U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Serving Juvenile Offenders in High-Poverty, High-Crime Communities
Announcement Type: Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA)
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY-11-09
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.261
Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [insert date 45 days after date of publication in Federal Register]. Applications must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Addresses: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 11-09, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to section IV.
Summary:
The U.S. Department of Labor (Department or DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), announces the availability of approximately
$20 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Investment Act for four grants to serve juvenile offenders, ages 14 and above, in high-poverty, high-crime communities. The purpose of these grants is to improve the long-term labor market prospects of these youth. These grants will be awarded through a competitive process open to organizations with the capacity to implement multi-site, multi-state projects. The Department expects to award four grants of $5 million each to cover a 32-month period of performance that includes up to 6 months of planning and a minimum of 26 months of operation. The 26 months of operation includes 3-4 months for follow-up services. Grantees may provide follow-up services to some participants while providing direct services to others.
DOL will require grantees to competitively select local sub-grantees to operate the program in a minimum of three high-poverty, high-crime communities in at least two states. This solicitation provides background information and describes the application submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible entities must use to apply for funds covered by this solicitation, and outlines the evaluation criteria used as a basis for selecting the grantees.
A. Background of Funding Opportunity
Each year, juvenile courts in the United States handle roughly 1.6 million delinquency cases and place an estimated 144,000 youth in juvenile correctional facilities. Youth placed in juvenile correctional facilities face severe educational and labor market barriers. A 2001 report stated that “[a] conservative, preliminary estimate of the prevalence of youth with learning and emotional disabilities in juvenile corrections is 32 percent, which is notably higher than the prevalence of disability among school-age children in the United States, which is about nine percent.”1 A 1997 report from the National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice noted that the percentage of youth in juvenile correctional facilities who were identified as being in special education programs before their incarceration is at least three to five times higher than the percentage of the general public school population identified as learning disabled.2 A study of Philadelphia public schools found that in 2000, only 10 percent of students in a juvenile correctional facility eventually graduated from the Philadelphia School District.3
Youth placed in juvenile correctional facilities also face family disruptions, mental health disorders, and substance abuse problems. The 2003 Survey of Youth in Residential Placement indicates that only 19 percent of committed youth lived with two parents when they entered custody, 56 percent lived with only one parent, and 26 percent lived with no parent at all.4 A 2006 study conducted by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice estimated that 70 percent of youth in juvenile correctional facilities, detention centers, and community-based care have a diagnosable mental health disorder, including 80 percent of girls and 67 percent of boys in these facilities. Twenty-seven percent of youth in these facilities have a mental disorder severe enough to require significant and immediate treatment. Sixty percent of juveniles in residential confinement with a mental health disorder also suffer from co-occurring substance abuse disorders.5
Youth in the juvenile justice system have a high probability of returning to crime. As an example, the Commonwealth of Virginia reports that 75 percent of youth released from state correctional facilities and 61 percent of youth placed on probation in the Commonwealth are arrested for a new crime within three years.6
To help address these problems, DOL will award grants under this announcement to improve the long-term labor market prospects of these youth. These grants will include a combination of workforce development, education and training, case management, mentoring, restorative justice, and community-wide violence reduction components. While the overarching principle that DOL wants grantees to follow is to provide services that best meet the needs of each individual youth, DOL expects that services for youth ages 17 and under will focus on helping them succeed in high school, internships, and summer jobs, and that services for youth ages 18 and above will focus on helping them receive high school diplomas or GEDs, and enter post-secondary education, apprenticeships, or vocational training that lead to a credential in demand industries within the local economy. These efforts will enhance the long-term employability of participants in unsubsidized employment.
The Department will set both in-program and post-program performance goals for these grants. In-program performance goals will be set for the placement rate of younger youth (who, for the purposes of this project, are youth ages 17 and under in internships and summer jobs; the reading and math gains of both younger and older youth (who, for purposes of this project, are youth ages 18 and above); and the placement of both younger and older youth in restorative justice projects and mentoring programs. Post-program performance goals will be set relating to the placement rate of out-of-school youth, ages 18 and above, in employment, apprenticeships, post-secondary education, the military, or occupational skills training leading to credentials in demand industries; the rate at which both younger and older youth attain high school diplomas or GEDs; the retention rate of younger youth in high school and of older youth in employment and education placements; the recidivism rate of both younger and older youth; and the rate at which older youth attain credentials in demand industries.
B. Selection of Sub-Grantees
Grantees must competitively select local sub-grantees to operate the program in a minimum of three high-poverty, high-crime communities in at least two states. Applicants must not hold competitions, or select local sub-grantees or sites before submitting their proposals. The Department will not award any additional points to applicants that identify local sub-grantees and sites in their proposals.
Grantees must follow their own procurement requirements in conducting this competition and meet the Federal standards at 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 95 and 97. These Federal standards require that grantees conduct procurement transactions in a manner that provides open and free competition to the maximum extent possible. The manner of selection of sub-grantees for this project will depend, to some extent, on whether or not the grantee has local offices, affiliates or members. Grantees with no local offices, affiliates, or members or less than 20 local offices, affiliates, or members must conduct an open and free competition to select sub-grantees and sites. Grantees with 20 or more local offices, affiliates, or member organizations have the option of limiting the competition to a free and open competition among all of their affiliates. DOL recognizes that inefficiencies caused by limiting the competition to a grantee’s affiliates will likely be outweighed by the efficiencies that come with the greater familiarity the organization has with its affiliates. Within 30 days of award, grantees must provide a plan for DOL approval for conducting this competition. If a proposal identifies a specific entity to provide services, a DOL/ETA award does not provide the justification or basis for a sole source procurement to that entity, i.e., this award does not justify avoiding competition. Within 30 days of award, grantees must provide a plan for DOL approval for conducting this competition.
C. Communities to Be Served
Grants funded under this SGA must focus on serving juvenile offenders currently residing in, or who, before confinement, resided in high-poverty, high-crime communities. In their solicitations to select sub-grantees, grantees must require that sub-grantee applicants identify a community to be served that has a poverty rate of at least 30 percent for urban areas and 25 percent for rural areas. For the purpose of this SGA, DOL defines a rural area as a non-metropolitan area. The U.S. Bureau of Census now has American Community Survey data available at the Census Tract level. Grantees must require sub-grantee applicants to use American Community Survey data to show in their proposals the cumulative poverty rate of the various Census Tracts (for urban areas) or counties or county sub-divisions (for rural areas) included in their target community. Individual Census Tracts within proposed urban target communities may have poverty rates of less than 30 percent, but the average poverty rate for the target community must be at least 30 percent. Similarly, individual counties or county sub-divisions within proposed rural target communities may have poverty rates of less than 25 percent, but the average poverty rate for the target community must be at least 25 percent. Census Tracts, counties, and county sub-divisions that make up the target community must be contiguous and grantees must require in their solicitations that sub-grantee applicants provide an accurate map showing a contiguous target community.
In their solicitations to select sub-grantees, grantees also must require that sub-grantee applicants demonstrate that their community is a high-crime area by showing that the felony crime rate in the police precinct that most closely overlaps with the target community is higher than the overall felony crime rate of the city (for urban areas) or of non-metropolitan counties in the state (for rural areas). Additionally, as part of their solicitation and in order to demonstrate local need and determine if the target population is large enough to make such awards within the stated locality, grantees must require sub-grantee applicants to provide data from the local juvenile justice agency on the number of youth from the community who in the past year returned from juvenile correctional facilities, were placed on probation, and were placed in alternative sentences, as well as the number of youth who are expected to return to the target community over the next 2 years. The Department imposes no requirements on the size of the population of the target community. Grantees must require that participants currently reside in or resided in before confinement the target community identified by the sub-grantee.
After the grantee selects the sub-grantees, the grantee must provide the names of the sub-grantees to the Grant Officer, their target communities for service, and evidence that these communities meet the poverty rate and crime rate requirements of the SGA. Grantees must also provide the number of participants of each type, i.e., younger and older youth, the sub-grantees propose to serve, how each sub-grantee will provide each of the key project components and any changes to the plan as set out in the application. The Grant Officer reserves the right to negotiate any changes to the design elements of the grant after award.
D. Required Project Components
Each local project funded under these grants must include each of the project components described below. In their solicitations to select sub-grantees, grantees must require that sub-grantees include all of these components in their projects. Each individual enrolled in these projects does not necessarily have to participate in every one of these project components. The Department expects that services under many of these components will start for youth in out-of-home placements while these youth are still in confinement, and the rating criteria for these project components reflect, in part, the extent to which applicants will require that services start while youth are still in confinement.
1. Workforce Development
It is important for workforce development programs to support the development of career goals and an understanding of career pathway options. Career pathways are an integrated collection of programs and services intended to develop participants’ core academic, technical and employability skills; provide them with continuous education and training; and place them in high-demand, high-opportunity jobs.
The workforce development component should feature year-round and summer internships, summer jobs for juvenile offenders ages 17 and under, and work experience and placement into apprenticeships and employment for juvenile offenders ages 18 and above. The internships should provide participants a chance to work, either individually or in groups, on projects in which they interact with professionals and learn about new career fields. The workforce development component may also include providing paid or unpaid work experience or on-the-job training that eventually leads to placement in private sector employment for participants ages 18 and above. Youth in confinement should be exposed to career pathway options and the establishment of career goals as soon as possible. Workforce development should take place before release from confinement, but no more than 90 days before the release date.
2. Education and Training
The education and training component must place high priority on helping both younger and older youth obtain their high school diplomas or GEDs, focusing on interventions to help youth ages 17 and under succeed in high school and to help out-of-school youth ages 18 and above enroll and succeed in alternative schools, evening continuation schools, or GED programs. Programs funded under these grants must provide a comprehensive set of interventions to address the varying academic levels of participants. The educational component may include the following: integrating education interventions with career and occupational development and basic skills instruction or remedial education; assessing for learning disabilities; providing language instruction for individuals with limited English proficiency; tutoring; providing study skills training; and conducting credit retrieval. Additional educational interventions could include counseling participants on acquiring financial aid to attend college, taking them on visits to local community and four-year colleges, and helping them fill out necessary application forms for college. Applicants must design these interventions so that they lead participants to attainment of a secondary school diploma, GED, or other State-recognized equivalent (including recognized alternative standards for individuals with disabilities) or credentials in demand industries in their local area. Applicants should use Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data and information obtained from their local economic development organization and Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to develop a selection of training that is relevant to the employment needs and growth in their local communities. These interventions must include linking academics to career pathways and career goals. Implementing this component will also require partnerships with the local public school system, apprenticeship programs, job training programs-including programs provided by the public workforce system, and community and four-year colleges.
3. Case Management
This component will provide a team of full-time advocates to serve program participants. The Department anticipates these case managers or advocates will assist community supervision officers in serving returning young offenders and in linking these offenders to supportive services, transportation, housing, mental health services, and other social services. In addition, case managers should coordinate with child care agencies to ensure that juvenile offenders with children have access to child care. Case managers should also ensure that participants receive training in financial literacy; counseling regarding criminal records, civil rights, and applying for jobs; and assistance in applying for Federal benefits such as Pell Grants and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) for Food Stamps. DOL also expects that case managers will provide follow-up services to participants within the period of performance of the grant. Youth in confinement should receive case management services prior to release, but no more than 90 days prior to release. Services should include linking these offenders to supportive services, transportation, housing, mental health services, and other social services upon release.
4. Mentoring
This component will provide adult mentors for program participants. Many types of organizations can provide mentors, such as faith- and community-based organizations, business firms and college fraternities. This component may include one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, and/or service-based mentoring. The Department encourages the use of one-on-one mentoring and mentoring in small groups. The Department expects that mentoring will start at some point before release for youth in correctional facilities to allow these youth to become familiar with their mentors before release. Mentors will assist youth with transitioning into the community and may address issues such as family support and unification, and assistance with understanding how to secure supportive services.
5. Restorative Justice Projects
Grantees must require that sub-grantees implement community service projects that allow returning offenders to give something positive back to their neighborhood to make up for their criminal offenses. Examples of possible collaborating agencies for these restorative justice projects include local conservation and service corps programs, AmeriCorps programs, volunteer organizations, local businesses, local government agencies, and state and local parks. Note that grant funds may not be used to pay for building materials.
6. Community-Wide Efforts to Reduce Crime and Violence
Grantees must require that sub-grantees involve faith-based and community organizations, state and local government agencies, and social service organizations in the neighborhoods being served in a community-wide effort to prevent crime and violence as was done in Boston’s 10 Point Coalition (http://www.bostontenpoint.org/index.html). Such efforts require multiple organizations and agencies to join together to pressure youth gangs to reduce violence, to negotiate truces between rival gangs, and to offer other guidance and assistance to youth.
E. Required Partnerships
In their solicitations to select sub-grantees, grantees must require sub-grantees to, at a minimum, partner with the following organizations and provide documentation of support and commitments that support these activities:
Juvenile correctional facilities to receive pre-release referrals of eligible youth who plan to return to the community being served; to allow workforce development, educational, case management, and mentoring services at the correctional facility; and to coordinate post-release transitional services for program participants.
The local juvenile justice system to receive referrals of eligible youth in locally-operated detention facilities, on probation, in alternative sentence programs, diverted before adjudication as an alternative to juvenile prosecution, or involved in the juvenile justice system within the past 12 months; to coordinate services for program participants with juvenile community supervision officers; and to allow workforce development, educational, case management, and mentoring services at the detention facility.
The local public school system in order to take steps to improve the transition of youth returning to school after release from juvenile correctional facilities and to improve services to youth placed on probation by the juvenile justice system.
The local foster care system to ensure coordination in serving juvenile offenders in foster care.
Local drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers to provide assistance to program participants in need of such services.
The local workforce investment board and local employers to coordinate the provision of employment services.
Community-based organizations to provide supportive services to participants.
F. Allowable Uses of Grant Funds
Allowable uses of grant funds for projects funded under these grants include, but are not limited to, the following activities:
1) Workforce and education activities, such as:
job placement services;
vocational skills training and wages in an on-the-job training framework;
paid and unpaid work experiences, including community service and restorative justice activities;
payment of stipends to participants based on their performance in the program;
payment of employment and retention bonuses;
basic skills instruction and remedial education;
language instruction educational programs for individuals with limited English proficiency;
reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities;
tutoring, credit retrieval programs, dropout prevention activities, GED instruction, and career awareness classes;
counseling and assistance in compiling high school credits, applying for post-secondary education, and applying for financial aid; and
alternative secondary school services.
2) Case management services, including referrals to housing assistance services, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, supportive services as defined in Section 101(46) of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA); and referral to and payment of legal services related to the purpose of this grant, such as: securing a driver’s license, expunging criminal records, and creating and/or modifying child support orders.
3) Mentoring.
4) Participant personal development activities that seek to develop non-technical skills, abilities, and traits that participants need to function in a specific employment environment that supports one or more workplace competencies including problem-solving and other cognitive skills, oral communication skills, personal qualities, work ethic, and interpersonal and teamwork skills. Examples include leadership training, financial literacy training, and job readiness training.
5) Restorative Justice projects that allow returning offenders to give something positive back to their neighborhood to make up for their criminal offenses
6) Follow-up services within the period of performance of the grant that focus efforts on job retention for older youth and school retention for younger youth, including regular contact with participant employers and schools; assistance in addressing work-related or school-related problems that arise; assistance in securing better paying jobs, career development, and further education; peer support groups; adult mentoring; and tracking progress made by participants in employment after training. Follow-up services for older youth should begin when they have a long-term placement, and grantees can determine the appropriate point to begin follow-up services for younger youth.
ETA has approximately $20 million available under this competition and expects to fund four grants of approximately $5 million each. Any grant application with a proposed value greater than $5 million will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered. If additional funds become available, ETA reserves the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this solicitation.
Period of Performance
DOL will fund these grants for a 32-month period of performance that includes up to 6 months of planning, and a minimum of 26 months of operation. The 26 months of operation includes 3-4 months for follow-up services. As discussed in section IV.B.I, applicants must show their planning and operations separately in the budget narrative. Regardless of the length of the planning period, applicants must budget for a minimum of 26 months of operation. Grantees must use their funds judiciously during the planning period and use them specifically for planning and pre-implementation activities associated with this grant. Applicants must plan to fully expend grant funds during the period of performance while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all expenditures. Grantees must achieve planning milestones during the planning phase. These milestones include the hiring of core program staff, including the Project Director and other key positions. In addition, grantees must successfully complete the competition and selection of local sub-grantees to operate the program in a minimum of three high-poverty, high-crime communities in at least two states during the planning phase. Grantees must also require sub-grantees to solidify all necessary partnerships for the successful delivery of services and to have initiated recruitment and outreach efforts for enrollment of participants after the award and during the planning phase. The Federal Project Officer will review completion of these milestones within the grant’s planning phase. Grantees who do not meet these milestones may be subject to corrective action.
III. Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants
Any non-profit organization with IRS 501(c)(3) status with the capacity to implement multi-site, multi-state projects may apply for these grants.
Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as a condition for application.
C. Other Eligibility Criteria
Each applicant may submit only one proposal under this announcement.
D. Eligible Participants
Participants Eligible to Receive Services
An individual may participate in a project funded under these grants if they:
are at least age 14 years of age on the date of enrollment;
are currently involved or have been involved with the juvenile justice system within 12 months before enrollment, which includes those:
under the supervision of the juvenile justice system, either in out-of-home placements or on probation or parole
under an alternative sentence by the juvenile justice system
under a diversion program as an alternative to juvenile prosecution by the juvenile justice system;
have never been convicted as an adult under Federal or State law; and
currently reside in (or resided in before confinement in a correctional facility) the community to be served as identified by the sub-grantee.
Veterans Priority for Participants
The Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-288) requires grantees to provide priority of service for veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. The regulations implementing this priority of service can be found at 20 CFR Part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans’ priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans’ priority. ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.
Transparency
DOL is committed to conducting a transparent grant award process and publicizing information about program outcomes. Posting grant applications on public websites is a means of promoting and sharing innovative ideas. For this grant competition, we will publish the abstracts required by Section IV.B.Part IIIa, for all applications on the Department’s public website or similar publicly accessible location. Additionally, we will publish a version of the Technical Proposal required by Section IV.B.Part II, for all those applications that are awarded grants, on the Department’s website or a similar location. No other parts of or attachments to the application will be published. The Technical Proposals and Abstracts will not be published until after the grants are announced. In addition, information about grant progress and results may also be made publicly available.
DOL recognizes that grant applications sometimes contain information that an applicant may consider proprietary or business confidential information, or may contain personally identifiable information (PII). Proprietary or confidential commercial/business information is information that is not usually disclosed outside your organization and the disclosure of which is likely to cause you substantial competitive harm. PII is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual‘s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information.7
Abstracts will be published in the form originally submitted, without any redactions. However, in order to ensure that PII and proprietary or confidential commercial/business information is properly protected from disclosure when DOL posts the winning Technical Proposals, applicants whose technical proposals will be posted will be asked to submit a second redacted version of their Technical Proposal, with any proprietary, confidential commercial/business, and PII redacted. All non-public information about the applicant’s staff should be removed as well. The Department will contact the applicants whose technical proposals will be published by letter or email, and provide further directions about how and when to submit the redacted version of the Technical Proposal. Submission of a redacted version of the Technical Proposal will constitute permission by the applicant for DOL to make the redacted version publically available. If an applicant fails to provide a redacted version of the Technical Proposal, DOL will publish the original Technical Proposal in full, after redacting PII. (Note that the original, unredacted version of the Technical Proposal will remain part of the complete application package, including an applicant’s proprietary and confidential information and any PII.)
Applicants are encouraged to maximize the grant application information that will be publicly disclosed, and to exercise restraint and redact only information that is clearly proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, or PII. The redaction of entire pages or sections of the Technical Proposal is not appropriate, and will not be allowed, unless the entire portion merits such protection. Should a dispute arise about whether redactions are appropriate, DOL will follow the procedures outlined in the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations (29 CFR Part 70).
Redacted information in grant applications will be protected by DOL from public disclosure in accordance with federal law, including the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1905), FOIA, and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). If DOL receives a FOIA request for your application, the procedures in DOL’s FOIA regulations for responding to requests for commercial/business information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA exemptions and procedures. 29 CFR § 70.26. Consequently, it is possible that application of FOIA rules may result in release of information in response to a FOIA request that an applicant redacted in its “redacted copy.
This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
Proposals submitted in response to this SGA must consist of three separate and distinct parts: (I) a cost proposal; (II) a technical proposal; and (III) attachments to the technical proposal. Applications that do not contain all of the three parts or that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section will be deemed non-responsive and will not be reviewed. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.
Part I. The Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal must include the following items:
SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). The SF-424 must clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant shall be considered the authorized representative of the applicant. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, the signature of the authorized representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization complies with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). The SF-424B is not required to be submitted with the application.
In addition, the applicant’s signature in block 21 of the SF-424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of the following in accordance with 29 CFR § 37.20:
As a condition to the award of financial assistance from the Department of Labor under Title I of WIA, the grant applicant assures that it will comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), which prohibits discrimination against all individuals in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against beneficiaries on the basis of either citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States or participation in any WIA Title I—financially assisted program or activity; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color and national origin; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities; The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs. The grant applicant also assures that it will comply with 29 CFR part 37 and all other regulations implementing the laws listed above. This assurance applies to the grant applicant's operation of the WIA Title I-financially assisted program or activity, and to all agreements the grant applicant makes to carry out the WIA Title I-financially assisted program or activity. The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance.
All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®) number, and must supply their D-U-N-S® Number on the SF-424. The D-U-N-S® number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a D-U-N-S® Number, you can get one for free through the D&B website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.
The SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). In preparing the Budget Information Form, the applicant must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.
Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A and should show their planning and operations budgets separately . 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 a signed 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.
Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit the following three required attachments:
An up to two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project, including but not limited to the scope of the project, number of total participants to be served, sub-grantee selection process and proposed outcomes including credential attainment. If using grants.gov for submission, this document must be attached under the Mandatory Other Attachment section and labeled abstract. Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes provided and failure to meet those outcomes may have a significant impact on future grants with ETA.
Project/Performance Site Location(s) form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). If using grants.gov for submission, this form must be attached under the required forms section. Please note that this is a standard form used for many programs and has a check box for applying as an individual. Disregard this box on the form as individuals are not eligible to apply for this solicitation.
Verification of non-profit 501(c)(3) status. Documentation must be from the Internal Revenue Service and signed by an authorized representative. ALL applicants must submit this verification even if current DOL grantee and documentation is assumed to be on file.
Applications that do not include the required attachments will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
Additional Attachments
We recommend that applicants attach the following documents; failure to provide these attachments will result in a deduction of points:
Chart documenting past grant timeliness of reports as discussed in Section V.A.4; and
previous grantor contact information as discussed in Section V.A.4.
The required and additional attachments listed above do not count against the 25-page limit for the Technical Proposal.
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 resumés or general letters of support or commitment will not be considered.
The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is [insert date 45 days after date of publication in Federal Register]. Applications may be submitted electronically on http://www.grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or hand delivery (including overnight delivery). Hard copy applications must be received at the address below no later than 4:00 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 on the closing date. 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 the reproduction of the proposal by DOL. Applicants submitting proposals in hard copy are also required to provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on compact disc (CD). If discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD copy are identified, the application on the CD will be considered the official applicant submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hardcopy and CD format may have an impact on the overall evaluation.
If an application is physically submitted by both hard copy and through http://www.grants.gov, a letter must accompany the hard-copy application stating which application to review. If no letter accompanies the hard copy, we will review the copy submitted through http://www.grants.gov.
Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice will be considered non-responsive. No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted. Further, documents submitted separately from the application, before or after the deadline, will not be accepted as part of the application.
Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 11-09, 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. Only applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and subsequently successfully validated will be considered. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure a timely submission. While it is not required that an application be successfully validated before the deadline for submission, it is prudent to reserve time before the deadline in case it is necessary to resubmit an application that has not been successfully validated. Therefore, sufficient time should be allotted for submission (two business days) and, if applicable, additional time to address errors and receive validation upon resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing submission). It is important to note that if sufficient time is not allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, the application will not be considered.
To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlx, .rtf or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent us from considering the application. ETA will attempt to open the document but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming application will not be considered for funding.
We strongly advise applicants to use the various tools and documents, including FAQs, which are available on the “Applicant Resources” page at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp.
ETA encourages new prospective applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.
To receive updated information about critical issues, new tips for users and other time sensitive updates as information is available, applicants may subscribe to “Grants.gov Updates” at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription_signup.jsp.
If applicants encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or email “[email protected]”. The Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is closed on federal holidays.
Late Applications: For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only applications that have been successfully submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated will be considered. Applicants take a significant risk by waiting to the last day to submit by Grants.gov.
Any hard copy application received after the exact date and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made, it was properly addressed, and it was: (a) sent by U.S. Postal Service mail, postmarked not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application required to be received by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of that month); or (b) sent by professional overnight delivery service to the addressee not later than one working day before the date specified for receipt of applications. ‘‘Postmarked’’ means a printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable, without further action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ‘‘bull’s eye’’ postmark on both the receipt and the package. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be a basis for a determination that the application was not filed timely and will not be considered. Evidence of timely submission by a professional overnight delivery service must be demonstrated by equally reliable evidence created by the delivery service provider indicating the time and place of receipt.
This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”
All proposed project costs must be necessary and reasonable and in accordance with Federal guidelines. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles. Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant.
Applicants, whether successful or not, will not be entitled to reimbursement of pre-award costs.
4. Intellectual Property Rights
The Federal Government reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use for Federal purposes: i) the copyright in all products developed under the grant, including a subgrant or contract under the grant or subgrant; and ii) any rights of copyright to which the grantee, subgrantee, or a contractor purchases ownership under an award (including but not limited to curricula, training models, technical assistance products, and any related materials). Such uses include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise. The grantee may not use federal funds to pay any royalty or license fee for use of a copyrighted work, or the cost of acquiring by purchase a copyright in a work, where the Department has a license or rights of free use in such work. If revenues are generated through selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual property, these revenues are program income. Program income is added to the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities.
If applicable, the following needs to be on all products developed in whole or in part with grant funds:
“This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The 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.”
20 CFR 664.470 states that funds under WIA may be used to pay wages and related benefits for work experiences in the public; private for-profit; or non-profit sectors where the objective assessment and individual service strategy indicate that work experiences are appropriate. Payments to youth may take the form of wages or stipends. Grantees must pay stipends in accordance with the policies and procedures of the grantee organization, and maintain documentation on how the amount for the stipend was set and the parameters for its distribution. Grantees must also comply with the requirements of WIA section 181. Grantees providing wages or stipends to youth also should be aware of the income tax implications of the payments under IRS provisions. Please consult www.irs.gov for more information.
In addition, grantees are authorized to provide incentive payments. WIA Sec. 129(a)(5) authorizes incentive payments to youth for recognition and achievement tied to training activities and work experiences. Incentive payments must be tied to the goals of the grant. The organization must have policies and procedures in place governing the award of incentives and the incentives provided under the grant must be in alignment with these organizational policies. In addition, incentive payments are generally considered miscellaneous compensation and are taxable. Please consult www.irs.gov for more information. Under this solicitation, grantees can use no more than 1.5% of the award for incentive payments.
Needs-related payments are a form of supportive services which are paid directly to individuals or to other entities to cover specific items of cost incurred by the participant for allowable services that enable the individual to participate in the activity or program. See 20 CFR 663.815. Up to 1.5% of DOL grant funds may be used to provide needs-related payments to assist participants with costs related to transportation, child care, food or other household items, such as paying a utility bill to prevent shut-off. Needs-related payment should be tied directly to the cost identified and must be documented to support both the participant’s need for the service as well as the actual transaction. Needs-related payments may be in the form of stipends; but the stipends must be based on specific items of cost, not to “defray” expenses. Grantees must have a consistent standard and policy in place on the provision of needs-related payments.
Withdrawal of Applications: Applications may be withdrawn by written notice to the Grant Officer at any time before an award is made.
This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be used for each category to evaluate grant proposals. The evaluation criteria are described below:
Criterion |
Points |
|
40 |
|
20 |
|
20 |
|
20 |
TOTAL |
100 |
In developing the application, applicants should review the project specifications in section I of this SGA.
1. PROJECT DESIGN (up to 40 points)
The points for these six components of this criterion will be rated based on the comprehensiveness and likely effectiveness of the responses provided to the following:
Workforce Development (up to 8 points):
the extent to which you have a cohesive set of workforce development interventions to address the varying ages of participants including the strategies that you will require sub-grantees to use to place participants ages 17 and under in internships and summer jobs and participants ages 18 and above in apprenticeships and jobs;
which workforce development services you will require sub-grantees to provide on site; and which workforce development services you will require sub-grantees to provide within detention or correctional facilities, including the total number of youth on site and within detention or correctional facilities that will be served each year;
the extent of career development activities started for youth still in correctional or detention facilities, including both the number sub- grantees will serve and the level of interventions they will provide;
the level of detail provided about the array of interventions sub-grantees will provide; and
how the internships and summer jobs described in the proposal for younger youth and the jobs and apprenticeships described in the proposal for older youth will teach skills and increase the workforce attachment of participants. Provide examples of the types of internships and summer jobs in which you will require sub-grantees to place younger participants, and the types of jobs and apprenticeships in which you will require sub-grantees to place older participants.
Education and Training (up to 8 points):
the extent to which the applicant has a cohesive set of educational interventions to address the varying academic levels of participants by describing the education and training component that you will require sub-grantees to implement to help juvenile offenders ages 17 and under improve their reading and math skills and obtain a high school diploma, GED, or alternative education certificate and juvenile offenders, and to help older offenders. ages 18 and above, to enter pre-apprenticeship training and vocational training leading to industry-recognized credentials, or community or four-year colleges;
the extent of educational interventions that sub-grantees will provide to youth offenders still in correctional or detention facilities, including both the number to be served and the level of interventions sub-grantees will provide;
the level of detail provided about the array of educational interventions that sub-grantees will provide including the number of youth that will be required of sub-grantees to serve on site and within detention and correctional facilities; and
how these interventions will lead to the attainment of a high school diploma or GED and placement in pre-apprenticeship.
Case Management (up to 6 points):
the extent to which the proposed number of case managers that sub-grantees will hire at each site is sufficient to result in quality case management provided to each participant, including the qualifications that will be required for case managers;
the extent to which case management will start while youth are still in out-of-home placements, including detention centers, correctional facilities, and group homes and the extent to which you will require sub-grantees to provide supportive services and links to mental health services and other social services;
the extent of follow-up services that sub-grantees will provide to participants; and
how the plan for providing supportive services and links to mental health and other social services will result in improved performance and attendance of younger participants in internships and schools and improved performance of older participants in job placements and educational placements.
Mentoring (up to 6 points):
the extent to which the mentoring component is described in detail including what requirements you will place on sub-grantees for implementing the mentoring component, including requirements relating to how sub-grantees will recruit, screen, and train mentors, and the expected length of time that you will require sub-grantees to have mentors work with youth and the number of mentors you will require sub-grantees to have at each site;
how the proposed mentoring component will result in improved performance and attendance of younger participants in internships and schools and improved performance of older participants in job placements and educational placements;
the extent to which mentoring will start while youth are still in out-of-home placements, including the number of participants in detention or correctional facilities at each site that you will require sub-grantees to provide with a mentor; and
the types of mentoring you will require sub-grantees to provide, such as, one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, service-centered mentoring, and/or work-based mentoring.
Restorative Justice (up to 6 points)
the extent to which you describe the restorative justice component in detail including the requirements that you will place on sub-grantees to implement the restorative justice component, including requirements relating to the number of community service projects sub-grantees will conduct, how sub-grantees will supervise participants on these projects, and the number of enrollees participating in community service projects;
the extent to which sub-grantees will ensure adequate supervision of applicants in the restorative justice projects;
the extent to which the specific community service projects proposed by the applicant will increase the skills and work ethic of participants including details of the specific types of community service projects that you will require sub-grantees to conduct, and the types of agencies and organizations that you will require sub-grantees to work with in developing and conducting these projects; and
the extent to which the specific community service projects you propose will benefit the local community, state, or country.
Community-Wide Violence Reduction Efforts (up to 6 points):
the extent to which you have a reasonable plan for bringing together faith- and community-based organizations, state and local government agencies, and social service organizations in neighborhoods served by the grant to prevent crime and violence;
the level of detail provided about the plan to bring together these organizations and agencies; and
the potential for the component as designed to reduce violence in the communities to be served.
2. PLAN FOR CONDUCTING COMPETITION AND FOR PROVIDING OVERSIGHT, MONITORING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SUB-GRANTEES (up to 20 Points)
The points for conducting the competition and for providing oversight, monitoring and technical assistance to sub-grantees will be rated based on the comprehensiveness of the responses and the evidence provided to the following:
the extent to which your plan for conducting the competition is likely to result in quality sub-grantees operating the project in high-poverty, high-crime communities and the quality of the design of the competition. Describe in detail how you will conduct the competition to select sub-grantees for the project, the number of sites at which you will implement the project and describe the factors on which you will evaluate proposals from potential sub-grantees;
the extent to which your plan for providing oversight, guidance, monitoring, and coordination for sub-grantees is clear, practical, and likely to result in a successful project;
the extent to which your plan for providing technical assistance to sub-grantees in the six required project components is clear, practical, and likely to result in a successful project and discuss your monitoring of the technical aspects of the project; and
the extent to which your plan to assist sub-grantees in developing partnerships with juvenile correctional facilities, the local juvenile justice system, the local public school system, local drug and alcohol treatment services, and local workforce investment boards is clear and likely to be effective in helping sub-grantees develop such partnerships.
3. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO CONDUCT MULTI-SITE PROJECTS AND TO SERVE JUVENILE OFFENDERS (up to 20 Points)
DOL will award up to 10 points for capacity to conduct multi-site projects and up to 10 points for capacity to serve juvenile offenders.
The up to 10 point for the capacity to serve juvenile offenders will be rated based on the comprehensiveness of the responses provided to the following:
the years and quality of the experience of the organization, partners or relevant staff in working with youth ex-offenders and employment programming; and
the performance outcomes for previous programs with similar program components. If your organization has previously received a DOL youth ex-offender grant, describe the performance outcomes achieved. If you have not been a DOL youth ex-offender grantee before, describe the results achieved under similar programming.
The up to 10 point for the capacity to conduct multi-site projects will be rated based on the comprehensiveness of the responses provided to the following:
the organization's experience conducting multi-site projects, including the number of years of experience of your organization, partners or staff and the description of previous multi-site projects conducted including the number of participants served, the number of sites and performance outcomes;
your capacity to provide oversight, coordination, and technical assistance to sub-grantees in multi-site locations; and
4. ORGANIZATION ADMINSTRATIVE AND FISCAL CAPACITY (up to 20 Points)
DOL will award points for organization administrative and fiscal capacity based on the comprehensiveness and strength of the responses provided to the following:
the extent to which the applicant’s administrative and fiscal controls are adapted to managing several sub-grantees in several sites. Discuss the administrative and fiscal controls you had in place for overseeing sub-grantees in previous multi-site projects and discuss whether there were any administrative problems relating to sub-grantees in these previous projects. If you have not previously operated a multi-site project involving sub-grantees, discuss the administrative and fiscal controls you propose to provide, the experience of the staff to operate those controls and to oversee sub-grantees, and how these factors will offer effective control and oversight over the project.(up to 6 points)
the strength of the fiscal controls you currently have in place. In providing this response, describe the fiscal controls (up to 2 points);
the ability of the fiscal controls in place to effectively resolve negative audit findings. If applicable, discuss the positive and negative findings from the applicant’s three most recent OMB Circular A-133 audits, and the resolution of negative findings. (Applicants must provide the Department with these audits if requested) (up to 2 points); and
Timely Reporting: In chart format as an attachment to the technical proposal, all applicants must provide the two most recent grant reports due dates and the actual dates submitted for the grant project identified above in the past grant performance goals criterion. These reports can be either program, financial or other reports required by the grant. (up to 10 points)
If these dates are not provided in the attachment applicants will receive 0 points for this sub-criterion. Applicants who demonstrate that they met both due dates will receive 10 points for this sub-criterion. Applicants who demonstrate that they met only one due date will receive 5 points for this sub-criterion. Applicants that did not meet any of the due dates will receive 0 points for this sub-criterion.
If the contact person from the grantor entity or agency who can verify timely submission of reports differs from the contact person verifying past grant performance goals and actual grant outcomes, you must submit the name, title, email address and telephone number for this additional individual. Include this information in the attachment for this sub-criterion.
ETA reserves the right to confirm this information with the contact person described above for all applicants.
Applications for grants under this Solicitation will be accepted after the publication of this announcement and until the specified time on the closing date. A technical review panel will evaluate applications against the selection criteria. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this SGA. Up to 100 points may be awarded to an application, depending on the quality of the responses to the required information described in section V.A. The ranked scores will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding, in conjunction with other factors such as geographic balance; the availability of funds; and which proposals are most advantageous to the government. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to his/her attention. The government may elect to award the grant(s) with or without discussions with the applicant. Should a grant be awarded without discussions, the award will be based on the applicant’s signature on the SF-424, including electronic signature via E-Authentication on http://www.grants.gov, which constitutes a binding offer by the applicant.
All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted directly before the grant’s execution. Non-selected applicants will be notified by mail or email and may request a written debriefing on the significant weaknesses of their proposal.
Selection of an organization as a grantee does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, ETA may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and decline to fund the application. DOL reserves the right to not fund any application related to this SGA.
1. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees will be subject to all applicable Federal laws, regulations, and the applicable OMB Circulars. The grant(s) awarded under this SGA will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions:
i. Non-Profit Organizations – OMB Circular A–122 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 230, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements)
ii. Educational Institutions – OMB Circular A–21 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 220, and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
iii. State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments – OMB Circular A–87 (Cost Principles), relocated to 2 CFR Part 225, and 29 CFR Part 97 (Administrative Requirements).
iv. Profit Making Commercial Firms – Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) – 48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
v. All Grant Recipients must comply with the applicable provisions of The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law No. 105-220, 112 Stat. 936 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) and the applicable provisions of the regulations at 20 CFR 660 et seq. Note that 20 CFR part 667 (General Fiscal and Administrative Rules) includes unsuccessful applicant appeal information.
vi. All entities must comply with 29 CFR Part 93 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), 29 CFR Part 94 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)), 29 CFR 95.13 and Part 98 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension, and drug-free workplace requirements), and, where applicable, 29 CFR Part 96 (Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts, and Other Agreements) and 29 CFR Part 99 (Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations).
vii. 29 CFR Part 2, subpart D—Equal Treatment in Department of Labor Programs for Religious Organizations, Protection of Religious Liberty of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and Beneficiaries.
viii. 29 CFR Part 31—Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Labor—Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
ix. 29 CFR Part 32—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
x. 29 CFR Part 35— Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.
xi. 29 CFR Part 36—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
xii. 29 CFR Part 37 – Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
xiii. 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30—Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.
2. Other Legal Requirements:
i. Religious Activities
The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. Section 2000bb, applies to all Federal law and its implementation. If your organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be entitled to receive Federal financial assistance under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act and maintain that hiring practice even though Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act contains a general ban on religious discrimination in employment. If you are awarded a grant, you will be provided with information on how to request such an exemption.
ii. Lobbying or Fundraising the U.S. Government with Federal Funds
In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-65) (2 U.S.C. 1611), non-profit entities incorporated under Internal Revenue Service Code Section 501(c) (4) that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive Federal funds and grants. No activity, including awareness-raising and advocacy activities, may include fundraising for, or lobbying of, U.S. Federal, State or Local Governments (see OMB Circular A-122).
iii. Transparency Act Requirements
Applicants must ensure that they have 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 use it for assessment and other purposes, or to satisfy applicable federal records retention requirements, if any. Thereafter, the Grantee agrees that all data will be destroyed, including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and permanent deletion of electronic data.
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, 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
Evaluation. DOL may require that the program or project participate in a formal evaluation of overall grant performance of ETA grants and require the cooperation of the grantee as a condition of award. To measure the impact of the grant program, DOL may conduct an independent evaluation of the outcomes and benefits of the projects. By accepting the grant funds, the programs or projects agree to make individual records on participants, employers, and funding available to the evaluator(s) under the direction of DOL with appropriate measures to protect the confidentiality of participants. Please note that this evaluation may make use of program Management Information System (MIS) data, local administrative data on crime and recidivism, and program progress reports. DOL recognizes that there will be limitations on this cooperation due to State confidentiality requirements on data on individual offenders. It is critical that the grantee keep this information up to date and accurate for both performance measurement and evaluation purposes.
Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS data must be submitted by the grantee electronically. The grantee is required to provide the reports and documents listed below:
1. Quarterly Financial Reports
A Quarterly Financial Status Report (ETA 9130) is required until such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. Grantees must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to grantees.
2. Quarterly Performance Reports
The grantee must submit a quarterly progress report within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. The report must include quarterly information regarding grant activities. The last quarterly progress report that grantees submit will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report. This report should provide both quarterly and cumulative information on the grant activities. It must summarize project activities, employment outcomes and other deliverables, and related results of the project, and should thoroughly document the training or labor market information approaches used by the grantee. DOL will provide grantees with formal guidance about the data and other information that is required to be collected and reported on either a regular basis or special request basis. Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. These grants will be subject to performance goals measuring their progress in meeting the goals of the grants. National goals will be set after grant award in the following areas:
The placement rate of participants including placement in employment, post-secondary institutions, advanced training, or occupational skills training;
The retention of participants in employment and education placements in the quarter after program completion;
The recidivism rate of young adult offenders served; and
The rate at which participants receive high school diplomas and industry-recognized credentials.
3. Management Information System (MIS) Reports. Organizations will be required to submit updated MIS data within 45 days after the end of each quarter based on a DOL template that requires quarterly, year-to-date, and program-to-date information on participant demographics at time of enrollment, participants services provided, and interim and long-term participant performance outcomes. This reporting also requires information on post-program follow-up and tracking of participants.
4. Record Retention
Applicants must be prepared to follow Federal guidelines on record retention, which require grantees to maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of not less than three years from the time of final grant close-out.
For further information about this SGA, please contact Melissa Abdullah, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, at (202) 693-3346. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 11-09, and along with their question(s), include a contact name, fax and phone number. This announcement is being made available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants and at http://www.grants.gov.
A. Web-Based Resources
DOL maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. For example, the CareerOneStop portal (http://www.careeronestop.org), provides tools to help job seekers explore careers, investigate salary and benefit information, research education and training opportunities, plan a job search and browse job sites, write and improve resumes and cover letters, and prepare for a job interview ; the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Online (http://online.onetcenter.org ) which supports workers and students in career planning by accessing key data for identifying and developing workplace skills; and America's Service Locator (http://www.servicelocator.org), that connects people to local offices providing employment and training services, and provides maps and driving directions to the nearest One Stop Career Center, and unemployment insurance filing assistance. America’s Service Locator has information on more than 20,000 local resources and offices.
B. Industry Competency Models and Career Clusters
ETA supports an Industry Competency Model Initiative to promote an understanding of the skill sets and competencies that are essential to an educated and skilled workforce. A competency model is a collection of competencies that, taken together, define successful performance in a particular work setting. Competency models serve as a starting point for the design and implementation of workforce and talent development programs. To learn about the industry-validated models visit the Competency Model Clearinghouse (CMC) at http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel. The CMC site also provides tools to build or customize industry models, as well as tools to build career ladders and career lattices for specific regional economies.
Career Clusters and Industry Competency Models both identify foundational and technical competencies, but their efforts are not duplicative. The National Career Clusters™ Framework provides a structure for organizing and delivering quality Career Technology Education programs through comprehensive programs of study (POS). As an organizing tool for curriculum design and instruction, this national framework provides the essential knowledge and skills for the 16 Career Clusters™ and their Career Pathways. It also functions as a useful guide in developing programs of study bridging secondary and postsecondary curriculum and for creating individual student plans of study for a complete range of career options.
Information about the sixteen career cluster areas can be found by accessing: www.careerclusters.org.
C. Workforce3One Resources
ETA encourages applicants to view the information gathered through the conference calls with Federal agency partners, industry stakeholders, educators, and local practitioners. The information on resources identified can be found on Workforce3One.org at: http://www.workforce3one.org/view/2001008333909172195/info.
D. My Next Move
My Next Move is a new online tool intended to assist all job seekers, but may be especially useful for students, young adults and other first-time workers as they explore potential careers.
The new website allows users to search by occupation, by industry and using the O*NET Interest Profiler, which matches an individual’s interests with suitable occupations by asking 60 questions. Users can also search for occupations in three categories: careers with a “bright outlook” in growing industries, occupations that are part of the “green” economy and occupations that have a Registered Apprenticeship program.
Each occupation that a user selects has an easy-to-read, one-page profile, including information about what knowledge, skills and abilities are needed; the occupation’s outlook; the level of education required; technologies used within the occupation; and other, similar jobs. In addition, each occupation profile includes direct links to local salary information, training opportunities and relevant job openings.
E. My Skills my Future
The website enables job seekers to match their occupational skills and experience with the skills needed in other occupations. This is a self-help website to help those individuals who are in transition and want to seek out new opportunities or looking for their next career opportunity. Along with possible education and training in those fields, it also can be used by organizations in an effort to help retain current employees.
The site also has links to job openings, specific training/education information and links to the skills required for specific jobs.
ETA encourages applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.
IX. Other Information
OMB Information Collection No 1225-0086, Expires November 30, 2012.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments about the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Labor, to the attention of the Departmental Clearance Officer, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N1301, Washington, DC 20210. Comments may also be emailed to [email protected]. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN THE COMPLETED APPLICATION TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND IT TO THE SPONSORING AGENCY AS SPECIFIED IN THIS SOLICITATION.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant. The information collected through this “Solicitation for Grant Applications” will be used by the Department of Labor to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicant best suited to perform the functions of the grant. Submission of this information is required in order for the applicant to be considered for award of this grant.
Signed ________________, in Washington, D.C. by:
Donna Kelly
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration
1 Mary Quinn, Robert Rutherford, Jr., and Peter Leone, “Students with Disabilities in Correctional Facilities,” December 2001, Journal for Exceptional Children Web site.
2 Peter Leone and Sheri Meisel, “Improving Education Services for Students in Detention and Confinement Facilities,” 1997, available on the National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice Website.
3 Ruth Curran Neild and Robert Balfanz, “Unfulfilled Promise: The Dimensions and Characteristics of Philadelphia’s Dropout Crisis, 2000-2005,” Philadelphia Youth Transitions Collaborative, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, undated.
4 Howard Snyder and Melissa Sickmund, “Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report,” National Center for Juvenile Justice, published by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, March 2006.
5 Jennie Shufelt and Joseph Cocozza, “Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System: Results from a Multi-State Prevalence Study,” National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, June 2006.
6 See the State of Virginia’s Department of Juvenile Justice’s Data Resource Guide for FY 2009. For links to juvenile justice systems in other states see the State Juvenile Justice Profiles web site at http://70.89.227.250:8080/stateprofiles/, but data on recidivism is not typically available through these links.
7 Memorandums 07-16 and 06-19. GAO Report 08-536, Privacy: Alternatives Exist for Enhancing Protection of Personally Identifiable Information, May 2008, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08536.pdf.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| Author | frugoli.pam |
| Last Modified By | Naradzay.Bonnie |
| File Modified | 2012-03-07 |
| File Created | 2012-03-07 |