ability to Administer the Program (30 points) – For General and Set-Aside Applicants
You must describe your organization’s capacity to implement SCSEP in the areas where it is requesting authority to provide service. You must include an organizational chart that reflects how you will staff the SCSEP program, and the relationship between your national office and your sub-recipients or local projects.
You must describe your ability to manage core functions and program operations either directly or through sub-recipients. This description must include communication, training, and monitoring of sub-recipients or local projects, as well as procedures for resolving any issues of performance or fiscal management that might emerge. You must demonstrate your capacity to collect and manage data in a way that allows consistent, accurate and expeditious reporting as required by the Department.
For All Applicants:
You must respond to the following factors in narrative form. Describe in detail how you meet required factors and include the items listed below each factor:
Factor 1. You must demonstrate how your proposed staff structure dedicated to SCSEP is sufficient to ensure effective program direction, fiscal management, and reporting for the program
You must describe the roles and contributions of staff, consultants and collaborative organizations that are clearly defined and linked to specific tasks.
You must demonstrate that the background, experience and time commitment of the staff are sufficient to carry out their designated roles.
Factor 2. You must describe the services you will provide to individuals with barriers to employment.
In selecting sub-recipients in areas of substantial population of individuals with barriers to employment, you must describe how you will give special consideration to organizations with demonstrated expertise in serving individuals with barriers to employment as defined by statute.
In the event that you intend to provide services directly, indicate that fact and describe how you will serve individuals with barriers to unemployment.
Factor 3. You must demonstrate that you have the capacity to effectively manage core functions and program operations, whether internally or through sub-recipients and/or local staff.
You must describe:
Your methods for regular communication with sub-recipients, program staff and/or local projects regarding grant policy, data collection, performance developments and directives.
The regular, substantive training opportunities that you will provide for sub-recipients, program staff and/or local projects on matters of program implementation, policy, performance and fiscal reporting.
A schedule of regular monitoring of sub-recipients and/or local projects. Describe the monitoring tools and procedures you will use to track sub-recipients’ operations against performance objectives and financial requirements.
A consistent system for prescribing corrective action and resolving issues of performance, data collection or fiscal management of sub-recipients and local projects. You must describe at least one instance where you, a sub-recipient, and/or local project have needed or desired to improve performance on a performance measure, a program requirement like service to minorities, data collection or reporting, or fiscal management, and what steps were taken to achieve that improvement. You must describe specifically what steps you took to address these situations and what results were achieved.
Factor 4. You must demonstrate that you are able to adjust to increases and/or decreases in funding.
You must describe your performance in implementing a new program or handling an increase in funding for an existing program.
You must describe your ability to respond to reductions in funding while minimizing disruption to participants.
Factor 5. For this factor, there are different criteria for current SCSEP grantees and other applicants. You must demonstrate that you have sufficient capacity to collect and manage data in a way that allows consistent, accurate and expedient reporting as required by the national office. All selected applicants must collect and report all SCSEP required data according to specified time schedules. We will require each grantee to use the Office of Management and Budget-approved SCSEP data collection and evaluation system, SPARQ, including its Web Data Collection System (WDCS). Grantees must enter data directly into the WDCS and will not be able to upload data from other systems into SPARQ.
Current SCSEP Grantees Only:
You must state that you have implemented the SPARQ system or describe how this will be achieved by the beginning of the grant period, as well as how the WDCS will be populated to meet reporting requirements and how SPARQ will be used to track program performance.
You must describe your plans to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of data entry.
You must demonstrate that you have completed data validation for the past three years and have used the results of data validation to improve data reporting or program implementation
All Other Applicants Only:
You must describe your ability to report through a broadband internet connection and enter data into a centralized system.
You must describe how the WDCS will be populated to meet reporting requirements and how SPARQ will be used to track program performance.
You must describe your plans to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of data entry.
If applicable, you must detail your process for ensuring the quality of the data you collect and report for similar programs over the last three program years.
4. Financial Management Capacity (10 points) – For General and Set-Aside Applicants
We will evaluate your financial capacity based on your demonstration of strong accounting systems, fiscal controls, and previous grant fund management, and on a review of audited financial statements.
You must describe your capacity to administer SCSEP under the following two factors:
For All Applicants:
Factor 1. You must describe the overall financial stability of your organization.
You must describe the credentials and qualifications of key fiscal staff; your capacity for early start-up of financial activities; the status of your Fiscal Management Information Systems (MIS) and integrated data sets relative to the system; and the fiscal controls you have in place for auditing and accountability procedures.
You must describe your accounting system’s present ability to handle multiple funding streams
You must describe your system to track planned expenditures that will allow you to compare actual expenditures and accrued expenses in real time to planned or estimated expenditures.
Factor 2. Fiscal Reporting and Audits. You must describe:
The timeliness of quarterly fiscal and program reporting for SCSEP and/or other projects, if applicable;
Your ability to make participant financial data available to the Department (e.g., timesheets, receipts);
Audit or monitoring findings and recommendations for the past four years and
The status of corrective action(s).
You must include your most recent audited financial statements and, if applicable, the accompanying management letter. This attachment will not count against the 20-page limit for either the technical proposal or attachments to the technical proposal. You must detail the number and type of audit findings they have had in the past three years.
5. Partnerships (15 points) – For General and Set-Aside Applicants
You must demonstrate that you have developed or will develop relationships with key partners (e.g. employers, educational institutions, Area Agencies on Aging and others within and outside the public workforce system) to support SCSEP or a comparable program in an era of tightened resources.
Current SCSEP Grantees Only:
Factor 1. You must list the key partners with which you currently have a relationship in administering SCSEP. You must describe the types of agreements in place with partners, both mandated and other, and the types of contributions received through partners.
You must describe specific contributions to SCSEP from partners
You must describe contributed services, such as supportive services, training, evaluation, research, promotion, medical exams
You must describe contributed materials such as eyeglasses, shoes, uniforms, transportation vouchers, books and training materials, etc.
For monetary contributions received from partners in the last two program years, you must specify the purpose of the funding, the dollar amount (both cash and in-kind), and the percent of total budget that it represents
You must describe the nature of your relationship with each partner and provide the following as attachments, as applicable:
Memoranda of Understanding that describe services, referrals and cost share
Memoranda of Agreement that describe relationship and obligations of each party
Signed letter of commitment (not simply a letter of support)
You must describe your ability to maintain and manage partnerships
You must describe the number and type of communications with key partners within the past year and relevant joint achievements.
All Other Applicants Only:
We will award points on this factor based on the extent to which you address the following:
Factor 1. You must list the key partners with which you currently have a relationship in administering a similar program, or with which you will develop a relationship. You must describe the types of agreements with partners, either in place or planned, and the types of contributions received or to be received through partners.
You must describe specific contributions from partners
You must describe contributed services, such as supportive services, training, evaluation, research, promotion, medical exams
You must describe contributed materials such as eyeglasses, shoes, uniforms, transportation vouchers, books and training materials, etc.
For monetary contributions received from existing partners in the last two years, you must specify the purpose of the funding, the dollar amount (both cash and in-kind), and the percent of total budget that it represents
You must describe the nature of your relationship with each partner and provide the following as attachments, as applicable:
Memoranda of Understanding that describe services, referrals and cost share
Memoranda of Agreement that describe relationship and obligations of each party
Signed letter of commitment (not simply a letter of support)
You must describe your ability to maintain and manage partnerships
You must describe the number and type of communications with key partners within the past year and relevant joint achievements.
6. Demonstration of Need (5 points) – Set-Aside Applicants Only
The location of positions for set-aside organizations is not prescribed by equitable distribution. Set-aside applicants may choose to bid on any number of positions in any State or county up to the maximum number of positions available under the set-aside (see Section II). However, because set-aside funding is limited, you must justify your selection of the location and number of these positions based on demonstrated need. The factors that may be used to justify your selected area(s) include, but are not limited to:
The presence of Indian and Native American or Asian and Pacific Islander communities, respectively
Poverty level
Areas of high or persistent unemployment
The presence of significant numbers of eligible participants (i.e., unemployed, low-income individuals aged 55 or older)
The availability of host agencies, training options, and/or employers who are likely or willing to work with Indian and Native American or Asian and Pacific Islander communities, respectively
Applications for grants under this SGA will be accepted after the publication of this announcement and until the specified time on the closing date. All of the documents listed in Section IV, Part B must be included for the application to be considered responsive. A technical review panel will carefully evaluate applications against the selection criteria. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this SGA. Up to 100 points for general applicants or 105 points for a set-aside applicant may be awarded to an application, depending on the quality of the responses to the required information described in Section V, Part A. The ranked scores will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding, in conjunction with other factors such as urban, rural, and geographic balance; unemployment or poverty; 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.
Post-Selection Negotiations and Requirements
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.
We may require you to negotiate with the Grant Officer on the geographic areas you will serve to ensure that grantees serve contiguous counties within a State and that all geographic areas continue to be served. Therefore, it is possible that we will not award you all areas that you proposed to serve. Alternatively, we may require you to serve one or more counties that you did not identify in your application. We will assure that all areas currently served continue to be served through the selection and negotiation processes. The Grant Officer expects to negotiate the final assignments of slots by the end of August.
In addition, we will require you to provide verification of workers’ compensation coverage for participants. You may want to consider grouping resources under an umbrella insurance plan to minimize the costs to any one organization of workers compensation costs.
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).
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 (Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)), 29 CFR 95.13 and Part 98 (Government-wide 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)
Applicant’s 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:
Grantees shall not extract information from data supplied by DOL/ETA for any purpose not stated in the SGA.
Grantees shall retain data received from DOL/ETA only for the period of time required to utilize it for assessment, evaluation, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 e.g. yahoo mail, is strictly prohibited unless approved by DOL/ETA.
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.
Data obtained by the Grantee through a request shall not be disclosed to third parties except as permitted by the Grant Officer.
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, evaluation, and/or audit.
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/or impacts on participants. Therefore, as a condition of award, the grantee is required to cooperate with any evaluation of the program that DOL may undertake.
Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS data must be submitted by the grantee electronically. The grantee is required to provide the reports and documents listed below:
1. Quarterly Financial Reports
A Quarterly Financial Status Report (ETA 9130) is required until such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. Grantees must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to grantees.
Data Collection System. All selected applicants must collect and report all SCSEP required data according to specified time schedules. We will require each grantee to use the OMB-approved SCSEP data collection and evaluation system, SPARQ, including its WDCS. Grantees must enter data directly into the WDCS and will not be able to upload data from other systems into SPARQ. SPARQ tracks participant records beginning at the time of application. The primary use of SPARQ is to track participant training and employment, generate QPRs, alert grantees when follow-ups are required, provide performance evaluation information, and lead grantees to program improvement. SPARQ has other optional case management capabilities as well. Applicants must ensure that all local providers have broadband Internet access and the ability to use all the functions in SPARQ. Applicants may access a preview of the SPARQ system at www.doleta.gov/seniors.
For financial data, grantees must use the Enterprise Business Support System (EBSS). Grantees must submit quarterly financial reports using the SF-9130.
Negotiated Performance Measures. In PY 2012, negotiated performance measures will apply to all grantees. Please see Appendix I for the list of grantee goals established for PY 2011.
Incumbent grantees that are successful in this competition will have performance measures that reflect prior performance and previously established goals. Adjustments may be negotiated based on factors such as populations with barriers to employment, poverty, and unemployment in the new areas served.
New grantees will be assigned the average national grantee goals as targets, subject to adjustments based on factors such as populations with barriers to employment and poverty and unemployment in the new areas served. Negotiated performance goals will be incorporated into the final grant agreement.
We list the performance measures that apply to the program below. Please note that the program collects information on the common performance measures that apply to all ETA programs.
The negotiated performance measures that apply to the program are as follows:
Entered employment rate: For PY 2012, grantees must place a minimum of 25 percent of the individuals in authorized slots into employment. The average national grantee goal for PY 2012 is expected to be substantially higher than 25%.
Retention in Unsubsidized Employment: We expect the nationwide goal for retention for PY 2012 to be approximately 70 percent. Retention is measured by determining the number of participants who are employed in the first, second and third quarters after the quarter in which they exit the program.
Service Level: We expect the national negotiated service level goal for PY 2012 to be about 160 percent. The goal for this measure has been suspended for PY 2011 because of unpredictability related to the temporary increase of funding awarded to the SCSEP in FY 2010. Service Level represents the number of participants served beyond the number of authorized positions. For example, a proposed PY 2012 program goal of 160 percent would require a grantee that has 100 positions to serve at least 160 people during the program year.
Service to the Most-in-need: We require grantees to give special consideration to enrolling individuals who qualify as having the greatest need. The current national goal is an average of 2.55 most-in-need factors per participant.
‘‘Most-in-need’’ [or the number of participating individuals described in § 518(a)(3)(B)(ii) or (b)(2)] is defined by counting the total number of the following characteristics for all participants and dividing by the number of participants served. Participants are characterized as most-in-need if they:
(i) Have a severe disability;
(ii) Are frail;
(iii) Are age 75 or older;
(iv) Meet the eligibility requirements related to age for, but do not receive, benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.);
(v) Live in an area with persistent unemployment and are individuals with severely limited employment prospects;
(vi) Have limited English proficiency;
(vii) Have low literacy skills;
(viii) Have a disability;
(ix) Reside in a rural area;
(x) Are veterans or spouses of veterans;
(xi) Have low employment prospects;
(xii) Have failed to find employment after utilizing services provided under title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.); or
(xiii) Are homeless or at risk for homelessness.
Community Service: ‘‘Hours of community service employment’’ is defined as the total number of hours of community service provided by SCSEP participants divided by the number of hours of community service funded by the grantee’s grant, after adjusting for differences in minimum wage among the States and areas. Paid training hours are excluded from this measure. We expect the national negotiated goal for PY 2012 to be about 80 percent. The goal for this measure has been suspended for PY 2011 because of unpredictability related to the temporary increase of funding awarded to the SCSEP in FY 2010.
Earnings: ‘‘Average Earnings’’ is defined by the formula: Of those participants who are employed in the first, second and third quarters after the exit quarter: Total earnings in the second quarter plus total earnings in the third quarter after the exit quarter divided by the number of participants who exit during the quarter. The current national goal is $7,500.
In addition to the negotiated performance measures listed above, grantees currently have additional indicators for customer satisfaction surveys and retention at one year.
3. Record Retention
Applicants must be prepared to follow Federal guidelines on record retention, which require grantees to maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of not less than three years from the time of final grant close-out.
For further information about this SGA, please contact Jeannette Flowers, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 11-04, 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.
VIII. Additional Resources of Interest to Applicants
A. Web-Based Resources
1. SCSEP maintains some web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. The program’s official Department of Labor web site at www.doleta.gov/seniors provides an overview of the legislation and regulations that govern SCSEP, program overviews, current grantees, and past performance. The Older Workers Community of Practice, located at olderworkers.workforce3one.org, contains program specific virtual training modules, a Q&A forum, handbooks, sample documentation, and other resources.
2. Grant Application Help Resources
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.
C. Notice to Incumbent National Grantees and State Grantees
With the publication of this SGA, incumbent national grantees and State grantees are notified that we will not approve any slot movements due to equitable distribution or for any other reasons until the completion of the competition. Once awards are announced, we anticipate that no transfers of participants will be permitted until the new awards are effective on October 1, 2012.
D. Bidders’ Conference
We plan to hold a Webinar in lieu of the traditional bidders’ conference format in order to reach more interested organizations and to reduce costs. The Webinar will take place on March 22, 2012 from 1-3 p.m. ET; applicants may register at https://www.workforce3one.org/view/5001205234731902760/info.
E. Transition of Participants
We expect the transition period from incumbent grantees to new providers to take place in August and September 2012. Currently, nearly all SCSEP positions authorized positions are filled. As participants are transferred from one grantee to another as a result of this competition, the enrolled participants must be given the opportunity to continue in the program. Therefore, by applying for funds under this SGA, selected applicants agree to offer incumbent SCSEP participants the first opportunity to continue in the SCSEP authorized position in the grantee’s program (i.e., “right of first refusal”). As such, selected grantees must offer incumbent SCSEP participants the opportunity to continue in the SCSEP in the same geographic area, and in the same host agency for up to 90 days. At the end of the 90-day period, selected grantees may choose to move participants into new host agencies, or they may continue to use the current host agencies.
Participants may not remain enrolled with their former SCSEP grantee if the grantee in their area changes. We will require such former grantees to identify all participants who must be transferred to other grantees, and grantees must ensure that these participants are entered into the SPARQ transfer utility by the time specified. By October 1, 2012, all affected participants must appear in SPARQ as enrolled with the proper grantee.
We are committed to minimizing disruptions to the extent possible, and require that applicants and grantees reflect this commitment. We will work with grantees to promote a seamless transition if there is a new grantee in an area. We will support the transition by providing technical assistance, participant and host agency data, and pre-award cost approval, in accordance with 29 CFR part 95 and the applicable cost principles in OMB Circular A-122, before the start of the grant period.
We will require successful applicants and incumbent grantees to ensure minimum disruptions to participants, including continuous payments of wages during the transition. We expect new grantees to assume payroll responsibilities on October 1, 2012. Successful applicants must plan to make the first payment to participants in the first or second week of October 2012.
F. Transition Roles and Responsibilities
The Department
In addition to the responsibilities described throughout this SGA, we will be responsible for:
Convening a national SCSEP Program Year 2012 Orientation and Training conference to inform all national grantees about program administration and management (the estimated date of this conference is late July);
Institution of regularly scheduled conference calls that include national and regional Department staff and national grantees; and
Provision of an appropriate script for Customer Service Representatives at the Toll-Free Help Line national call center to respond to questions from participants and other interested parties about the transition.
National Grantees
The national grantees must:
Maintain open lines of communication with the States and attend any State or Federally scheduled conference calls;
Ensure that all participants have the right of first refusal for work-based community service assignments for up to 90 days;
Ensure that check payments to participants are made in a timely manner;
Determine how and when participants will be notified of changes in grantee in accordance with instructions issued by the Department;
Establishing procedures to transfer hard copy records, as applicable;
Ensure that all participants who must be transferred to a new grantee are identified and properly entered into the SPARQ transfer utility by the specified time;
Maintain privacy of individual records; and
Establish a mechanism for the PY 2012 national grantees to communicate among themselves.
Appendices
Appendix A: Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424
Appendix B: Budget Information Sheet, Standard Form 424A
Appendix C: Standard Form 424A Clarifying Instructions
Appendix D: Assurances and Certifications Signature Page
Appendix E: Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Appendix F: Availability of National Grantee Authorized Positions for PY 2012 by State and County
Appendix G: States that Require 10 Percent Minimum Bid
Appendix H: PY 2011 Levels of Funding for Current National Grantees
Appendix I: List of Performance Measures in PY 2011
Appendix J: List of Resources
Signed XXXXX, in Washington, DC by:
XXXXX
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| Author | frugoli.pam |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-31 |