YouthBuild Funding Opportunity Announcement

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Notice of Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcement for YouthBuild

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FOA-ETA-15-05

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.274

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: Steven A. Rietzke, Grant Officer, Reference FOA-ETA-15-05, 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 Department), announces the availability of approximately $76 million in grant funds authorized by the YouthBuild provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Pub. L. 113-128). It is the Department’s intention to align this Announcement with pending WIOA regulations.

Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) (formerly known as a Solicitation for Grant Applications), DOL will award grants through a competitive process to organizations to oversee the provision of education, occupational skills training, and employment services to disadvantaged youth in their communities while performing meaningful work and service to their communities. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, DOL hopes to serve approximately 4,950 participants during the grant period of performance, with approximately 76 projects awarded across the country. Individual grants will range from $700,000 to $1.1 million and require an exact 25 percent match from applicants, using sources other than federal funding. The grant period of performance for this FOA is 40 months, including a four-month planning period.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Program Purpose

YouthBuild is a community-based alternative education program for youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are high school dropouts, adjudicated youth, youth aging out of foster care, youth with disabilities, homeless youth, and other disadvantaged youth populations. The YouthBuild program simultaneously addresses several core issues important to low-income communities: affordable housing, education, employment, leadership development and energy efficiency. The YouthBuild model balances project-based learning and occupational skills training to prepare disadvantaged youth for career placement. The academic component assists youth who are often significantly behind in basic skill development to obtain a high school diploma or state high school equivalency credential. The occupational skills training component prepares at-risk youth to gain placement into career pathways and/or further education or training, and also supports the goal of increasing affordable housing within communities by teaching youth construction skills learned by building or significantly renovating homes for sale or rent to low-income families or transitional housing for homeless families or individuals. Additionally, grantees that have been previously funded by the Department may include occupational skills training in other in-demand industries in addition to construction skills training. This expansion into additional in-demand industries is the “Construction Plus” component.

In order to preserve one of the core aspects of the YouthBuild program as a construction skills training program, all YouthBuild grant programs must offer construction skills training. New applicants for DOL funding must demonstrate success with core construction skills training and are not eligible to offer other occupational training as first-time YouthBuild grantees. Construction skills training is central to the overall philosophy of the YouthBuild program and can provide a visible transformational experience for young people who have rarely had opportunities to see tangible and positive results from their efforts.

Because one of the goals of the YouthBuild program is to provide affordable housing, all prospective applicants must demonstrate their commitment to the goal of increasing the supply of permanent housing for homeless and/or low-income individuals and families. The construction of affordable housing benefits the community where the affordable housing is built or renovated, and also provides youth with an opportunity to give back to their communities and work and learn in a team environment. YouthBuild grantees must accomplish this goal by having a sufficient number of youth enrolled in and completing the construction skills training component to enable the program to build or substantially renovate at least one unit of housing within the grant period of performance. Each program must also have access to a work site to use for on-site construction training. Only homeless and/or low-income individuals and families may use a former work site as newly built or renovated units of housing.  (Please note that the requirements of the YouthBuild regulations at 20 CFR 672.615 currently require a ten-year restrictive covenant). To build or substantially renovate at least one unit of housing requires the new construction or substantial renovation of single family homes or apartment/condominium/townhouse complexes, or the construction or substantial renovation of a single dwelling within a complex. Substantial renovation includes those activities that will provide YouthBuild participants with significant construction experience and knowledge that will prepare them for entry-level employment in the construction industry and are tied to the construction curriculum used by the program. Painting or cleaning apartments and simple weatherization tasks do not constitute substantial renovation or a sufficiently comprehensive level of construction training to satisfy the requirement that each program build or substantially renovate a unit of housing, and thus, do not qualify as work sites. (DOL plans to release a new Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) on qualifying work sites in the near future.)

Following the Transfer Act of 2006 which established the YouthBuild Program in the Department under subtitle D of Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), the YouthBuild Final Rule regulation (20 CFR part 672) was published on February 15, 2012. This regulation clarifies the requirements of the YouthBuild Transfer Act for program providers and participants. The recently enacted Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), (PL 113-128), replaced WIA, and the Department is currently preparing to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement WIOA. DOL expects grantees to continue to use the current WIA regulations until the WIOA regulations are finalized (unless the WIA regulations conflict with WIOA), which is not expected until early 2016. This FOA references the appropriate WIA regulations, but the references will be updated when the WIOA regulations are finalized. DOL will provide guidance to the grantees throughout this process.

The WIOA statute kept the YouthBuild program largely intact, but changed the YouthBuild program in the following ways:

• WIOA adds an additional purpose to the YouthBuild program (in section 171 (a)(5)): “To improve the quality and energy efficiency of community and other non-profit and public facilities, including those that are used to serve homeless and low-income families.”

• WIA required that participants who had dropped out of school, but had reengaged in educational activities prior to enrollment in a YouthBuild program use a sequential service strategy. WIOA now recognizes those participants as “dropouts” for purposes of eligibility for the YouthBuild program and requires no additional steps for enrollment of youth who had previously dropped out and then reengaged in an educational program.

• In terms of eligible activities, WIOA requires an increase in the maximum percentage of funds that may be used for supervision and training of participants on the rehabilitation of community and other public use facilities from 10 percent to 15 percent [WIOA section 171(c)(2)(C)(i)]; the reduction of the allowable administrative cost ceiling from 15 percent to 10 percent [WIOA section 171(c)(2)(D)]; and the addition of allowable activities for training in other in-demand occupations, as approved by the Secretary [WIOA section 171(c)(2)(C)(ii)].

• WIOA lists a new requirement for participant follow-up services following exit from the program. YouthBuild grantees are now required to provide follow-up services for a period not less than 12 months after completion of the program.

Additionally, the WIOA proposed regulations include an additional focus on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Section 3, which ensures that economic opportunities provided by HUD benefit low- and very low-income persons and organizations that provide such opportunities. This new focus means that applicants now will include past experience with HUD’s Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u) in their applications.

2. Program Authority

This program is authorized by Section 171(i) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (PL 113-128).

II. Award Information

A. Award Type and Amount

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. Under this competition, ETA intends to fund approximately 76 grants, ranging from $700,000 to $1.1 million each from the FY 2015 appropriation. Funding under this Announcement will be available for four years. In the event that additional funds become available, ETA reserves the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this Announcement.

The Department intends to use up to 30 percent of the total available funding for this competition for the award of grants to new grantees, i.e., eligible applicants that have not previously received a DOL YouthBuild grant or have not substantially completed performance on their initial DOL-funded grant award (those that have been operating DOL-funded YouthBuild grants for less than two years as of the date of this FOA’s publication, further described in Section III.A.1 below). The remainder of funds will be awarded to eligible applicants that the DOL YouthBuild program has previously funded and which have demonstrated success in the program.

The Department’s intended mix of grant awards to new and previously-funded applicants will ensure that organizations with little experience with a DOL YouthBuild grant have an opportunity to implement a new DOL YouthBuild program, while allowing for continued support to the existing, previously-funded YouthBuild grants that have demonstrated success. Due to the complicated nature of the YouthBuild program model and the interest in expanding YouthBuild beyond construction skills training, this FOA is focused on ensuring that an adequate number of established YouthBuild programs are funded while newly-funded YouthBuild programs establish effective operation and delivery of services outlined in each of the required program components.

B. Period of Performance

The period of performance for these grant awards will be three years and four months from the effective date of the grant. This includes:

• a planning period of up to four months;

• two years of core program operations (education, occupational skills training, and youth leadership development activities) for one or more cohorts of youth; and

• an additional twelve months of follow-up support services and tracking of participant outcomes for each cohort of youth.

This grant period of performance includes time for all necessary implementation and start-up activities. Applicants are required to describe what activities they expect to undertake during the planning and implementation period in order to ensure that they may begin active program services on schedule. Grantees must fully expend grant funds during the period of performance. Therefore, applicants must carefully consider their ability to spend the level of funding requested during the allotted time while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all expenditures.

To ensure grantees are prepared to begin program operations, applicants must submit a timeline of critical activities to be completed during the planning period, as part of the required Program Calendar described in Section IV.B.4. Attachments to the Project Narrative. Grantees must ensure the achievement of the following milestones during the planning period:

• hiring of or committing of additional core program staff (including the Project Director, Construction Trainer(s), Classroom Teacher(s), and Case Manager(s) positions); 

• solidifying relationships with all necessary partners for the successful delivery of services;

• initiating recruitment and outreach efforts for enrollment of participants; and

• reconfirming work site financing and access.

The Federal Project Officer (FPO) will review the completion of these milestones within the grant’s planning period.  DOL may subject grantees who have not met these milestones to corrective action. 

3. Outcomes

The Department expects YouthBuild grantees to track and report on performance measure indicators as listed in WIOA section 116(b)(2)(A)(ii). The Department provides standardized performance goals for each YouthBuild award competition. These goals serve as common benchmarks for all YouthBuild programs. The purpose of the aggregated national performance goals are to evaluate YouthBuild and to report to Congress, taxpayers, and other stakeholders on the progress of the program. The standardized performance goals are based on a combination of the goals set by the grantee in their application, the Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) goals (http://www.doleta.gov/performance/goals/gpra.cfm ), and aggregated YouthBuild performance goals. The Department will provide a standardized list of performance goals for grantees awarded under this FOA at a future date through separate guidance. As an example of previous standardized performance goals, grantees who received funding from the FY 2014 YouthBuild competition [SGA/DFA PY 13-04] had the following performance goals:

• Placement in Education & Employment 70%

• Attainment of Degree/Certificate 75%

• Retention in Education & Employment 75%

Under WIOA, skill gains toward credential or employment, median earnings in unsubsidized employment, and effectiveness in serving employers are new primary indicators of performance. The percentage of program participants who are in education or training activities or unsubsidized employment during the second quarter and fourth quarters after exit from the program and median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program are also primary indicators of performance under WIOA. The Department expects that the annual cost per participant will be between $15,000 and $18,000, and must not exceed $18,000. The Department calculates the expected cost-per-participant by dividing the total DOL grant award by the number of participants the grantee expects to enroll.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for these grants are public or private non-profit agencies or organizations including rural, urban, or Native American agencies that have previously served disadvantaged youth in a YouthBuild or other similar program. These agencies or organizations include, but are not limited to:

• a community-based organization;

• a faith-based organization;

• an entity carrying out activities under the WIOA, such as a local workforce development board;

• a community action agency;

• a state or local housing development agency;

• an Indian tribe or other agency primarily serving Native Americans, including those living on reservations;

• a community development corporation;

• a state or local youth service or conservation corps;

• any other entity eligible to provide education or employment training under a federal program; or

• an entity in an area designated as a Promise Zone or member of a Promise Zone collaboration, if applicable. For more information on about Promise Zones go to http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/economicdevelopment/programs/pz

Grantees who received funding from the FY 2014 YouthBuild competition [SGA/DFA PY 13-04] are funded through December 2017 and these grantees (based on their unique Employer Identification Numbers) are not eligible to participate in this competition.

1. Applicant Types

This FOA distinguishes between new applicants for DOL YouthBuild funding (those that have never received a DOL YouthBuild award) and previously-funded applicants (those applicants that have previously received a YouthBuild grant from DOL). For the purposes of the project narrative and evaluation criteria, DOL will only consider an applicant as a “previously-funded applicant” if it has completed at least two years of a YouthBuild grant award cycle, as of the date of publication of this FOA. Only applicants who were funded in FY 2007, 2008, 2009 (including American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)-funded grants), 2010, 2011, and 2012 should respond to the previously-funded applicant project narrative requirements and evaluation criteria. All other applicants, including those whose first grant award occurred in FY 2013 (SGA/DFA PY 12-02), should respond to the new applicant project narrative requirements and evaluation criteria. (As noted above, grantees funded in FY 2014 [SGA/DFA PY 13-04] are not eligible to participate in this competition.)

Grantees that were funded by DOL for the first time in FY 2013 are included with new applicants because DOL will not have sufficient information to fairly evaluate their application against previously-funded applicants. During this competition, these grantees will not have completed their grant’s active service cycle (as defined by the two-year period during which they are enrolling and serving active participants). The performance outcomes for YouthBuild are long-term in nature, and DOL will not have sufficient information on the performance of FY 2013 grantees to evaluate them based on their past performance. Ensuring that grantees have completed the active services period during which they are constructing or renovating low-income housing and providing active services to the participants before they are evaluated on past performance allows a comprehensive analysis of the program’s success in meeting the complicated requirements of this Announcement.

This FOA refers to previously-funded applicants (from FY 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012) as “Category A” applicants and new applicants (funded in FY 2013 or who have never received a DOL YouthBuild grant) as “Category B” applicants. DOL intends to award at least 70 percent of the available grant funds to applicants in Category A, and intends to award up to 30 percent of grant funds for awards to applicants in Category B.

Applicant Type:	Category A	Category B
Grant Classes Included:	2007, 2008, 2009, (including ARRA),2010, 2011, and 2012	2013 First-Time Grantees and Those Never Funded by DOL YouthBuild program
Percent of Grant Funds Available:	At least 70 percent	Up to 30 percent
Construction Plus Eligible:	YES	NO

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

DOL requires cost sharing or matching funds as a condition for application. Applicants must provide new cash (funds committed specifically to support this grant project, not prior investments) or in-kind resources equivalent to exactly 25 percent of the grant award amount as “matching” funds. Additional cost sharing above 25 percent may be committed towards the grant as “leveraged” funds. Please note that neither prior investments nor federal resources may be counted towards the matching funds threshold, including funds that were originally provided through federal funding.

To be allowable as part of match, an expenditure must be an allowable charge for federal grant funds. DOL will make determinations of allowable costs in accordance with the applicable federal cost principles as indicated in section IV.E. If the cost would not be allowable as a grant-funded charge, then DOL cannot count it toward the applicant’s matching funds.

DOL encourages applicants to leverage additional resources beyond the required match to supplement grant activities. Applicants can use leveraged resources to cover costs or materials that might otherwise be an unallowable charge to grant funds. Applicants must count and document as leveraged funds any cash or in-kind resources committed beyond 25 percent of the grant award amount required as matching funds. More information on leveraged resources may be found in Section IV.B.2.

Both matching funds and leveraged resources can come from a variety of sources, including but not limited to: the public sector (e.g., state or local governments); the non-profit sector (e.g., community organizations, faith-based organizations, or education and training institutions); the private sector (e.g., businesses or industry associations); the investor community (e.g., angel networks or economic development entities); and the philanthropic community (e.g., foundations).

Matching Waiver for U.S. Insular Areas, Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. §1469a(d)

Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. section 1469a(d), for the purposes of this FOA, DOL does not require any match for grants made to the governments of American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Accordingly, DOL does not require these areas to include a match commitment in their applications and these applications will not be screened out on that basis. However, even though DOL does not require matching funds from these areas, it encourages these areas to leverage resources, including dollars from Federal sources.

C. Other Information

1. Application Screening Criteria

Applicants 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. DOL urges applicants to use this checklist to ensure that the application contains all required items. If an application does not meet all of the screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process and DOL will not consider it for funding.

Application Requirement	Instructions	Complete?
The deadline submission requirements are met	Section IV.C
If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (DOL will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.)	Section IV.C.
Application does not exceed the ceiling amount of $1.1 million	Section II.A
Applicant has registered with SAM and maintains an active account	Section IV.B.1
Signed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance	Section IV.B.1
Signed SF-424 includes a DUNS Number	Section IV.B.1
Signed SF-424 lists the cost sharing or match amount of exactly 25 percent of the requested federal funding amount on line 18b. (any additional amount mistakenly placed on line 18b will be considered leveraged resources)	Section IV.B.2
SF-424A, Budget Information Form	Section IV.B.2
Budget Narrative	Section IV.B.2
Project Narrative	Section IV.B.3
Abstract	Section IV.B.4
Work Site Description (ETA-9143) with required attachments	Section IV.B.4

2. Number of Applications To Be Submitted

Multiple applications from a single organization are not allowed. DOL will award an organization (as identified by a unique Employer Identification Number) only one grant as a result of this competition. This requirement applies to both new applicants and previously-funded applicants that have received a DOL YouthBuild grant in a previous competition. If an applicant submits more than one application, DOL will only consider the last application received. If the last application is disqualified for any reason, DOL will not review any previous applications.

3. Eligible Participants

1. Participants Eligible to Receive Training

An individual may participate in a YouthBuild program if the individual:

1. is between the ages of 16 and 24 on the date of enrollment; and

2. is a member of a low-income family, a youth in foster care (including youth aging out of foster care), an offender, a youth who is an individual with a disability, a child of an incarcerated parent, a homeless youth, a migrant youth; and

3. is a school dropout, or an individual who was a school dropout and has subsequently reenrolled (as cited in WIOA 171(e)(1) Eligible Participants);

Up to, but not more than, 25 percent of the participants in the program may be youth who do not meet criteria 2 or 3 above, but they must:

• be basic skills deficient, despite attainment of a high school diploma or its state-recognized equivalent; or

• have been referred by a local secondary school for participation in a YouthBuild program leading to the attainment of a high school diploma or its state-recognized equivalent.

NOTE: Male participants aged 18 or older must register for the U.S. Selective Service System (www.sss.gov) before services can be provided. If they turn 18 while participating, they must register at that time.

2. Veterans’ Priority of Service for Participants

Title 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.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. How to Obtain an Application Package

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 this 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.

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”

Applicants must complete the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html). 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://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html). 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 WIOA¹, the grant applicant assures that it will comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: section 188 of the WIOA, 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 WIOA 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 WIOA’s implementing regulations when they are promulgated and all other regulations implementing the laws listed above. This assurance applies to the grant applicant's operation of the WIOA Title I-financially assisted program or activity, and to all agreements the grant applicant makes to carry out the WIOA 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 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 an applicant does not have a DUNS Number, a free one is available 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 a grantee unless the entity has provided its DUNS Number to the grant recipient.

• Grant recipients may not make a subaward to an entity unless the entity has provided its DUNS Number to the grant recipient.

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.

2. Project Budget

Applicants must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). In preparing the Budget Information Form, applicants 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.

The following guidance should be used 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, DOL does 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. DOL does 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 need-based payments, 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 an applicant meet the requirements to use the 10 percent 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 percent 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.  Cost sharing or match of exactly 25 percent must also be shown on the SF-424 (line 18b), 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.

3. Project Narrative

a. Preparing the Project Narrative

The Project Narrative must demonstrate your capability to implement the grant project in accordance with the provisions of this Announcement. It provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed project. It must be succinct, self-explanatory, and well organized so that reviewers can understand the proposed project.

The Project Narrative is limited to 25 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with Times New Roman 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. Any materials beyond the specified page limit will not be read or considered in the application review process. Applicants must number the Project Narrative beginning with page number 1.

The following instructions provide all of the information needed to complete the Project Narrative. Applicants 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:

Requirements for Category A and B Applicants

(1) Statement of Need

The application must identify the city(ies) or town(s) of the community the applicant proposes to serve and the number of youth ages 16 to 24, that the applicant expects to serve. For the city or town to be served, applicants must provide the information identified below. For specific instructions on how to locate the information requested in Section IV B.3.a(1)(a), (b), and (c) below, please see Section VIII. Other Information.

(a) Unemployment Rate:

The applicant must provide weighted average unemployment rate (rounded to one decimal place) of the combined cities or towns identified as part of the target community(ies) compared to the national unemployment rate as of the latest available comparable data. This data is broken into two youth age subsets: 16 – 19 and 20 – 24. Applicants will have to average the unemployment rate for these two age groups by adding the populations together and then dividing by the total population.

If applicants are serving a community that spans more than one city or town, they should add each age group’s unemployed population numbers together for each city or town and divide the total by the total population of 16-24 year olds for all the cities and towns combined to find the weighted unemployment rate for the combined cities or towns.

EXAMPLE:

	TOWN A	TOWN B	WEIGHTED AVERAGE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
16-19 year-old Unemployment Rate	25.4%	7.7%	N/A
20-24 year–old Unemployment Rate	14.6%	6.3%	N/A
Total estimated population aged 16 -19	17,205	33,234	N/A
Total estimated population aged 20-24	22,719	43,674	N/A
Total number of youth unemployed 16-19	17,205 x 0.254 = 4,370	33,234 x 0.077 = 2,559	N/A
Total number of youth unemployed 20-24	22,719 x 0.146 = 3,317	43,674 x 0.063 = 2,751	N/A
TOTAL Unemployment Rate	4,370 + 3,317 = 7,687 17,205 + 22,719 = 39,924	2,559 + 2,751 = 5,310 33,234 + 43,674 = 76,908	7,687 + 5,310 = 12,997 39,924 + 76,908 = 116,832 12,997/116,832 = AVERAGE: 11.1%

Applicants must use Bureau of Labor Statistics data for the national unemployment rate and for the local areas to be served. This data can be found through the U.S. Census’ Web site at: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. The national unemployment rate for youth ages 16 – 24 against which DOL will evaluate applicants is: 22.1 percent (using 3-year American Community Survey estimates as of 2013). For specific instructions on how to locate and calculate the information requested here, please see Section VIII. Additional Resources of Interest to Applicants.

(b) Poverty Rate:

The application must provide, across all cities or towns the applicant intends to serve, the weighted average poverty rate from the poverty data available for download at

http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. For specific instructions on how to locate and calculate this information, please see Section VIII. Additional Resources of Interest to Applicants.

(c) Graduation Rate:

The applicant must compare the average high school graduation rate across all of the cities or towns the applicant intends to serve with the national graduation rate of 80 percent (based on the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from the class of 2012). District-level graduation rates can no longer be found using the Education Week Website. For suggestions on how to locate this information and alternate sources for graduation rate information, please see Section VIII. Additional Resources of Interest to Applicants.

(d) Construction Skills and Other Occupational Skills Training Focus:

As stated throughout the FOA, all applicants must provide construction skills training. Organizations that have not previously received DOL funding for YouthBuild (i.e., Category B applicants) may only provide construction skills training with YouthBuild grant funds.  All applicants must guarantee that a sufficient number of students will enroll in and complete construction skills training during the grant period of performance to enable the grantee to build or renovate at least one unit of affordable or transitional housing for low-income or homeless individuals or families.  It is up to the applicant to determine the threshold number of participants that it will need during the program cycle to complete at least one unit of housing. DOL provides no scoring differential for prospective applicants who offer only construction skills training or offer construction skills training and other occupational skills training in an additional industry(ies).

• Category A & B Requirements:

For all applicants, DOL requires detailed information on the specific training activities that they plan to implement to successfully meet the performance outcomes in the FOA. Applicants must provide a Construction Training Plan as an attachment to the Project Narrative. The Construction Training Plan is intended to ensure the delivery of a comprehensive training program for YouthBuild participants. Construction skills training is one of the most complicated aspects of the YouthBuild model and applicants must take into consideration and plan for contingencies that may prevent the proposed training from taking place. The Construction Training Plan must describe: 1) the project in summary, 2) the overall scope of the construction skills training including objectives and goals; 3) the training strategy including the type of training, the skills training curricula, the use of project-based learning, and the training schedule, including the division between classroom-based and work site-based skills training; 4) the roles and responsibilities for all of the staff involved in preparing and conducting the training, including ensuring the certification of construction trainers; 5) a contingency plan to ensure that alternate training can be quickly implemented should barriers arise, such as inclement weather, loss of work sites, or the loss of certified construction trainers or program partners; 6) information about the training materials, including the standards and guidelines that ensure the use of quality curricula; and 7) how the construction training component will ensure that all work sites have the required restrictive covenant clause in place (described in more detail in Section IV.B.4.b. Work Site Description).

Applicants must provide a narrative describing the condition and availability of affordable housing in the community, including a description of existing housing, such as the number and percentage of substandard and/or overcrowded units, rent burden (defined as average housing cost divided by average income), and/or the incidence of homelessness.  They must also provide a description of the industry-recognized certification curriculum(a) they plan to use.

• Category A Requirements:

Category A applicants planning to offer occupational skills training in high-demand industries in addition to construction skills training (known as Construction Plus fields) must provide information on the industry(ies) focus or foci of the occupational skills training that the applicant expects to offer.  The applicant must include local labor market data that supports the decision to provide occupational skills training in the additional targeted field(s).  The applicant must describe all the training curricula that it will use, for both construction skills training and other occupational skills training, and the industry-recognized credential(s) that will result from the training.  The applicant must describe how the additional occupational skills selected will benefit the target community(ies) and why the skills training and proposed credentials will be a good fit for YouthBuild participants. The applicant must describe how industry partners have or will be engaged in the design of the program. In particular, the applicant must demonstrate a capacity to work with employers to identify local or regional hiring needs and design training programs that are responsive to those needs. Category A applicants that are pursuing Construction Plus industries are encouraged to use the Construction Plus Field Proposal (see Attachment C of this FOA). Applicants must provide information for each additional field proposed beyond construction. If the applicant does not use the suggested Construction Plus Field Proposal, at a minimum, each proposal must address: 1) the occupational skills training proposed; 2) what industry-recognized certification(s) will result; 3) how many youth the program anticipates training in the new industry; and 4) how the program will incorporate community service, youth leadership development, and work experience opportunities into the occupational skills training.

(2) Project Design

The applicant must identify and describe the various components of the proposed program, how these components integrate with each other, and how youth will progress through the program. Given the connection between education and earnings, the applicant must describe a rigorous and challenging academic component, and must provide participants with opportunities to transition to post-secondary education and/or advanced occupational skills training.

Applicants must describe the design and integration of the required program components, including education, occupational skills training, youth leadership development, career exploration and planning, post-program support, and community service learning opportunities.

The applicant must also describe the degree to which it will incorporate career and college exploration and planning activities into the overall culture of the program.

The applicant must structure the program so that the program offers education and related services designed to meet participants’ educational needs for at least 50 percent of the time during which they participate in the program.

The applicant must offer YouthBuild program participants work and skill development activities in occupational skills training for at least 40 percent of the time during which they participate in the program, which includes both time spent on the construction work sites or other hands-on work experience, as well as classroom training related to the occupational field. The 50-40 time allocation applies at the program level and not to the actual time that an individual spends in a component. Applicants can use the remaining 10 percent of the time for a distinct youth leadership development or community service learning component or it can be added to either the education or occupational skills training components. Community service and youth leadership are core aspects of the YouthBuild model. Applicants must include them as part of a cohesive program whether through education and occupational skills training or as a separate component.

The applicant must indicate how the program activities will support achievement of the performance goals established for the YouthBuild program.

The applicant must describe the partners that will assist with the implementation and operation of the YouthBuild program.

(a) Education and Occupational Skills Training:

The applicant must describe the academic and occupational skills training that it will offer to YouthBuild participants. This includes a description of the type of academic instruction that it will offer and evidence that this instruction will result in a high school diploma or other state-recognized high school equivalency degree.

Applicants must also describe the qualifications and experience of teaching staff, use of partner organizations, where appropriate, for education and occupational skills training components, and how it will determine that a student has mastered a skill.

The applicant must also describe where and how it will conduct occupational skills training, the curriculum(a) used, and the industry-recognized credentials that participants will attain (this differs from the training plan for new applicants described above in Statement of Need which requires specific details of the construction training component only for Category B applicants).

The applicant must describe how it will ensure a steady supply of work sites, ensure that participants have access to work experience opportunities such as the construction work sites or other hands-on work experience if the applicant proposes additional Construction Plus industries, and how it will link community service to the industries in which training occurs.

The applicant must also describe the involvement of industry and apprenticeship partners in the design of the education and occupational skills training, to ensure that skills learned match the needs of employers.

The applicant must also describe the use of work site safety training as outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure youth safety and responsibility on the work site.

(b) Post-Program Placement and Follow-Up Services:

Applicants must describe the post-program transition services that they will offer to prepare youth for employment placements and/or educational placements, including the use of assessments of college and career readiness, and the need for ongoing supportive and post-program services.

Applicants must also describe work readiness and career exploration opportunities offered to youth, including how it will engage employer partners to provide such opportunities. Applicants must also describe the integrated approach to post-program placement planning and follow-up strategies to support ongoing communication and retention for youth during the follow-up period.

Applicants must also describe how they will link participants to opportunities with local community colleges, four-year colleges, and trade schools, particularly for youth who may receive a high school state equivalency degree, rather than a traditional high school diploma.

Applicants must describe partnerships with registered apprenticeships in demand industries and how it will train and connect participants to these opportunities.

(c) Community Service Learning and Leadership Development:

Applicants must describe the community service learning and leadership development opportunities that they will provide for youth in the program. These activities must be integrated into all occupational skills training opportunities, including construction and other skills training programs, as relevant.

Applicants must describe how they will use youth participants’ input to determine leadership and community service opportunities and how they will encourage youth participants in decision making related to community service and leadership, such as through youth policy councils or other leadership initiatives.

Applicants must explain how these projects and leadership opportunities are integrated with the educational and occupational skills training components of the program. They must also describe how they will train staff in the leadership curriculum(a) used and the underlying principles of youth leadership development, and how to encourage youth participant input in program activities.

(d) Partners:

Applicants must identify and describe the key partners (a minimum of one) who the applicants anticipate will help implement and operate the proposed YouthBuild project, specify clear roles for each partner, and describe the activities that each partner will undertake.

The applicant must describe the strategy for ongoing communication between and with the partners and how partners will be trained in the program model. The roles for key partners must be verified through a signed letter of commitment submitted by each partner including resources committed, if appropriate. Letters of commitment will not count against the 25-page limit of the Project Narrative.

The applicant must also describe any core components of the program models that it will sub-contract to other providers and, if it does, how the applicant will manage the sub-contract.

(e) Outreach, Recruitment, and Selection:

Applicants must describe how they will recruit and select eligible youth as participants for the YouthBuild program, including methods for outreach, referral, and selection that appeal to a diverse population of youth to ensure full enrollment.

The applicant must also describe the targeted approach for recruiting young women (including women with dependent children), including past successful efforts to recruit women into non-traditional (predominantly male) career pathway programs. Construction Plus applicants must also describe efforts to engage men into non-traditional (predominantly female) career pathways for men (e.g. nursing).

(f) Program Calendar:

Applicants must include as an attachment to the Project Narrative a comprehensive program calendar that specifically includes:

• a timeline for completing critical activities within the four-month planning period (as described in Sec. II.B. Period of Performance);

• the activities and services provided to youth over the course of one representative month of active participation in the program; and

• the activities over the entire cycle of one cohort of youth, including recruitment, enrollment, active participation, and the 12 month follow-up period.

(g) Staffing Plan and Organizational Chart:

Applicants must provide a staffing plan that reflects how it will staff the YouthBuild program during the full period of performance (as described in Sec. II.B. Period of Performance). This includes a staffing strategy during start-up phase, active program services, and the follow-up phase and how they will retain staff.

The staffing plan must highlight key positions during the start-up phase that are currently staffed and highlight its strategy for hiring open positions. The plan should also highlight the staffing structure during the follow-up stage and how this strategy may differ.

Applicants must also explain how the program will accommodate staff turnover quickly if the need arises. In instances where the YouthBuild program is part of a larger organization (e.g., a Housing Authority), applicants must include a diagram that indicates how the YouthBuild program fits within the larger organization; this organizational chart should be submitted as an attachment and will not count against the 25-page limit.

(3) Budget and Budget Justification

Please see Section IV.B.2. for information on requirements related to the budget and budget justification.

(4) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category A Applicants:

(a) Performance Goals

Organizations that have previously received and completed a YouthBuild grant award from the Department will receive points based on past performance demonstrated by the Quarterly Performance Report (ETA-9136) and Quarterly Financial Report (ETA-9130). Applicants do not need to submit these two reports as attachments; the Department will use data previously submitted through YouthBuild and the DOL financial reporting system. The four performance measures that are evaluated under this criterion are: placement in education or employment, certificate/degree attainment, literacy/numeracy gains, and retention in education or employment. Applicants will need to submit the Auditor’s Report for the most recently completed independent audit, completed within three (3) years of the application due date.

YouthBuild Grantees (for the Period of Performance):	Quarterly Performance Report (ETA-9136) and Quarterly Financial Report (ETA-9130) Will Be Reviewed for Period Ending:
October 15, 2007 – October 14, 2010	December 31, 2010 (Q2 of PY10)
July 21, 2008 – July 20, 2011	September 30, 2011 (Q1 of PY11)
July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2012	June 30, 2012 (Q4 of PY11)
March 15, 2011 – May 31, 2014	June 30, 2014 (Q4 of PY13)
June 1, 2011 – May 31, 2014	June 30, 2014 (Q4 of PY13)
September 1, 2012 – December 31, 2015	December 31, 2014 (Q2 of PY14)

If the applicant’s organization has received multiple YouthBuild awards, the Department will base scoring in this section on performance shown by the ETA-9136 and ETA-9130 for the most recent completed grant.

(b) Spending Rate Analysis: 

Spending grant funds within the original period of performance indicates that the applicant organization has the ability to adequately deploy the resources provided by the Department and manage a budget effectively.  The Department will complete this analysis; applicants do not need to provide any supporting documentation.

The spending rate analysis will take into account the expected grant startup period of approximately four months, during which grantee spending is typically lower. DOL will base this analysis on the applicant’s most recent completed grant.  For example, if the applicant’s organization received an award in 2009 and in 2011, DOL will use information regarding the spending rate from the 2011 grantee reports.

(c) Timeliness of Report Submissions

An applicant will receive points for the timely submission of quarterly performance and financial reports for the four reporting quarters shown in the chart below, for the most recent grant award received:

YouthBuild Grantees (for the Period of Performance):	1st Reporting Quarter	2nd Reporting Quarter	3rd Reporting Quarter	4th Reporting Quarter
October 15, 2007 – October 14, 2010	Q3 of PY09	Q4 of PY09	Q1 of PY10	Q2 of PY10
July 21, 2008 – July 20, 2011	Q2 of PY10	Q3 of PY10	Q4 of PY10	Q1 of PY11
July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2012	Q1 of PY11	Q2 of PY11	Q3 of PY11	Q4 of PY11
March 15, 2011 – May 31, 2014	Q1 of PY13	Q2 of PY13	Q3 of PY13	Q4 of PY13
June 1, 2011 – May 31, 2014	Q1 of PY13	Q2 of PY13	Q3 of PY13	Q4 of PY13
September 1, 2012 – December 31, 2015	Q3 of PY13	Q4 of PY13	Q1 of PY14	Q2 of PY14

The Department will use data from the YouthBuild MIS and the DOL financial reporting system to determine scoring under this section. If an initial report was submitted on time but revised reports were submitted at later dates, DOL will consider the earliest date as the date of submission.

(d) Fiscal and Operational Viability

Fiscal viability indicates that an organization has the ability to responsibly and efficiently utilize Department resources to serve program participants throughout the entire grant period of performance. Previously-funded applicants will receive points for fiscal viability as demonstrated in the Auditor’s Opinion recorded in the Auditor’s Report.

(5) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category B Applicants:

(1) Past Performance

Category B applicants must provide data from a previous project, according to the following guidelines. If the Category B applicant has completed one or more DOL grant(s) under a program other than YouthBuild within the past five (5) years, they must provide the performance data from the most recent DOL grant. Category B applicants that have not completed any DOL grant within the last five (5) years must choose a recently-completed grant similar in size, scope, and relevance to the proposed program completed within the last five (5) years, as of the closing date of this Announcement (includes federally or non-federally funded assistance agreements; federally funded assistance agreements include federal grants and cooperative agreements but not federal contracts).

All Category B applicants must provide the following performance data as an attachment to the Project Narrative:

• A performance chart that specifies the performance goals, report timeliness, and spending rate analysis information identified in the below subsections for the indicated grant. In the chart, applicants must also provide the project grant number along with the name, title, organization, e-mail address, and telephone number of an individual from the previous grantor entity or agency who has oversight for the program referenced above and can verify the information stated by the applicant; and

• The Auditor’s Report for the most recently completed independent audit, completed within three (3) years of the application due date.

ETA reserves the right to confirm this information for all applicants.

(a) Performance Goals:

Category B applicants must submit a chart of past performance that identifies four (4) performance goals and the actual performance results for the most recently-completed grant, as specified above. If available, Category B applicants should use the performance metrics most similar to: employment/education placement, degree/certificate attainment, literacy/numeracy gains, and retention in education or employment. In the chart, Category B applicants must identify the total number of participants enrolled in the program, the expected level of performance for each goal, and the actual outcomes for each goal displayed as both a fraction (i.e., the numerator equal to the number of program participants who achieved the identified metric and the denominator equal to the total program participants eligible for the identified metric) and a percentage. Category B applicants will receive points based on past performance demonstrated in the attached performance chart.

(b) Report Timeliness:

Category B applicants must submit, as part of the chart of past performance described above, their reporting timeliness. Category B applicants must identify the report due dates and their actual report submission dates for all performance and financial reports due during the last four (4) quarters of their most recently-completed grant, as specified above. For the purposes of this Announcement, if more than one report was due per quarter; all required reports for a given quarter will be considered a “set” of reports. Category B applicants will receive points for the timely submission of required reports as demonstrated in the attached performance chart.

(c) Spending Rate Analysis:

Category B applicants must submit, as part of the chart of past performance described above, the percentage of grant funds spent for their most recently-completed grant. Category B applicants will receive points for spending rate analysis, as demonstrated in the chart they provide.

(d) Fiscal Viability:

Fiscal viability indicates that an organization has the ability to responsibly and efficiently utilize Department resources to serve program participants throughout the entire grant period of performance. Category B applicants will receive points for fiscal viability as demonstrated in the Auditor’s Opinion recorded in the Auditor’s Report.

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative

In addition to the Project Narrative, applicants 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 résumés or general letters of support must not be included. Applicants must submit the application in one package because documents received separately will be tracked separately and will not be attached to the application for review. Applicants must 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 and the failure to do so will cause the application package to be screened out.

Required Attachments for Category A & B Applicants:

1. Abstract: All applicants must submit an 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, projected enrollment for each year, partners, the matching amount and source, and the funding level requested. The abstract must note whether the application is being submitted as an urban, rural, or Native American application. It should also indicate if the applicant is a Category A or Category B Applicant. The abstract must also identify if the applicant is a government entity in a territory that is eligible for the matching waiver and intends to waive match, as described in Section III.B. Cost Sharing or Matching. Additionally, the abstract must include an acknowledgement of the applicant’s designation as a Promise Zone or member of a Promise Zone collaboration (if appropriate).  For more information about Promise Zones, go to www.HUD.gov/promisezones. Applicants should include any experience with Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u).

When submitting in Grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and specifically labeled “Abstract.” The Abstract is limited to two double-spaced, single-sided, 8.5x11 inch pages with Times New Roman 12 point text font and 1 inch margins for those applicants not selecting Construction Plus. Category A applicants selecting Construction Plus are limited to two pages (as described above) for the main abstract content plus one additional page for each Construction Plus industry described using the optional template in Attachment C or an alternative document that contains all requested information from the Construction Plus Field Proposal template.

2. Work Site Description: The applicant must submit a signed Work Site Description Form (ETA-9143) including all required attachments, which describes the planned work site that the applicant will use for on-site housing rehabilitation and construction training for youth participants. This form can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/Youth_Build.cfm and selecting “YouthBuild Work Site/Housing Census Form (ETA-9143).”

DOL may require updated information on property for use in year two of the grant. These forms do not count against the page limitation for the Project Narrative. This is a separate part of the application. Please note that before finalization of the grant award document, and before grant funds are released, prospective award winners must be able to re-verify information about the work site(s) and the applicant’s access to the property(ies). DOL may also require this same re-verification process of grantees after their first year of performance in order to ensure that necessary work sites are still available during the grant cycle.

Section 10 of ETA-9143 requests information about the property owner or property management company(ies) allowing access to the housing site(s) for on-site construction training. Evidence of site access is:

• If the applicant has a contract or option to purchase the property, the application must include a copy of the contract or option; or

• If the applicant owns the property, a copy of the deed or other documentation showing proof of ownership; or

• If a third party owns the property or has a contract or option to purchase, that third party must provide a letter stating the nature of the ownership and specifically provide access to the property for the purposes of the program and the time frame in which the property will be available. In the case of a contract or option, the application must include a copy of the document.

Applicants should include these as attachments to the Project Narrative and they do not count against page limitations.

Applicants should note that there is a second section of the Work Site Description Form, called the “Housing Census Form.” Applicants do not need to fill this out at the time of application or award. DOL will require this census of awarded applicants at the end of each full year of their program cycle as a means of tracking the total units of housing completed by YouthBuild programs.

All properties rehabilitated or constructed using DOL YouthBuild grant funds require a restrictive covenant clause that ensures that for a period of at least ten years, all residential housing constructed or rehabilitated with DOL YouthBuild funds are rented or sold to low-income or homeless individuals or families. For further information on the restrictive covenant requirements, see 20 CFR 672.615.

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.

1. The Auditor’s Report for the most recently completed independent audit, completed within three (3) years of the application due date.

2. Construction Plus Field Proposal (For Category A applying as Construction Plus): if applying for Category A and choosing Construction Plus, the abstract must also include as an additional page, the Construction Plus Field Proposal that describes the additional in-demand industries into which the youth may be trained and placed. A Construction Plus Field Proposal sample template can be found in Attachment C. The Construction Plus Field Proposal must be included for any previously-funded applicant wishing to be considered a Construction Plus program and must describe all additional skills training beyond construction skills training.

3. Staffing Plan and Organizational Chart: As described in IV.B.3.a.(2)(g), which reflects how the YouthBuild program will be staffed.

4. Program Calendar: As described in Section IV.B.3.a.(3)(f) to include: 1) a timeline for completing critical activities within the four month planning period (as described in Section II.B. Period of Performance); 2) the planned activities and services provided to youth over the course of one month of active participation in the program; and 3) the planned activities over the entire cycle of one cohort of youth;

5. Signed Letters of Commitment: Signed letters from partners supporting the response to Section IV.B.3.a.(3)(d).

6. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: If an applicant is requesting indirect costs based on a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by an authorized Federal Cognizant Agency, the applicant should 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.

7. Source Documentation for Statement of Need Data: Applicants must provide print-outs of the sources of all data used for the youth unemployment rate, poverty rate, and graduation rate data so that DOL may validate data and calculations. If an applicant must use alternate sources, the applicant must explain this in the project narrative, along with the citation used and the print-out for that data source.

8. Proof of 501(c)(3) or other Non-Profit Status: Entities applying as a non-profit organization should provide verification of 501(c)(3) or other non-profit status. This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

9. Construction Training Plan: Applicants should provide a construction training plan that lays out the capacity of the grantee to deliver the required construction skills training through detailed descriptions of the timing of training and roles and responsibilities of staff and partners. DOL limits this training plan to no more than three double-spaced pages. A construction training plan template can be found in Attachment B.

10. (For Category B Applicants Only) A performance chart that specifies the performance goals, report timeliness, and spending rate analysis information for a previous grant. In the chart, applicants must also provide the project grant number along with the name, title, organization, e-mail address, and telephone number of an individual from the previous grantor entity or agency who has oversight for the program.

C. Submission Date, Times, Process and Addresses

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. Applicants 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 application review purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hardcopy and CD format may have an impact on the overall review of the application.

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, 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: Steven A. Rietzke, Grant Officer, Reference FOA-ETA-15-05, 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. Applicants 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 an 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.

DOL strongly recommends that before applicants begin to write the application, they should immediately initiate and complete the “Get Registered” registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. Applicants should read through the registration process carefully before registering. These steps may take as much as four weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for 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. DOL strongly recommends that applicants 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., applicants must have a DUNS Number and 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 the applicant’s organization who is the contact listed for SAM – will receive an email to grant the AOR permission to submit applications on behalf of its organization. The E-Biz POC will then log into 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. Applicants must register the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for its organization as the AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submissions.

After 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.  DOL will attempt to open the document(s), but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.

DOL strongly advises 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.

DOL encourages new prospective applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.

To receive updated information about critical issues, new tips for users and other time sensitive updates as information is available, applicants may subscribe to “Grants.gov Updates” at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/manage-subscriptions.html.

If applicants encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, they should 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 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated will be considered. Applicants take a significant risk by waiting to the last day to submit through Grants.gov.

Any hard copy application received after the exact date and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this Announcement will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made, it was properly addressed, and it was: (a) sent by U.S. Postal Service mail, postmarked not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application required to be received by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of that month); or (b) sent by professional overnight delivery service to the addressee not later than one working day before the date specified for receipt of applications. ‘‘Postmarked’’ means a printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable, without further action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ‘‘bull’s eye’’ postmark on both the receipt and the package. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be a basis for a determination that the application was not filed timely and will not be considered. Evidence of timely submission by a professional overnight delivery service must be demonstrated by equally reliable evidence created by the delivery service provider indicating the time and place of receipt.

D. Intergovernmental Review

This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”

E. Funding Restrictions

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.

1. Indirect Costs

As specified in the Uniform Guidance Cost Principles, indirect costs are those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot be readily identified with a particular final cost objective. An indirect cost rate is required when an organization operates under more than one grant or other activity, whether federally-assisted or not. Applicants have two options to claim reimbursement of indirect costs.

Option 1: Applicants may use a NICRA or Cost Allocation Plan (CAP) supplied by the Federal Cognizant Agency. If an applicant does not have a NICRA/CAP or has a pending NICRA/CAP, and chooses to include estimated indirect costs in the budget, at the time of award the Grant Officer will release funds in the amount of 10 percent of salaries and wages to support indirect costs. Within 90 days of award, grantees are required to submit an acceptable indirect cost proposal or CAP to their Federal Cognizant Agency to obtain a provisional indirect cost rate. (See Section IV.B.4. for more information on NICRA submission requirements.)

Option 2: Any organization that has never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, with the exceptions noted at 2 CFR 200.414(f) in the Cost Principles, may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (see 2 CFR 200.68 for definition) which may be used indefinitely. If applicants choose this option, this methodology must be used consistently for all federal awards until such time as the applicant chooses to negotiate for an indirect cost rate, which the applicant may apply to do at any time. (See 2 CFR 200.414(f) for more information on use of the de minimis rate.)

2. Administrative Costs

Under this FOA, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a project or program may not use more than 10 percent of the amount of the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or project. Administrative costs are for the performance of administrative functions in carrying out activities under Title I of WIOA that are not related to the direct provision of workforce investment services (including services to participants and employers).  Such costs include both personnel and nonpersonnel costs and both direct and indirect costs.  Administrative costs do not need to be identified separately from program costs on the SF-424A Budget Information Form. However, they must be tracked through the recipient’s accounting system. To claim any administrative costs that are also indirect costs, the applicant must obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement from its Federal Cognizant Agency or be eligible to use the 10 percent de minimis rate, as specified above.

3. Salary and Bonus Limitations

None of the funds appropriated under the heading “Employment and Training” in the appropriation statute(s) may be used by a recipient or subrecipient of such funds to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual, either as direct costs or indirect costs, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II.  This limitation does not apply to contractors providing goods and services as defined in the Audit Requirements of the OMB Uniform Guidance (see 2 CFR 200 Subpart F).  Where states are recipients of such funds, states may establish a lower limit for salaries and bonuses of those receiving salaries and bonuses from subrecipients of such funds, taking into account factors including the relative cost-of-living in the state, the compensation levels for comparable state or local government employees, and the size of the organizations that administer federal programs involved including Employment and Training Administration programs. See Public Law 113-76, Division H, Title I, section 105, and Training and Employment Guidance Letter number 05-06 for further clarification: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2262.

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.”

5. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages

Under Sec. 171(c)(2) of WIOA (Pub. L. 113-128), grantees may provide 1) wages or stipends for work experiences, and 2) need-based payments beyond regular stipends to help enable program participants to participate in the program (i.e., paying for bus passes).  Wages, stipends, and need-based payments and benefits provided under YouthBuild grants must accord with the policies and procedures of the grantee organization.  Wages can compensate youth at the same rates (including periodic increases) as similar trainees or employees in the construction fields, and rates must accord with all applicable laws. Stipends should provide a weekly living allowance to those participating in the program, designed to help with transportation, living expenses, day care, etc. Per section 181(a)(2) of WIOA, payments to participants in the YouthBuild program do not count as income for the purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of income transfer and in-kind aid provided to participants through any federal or federally assisted program, except as provided under the Social Security Act. Need-based payments refers to additional payments (beyond regular stipends for program participation) that are based on defined needs that enable youth to participate in the program. To provide need-based payments, the grantee must have a written policy in place, which defines: 1) eligibility; 2) the amounts; and 3) the required documentation and criteria for payments. This policy must be applied consistently to all program participants.

Grantees must maintain documentation on how the amount for the stipend or need-based payments was set and the circumstances under which stipends or need based payments will be provided. Grantees providing wages, stipends, or need based payments to youth should be aware of the implications under IRS provisions. (Please consult http://www.irs.gov for more information.)

Under 20 CFR 667.272(c), allowances, earnings, and payments to individuals participating in YouthBuild programs are not considered as income for purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of income transfer and in-kind aid furnished under any federal or federally-assisted program based on need other than as provided under the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301).

F. Other Submission Requirements

Withdrawal of Applications: Applications may be withdrawn by written notice to the Grant Officer at any time before an award is made.

22. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

DOL has instituted procedures for assessing the technical merit of applications to provide for an objective review of applications and to assist applicants to understand 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:

POINT DISTRIBUTIONS
	Category A Applicants	Category B Applicants
Category A and Category B Applicants
Statement of Need (see Section IV.B.3.a.(1)) Unemployment Rate Poverty Rate Graduation Rate Construction Skills and Other Occupational Skills Training Focus	22 Points Total 5 5 5 7	22 Points Total 5 5 5 7
Project Design (see Section IV.B.3.a.(3)) Education and Occupational Skills Training Post-Program Placement and Follow-Up Services Community Service Learning and Leadership Development Partners Outreach, Recruitment, and Selection Program Calendar Staffing Plan and Organizational Chart	39 Points Total 10 7 5 5 5 4 3	39 Points Total 10 7 5 5 5 4 3
Budget Plan and Budget Justification (see Section IV.B.2 Project Budget)	5 Points Total	5 Points Total
Category A Applicants Only	34 Points Total
Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category A Applicants (see Section IV.B.3.a.(4)) Performance Goals: 1) Placement in Education or Employment 2) Certificate/Degree Attainment 3) Literacy/Numeracy Gains 4) Retention in Education or Employment Spending Rate Analysis Timeliness of Report Submissions Fiscal Viability	6 6 6 6 4 3 3
Category B Applicants Only		34 Points Total
Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category B Applicants (see Section IV.B.3.a.(4)) Performance Goals: 1) Placement in Education or Employment 2) Certificate/Degree Attainment 3) Literacy/Numeracy Gains 4) Retention in Education or Employment Spending Rate Analysis Timeliness of Report Submissions Fiscal Viability		6 6 6 6 4 3 3
TOTAL	100	100

1. Statement of Need (up to 22 points)

a. Unemployment Rate (Maximum 5 points):

DOL will score applicants based on the weighted average youth unemployment rate across the proposed cities and/or towns that the applicant proposes to serve.

• If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years for the proposed combined cities or towns to serve is greater than the national unemployment rate of 22.1 percent: 5 Points.

• If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years is equal to the national unemployment rate of 22.1 percent: 3 Points.

• If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years is less than the national unemployment rate of 22.1 percent: 0 Points.

b. Poverty Rate (Maximum 5 points):

DOL will score applicants based on the weighted average poverty rate across the cities and/or towns that the applicant proposes to serve.

• If the Census Web site (see instructions in Section VIII (B)) lists a weighted average poverty rate of 15 percent or more across all cities or towns to be served: 5 Points.

• If the Census Web site lists a weighted average poverty rate of 10 percent to 14.99 percent across all cities or towns to be served: 3 Points.

• If the Census Web site lists a weighted average poverty rate of 5 percent to 9.99 percent across all cities or towns to be served: 1 Point.

• If the Census Web site does not list a weighted average poverty rate of at least 5 percent across all cities or towns to be served: 0 Points.

c. Graduation Rate (Maximum 5 points):

DOL will score applicants based on the average graduation rate across the proposed cities and/or towns the applicant proposes to serve.

• If the average graduation rate for the schools located in the proposed cities or towns is 60.00 percent or below: 5 Points

• If the average graduation rate for the schools located in the proposed cities or towns is 60.00 percent to 70.00 percent: 3 Points

• If the average graduation rate for the schools located in the proposed cities or towns is 70.00 percent to 79.99 percent: 1 Point

• If the average graduation rate for the schools located in the proposed cities or towns is 80.00 percent or above: 0 Points

d. Construction Skills and Other Occupational Skills Training Focus (Maximum 7 points):

Category A and B Criteria: The following criteria apply to both Category A and Category B applicants:

• The extent to which applicants have measures in place to ensure sufficient youth will participate in the construction skills training to build or renovate at least one unit of housing over the grant period of performance.

• The need for affordable housing in the proposed community(ies) and how the community could benefit from affordable housing.

• The extent to which the Construction Training Plan responds to the criteria described in Section IV.B.3.a.(1)(d).

Category A Criteria: The following criteria apply to Category A “Construction Plus” applicants who plan to offer construction and construction plus training in additional occupational fields. Note: DOL will not award additional points for applicants that also offer additional occupational fields (Construction Plus).

• For construction plus applicants, the extent to which the credential(s) resulting from the occupational skills training is industry-recognized.

• For construction plus applicants, the extent of the benefit that the community(ies) will derive from the participation of youth in occupational skills training within the selected industry(ies).

• For construction plus applicants, the extent to which the local labor market data demonstrates a clear and compelling case for the selection of training in high-demand industries with career pathways in the community(ies) to be served.

• For construction plus applicants, the extent to which the information in the Construction Plus Field Proposal(s) responds to the criteria described in Section IV.B.3.a.(1)(d).

2. Project Design (up to 39 points)

a. Education and Occupational Skills Training (Maximum 10 points):

• The extent to which the applicant has demonstrated the quality of the academic instruction and how the academic instruction will ensure the attainment of a high school diploma and/or a state-recognized high school equivalency degree.

• The extent to which the applicant has fully described the qualifications and experience of teaching staff and the use of partner organizations, where appropriate, for education and occupational skills training components, and how the applicant will determine that a participant has mastered a skill.

• The strength and feasibility of the applicant’s plan describing where and how it will conduct occupational skills training, such as ensuring a steady supply of work sites, providing access to work experience opportunities, and linking community service learning to the industries in which training occurs.

• The extent to which the applicant has demonstrated the involvement of industry and apprenticeship partners in the design of education and occupational skills training curricula.

• The extent to which the applicant promotes a seamless progression from one educational stepping stone to another, and across work-based training and education, so individuals' efforts result in progress.

• The extent to which the applicant clearly describes the use of work site safety training as outlined by OSHA.

b. Post-Program Placement and Follow-Up Services (Maximum 7 points):

• The extent to which the post-program transition process for participants is detailed and thorough.

• The degree of integration of post-program planning with follow-up services for participants.

• The strength of the post-program connections to local community and four-year colleges and trade schools for post-program placements of participants, particularly those who may receive a state-recognized high school equivalency degree rather than a traditional high school diploma. The strength of the description of opportunities that the applicant will provide for work experience and career exploration, including the use of employer partnerships to provide such opportunities.

• The extent to which the applicant has fully described registered apprenticeship opportunities for participants, including the detailed description of apprenticeable fields, partnering agencies, and the industry-recognized certifications expected to result.

c. Community Service Learning and Leadership Development (Maximum 5 points):

• The degree to which the strategy for community service learning includes input from youth participants and is effectively integrated into the education and occupational skills training components of the program.

• The effectiveness of youth leadership development opportunities, including how the applicant will engage youth in the decision-making process through youth policy councils or other leadership initiatives.

• The strength and effectiveness of staff training on the leadership curriculum used and/or principles underlying youth leadership development and encouragement of youth participants’ input in program activities.

d. Partners (Maximum 5 points): DOL will score this section based on the quality of partnerships, not the quantity. In order to receive the full five points, applicants must demonstrate partnerships with one or more businesses or employers (including those with registered apprenticeship opportunities), state or local governments, or institutions of higher learning.

• The extent to which the applicant has identified and described how each partner will support planning of the program.

• The extent to which the applicant has identified and described how each partner will support implementation and operation of the program in meeting performance goals.

• The strength of the comprehensive strategy for communication among partners and providing technical assistance to partners.

• The extent to which an applicant has included a letter of commitment from each partner that clearly specifies their role, as well as their resources contributed to the project (if applicable).

• The strength of the applicant’s explanation of how it will manage sub-contracts for performance and compliance if any core components of the program model are contracted to other providers (if applicable).

e. Outreach, Recruitment, and Selection (Maximum 5 points):

• The strength and effectiveness of the recruitment strategy described, including methods for outreach, referral, and selection in a manner that will ensure diverse and full enrollment.

• The adequacy of the applicant’s targeted approach for recruiting young women as well as the success of past efforts to recruit eligible young women (including young women with dependent children) into the YouthBuild program or another comparable youth workforce development program.

• The strength of the proposed efforts to engage young men into non-traditional career pathways.

f. Program Calendar (Maximum 4 points):

• The extent to which the program calendar demonstrates a strong plan to complete critical planning activities in four months or less (as described in Sec. II.B. Period of Performance);

• The extent to which the applicant has allotted an adequate and sufficient amount of time for educational programming and occupational skills training and follow-up activities for participants;

• The strength of the program activities and services the applicant will provide to youth over the course of one representative month of active participation in the program; and

• The strength of the program activities over the entire cycle of one cohort of youth, including recruitment, enrollment, active participation, and the 12-month follow-up period.

g. Staffing Plan and Organizational Chart (Maximum 3 points):

• The strength and sufficiency of the personnel proposed for each phase of the project, such that the full period of performance is adequately staffed, including the staffing strategy for the start-up phase, the operational phase, and follow-up phase. The extent to which the plan describes key start-up positions, staff retention strategies, and staff turnover plans, and demonstrates an effective level of support for participant needs.

3. Budget Narrative (up to 5 points)

The extent to which the budget narrative is reasonable based on the activities outlined in the project narrative. (3 points)

The extent to which key personnel have adequate time devoted to the project to achieve project results. (2 points)

CATEGORY A APPLICANTS SECTION ONLY.

4. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category A Applicants (up to 34 points)

a) Performance Goals:

1. Placement in Education or Employment (Maximum 6 points):

• Category A applicants with placement rates of 70.00 percent or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with placement rates of 60.00 percent - 69.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with placement rates of 50.00 percent - 59.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with placement rates of 40.00 percent - 49.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with placement rates of 30.00 percent - 39.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with placement rates of 25.00 percent - 29.99 percent will receive 1 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with placement rates of 24.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

2. Certificate/Degree Attainment (Maximum 6 points):

• Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 70.00 percent or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 60.00 percent - 69.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 50.00 percent - 59.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 40.00 percent - 49.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 30.00 percent - 39.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 25.00 percent - 29.99 percent will receive 1 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 24.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

3. Literacy/Numeracy Gains (Maximum 6 points):

• Category A applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 60.00 percent or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 50.00 percent - 59.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 40.00 percent - 49.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 35.00 percent - 39.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 30.00 percent - 34.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 25.00 percent - 29.99 percent will receive 1 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 24.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

4. Retention in Education or Employment (Maximum 6 points):

• Category A applicants with retention rates of 75.00 percent or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with retention rates of 65.00 percent - 74.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with retention rates of 55.00 percent - 64.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with retention rates of 45.00 percent - 54.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with retention rates of 35.00 percent - 44.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with retention rates of 30.00 percent - 34.99 percent will receive 1 points for this subsection.

• Category A applicants with retention rates of 29.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

b) Spending Rate Analysis During the Original Period of Performance (Maximum 4 points): 

• For organizations that received a YouthBuild award in FY 2007, 2008, 2009 (including ARRA-funded YouthBuild awards), 2010, or 2011, DOL will award points as follows:

• Category A applicants that expended at least 98 percent of grant funds and met 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award) will receive 4 points.

• Category A applicants that expended at least 90 percent but less than 98 percent of grant funds and met 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award) will receive 3 points.

• Category A applicants that expended at least 80 percent but less than 90 percent of grant funds and met 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award) will receive 2 points.

• Category A applicants that expended at least 70 percent but less than 80 percent of grant funds or did not meet 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award) will receive 0 points.

• For programs that received a YouthBuild award in FY 2012, we will award points as follows:

• Category A applicants that expended at least 75 percent of grant funds by December 31, 2014 and have reported less than 50 percent of the match requirement will receive 4 points.

• Category A applicants that expended at least 60 percent of grant funds by December 31, 2014 and have reported less than 50 percent of the match requirement will receive 3 points.

• Category A applicants that expended at least 50 percent of grant funds by December 31, 2014 and have reported less than 50 percent of the match requirement will receive 2 points.

• Category A applicants that expended less than 50 percent of grant funds by December 31, 2014 and have reported less than 50 percent of the match requirement will receive 0 points.

c) Timeliness of Report Submissions (Maximum 3 points):

DOL will award points for timeliness of report submissions as follows:

• Category A applicants that submitted all four of the most recent required quarterly performance and financial reports on or before the due date will receive 3 points.

• Category A applicants that submitted a complete set of quarterly reports (quarterly performance and financial reports) for three of the four most recent quarters on or before the due date will receive 1 point.

• Category A applicants that did not submit a complete set of quarterly reports (quarterly performance and financial reports) for at least three of the most recent four quarters on or before the due date will receive 0 points.

d) Fiscal Viability (Maximum 3 points):

• Category A applicants that provide an auditor’s report with an Unqualified Opinion will receive 3 points.

• Category A applicants that provide an auditor’s report with a Qualified Opinion will receive 1 point.

• Category A applicants that provide an auditor’s report with an Adverse Opinion, with a Disclaimer of Opinion or no Opinion will receive 0 points for this sub-criterion.

CATEGORY B APPLICANTS SECTION ONLY.

5. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category B (Up to 34 points)

All Category B applicants must provide grantor contact information on the performance chart attachment. Applicants that do not provide this information will receive 0 points for subsections a-c below.

1. Performance Goals (Maximum 24 points)

1. Placement in Education or Employment (Maximum 6 points):

• Category B applicants with placement rates of 70.00 percent or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with placement rates of 60.00 percent - 69.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with placement rates of 50.00 percent - 59.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with placement rates of 40.00 percent - 49.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with placement rates of 30.00 percent - 39.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with placement rates of 25.00 percent - 29.99 percent will receive 1 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with placement rates of 24.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

2. Certificate/Degree Attainment (Maximum 6 points):

• Category B applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 70.00 percent or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 60.00 percent - 69.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 50.00 percent - 59.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 40.00 percent - 49.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 30.00 percent - 39.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 25.00 percent - 29.99 percent will receive 1 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with certificate/degree attainment rates of 24.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

3. Literacy/Numeracy Gains (Maximum 6 points):

• Category B applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 60.00 percent or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 50.00 percent - 59.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 40.00 percent - 49.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 35.00 percent - 39.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 30.00 percent - 34.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 25.00 percent - 29.99 percent will receive 1 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with literacy/numeracy gains of 24.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

4. Retention in Education or Employment (Maximum 6 points):

• Category B applicants with retention rates of 75.00 percent or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with retention rates of 65.00 percent - 74.99 percent will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with retention rates of 55.00 percent - 64.99 percent will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with retention rates of 45.00 percent - 54.99 percent will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with retention rates of 35.00 percent - 44.99 percent will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with retention rates of 30.00 percent - 34.99 percent will receive 1 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants with retention rates of 29.99 percent or below will receive 0 points for this subsection.

b) Spending Rate Analysis During the original period of performance

(Maximum 4 points):

• Category B applicants that expended 98 percent or more of the grant funds for their most recently completed grant will receive 4 points.

• Category B applicants that expended at least 90 percent but less than 98 percent of the grant funds for their most recently completed grant will receive 3 points.

• Category B applicants that expended at least 80 percent but less than 90 percent of the grant funds for their most recently completed grant will receive 2 points.

• Category B applicants that expended at least 70 percent but less than 80 percent of the grant funds for their most recently completed grant will receive 0 points.

c) Report Timeliness (Maximum 3 points)

• Category B applicants that submitted all required reports (or sets of reports, if applicable) on time for the last four (4) quarters for their most recently completed grant will receive 3 points.

• Category B applicants that submitted reports (or sets of reports, if applicable) on time for three (3) of the last four (4) quarters for their most recently completed grant will receive 1 point.

• Category B applicants that submitted reports (or sets of reports, if

applicable) on time for fewer than three (3) of the last four (4) quarters for their most recently completed grant will receive 0 points.

d) Fiscal Viability (Maximum 3 points):

• Category B applicants that provide an auditor’s report with an Unqualified Opinion will receive 3 points.

• Category B applicants that provide an auditor’s report with a Qualified Opinion will receive 1 point.

• Category B applicants that provide an auditor’s report with an Adverse Opinion, a Disclaimer of Opinion or no Opinion will receive 0 points for this sub-criterion.

2. Review and Selection Process

1. 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. During the selection process, the Grant Officer or his/her agent may make contact with applicants to perform additional verification related to the work site proposed in the application. This verification is above and beyond what is required in the FOA. If for any reason the applicant cannot confirm to the satisfaction of the Grant Officer that the work site is available and qualifying, the Grant Officer may decline to fund the application based solely on this lack of verification. The Grant Officer may also consider any information that comes to his/her attention. NOTE:  The Department will determine if the applicant had any restriction on spending for any ETA grant due to adverse monitoring findings within the past three years.  Depending on the severity of the findings, the Grant Officer may elect to not fund the applicant for a grant award.

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.

2. Risk Review Process

Prior to making an award, ETA will review information available through any OMB-designated repository of government-wide 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 (Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)). 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.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

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, DOL may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and decline to fund the application. DOL reserves the right to not fund any application related to this FOA.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

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 Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Public Law No. 113-328, 128 Stat. 1425 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.).² Note that section 186(a) of WIOA allows unsuccessful applicants to file administrative appeals.

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. Regulations implementing section 188 of WIOA, due to be promulgated in the summer of 2015.

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: http://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/15StandTermsConds.pdf.

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 WIOA and maintain that hiring practice even though Section 188 of WIOA³ 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

Applicants must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. Law 109-282, as amended by section 6202 of Pub. Law 110-252) (Transparency Act), as follows:

• Except for those excepted from the Transparency Act under sub-paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 below, applicants must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, should they receive funding.

• Upon award, applicants will receive detailed information on the reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, as described in 2 CFR Part 170, Appendix A, which can be found at the following website: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-22705.pdf

The following types of awards are not subject to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act:

1. 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);

2. Federal awards to entities that had a gross income, from all sources, of less than $300,000 in the entities' previous tax year; and

3. 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 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, applicants 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, applicants 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. Grantees must ensure that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained, or otherwise associated with DOL/ETA funded grants is securely transmitted.

2. 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. Grantees must not e-mail unencrypted sensitive PII to any entity, including ETA or contractors.

3. Grantees 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. They 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 DOL provides to grantees. Grantees who wish to obtain more information on data security should contact their Federal Project Officer.

4. Grantees must ensure that any PII used during the performance of their grant has been obtained in conformity with applicable Federal and state laws governing the confidentiality of information.

5. Grantees further acknowledge that all PII data obtained through their 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.

6. Grantees’ 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.

7. Grantees must have policies and procedures in place under which their 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.

8. Grantees must not extract information from data supplied by ETA for any purpose not stated in the grant agreement.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. Grantees 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 they are complying with the confidentiality requirements described above. In accordance with this responsibility, grantees must make records applicable to this Agreement available to authorized persons for the purpose of inspection, review, and/or audit.

13. Grantees 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, Grantees agree that all data will be destroyed, including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and deletion of electronic data.

e. Record Retention

Applicants must be prepared to follow federal guidelines on record retention, which require grantees to maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of 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

Applicants 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, Native American tribe, institution of higher education, 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, recipients are required to comply with provisions on government wide 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, DOL 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

DOL may require that the program or project participate in an evaluation of overall performance and/or impact of these ETA grants and require the cooperation of the recipient as a condition of award.

b. Performance Goals

Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes provided to grantees by DOL after the grant agreement is executed via the YouthBuild Performance Goals memo. Failure to meet those outcomes may result in technical assistance or other intervention by ETA, and may also have a significant impact on decisions regarding future grants with ETA.

c. Reporting

Grantees must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS data must be submitted by the grantee electronically. The grantee is required to provide the reports and documents listed below:

1. Quarterly Financial Reports

A Quarterly Financial Status Report (ETA 9130) is required until such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. Grantees must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to grantees. Grantees must track and report both matching funds and other non-federal leveraged resources quarterly on Form ETA-9130, as well as through their internal accounting methods. Instructions and the form may be found at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/financial_reporting.cfm.

2. Quarterly Narrative Progress Reports

The grantee must submit a quarterly narrative progress report within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter during which the grant is within the period of performance for the award.  The report must include quarterly information regarding grant activities. This report must provide a detailed account of activities undertaken during that quarter. The quarterly progress report should be in narrative form and should include:

1. In-depth information on accomplishments, including project success stories, upcoming grant activities, and promising approaches and processes.

2. Progress toward performance outcomes, including updates on product, curricula, and training development.

3. Quarterly Performance Reports

The grantee must submit a quarterly progress report within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter.  The report must include quarterly information regarding grant activities, performance goals, and milestones. The last quarterly progress report that grantees submit will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report, and this report will cover the final quarter under the period of performance, even if this falls after the final expenditures of grant funding; quarterly performance and narrative reports are due for each quarter that the grant is active under the period of performance, whether funds remain or not. 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 used by the grantee. This report will be generated and submitted electronically through a government-procured, Web-based Case Management and Performance Reporting system that will be provided at no charge to all grantees. Grantees will be required to have industry-standard computer hardware and high-speed Internet access in order to use this system. Grant funds may be used with the prior approval of the Grant Officer to upgrade computer hardware and Internet access to enable projects to use the system for case management and performance reporting.

DOL will provide grantees with formal guidance about the data and other information that is required to be collected and reported on either a regular basis or special request basis.

VII. Agency Contacts

For further information about this FOA, please contact Kia Mason, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, at (202) 693-2606. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference FOA-ETA-15-05, and along with question(s), include a contact name, fax and phone number. This Announcement is being made available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants and at http://www.grants.gov.

VIII. Other Information

1. Instructions for Finding Unemployment Data Using the American FactFinder:

1. Go to http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. For best results, use Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer. Mozilla Firefox can be downloaded for free at http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all-older.html.

2. Scroll down the page until you see “What We Provide” under “Using American FactFinder.” This feature is halfway down the left side of the Main page. Under the “What We Provide” section, select the “get data” link next to American Community Survey.

3. In the box next to “Refine your search results,” type S2301 EMPLOYMENT STATUS in the topic and table name box and the city and state in which the community(ies) you plan to serve are located in the state, county or place box. Click “Go.”

4. In the list of results, select the most recent year’s ACS 1-year, 3-year or 5-year estimates. If the 1-year estimates are not available, use the most recent 3-year or 5-year estimates.

5. Use the unemployment rate estimate for the population ages 16 to 19 years and ages 20 to 24 years to determine the total number of youth who are unemployed in each age group by multiplying the total estimate population of that age group by the unemployment rate for the same population. Add the two numbers together to determine the total number of youth aged 16 to 24 that are unemployed in the community.

6. Divide the total population aged 16 to 24 that are unemployed, as determined in step 5, by the total population aged 16 to 24 (as determined by adding the total estimate population for 16 to 19 and 20 to 24) to provide a weighted average rate of youth unemployment in the targeted area(s).

7. If using multiple communities, add up the total estimated number of youth who are unemployed in each age group together (as in step 5) for each community and divide this total number by the total estimated population aged 16 to 24 for all communities. Divide the total estimated number of youth unemployed by the total estimated population across the communities to determine the weighted average unemployment rate.

2. Instructions for Finding Poverty Data Using the American FactFinder:

1. Go to http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. For best results, use Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer. Mozilla Firefox can be downloaded for free at http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all-older.html.

2. Scroll down the page until you see “What We Provide” under “Using American FactFinder.” This feature is halfway down the left side of the Main page. Under the “What We Provide” section, select the “get data” link next to American Community Survey.

3. In the box next to “Refine your search results,” type S1701 POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS in the topic and table name box and the city and state in which the community you serve is located in the state, county or place box. Click “Go.”

3. In the list of results, select Table S1701 POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS for the most recent ACS 1-year, 3-year or 5-year dataset. If the 1-year estimates are not available, use the most recent 3-year or 5-year estimates.

4. Use the percent below poverty level estimate for the total population for whom poverty status is determined to provide the poverty rate(s) for your target area.

5. If targeting more than one community, add the below poverty level estimate for the total population for whom poverty status is determined for each community to be served. Add the total estimate population for whom poverty status is determined for each community to be served. Divide the total number below poverty level across the communities being targeted by the total population for whom poverty status is determined. This is your weighted average poverty rate for the communities being served.

3. Suggestions for Finding Graduation Rate Data:

As previously mentioned, graduation rate data can no longer be found using the Education Week Website. Examples of possible sources of graduation rate data for the community are the state school board’s web site, the district’s school superintendent web site, or another state or local educational board web site.  The applicant must provide the source of the graduation rate information, along with the year of the data, and a citation for the source.  The applicant can reflect this in the source attachments required under the Statement of Need section.

D. 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, DOL 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, DOL 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 an organization and disclosing this information is likely to cause the organization 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.⁴

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. DOL will also assume that by submitting the redacted version of the Project Narrative, the applicant has obtained 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 an 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.”

E. 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 the American Job Centers.

F. 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.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) and the National

Association for State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) recognize a National Career Clusters Framework. These Career Clusters and ETA’s Industry Competency Models both identify foundational and technical competencies, but their efforts are not duplicative. The Career Clusters link to specific career pathways in sixteen career cluster areas and place greater emphasis on elements needed for curriculum performance objectives; measurement criteria; scope and sequence of courses in a program of study; and development of assessments. Information about the sixteen career cluster areas can be found by accessing: http://cte.ed.gov/nationalinitiatives/localstudyimplementation.cfm.

G. Workforce3One Resources

1. DOL encourages applicants to view the information gathered through the conference calls with Federal agency partners, industry stakeholders, educators, and local practitioners. The information on resources identified can be found on Workforce3One.org at: https://www.workforce3one.org/find/?sr=1&ps=20&sort=5.

2. DOL encourages applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.

3. DOL 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. DOL encourages applicants to review these resources by visiting http://strategies.workforce3one.org/.

4. DOL 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.

IX. OMB Information Collection

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:

Steven A. Rietzke

Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration

Attachment A: Checklist for Submittal

Requirements/Required Attachments	Category A Applicants	Category B Applicants	Screen-out Factor
The deadline submission requirements are met			
If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (DOL will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.)			
Application does not exceed the ceiling amount of $1.1 million			
Applicant has registered with SAM and maintains an active account			
Signed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance			
Signed SF-424 includes a DUNS Number			
Signed SF-424 lists the cost sharing or match amount of exactly 25 percent of the requested federal funding amount on line 18b. (any additional amount mistakenly placed on line 18b will be considered leveraged resources)			
SF-424A, Budget Information Form			
Budget Narrative			
Project Narrative			
Two-Page Abstract			
Work site Form (ETA-9143) Signed Includes Address or Parcel Number Includes Site Access	   	   	   

Requested Attachments	Category A Applicants	Category B Applicants	Screen-out Factor
Construction Training Plan		
Construction Plus Field Proposal Abstract addition	 (if applying as Construction Plus)
Performance Chart		
Auditor’s Report		
Proof of 501(c)(3) or Other Non-Profit Status		
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement		
Source Documentation for Statement of Need Data		
Staffing Plan and Organizational Chart		
Program Calendar		
Commitment Letters from Partners		

Attachment B: Construction Training Plan Sample Template

Sections of Training Plan	What To Include
Introduction	This should be a brief summary of the training project and how it will be used for project implementation.
Training Scope Including Objectives, Goals and Assumptions	This section should include the major objectives for the training project along with the goals and any assumptions made related to implementation.
Training Strategy	This section should describe the applicant’s training strategy including the use of project-based learning in the classroom, the curriculum(a) to be used, and the division between classroom and work site-based training.
Roles and Responsibilities	This section should include a discussion of those who are supporting the implementation of the construction training, including the specific tasks that are needed to successfully launch, deliver, and sustain the training. This is a subset of the training task from the project plan and should provide the very detailed tasks needed to complete the training including the start and end dates for each.
Contingency Plan	This section should outline how training will be implemented and sustained despite barriers and problems that emerge. The training for this grant must begin expeditiously and this contingency plan allows for alternate training to be implemented, if necessary. Specifically, the applicant should describe how additional work sites will be quickly secured should the housing partner fall through or approved sites become no longer available or viable for the on-site construction component.

Training Materials, Design, and Standards	This section should describe the materials that will be used during the training courses, how and who will design the materials and a quality control process for ensuring materials are up-to-date, accurate, and effective.
Restrictive Covenant Clause	This section should describe how awarded applicants will ensure that all properties rehabilitated or built with DOL YouthBuild funds will use the restrictive covenant clause and enforce it.

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1 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 WIOA, and the terms of the WIOA will apply to these grants for the life of the grants. Please note that in addition to the provisions of WIOA, grantees will also be subject to WIOA’s implementing regulations when they are finalized and promulgated. Regulations implementing section 188 of WIOA are due to be promulgated in the summer of 2015.

2 Please see footnote 1 regarding the applicability of WIOA and its implementing regulations.

3 Please see footnote 1 regarding the applicability of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

4 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.

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