U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Notice of Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcement for Linking to Employment Activities Pre-release Specialized American Job Centers (AJCs)
Announcement Type: Initial
Funding Opportunity Number: FOAETA 15-03
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.270
Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is [insert date XX days after date of publication of the one page notice in the Federal Register]. Applications must be received no later than 4:00:00 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: Melissa Abdullah, Grant Officer, Reference FOA-ETA-15-03, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV.
Executive Summary:
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $5 million in grant funds authorized by Section 171 of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Section 212 of the Second Chance Act of 2007 for Linking to Employment Activities Pre-release Specialized American Job Centers (AJCs) grants.
While state and federal prisons release more than 650,000 people each year1, over 9 million people are released from the nation’s more than 3,000 county jails2, many of whom possess few job skills and little prospect for employment. These jails are located in almost every community in the nation and often in close proximity to local employment services offered by the more than 2,500 AJCs throughout the country. These jails and AJCs typically operate in the same communities and under the same local government structure.
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) provides the opportunity for Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs) to develop and operate specialized AJCs (the requirements for these specialized AJCs will be explained throughout this Announcement) inside of county, municipal, or regional jails and correctional facilities to provide a range of AJC services that will assist soon to be released local inmates to prepare for employment to increase their opportunities for successful reentry into their home communities. This pilot project seeks to strengthen communities by better integrating services already available in the community. This program will build partnerships between local correctional systems and the local workforce systems through the establishment of specialized AJCs within local correctional facilities and linking transitioning offenders with a range of community-based workforce services that lead to successful employment. These grant funds will support the development and implementation of specialized AJCs, which must be linked directly to their existing full service community-based AJCs, enabling local inmates to prepare for employment prior to release and to continue with services in the community once released. These jail-based specialized AJCs will provide core and intensive services authorized under WIA inside of correctional facilities to address the employment barriers of incarcerated offenders prior to and as they transition into the community and the workforce. Effective July 1, 2015, the community-based AJC’s, under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), will transition into providing “career services” rather than separately designated core and intensive services.
Providing incarcerated offenders with a range of workforce services while they transition out of local correctional facilities engages these soon to be released offenders with existing workforce services, better prepares them to re-enter the workforce, and improves their opportunities for finding suitable employment immediately upon release. These jail-based centers will also provide the opportunity for transitioning offenders to begin the application and interview process and even secure employment pre-release. The jail-based specialized AJCs will support this transition period by directly linking participants to community-based AJCs for a continuum of services and connections to employers or training opportunities upon release. By providing a range of community-based workforce services that lead to successful employment, soon to be released local inmates will develop basic skills, prepare for employment, and increase labor force participation, which will increase successful reentry outcomes in their home communities.
ETA plans to award approximately 10 grants of up to $500,000 each to LWIBs. These grants will have a 24-month period of performance; future funding opportunities may take into account grantee performance on this grant. ETA is focused on sustainability and seeks to fund jail-based specialized AJCs that will be sustained beyond the life of the grant.
Program Purpose
The purpose of this program is to provide locally incarcerated offenders with employability skills by providing them workforce services prior to release from local incarceration and linking them to a continuum of employment, training, education, and support services offered through their community-based AJCs post-release, as well as building connections to local employers that will enable transitioning offenders to secure employment pre-release.
The jail-based specialized AJCs will enable transitioning offenders to prepare for employment prior to release and continue with individual development and service plans (as described in Section IV) in the community once released. The aim of these centers is to improve the workforce outcomes for transitioning offenders. These jail-based specialized AJCs will build upon the successful and effective strategies that currently exist in similar correctional facility-based one-stop centers across the country.
The jail-based specialized AJCs align with the President’s job-driven vision by ensuring that transitioning offenders are prepared to meet the needs of their local labor markets and that they have skills valued by employers. The jail-based specialized AJCs provide an integrated approach that will allow the public workforce system and correctional systems to leverage resources and services to improve employability for this population. Teaching transitioning offenders foundational skills such as job readiness, employability, and job search strategies as well as providing other related interventions can provide access points to employment and reduce the likelihood of reoffending. The employer connections that the jail-based specialized AJCs will build will inform program curricula and ensure relevance to the needs of local businesses.
The jail-based specialized AJCs will provide an integrated service delivery approach, demonstrated through promising practices and proven strategies of other facility-based one-stop center designs, that combines workforce development and reentry services for transitioning offenders prior to release. This integrated approach will help to ease the reentry transition, increase participant employment prospects, and reduce recidivism with transitioning offenders. These centers will provide pre-release employment and career services to support timely post-release employment as well as link directly to the comprehensive workforce development services offered post-release by the community-based AJCs, including follow-up services leading to gainful employment and career advancement.
In addition to linking the jail-based and community-based AJCs, the LWIBs must partner with their county, municipal, or regional correctional facilities as well as their county or municipal governments. Additional, non-required program partners may include non-profit supportive services providers, such as philanthropic, community-based, and faith-based organizations, and other local government agencies that provide relevant services and resources. Through these networks, the jail-based AJCs should have strong employer connections and access to relevant local labor market information. Strong support from community collaborators can lead to greater program sustainability and support better participant outcomes.
Program Authority
Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. Approximately $5,000,000 is available to fund approximately 10 grants. Organizations may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $500,000. Awards made under this Announcement are subject to the availability of Federal funds. In the event that additional funds become available, we reserve the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this Announcement. These grants will have a 24-month period of performance; future funding opportunities may take into account grantee performance on this grant.
B. Period of Performance
The period of performance is 24 months with an anticipated start date of June, 2015. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.
The period of performance must include the following:
A planning period of up to 9 months; and
An implementation phase, which includes the delivery of all required services (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(2)(b)), lasting the remaining at least 15 months.
To ensure grantees are prepared to begin program operations, the following milestones must be achieved during the planning period:
Finalize all necessary arrangements to secure program operation space in partnership with the correctional facility and enable access by all key program personnel;
Hire or assign core program staff, including the Project Director/Manager, Fiscal Director/Manager, and other key positions;
Establish a management committee with representatives from all required partners (identified in Section III.A.) and the community-based AJC(s) and hold regular planning meetings to ensure successful delivery of services;
Finalize and confirm plans for integrated service delivery, including securing assessment tools and curricula; and
Initiate recruitment and outreach efforts for the enrollment of participants.
The Department will monitor the completion of these milestones within the grant’s planning phase. The Department may subject grantees who do not meet these milestones to corrective action.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs).
LWIBs must apply in partnership with their county or municipal governments and their county, municipal, or regional correctional facilities (this excludes any state or Federal correctional facilities that may be located in the local commuting area) and provide evidence of this partnership in their application. In states where the State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB) carries out the functions of the LWIB pursuant to a DOL-approved waiver, or in states designated as a single-state local area, as established under Section 116 (b) of WIA, the SWIB is an eligible applicant.
Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program. Please note that any resources contributed to the project are considered leveraged resources and do not constitute cost sharing or matching funds. More information on leveraged resources may be found in Section IV.B.2. Applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process. Cost sharing or match is not one of the application screening criteria.
C. Other Information
1. Application Screening Criteria
You should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package to ensure that the application has met all of the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for applicants and should not be included in the application package. We urge you to use this checklist to ensure that your application contains all required items. If your application does not meet all of the screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process and will not be considered for funding.
Application Requirement |
Instructions |
Complete? |
The deadline submission requirements are met |
Section IV.C |
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If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.) |
Section IV.C. |
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Application does not exceed the ceiling amount of $500,000 |
Section II.A |
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Applicant has registered with SAM and maintains an active account |
Section IV.B.1 |
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Signed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance |
Section IV.B.1 |
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Signed SF-424 includes a DUNS Number |
Section IV.B.1 |
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SF-424A, Budget Information Form |
Section IV.B.2 |
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Budget Narrative |
Section IV.B.2 |
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Project Narrative |
Section IV.B.3 |
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Abstract |
Section IV.B.4 |
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2. Number of Applications To Be Submitted
Multiple applications from an organization are not allowed. If multiple applications are received, the most recent application submitted will be accepted. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, we will not replace it with an earlier application.
3. Eligible Participants
Participants Eligible to Receive Services
To participate in a funded project under these grants, an individual must:
have been convicted as an adult and imprisoned under municipal, county, Federal, or state law;
have not been convicted of a sexual offense other than prostitution;
be a sentenced offender confined in the municipal, county, or regional correctional facility for adults in which the jail-based specialized AJC operates on the date of the participant’s enrollment in the program; and
have a release date scheduled within 180 days of the individual’s enrollment in the program.
Veterans’ Priority for Participants
38 U.S.C. 4215 requires grantees to provide priority of service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. The regulations implementing this priority of service can be found at 20 CFR Part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans’ priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans’ priority. ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.
This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov and http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm, contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding. Applicants should note that hyperlinks to portions of the FOA are included in various parts of the Announcement. Applicants are required to comply with all parts of the FOA, including those parts found at the hyperlinks.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
Applications submitted in response to this FOA must consist of four separate and distinct parts: (1) the SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance;” (2) Project Budget; (3) Project Narrative; and (4) attachments to the Project Narrative. It is your responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.
You must complete the 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 is considered the Authorized Representative of the applicant. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, signature of the Authorized Representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization is in compliance with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). The SF-424B is not required to be submitted with the application.
In addition, the applicant’s Authorized Representative’s signature in block 21 of the SF-424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of compliance with the following requirements 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 the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)3, the grant applicant assures that it will comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: Section 188 of the 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.
Requirement for DUNS Number
All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a DUNS number, and must supply their DUNS Number on the SF-424. The DUNS Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a DUNS Number, you can get one for free through the D&B website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do. As authorized under 2 CFR 25, grant recipients authorized to make subawards must be aware of the following requirements related to DUNS Numbers:
Grant recipients must notify potential subawardees that no entity may receive a subaward from you unless the entity has provided its DUNS number to you.
Grant recipients may not make a subaward to an entity unless the entity has provided its DUNS number to you.
Requirement for Registration with SAM
Applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application. Instructions for registering with SAM can be found at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/#1. A recipient must maintain an active SAM 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 SAM database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update the registration at least every 12 months from the date of initial registration or subsequently update its information in the SAM 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.
You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). In preparing the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.
Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It should also include a description of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.
Use the following guidance for preparing the budget narrative:
Personnel – List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed). Give the annual salary of each position, the percentage of each position’s time devoted to the project, the amount of each position’s salary funded by the grant, and the total personnel cost for the period of performance.
Fringe Benefits – Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement, etc.
Travel – Specify the purpose, mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other costs for each type of travel.
Equipment – Identify each item of equipment to be purchased which has an estimated acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (or if your capitalization level is less than $5,000, use your capitalization level) and a useful lifetime of more than one year (see 2 CFR 200.33 for the definition of Equipment). List the quantity and unit cost per item. Items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are supplies. In general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year of the grant.
Supplies – Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.94 for the definition of Supplies). The detailed budget should identify categories of supplies (e.g. office supplies). List the quantity and unit cost per item.
Contractual – Identify each proposed contract and specify its purpose and estimated cost. If applicable, identify any subrecipient agreements, including purpose and estimated costs. See Section VI.B.2.f. for more information on the distinction between contractor and subrecipient.
Construction – Construction costs are not allowed and this line must be left as zero. Minor alterations to adjust an existing space for grant activities (such as a classroom alteration) may be allowable. We do not consider this as construction and the costs must be shown on other appropriate lines such as Contractual.
Other – List each item in sufficient detail for us to determine whether the costs are reasonable or allowable. List any item, such as stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere here.
Indirect Costs – If indirect costs are included in the budget, then include either, a) the approved indirect cost rate with a copy of the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), a description of the base used to calculate indirect costs along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested, or b) if you meet the requirements to use the 10% de minimis rate as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f), then include a description of the modified total direct costs base (see 2 CFR 200.68 for definition) used in the calculation along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested based on the 10% de minimis rate. See Section IV.B.4. and Section IV.E.1. for more information. Additionally, the following link contains DOL-specific information: http://www.dol.gov/oasam/boc/dcd/index.htm.
Note that the entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) must be included on the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative.
No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF-424 and SF-424A. Leveraged resources should be described in the budget narrative. The requested Federal grant amount listed on the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative must be the same. The funding amount included on the SF-424 will be considered the official funding amount requested if any inconsistencies are found.
a. Preparing the Project Narrative
The following instructions provide all of the information needed to complete the Project Narrative. You should carefully read and consider each section, and include all required information in your Project Narrative. The Project Narrative will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V.A.
Applicants must use the same section headers identified below for each section of the Project Narrative:
(1) Expected Outcomes and Outputs
The applicant must clearly identify how the outcome(s) and output(s) that will result from the project will be tracked and reported. Outcomes are the measurable results of the project. They are the positive benefits, negative changes, or measurable characteristics that occur as a result of project activities or outputs. Outputs are tangible products or services that result from the project.
Jail-based specialized AJCs will provide direct services to participants; upon release, they will directly connect participants to community-based AJCs and other supportive services providers.
Applicants must describe the system to track and report interim measures for participants pre-release.
Applicants must identify the strategies they will use to ensure post-release services and the tracking and reporting of participant employment and recidivism outcomes, including all applicable WIA/WIOA common measures.
Applicants must design and describe a system that will allow them to track and report outcomes for their participants post-release through the community-based AJC. If applicants intend to co-enroll participants in WIA or WIOA, they must describe how the WIA/WIOA reporting systems will be utilized.
Applicants must articulate a strategy to track participants that have been released to other areas.
Applicants must describe how they will register program participants in the state’s labor exchange system.
Each jail-based specialized AJC will report on the applicable WIA/WIOA common measures for all enrolled participants. Upon release, participants who transition into a community-based AJC will remain “active” under the state’s workforce system and will follow the same rules for exit and reporting as all other AJC customers. Participants who do not report for additional services at their community-based AJC will be exited after 90 days as required under the common measures.
The jail-based specialized AJCs will measure these additional seven interim and longer-term performance outcomes and outputs, three pre-release and four post-release. Applicants must identify the number of transitioning offenders that they plan to serve (projected enrollment). Specific performance targets will be set based on national goals identified by the Department.
Pre-release, jail-based specialized AJCs will measure:
Enrollment Rate – the number of participants enrolled in the program compared to the target number of participants identified in the grant application;
Participation Rate – the rate of continued participation in the program; and
Work-Readiness Indicator – the percentage of participants who are deemed work-ready or demonstrate an increase in work-readiness after receiving pre-release services. To assess increases in work-readiness, grantees must administer work readiness pre- and post-tests (at the times of enrollment and exit, respectively), which may include a risk assessment of criminogenic needs (see Section VIII.E.).
Post-release, jail-based specialized AJCs will measure:
Post-Release Enrollment Rate – the percentage of participants who report for and are enrolled into comprehensive career services post-release;
Placement Rate – the percentage of participants who are placed in one or more of the following after post-release enrollment: Registered Apprenticeships, unsubsidized employment, post-secondary education, or occupational skills training;
Retention Rate – the percentage of participants who remain in employment or educational placements in the third quarter after program exit; and
Recidivism Rate – the percentage of participants who reoffend or are re-incarcerated within one year of program exit.
(2) Project Design
The applicant must propose methods that will be used to address the stated outcomes and outputs. The applicant must also outline a plan of action that describes in detail the scope of how the proposed work will be accomplished and include a timeline for completion of work. The applicant must account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might accelerate or decelerate the work and state the reason for taking the proposed approach. The applicant must identify any potential barriers, and describe how the project will be able to overcome those barriers.
Implementation
The applicant must identify a plan for ensuring that all required and additional, non-required partners have access to the facility as needed, including a schedule for proposed partner activities;
The applicant must develop and describe a plan that includes the process and any regulations regarding the hiring of staff and the procurement of goods and services and how it will overcome hiring and/or procurement barriers;
The applicant must identify and describe the staffing plan for all core program staff positions, including the Project Director/Manager, Fiscal Director/Manager, and other key positions. For all positions for which potential staff members have already been identified, the applicant must describe their qualifications. For all positions for which potential staff members have not been identified, the applicant must describe the required qualifications that will be used for hiring purposes;
The applicant must describe how participants will be identified and selected for participation; and
The applicant must identify the timeline, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, which includes all key activities within the implementation phase, as identified in Section II.B., including the timeframe for beginning program services.
Operations
The applicant must identify and explain the employment and career
services components it will offer and its strategies for
implementation, including how participants
evaluations will be used to identify individual service strategies;
The applicant must identify how Individual Development Plans (IDPs) with specific reentry plans will be developed for each program participant. The applicant must describe how they will use local labor market information (LMI) to inform IDP development. The applicant must identify how the IDP links to employment and post-release and follow-up services through a community-based AJC to ensure a continuum of services. The applicant must identify how assessments, including an assessment of each individual’s risk of reoffending and his/her level of job readiness, will be incorporated into the IDP;
The applicant must describe how it will coordinate with corrections, workforce, and reentry professionals, other service providers, and employers to ensure that interventions and employment services are provided in a way that supports recidivism-reduction and employment goals;
The applicant must describe:
How post-release and follow-up planning activities will be delivered;
A plan for directly linking participants to external service providers before they exit the correctional facility, including a description of the “hand-off” with participants that will occur between the jail-based specialized AJC staff members and community-based AJC staff members to ensure a smooth transition – it is the Department’s expectation that all participants will receive a “hand-off” to their community-based AJCs, even if they have already secured employment, for follow-up and supportive services;
A plan for ensuring post-release employment or income support to enable participants to fully participate in post-release services; and
How and where required services will be provided to participants post-release within and outside of the surrounding community;
The applicant must provide, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, a schedule of activities in a sample month of jail-based specialized AJC operations. These activities must include all required core and intensive services for participants, including but not limited to: comprehensive case management, needs assessment, career planning, job-seeking services, and assistance with educational/training plans (additional information regarding “core” and “intensive” services as defined in WIA can be found in Section VIII.B.; effective July 1, 2015, the community-based AJC’s, under WIOA, will transition into providing “career services” rather than separately designated core and intensive services). The sample schedule must take into account the inmates’ opportunities for movement throughout the facility and ensure that all program participants have adequate opportunities to access the jail-based specialized AJC; and
The applicant must identify the curriculum that will be utilized for employability skills and job readiness development activities.
Partnerships
In addition to the required partnerships described in Section III.A., applicants are encouraged to form partnerships with service providers in their local communities. Additional partners may include public or nonprofit career and supportive services providers, including philanthropic and community- and faith-based organizations. These partners may provide required program services such as: case management and wrap-around supportive services; pre-release planning; educational assessments; healthcare, mental healthcare, and substance abuse treatment; job readiness activities; employment connections; and post-release supervision planning.
The applicant must:
Describe how partners will be utilized to support program operations and ensure that all required services are available to all program participants;
Identify how the program partners will work together to ensure that each of the interim and longer-term performance outcomes and outputs (as identified in the Expected Outcomes and Outputs section) will be met, including the pre-release measures (enrollment rate, participation rate, and work readiness indicator) and the post-release measures (post-release enrollment rate, placement rate, retention rate, and recidivism rate);
Describe how communication will be coordinated with and among the partners;
Identify each required partner (described in Section III.A.) and any additional partners that will be used to support program operations and describe their roles and responsibilities, including the extent to which they will contribute tangible resources that support program implementation and goals (a MOU or Letter of Commitment that clearly identifies the roles and responsibilities and the resources to be committed must be included for each required and additional partner);
Describe the strategy for how partners will communicate in order to achieve pre-release and post-release performance outcomes;
Describe how local employers/industry partners will be engaged to ensure that services to participants are in line with employer needs and will lead to future employment; and
Include in the written commitment from the correctional facility, in addition to the requirements for all written commitments, the facility’s operational structure, a strategy for Internet access and space use within the facility, a schedule of facility activities that might affect jail-based specialized AJC operations, and any requirements for the program staff to access the correctional facility.
Continuum of Services Post-Release
The applicant must include a plan to continue services post-release through the community-based AJCs and to secure lasting partnerships with local service providers and employers. The applicant must describe how it will achieve buy-in from local employers and industry associations that are all committed to increasing employment opportunities for jail-based specialized AJC participants post-release.
(3) Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity
The applicant must provide information on the applicant organization’s current mission and structure.
The applicant must describe how the factors identified in the above bullet contribute to the ability of the organization to conduct the program requirements and meet program expectations. Include information about any organization(s) under contract with the applicant that will have a significant role in implementing the project.
The applicant must describe the fiscal and administrative controls in place to properly manage Federal funds. Include the organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after Federal financial assistance has ended.
The applicant must provide a comprehensive plan that demonstrates how the jail-based specialized AJC will be sustained in the correctional facility for a minimum of two years of continued operation after the grant funding period is over, including:
How the program partnerships will be sustained beyond the life of the grant;
How partner resources, including other Federal, State, or local funding, will be leveraged to ensure that the program has adequate funding to continue its operations once the grant period ends; and
How services to participants will be continued after the grant’s period of performance; and
The applicant must describe how data will be utilized to determine effective strategies, activities, and partnerships.
(4) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability
Applicants will receive points based on past performance demonstrated by the achievement of their negotiated outcomes on the three WIA Adult common measures (Entered Employment Rate, Retention Rate, and Average Earnings). Applicants must submit, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, a chart of past performance that identifies the three WIA performance goals and the actual annual performance for the past two program years for the WIA Adult finding stream. In the chart, applicants must identify the expected level of performance (targets) for each goal and the actual outcomes (results) for each goal. Applicants should format the chart as below:
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PY 2013 Target |
PY 2013 Result
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PY 2012 Target |
PY 2012 Result
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Entered Employment Rate |
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Retention Rate |
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Average Earnings |
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In addition to the Project Narrative, you must submit attachments. All attachments must be clearly labeled as Attachments. Only those attachments listed below will be excluded from the page limit. Additional materials such as resumés or general letters of support must not be included. You must submit your application in one package because documents received separately will be tracked separately and will not be attached to the application for review. Save all files with descriptive file names of 50 characters or less and be sure to only use standard characters in file names: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and underscore (_). File names may not include special characters (e.g. &,–,*,%,/,#), periods (.), blank spaces or accent marks, and must be unique (i.e., no other attachment may have the same file name). An underscore (example: my_Attached_File.pdf) may be used to separate a file name.
Required Attachments
The following attachments must be included with the application package; the failure to do so will cause the application package to be screened out.
Abstract: You must submit an up to two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project, including, but not limited to, the scope of the project and proposed outcomes. The proposed project must include the applicant’s name, project title, a description of the area to be served, number of participants to be served, and the funding level requested. The Abstract is limited to two-page double-spaced single sided 8.5x11 inch pages with 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. Applicants must include: 1) applicant’s name; 2) project title; 3) a description of the geographic area to be served, including the correctional facility in which the jail-based specialized AJC will be housed; 4) the number of participants to be served; 5) the community-based AJCs that will be involved in the project; 6) a description of the overall program model, including the scope of the project and proposed outcomes; 7) a description of required and additional partners; and 8) the requested funding level. When submitting in grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and specifically labeled “Abstract.”
Requested Attachments
The following attachments are requested, but their omission will not cause the application to be screened out. If the omission of the attachment will impact scoring, such an impact will be noted in the description of the attachment.
Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form: You should submit a Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). This form is in the grants.gov application package. 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 Announcement. This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: If you are requesting indirect costs based on a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by your Federal Cognizant Agency, then attach the most recently approved Agreement. (For more information, see Section IV.B.2. and Section IV.E.1.) This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.
Timeline of Start-up (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(2)(i))
This attachment impacts scoring of the application.
Sample Month of Activities (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(2)(ii))
This attachment impacts scoring of the application.
MOUs and/or Letters of Commitment from all required and any additional partners (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(2)(iii))
This attachment impacts scoring of the application.
Chart of Past Performance (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(4))
This attachment impacts scoring of the application.
The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is [insert date XX days after date of publication of the one page notice in the Federal Register]. Applications must be submitted either electronically on http://www.grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or in hard copy by hand delivery (including overnight delivery). Hard copy applications must be received at the address below no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. Applications submitted on grants.gov must also be successfully submitted (as described below) no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. You are cautioned that applications should be submitted before the deadline to ensure that the risk of late receipt of the application is minimized. Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted.
Applicants submitting applications in hard copy by mail or overnight delivery must submit an original signed application (including the SF-424) and one (1) ‘‘copy-ready’’ version free of bindings, staples or protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the application by DOL. Applicants submitting applications in hard copy are also required to include in the hard copy submission an identical electronic copy of the application 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, DOL will review the copy submitted through http://www.grants.gov.
No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted. Further, any additional 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, Office of Grants Management, Attention: Melissa Abdullah, Grant Officer, Reference FOA-ETA-15-03, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. Mail delivery in the Washington DC area may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-delivered applications will be received at the above address. All overnight delivery submissions 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 4:00:00 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. You are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if necessary. Note that validation does not mean that your application has been accepted as complete or has been accepted for review. Rather, grants.gov only verifies that certain parts of an application have been submitted.
We strongly recommend that before you begin to write the application, you should immediately initiate and complete the “Get Registered” registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. You 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 timely 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 applicants walk through the process. We strongly recommend that you download the “Organization Registration Checklist” at http://www.grants.gov/documents/19/18243/OrganizationRegChecklist.pdf/fc7e7c18-2497-4b08-8d9b-bfac399947a3
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 earlier in Section IV.B.1., you must have a DUNS Number and you must register with SAM before submitting an application.
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 DUNS 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/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-3-username-password.html
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 SAM – 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 individual as the AOR, thereby giving him or her permission to submit applications. To learn more about AOR Authorization visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-4-aor-authorization.html, or to track AOR status visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-5-track-aor-status.html
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 an application is submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the AOR on file will be inserted into the signature line of the application. You must register the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for your organization as the AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submissions.
When a registered applicant submits an application with Grants.gov, an electronic time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. Within two business days of application submission, Grants.gov will send the applicant two email messages to provide the status of the application’s progress through the system. The first email, sent almost immediately, will contain a tracking number and will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The second email will indicate the application has either been successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors. Grants.gov will reject applications if the applicant’s registration in SAM is expired. Only applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and later successfully validated will be considered. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility 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, enough 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 enough time is not allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, the application will not be considered.
To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .rtf or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent DOL from considering the application. We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.
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/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html.
We encourage 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, you may subscribe to “Grants.gov Updates” at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/manage-subscriptions.html
If you encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or email [email protected]. The Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is closed on Federal holidays.
Late Applications: For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only applications that have been successfully submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated will be considered. You take a significant risk by waiting to the last day to submit through 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, you 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 Cost Principles, now found in the Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), codified at 2 CFR Part 200. Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the 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 subaward or contract under the grant or subaward; and ii) any rights of copyright to which the recipient, subrecipient 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 recipient 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. Additionally, the Federal government has the right to require intellectual property developed under a competitive Federal award process to be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. This license allows subsequent users to copy, distribute, transmit and adapt the copyrighted Work and requires such users to attribute the Work in the manner specified by the recipient.
If applicable, and a Creative Commons Attribution license is not required, 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 recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.”
Withdrawal of Applications: Applications may be withdrawn by written notice to the Grant Officer at any time before an award is made.
We have instituted procedures for assessing the technical merit of applications to provide for an objective review of applications and to assist you in understanding the standards against which your application will be judged. The evaluation criteria are based on the information required in the application as described in Sections IV.B.2. (Project Budget) and IV.B.3. (Project Narrative). Reviewers will award points based on the evaluation criteria described below:
Criterion |
Points (maximum) |
(See Section IV.B.3.a.(1) Expected Outcomes and Outputs) |
5 |
(See Section IV.B.3.a.(2) Project Design) |
53 |
(See Section IV.B.3.a.(3) Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity) |
25 |
(See Section IV.B.3.a.(4) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability) |
12 |
5. Budget and Budget Justification (See Section IV.B.2. Project Budget) |
5 |
TOTAL |
100 |
Expected Outcomes and Outputs (up to 5 points)
The extent to which the strategies for tracking and reporting outcomes and outputs are comprehensive, realistic, clear, and consistent with the project purpose (identified in Section I.A.). The comprehensiveness of the system(s) to track and report outcomes for participants pre- and post-release. The feasibility of the applicant’s strategy to track participants that have been released to areas other than the community-based AJC. The viability of the strategies for utilizing WIA/WIOA reporting systems for tracking co-enrolled participants, if applicable. The sufficiency of the plan to register program participants in the state’s labor exchange system.
Project Design (up to 53 points)
The extent to which the application reflects a coherent and feasible approach for successfully addressing the identified outcomes and outputs and includes reasonable timelines for completion of work. (up to 5 points)
The strength of the justification for the approach, including addressing any factors that might accelerate or decelerate the required work. The degree to which the project takes into account barriers that may impact the project’s success. (up to 5 points)
Implementation (up to 10 points)
The strength and comprehensiveness of the following plans:
The plan for partner providers to have access to the facility;
The plan for the hiring of staff and procurement of goods and services;
The staffing plan for all core program positions, including the strength of the qualifications of the identified staff members and/or the strength of the required qualifications for potential staff members that will reasonably lead to successful program operation; and
The plan for identifying and selecting participants.
The extent to which the timeline for the key activities in the implementation phase will reasonably lead to successful program implementation.
Operations (up to 15 points)
The comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the employment and career services components and the implementation strategies.
The effectiveness of the applicant’s plan to use job readiness assessments, local LMI, and IDPs to assist participants to successfully reenter the community and link to employment and appropriate post-release and follow-up services.
The effectiveness of the strategies to coordinate corrections, workforce, and reentry professionals and other service providers to support recidivism-reduction and employment goals.
The strength of the plan for connecting participants to post-release services including:
The comprehensiveness of the post-release and follow-up planning activities;
The strength and feasibility of the links to external service providers prior to correctional facility exit, including the strength and feasibility of the plan to “hand-off” participants from the jail-based specialized AJC to the community-based AJC and the likelihood that this hand-off plan will ensure a smooth transition;
The strength and feasibility of the plan to link participants to employment or income supports that will enable participants to fully participate in post-release services; and
The reasonable availability of post-release services within and outside of the surrounding community.
The extent to which the sample month of activities is comprehensive and demonstrates that all participants will have appropriate access to all required services.
The extent to which the identified curriculum is appropriate to the employability and job readiness development needs of transitioning offenders.
Partnerships (up to 13 points)
The strength of the required and any additional partnerships and their necessity to supporting program operations and ensuring that all required services will be available to all program participants.
The effectiveness of the partners’ contributions to the achievement of performance outcomes and of the strategies to coordinate partners’ roles and communication with and among partners.
The extent to which the partners will be active and invested and will contribute tangible resources that support program implementation and goals.
The clarity with which the partners’ roles and responsibilities are defined and demonstrate vital links to successful program operation.
The strength of the strategy for communication with partners to achieve pre- and post-release performance outcomes.
The effectiveness of the plan to engage local employers/industry partners to ensure services will lead to future employment.
In addition to the criteria described above, applications will also be scored on the extent that the MOUs or Letters of Commitment clearly demonstrate:
The necessary access to the correctional facility;
The roles and responsibilities of each partner; and The tangible resources each partner will contribute to the project.
NOTE: If any of the MOUs or Letters of Commitment are missing for the required partners (the applicant’s county or municipal government and their county, municipal, or regional correctional facility) or additional partners identified in the applicant’s narrative, the applicant will receive 0 points for this sub-criterion.)
Continuum of Services Post-Release (up to 5 points)
The strength of the plan to continue services to participants post-release and to secure lasting partnerships with local service providers and employers. The strength of the strategies for achieving buy-in from local employers and industry associations in order to increase employment opportunities for jail-based specialized AJC participants post-release.
Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (up to 25 points)
The extent to which the organization has the capacity to carry out the proposed project, including the appropriate mission and structure to fulfill the needs and requirements of the proposed project. (up to 5 points)
The strength of the fiscal and administrative controls to properly manage Federal funds. (up to 5 points)
The capability of the organization to sustain project activities and successful strategies after Federal financial assistance ends, including how program partnerships will be sustained and how services to participants will be continued, as described in Section IV.B.3.a.(3). The degree to which leveraged resources will be utilized to sustain program operations. The strength of the approach for utilizing data to determine effective strategies, activities, and partnerships. (up to 15 points)
Past Performance – Programmatic Capability (up to 12 points)
For the six goals and outcomes requested (three for each program year), ETA will assign two points for each goal that was met or exceeded.
Applicants that met or exceeded all six goals will receive 12 points.
Applicants that met or exceeded five of the six goals will receive 10 points.
Applicants that met or exceeded four of the six goals will receive 8 points.
Applicants that met or exceeded three of the six goals will receive 6 points.
Applicants that met or exceeded two of the six goals will receive 4 points.
Applicants that met or exceeded one of the six goals will receive 2 points.
Applicants that did not meet or exceed any of the six goals will receive 0 points.
Budget and Budget Justification (up to 5 points)
The extent to which the budget is reasonable based on the activities outlined in the project narrative.
Merit Review and Selection Process
A technical merit review panel will carefully evaluate applications against the selection criteria to determine the merit of applications. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this FOA. Up to 100 points may be awarded to an applicant, depending on the quality of the responses provided. The final scores (which may include the mathematical normalization of review panels) will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer reserves the right to make selections based solely on the final scores or to take into consideration other relevant factors when applicable. Such factors may include the geographic distribution of funds and/or other relevant factors. 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.
Risk Review Process
Every application will be evaluated to determine the risks posed by applicants. Prior to making an award, ETA will review information available through any OMB-designated repository of governmentwide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, such as Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), Dun and Bradstreet, and “Do Not Pay.” Additionally, ETA will comply with the requirements of 2 CFR Part 180 codified by DOL at 29 CFR Part 98 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement)). This risk evaluation may incorporate results of the evaluation of the applicant’s eligibility (application screening) or the quality of its application (merit review). If ETA determines that an award will be made, special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed may be applied to the award. Criteria to be evaluated include:
(1) Financial stability;
(2) Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed in the Uniform Grant Guidance;
(3) History of performance. The applicant’s record in managing awards, cooperative agreements, or procurement awards, if it is a prior recipient of such Federal awards, including timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements and if applicable, the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards;
(4) Reports and findings from audits performed under Subpart F – Audit Requirements of the Uniform Grant Guidance or the reports and findings of any other available audits and monitoring reports containing findings, issues of non-compliance or questioned costs;
(5) The applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on recipients.
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 application.
Selection of an organization as a recipient does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, we 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. We reserve the right to not fund any application related to this FOA.
1. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees will be subject to all applicable Federal laws, regulations—including the OMB Uniform Guidance, and the terms and conditions of the award. The grant(s) awarded under this FOA will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions:
a. Non-Profit Organizations, Educational Institutions, and State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments – 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards)
b. Profit Making Commercial Firms – Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) – 48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 2 CFR Part 200 (Administrative Requirements).
c. All 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.5 Note that 20 CFR part 667 (general fiscal and administrative rules) includes unsuccessful applicant appeal information.
d. 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 Part 98 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension, and drug-free workplace requirements), and, where applicable, 2 CFR Part 200 (Audit Requirements).
e. 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.
f. 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.
g. 29 CFR Part 32—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
h. 29 CFR Part 35— Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.
i. 29 CFR Part 36—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
j. 29 CFR Part 37 – Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
k. 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30—Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.
l. General Terms and Conditions of Award—See the following link: xxx.
2. Other Legal Requirements:
a. 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 an applicant 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 Act6 contains a general ban on religious discrimination in employment. If a faith-based organization is awarded a grant, the organization will be provided with information on how to request such an exemption.
b. 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 2 CFR 200.450 for more information).
c. Transparency Act Requirements
You must ensure that you 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:
Except for those excepted from the Transparency Act under sub-paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 below, you must ensure that you have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, should they receive funding.
Upon award, you 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.
d. Safeguarding Data Including Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Applicants submitting applications in response to this FOA 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 an application, you 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 and TEGL NO. 39-11 (issued June 28, 2012). All such activity conducted by ETA and/or recipient/s will be performed in a manner consistent with applicable state and Federal laws.
By submitting a grant application, you agree to take all necessary steps to protect such confidentiality by complying with the following provisions that are applicable in governing their handling of confidential information:
1. You must ensure that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained, or otherwise associated with DOL/ETA funded grants is securely transmitted.
To ensure that such PII is not transmitted to unauthorized users, all PII and other sensitive data transmitted via e-mail or stored on CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc., must be encrypted using a Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validated cryptographic module. You must not e-mail unencrypted sensitive PII to any entity, including ETA or contractors.
You must take the steps necessary to ensure the privacy of all PII obtained from participants and/or other individuals and to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure. You must maintain such PII in accordance with the ETA standards for information security described in TEGL NO. 39-11 and any updates to such standards we provide to you. If you wish to obtain more information on data security should contact their Federal Project Officer.
You must ensure that any PII used during the performance of your grant has been obtained in conformity with applicable Federal and state laws governing the confidentiality of information.
You further acknowledge that all PII data obtained through your ETA grant must be stored in an area that is physically safe from access by unauthorized persons at all times and the data will be processed using recipient issued equipment, managed information technology (IT) services, and designated locations approved by ETA. Accessing, processing, and storing of ETA grant PII data on personally owned equipment, at off-site locations e.g., employee’s home, and non-recipient managed IT services, e.g., Yahoo mail, is strictly prohibited unless approved by ETA.
Your employees and other personnel who will have access to sensitive/confidential/proprietary/private data must be advised of the confidential nature of the information, the safeguards required to protect the information, and that there are civil and criminal sanctions for noncompliance with such safeguards that are contained in Federal and state laws.
You must have policies and procedures in place under which your employees and other personnel, before being granted access to PII, acknowledge 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.
You must not extract information from data supplied by ETA for any purpose not stated in the grant agreement.
Access to any PII created by the ETA grant must 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 in the grant agreement.
All PII data must 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 validated software products based on FIPS 140-2 encryption. In addition, wage data may only be accessed from secure locations.
PII data obtained by the recipient through a request from ETA must not be disclosed to anyone but the individual requestor except as permitted by the Grant Officer or by court order.
You must permit ETA to make onsite inspections during regular business hours for the purpose of conducting audits and/or conducting other investigations to assure that you are complying with the confidentiality requirements described above. In accordance with this responsibility, you must make records applicable to this Agreement available to authorized persons for the purpose of inspection, review, and/or audit.
You must retain data received from 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, you agree that all data will be destroyed, including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and deletion of electronic data.
e. Record Retention
You must be prepared to follow Federal guidelines on record retention, which require you to maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of at least three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. See 2 CFR 200.333-.337 for more specific information, including information about the start of the record retention period for awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, and when the records must be retained for more than three years.
f. Use of Contracts and Subawards
You must abide by the following definitions of contract, contractor, subaward, and subrecipient:
Contract: Contract means a legal instrument by which a non-Federal entity (defined as a state, local government, Indian tribe, institution of higher education (IHE), nonprofit organization, for-profit entity, foreign public entity, or a foreign organization that carries out a Federal award as a recipient or subrecipient) purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a Federal award. The term as used in this FOA does not include a legal instrument, even if the non-Federal entity considers it a contract, when the substance of the transaction meets the definition of a Federal award or subaward (see definition of Subaward below).
Contractor : Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined above in Contract.
Subaward: Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity (defined as a non-Federal entity that provides a subaward to a subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal program) to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that the pass-through entity considers a contract.
Subrecipient: Subrecipient means a non-Federal entity that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a Federal program; but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other Federal awards directly from a Federal awarding agency.
You must follow the provisions at 2 CFR 200.330-.332 regarding subrecipient monitoring and management. Also see 2 CFR 200.308(c)(6) regarding prior approval requirements for subawards. When awarding subawards, you are required to comply with provisions on governmentwide suspension and debarment found at 2 CFR Part 180 and codified by DOL at 29 CFR Part 98.
g. Closeout of Grant Award
Any entity that receives an award under this Announcement must close its grant with ETA at the end of the final year of the grant. Information about this process may be found in ETA’s Grant Closeout FAQ located at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/docs/GCFAQ.pdf.
3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions
Except as specifically provided in this FOA, our acceptance of an application 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 Uniform Guidance requires that an entity’s procurement procedures ensure that all procurement transactions are conducted, as much as practical, to provide full and open competition. If an application identifies a specific entity to provide goods or services, the award does not provide the justification or basis to sole source the procurement, i.e., avoid competition.
4. Special Program Requirements
a. ETA Evaluation
ETA will initiate an independent evaluation of the services and models developed with these grants, which may include an evaluation of the outcomes and benefits of these grants. By accepting grant funds, grantees agree to participate in the evaluation, should they be selected, including making records on participants, employers, and funding available and providing access to program operating personnel and participants, as specified by the evaluator(s) under the direction of ETA, including after the period of operation.
Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes provided and failure to meet those outcomes may result in technical assistance or other intervention by ETA, and may also have a significant impact on decisions about future grants with ETA.
You must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS data must be submitted by the recipient electronically. You must agree 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. On the final Financial Status Report, you must include any subaward amounts so we can calculate final indirect costs, if applicable. You must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to grantees.
2. Quarterly Performance Reports
You must submit a quarterly progress report within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. The report must include quarterly information on grant activities, performance goals, and milestones. The last quarterly progress report will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report. This report must 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 must thoroughly document the training or labor market information approaches that you used. We will provide you 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.
For further information about this FOA, please contact Andrea Hill, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, at (202) 693-3542. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference FOA-ETA-15-03, and along with question(s), include a contact name, fax and phone number. This Announcement is being made available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants and at http://www.grants.gov.
A. 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 all applications in this grant competition, we will publish the Abstracts required by Section IV.B.4., and selected information from the SF-424 for all applications on the Department’s public website or similar publicly accessible location. Additionally, we will publish a version of the Project Narrative required by Section IV.B.3. for all those applications that are awarded grants, on the Department’s website or a similar location. No other attachments to the application will be published. The Project Narratives 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 business confidential information is information that is not usually disclosed outside your organization and disclosing this information 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. Applicants should not include any proprietary or confidential business information or PII in this summary. In the event that an applicant submits proprietary or confidential business information or PII, DOL is not liable for the posting of this information contained in the Abstract. The submission of the grant application constitutes a waiver of the applicant’s objection to the posting of any proprietary or confidential business information contained in the Abstract. Additionally, the applicant is responsible for obtaining all authorizations from relevant parties for publishing all PII contained within the Abstract. In the event the Abstract contains proprietary or confidential business information or PII, the applicant is presumed to have obtained all necessary authorizations to provide this information and may be liable for any improper release of this information.
By submission of this grant application, the applicant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United States, the U.S. Department of Labor, its officers, employees, and agents against any liability or for any loss or damages arising from this application. By such submission of this grant application, the applicant further acknowledges having the authority to execute this release of liability.
In order to ensure that proprietary or confidential business information or PII is properly protected from disclosure when DOL posts the winning Project Narratives, applicants whose Project Narratives will be posted will be asked to submit a second redacted version of their Project Narrative, with any proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, and PII redacted. All non-public information about the applicant’s and consortium members’ staff (if applicable) should be removed as well.
The Department will contact the applicants whose Project Narratives will be published by letter or email, and provide further directions about how and when to submit the redacted version of the Project Narrative.
Submission of a redacted version of the Project Narrative will constitute permission by the applicant for DOL to make the redacted version publicly available. We will also assume that by submitting the redacted version of the Project Narrative, the applicant has obtained the agreement to the applicant’s decision about what material to redact of all persons and entities whose proprietary, confidential business information, or PII is contained in the Project Narrative. If an applicant fails to provide a redacted version of the Project Narrative within 45 days of DOL’s request, DOL will publish the original Project Narrative in full, after redacting only PII. (Note that the original, unredacted version of the Project Narrative will remain part of the complete application package, including an applicant’s proprietary and confidential business information and any PII.)
Applicants are encouraged to maximize the grant application information that will be publicly disclosed, and to exercise restraint and redact only information that clearly is proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, or PII. The redaction of entire pages or sections of the Project Narrative 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. See 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.”
Web-Based Resources
DOL maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. For example, the CareerOneStop portal (http://www.careeronestop.org), which provides national and state career information on occupations; the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Online (http://online.onetcenter.org) which provides occupational competency profiles; and America's Service Locator (http://www.servicelocator.org), which provides a directory of our nation's American Job Centers and can help with identifying local AJC partners.
Additional information on AJCs can be found in WIA (http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/wia/wialaw.pdf); in particular, Section 117(f)(2), “Core Services; Intensive Services; Designation or Certification as One-Stop Operators,” Section 121, “Establishment of One-Stop Delivery Systems,” and Section 134(c), “Establishment of One-Stop Delivery,” provide information on the AJC system and the required core and intensive services.
Industry Competency Models and Career Clusters
ETA supports an Industry Competency Model Initiative to promote an understanding of the skill sets and competencies that are essential to an educated and skilled workforce. A competency model is a collection of competencies that, taken together, define successful performance in a particular work setting. Competency models serve as a starting point for the design and implementation of workforce and talent development programs. To learn about the industry-validated models visit the Competency Model Clearinghouse (CMC) at http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel. The CMC site also provides tools to build or customize industry models, as well as tools to build career ladders and career lattices for specific regional economies.
Career Clusters and Industry Competency Models both identify foundational and technical competencies, but their efforts are not duplicative. The Career Clusters link to specific career pathways in 16 career cluster areas and place greater emphasis on elements needed for curriculum performance objectives; measurement criteria; scope and sequence of courses in a program of study; and development of assessments. Information about the 16 career cluster areas can be found by accessing: www.careerclusters.org.
D. Workforce3One Resources
1. We encourage you 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: https://www.workforce3one.org/find/?sr=1&ps=20&sort=5.
2. We encourage you 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.
3. We created Workforce System Strategies to make it easier for the public workforce system and its partners to identify effective strategies and support improved customer outcomes. The collection highlights strategies informed by a wide range of evidence such as experimental studies and implementation evaluations, as well as supporting resources such as toolkits. We encourage you to review these resources by visiting http://strategies.workforce3one.org/.
4. We created a technical assistance portal at https://etareporting.workforce3one.org/page/financial that contains online training and resources for fiscal and administrative issues. Online trainings available include, but are not limited to, Introduction to Grant Applications and Forms, Indirect Costs, Cost Principles, and Accrual Accounting.
Reentry Resources
The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, in collaboration with the Center for Employment Opportunities, the Departments of Labor and Justice, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation recently released a white paper on integrating reentry and employment strategies using a resource allocation and service-matching tool. The white paper introduces the Resource Allocation and Service-Matching Tool, which is based on two key dimensions—an individual’s risk of reoffending (criminogenic risk) and job readiness. There are four groupings that result from assessing individuals under correctional control along these dimensions. Each group can be assigned a combination of employment program components and service delivery strategies that are tailored to individuals’ risk for criminal activity and complemented by corrections interventions. For more information on this tool, the white paper can be found at http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Final.Reentry-and-Employment.pp_.pdf.
Women and Reentry
National Institutes of Corrections (NIC) maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. Information may be accessed at http://nicic.gov/?q=women+reentry.
OMB Information Collection No 1225-0086, Expires January 31, 2016.
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 ANNOUNCEMENT.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant. The information collected through this “Funding Opportunity Announcement” will be used by the Department of Labor to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicants 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 a grant.
Signed __________________, in Washington, D.C. by:
Melissa Abdullah
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration
1 Allen Beck, Jail Reentry Roundtable presentation, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, June 2006, available at www.urban.org/projects/reentry-roundtable/upload/beck.PPT.
2 Amy L. Solomon, et al., Life After Lockup: Improving Reentry from Jail to the Community (Washington: Urban Institute, May 2008), available at www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/220095.pdf.
3 The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (“WIOA,” Public Law 113-128) was signed into law on July 22, 2014. Most provisions of WIOA become effective July 1, 2015. Grants awarded under this FOA are authorized by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), and the terms of the WIA will apply to these grants for the life of the grants. Post-release services provided by the community-based AJCs, which are not funded under this grant, will be subject to WIOA.
4 This regulation implements the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). As stated above in footnote 3, grants awarded under this solicitation are authorized under the WIA, and its terms apply for the length of the grant. These terms include implementing regulations such as this one.
5 Please see footnotes 3 and 4 above, regarding the applicability of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and its implementing regulations.
6 Please see footnote 3 above, regarding the applicability of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
7 OMB Memorandum 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 Modified | 2015-01-28 |
| File Created | 2015-01-28 |