Incarcerated Veterans' Transition Program Funding Opportunity Announcement

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

Notice of Funding Availability (NoFA) and Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for linking the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) to the Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP)

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FOA-VETS-15-02

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.805

Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is

September 2, 2015. Applications must be received no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Addresses: 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) to this address:

The U.S. Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management

Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer

Reference FOA VETS-15-02

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716

Washington, DC 20210

For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV. Electronic submission through Grants.gov is encouraged.

The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration is responsible for the administration of this grant.

CONTENTS

Section I	Executive Summary
Section II	Funding Opportunity Description
Section III	Award Information
Section IV	Application and Submission Information
Section V	Application Review Information
Section VI	Award Administration Information
Section VII	Agency Contact
Section VIII	Other Information
Section IX	Reporting
Section X	Performance Measures
Section XI	OMB Information Collection
Appendix 1	Federal Prison Locations for Possible Applicant Operations
Appendix 2	Definitions and Abbreviations
Appendix 3	Performance Measures
Appendix 4	Footnotes
Appendix 5	VPL 09-14
Appendix 6	Technical Assistance Guide
Appendix 7	Planned Goals Chart

SECTION I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), announces the availability of approximately $1.5 million in grant funds authorized by Title 38 of United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 2023, which provides that the “Secretary of Labor . . . shall carry out a program of referral and counseling services to eligible veterans with respect to benefits and services available to such veterans under this title and under State law.” VETS expects to award approximately five (5) IVTP grants in Program Year 2015. IVTP grants are designed to assist currently incarcerated veterans and veterans recently released from incarceration in overcoming barriers to employment and gaining meaningful employment and avoiding homelessness.

Grants awarded under this FOA will allow VETS to evaluate the benefits of linking the HVRP and IVTP programs as part of a demonstration (pilot) project. In the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015, Congress granted VETS the additional authority to serve veterans who have recently been released from incarceration who are at risk of homelessness (Division G, Title 1, Public Law 113-235). HVRP grantees are already working with veterans who are homeless and were recently released from incarceration. Combining the unique experience of HVRP grantees with the targeted focus of IVTP could maximize the use of federal funds while meeting the needs of these uniquely disadvantaged veterans. This combination would help fill a service gap identified by our technical assistance grantees, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Department of Justice. VETS would like to test this theory with the intention, dependent on subsequent authorization and appropriations, that we provide a full and open competition once we have determined if this model works. IVTP will be evaluated using the most rigorous designs appropriate and will include formative designs, implementation studies and outcome analysis.

Additionally, because we are requiring partnerships with penal institutions to ensure that transitioning veterans are effectively served, we are further limiting the applicants to current HVRP grantees that have prior experience with IVTP. This limitation is necessary because our experience with penal institutions and the research of our Technical Assistance grantees indicates that it is difficult to obtain the proper clearances to work in correctional institutions. This background experience is particularly necessary given that these grants will be awarded after the Program Year (PY) 2015 has begun, and applicants will have limited time to implement their proposed programs.

Grant awards will range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $300,000. Grants awarded under this solicitation will have a period of performance that ends on June 30, 2016 (i.e. through PY 2015). Additional funding beyond the initial award is not anticipated at this time. Though the period of performance expires at the end of PY 2015, each grantee is required to conduct an additional 9 months of follow-up and reporting after the active performance period. Costs incurred during this 9 month period are considered part of the funded grant.

Eligible applicants must be current HVRP grantees that have previously been awarded an IVTP grant and must have been successful as indicated in the past performance Section (IV)(B)(4)(d) under the terms of its HVRP grant. This FOA contains all the information and forms necessary to apply for grant funding under this IVTP demonstration (pilot) project. DOL may publish future amendments to this solicitation on www.grants.gov. All applicants must check www.grants.gov regularly to ensure that they have the latest information regarding any updates to this FOA.

This FOA provides background information on IVTP and identifies the critical elements that applicants must include in their proposals in order to be responsive to this solicitation. It also describes the application submission requirements, the process that eligible applicants must use to apply for funds covered by this FOA, and how grantees will be selected and notified.

NOTE: Appendix 2 contains important terms for the purposes of this FOA.

SECTION II. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE: The purpose of this program is to place incarcerated or recently incarcerated veterans into meaningful employment. This includes providing them workforce services prior to and/or shortly after release from incarceration; linking them to a continuum of employment, training, education, support services; and building connections to local employers that will enable incarcerated veterans to secure meaningful employment and avoid homelessness. Ideally incarcerated veterans will have an employment destination prior to release or will receive rapid job placement.

Successful applicants will propose programs that expedite the employment of eligible incarcerated veterans by providing job-driven training, placement services, counseling, supportive services, and other assistance. Applicants are encouraged to design a program that addresses the multitude of challenges associated with incarcerated veterans at risk of homelessness. Applicants must actively engage with industry, employers, and employer associations to identify the skills needed for in-demand jobs and careers.

VETS seeks applicants who can provide services through a client-centered case management approach, who can collaborate and network with federal, state, local, and tribal organizations to effectively target resources toward assisting incarcerated veterans, and to deliver job-driven training for skills that are in demand by local employers.

B. SERVICES AUTHORIZED UNDER THE GRANT: Referral and counseling services such as: case management; employment preparation (e.g. resume preparation; interviewing skills and other employment readiness training (job driven training)); job placement; wage subsidy; and housing subsidy. The following costs may be authorized under the grant:

1. Housing Subsidies: Applicants may propose using funds for housing assistance. However, if a grantee proposes to use funds for housing assistance, the grantee must demonstrate in writing that they have worked with the incarcerated veteran and others (penal institution transition staff, community based housing providers, etc.) to exhaust all other housing assistance options before using IVTP funds for such assistance. Essentially, if a participant can obtain housing by any other means, such as through other federal or state programs, then IVTP funds cannot be used for housing. Should IVTP housing assistance be needed for a particular participant, the term of such assistance is limited to 90 days and the amount of assistance must meet the test of rent reasonableness. To meet this test and to be able to pay a landlord up to 90 days of reasonable rent, the grantee must secure at least 3 samples of rents for housing units located in the specific community and zip code of the desired housing that meets the needs of the participant. Grantees may not provide IVTP funds for housing directly to project participants.

2. Wage Subsidy: Applicants may propose using funds for wage subsidies. However, wage subsidies are limited generally to On-The-Job Training (OJT), apprenticeships, and/or Transitional Jobs (TJ) strategies in which the participant is: 1) in job-driven training (see Appendix 2 for a definition of job driven training) and 2) the employer expects to hire the participant at the end of the training. Funds may be used to pay wages for up to 90 days at the local living wage (see http://livingwage.mit.edu/) for up to 20 hours per week. In order to use IVTP funds for OJT or TJ, the applicant must develop an agreement with the employer, stipulating the terms of the subsidy, duration of the training, and expected outcome and retain that agreement. The agreement must stipulate that IVTP funds will be transferred to the employer and then from the employer to the employee as part of the employee’s wages. IVTP funds can also be used to pay for OJT in the manner described in the DOL Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program rules.

3. Other Expenses: ‘Other’ expenses are permitted under IVTP where ‘Other’ expenses include but are not limited to fees for documents that are essential to obtain employment for a participant. Essential documents may include identification cards, birth certificates, driving records, drivers licenses for transportation related jobs, and transportation to and from interviews using public transportation (including taxis when necessary). Other expenses permitted include: drug testing, criminal background checks, and, if required for the job, tools and medical examinations.

C. PROGRAM AUTHORITY: This program is authorized by 38 U.S.C. Section 2023.

SECTION III. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT: Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. VETS anticipates that approximately $1.5 million will be available for awards ranging from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum award of $300,000. DOL reserves the right to negotiate the amounts it will award under this competition.

VETS will consider applications requesting fund amounts outside of this award range as non-responsive and the application will receive no further consideration in the evaluation process.

If there are any additional program funds available, DOL reserves the right to select for funding the next highest scoring eligible applicant(s) on the competitive list developed from this FOA as late as September 30, 2015.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The period of performance begins from the date of the notice of award and ends on June 30, 2016 (PY2015) unless modified by the Grant Officer. Awards are anticipated to be made by September 15, 2015 with the performance period as follows:

1. September 15, 2015 - September 30, 2015: Start-up period. During the Start-up period, grantees are expected to finalize arrangements with penal institutions, parole organizations and other partners and establish internal controls to ensure HVRP and IVTP participants are properly reported with no duplications (no simultaneous enrollment in HVTP and IVTP).

2. October 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016: Grantees to perform as outlined in this FOA.

3. July 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017: Grantees must follow-up and report on IVTP participants that entered employment during the active performance period.

Grantees must expense all program funds (including all funds to be used for follow-up activities) by March 31, 2017.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: Eligible applicants are current, successful HVRP grantees as indicated in the past performance Section (IV)(B)(4)(d) with an active HVRP award through the end of PY 2015 (June 30, 2016). In addition, an applicant must have experience as a prior IVTP grantee.

D. COST SHARING OR MATCHING: Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program and are not one of the application screening criteria. Please note that any resources contributed to the project are considered leveraged resources and do not constitute cost sharing or matching funds. More information on leveraged resources may be found in Section IV. Applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process.

E. NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED:

1. Multiple applications from the same submitting organization will be considered. However, there is a limit of one (1) application per submitting organization for the same physical location serving the same IVTP participant population. If multiple applications are received from the same organization for the same physical location serving the same IVTP participant population, only the most recent application will be accepted. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, it will not be replaced with an earlier application.

2. If an applicant submits multiple applications for different physical locations or multiple applications for different participant populations, both will be considered.

3. If there are multiple applications from different applicants for the same physical location and same IVTP participant population, only one award will be made unless VETS determines the potential IVTP participant population could support more than one award in the same physical location.

F. ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS: To participate in a funded project under these grants, a veteran (as defined in Appendix 2) must have been convicted as an adult and imprisoned under municipal, county, tribal, federal, or state law and fall into one of the following categories:

1. Category 1 – the veteran was released within the previous 12 months from a penal institution into actual homelessness and needs employment assistance; or

2. Category 2 – the veteran has been incarcerated for at least six months and is scheduled for release within six months with no known housing destination and needs employment assistance; or

3. Category 3 – the veteran was released within the previous 12 months from a penal institution into temporary or permanent housing, but is now at imminent risk of homelessness and needs employment assistance.

An individual may not be enrolled in both HVRP and IVTP at the same time. If a current HVRP participant would be better served under this grant, the grantee may disenroll the participant from HVRP and enroll them in IVTP.

All IVTP participants must also be enrolled with an American Job Center (AJC).

VETS is most interested in projects that service the above eligible participants who have also been convicted of crimes that are rated as Moderate or High using the Department of Justice’s Post Conviction Risk Assessment (PCRA) model. This is because under HVRP this audience is the hardest to serve and the restrictions of the HVRP grant limit services that can be provided to those participants. Restrictions on use of funds for wage subsidies and housing subsidies that exist under HVRP, do not exist for IVTP.

G. APPLICATION PREPARATION CHECKLIST: Applicants should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing the 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.

Instructions	Instructions in Section	Complete?
The deadline submission requirements are met.	(IV)(C)
If submitted through www.grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in one of the specified formats and are not corrupted. (DOL will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures if problems occur.)	(IV)(C)
Application is within dollar range specified for the category of grant sought ($100,000-$300,000).	(III)(A)
Applicant has registered with System for Award Management (SAM) and maintains an active account.	(IV)(B)(1)(c)
Signed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance	(IV)(B)(2)
Signed SF-424 includes a DUNS Number/EIN	(IV)(B)(2)
SF-424A, Budget Information Form	(IV)(B)(3)
Budget Narrative	(IV)(B)(3)
Project Narrative	(IV)(B)(4)
Abstract	(IV)(B)(5)(a)
Project Performance Site Location Form	(IV)(B)(5)(a)
Timeline of Startup	(IV)(B)(5)(a)
Chart of Past Performance	(IV)(B)(5)(a)
Planned Goals Chart	(IV)(B)(5)(b) and Appendix 7
Indirect Cost Agreement	(IV)(B)(5)(b)

SECTION IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE: This FOA found at www.grants.gov and www.dol.gov/vets 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

1. General Information:

a. Four Parts: Applications submitted in response to this FOA should consist of four separate and distinct parts:

(1) The SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance;” which must include a valid Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.

(2) Project Budget (SF-424a “Budget Information Non Construction Programs) including a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF424A.

(3) Project Narrative; and

(4) Attachments to the Project Narrative. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.

b. Applicant Length Limit: A complete grant application submission must be written in English and must not exceed 15 single-sided pages (8 ½” x 11”), double-spaced, typed 12-point Times New Roman font, with one inch margins on all four sides of the page. All attachments, unless otherwise noted in the instructions, are included in the 15-page maximum. Any materials beyond the specified page limit will not be reviewed or considered in the evaluation process. Applicants should ensure that major sections and subsections of the application are divided and clearly identified (e.g. with tab dividers).

c. 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. If an applicant is not registered with SAM as required, the application will not move forward through the merit review process and will not be considered for funding.

2. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”: Applicants must complete the Standard Form (SF)-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). If an SF-424 is not completed as required, the application will not move forward through the merit review process and will not be considered for funding. The SF-424 must be error-free, clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement with DOL. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant is considered the Authorized Representative of the applicant. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, signature of the Authorized Representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization is in compliance with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). The SF-424B is not required to be submitted with the application. In addition, the applicant’s Authorized Representative’s signature needs to be in block 21 of the form.

All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (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 applicants do not have a DUNS number, applicants can get one for free through the D&B website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do. Under 2 CFR Part 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 unless they have provided their DUNS number to the applicant. Grant recipients may not make a subaward to an entity unless the entity has provided its DUNS number to the applicant.

No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF-424. 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 Budget and Budget Narrative: Applicants must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). If the SF-424A is not completed as required, the application will not move forward through the merit review process and will not be considered for funding. The budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It should also include a description of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities. Use the following guidance for preparing the budget narrative:

a. 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.

b. Fringe Benefits – Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement, etc.

c. 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.

d. Equipment – Identify each item of equipment to be purchased which has an estimated acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (or if the total capitalization level is less than $5,000, use the 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 will not permit the purchase of equipment during this grant.

e. 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.

f. 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.

g. Construction – Construction costs are not allowed and this line must be left as zero. Minor alterations to adjust an existing space for grant activities (such as a classroom alteration) may be allowable. We do not consider this as construction and the costs must be shown on other appropriate lines such as Contractual.

h. Other – List each item in sufficient detail for us to determine whether the costs are reasonable or allowable. List any item, such as stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere here.

i. 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 the applicant meets the requirements to use the 10% de minimis rate as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f), then include a description of the modified total direct costs base (see 2 CFR 200.68 for definition) used in the calculation along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested based on the 10% de minimis rate. See Section (IV)(E) 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 must be included on the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative.

4. Project Narrative: The Project Narrative must demonstrate the 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 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 the Project Narrative. The Project Narrative will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V. Applicants should use the same section headers (in bold italics) identified below for each section of the Project Narrative:

a. Expected Outcomes and Outputs: The applicant must clearly identify the outcome(s) and output(s) that will result from the project and how these will be tracked and reported. Outcomes are the measurable results of the project. They are the positive benefits, negative changes, or measurable characteristics that occur as a result of project activities or outputs. Outputs are tangible products or services that result from the project. The critical outcomes for this IVTP opportunity are described in Section 2 of Appendix 3. However, applicants can also propose additional outcomes. In this section of the project narrative, applicants must describe the following:

• System that will allow them to track and report measures for participants who are in pre-release status.

• Strategies to ensure post-release tracking and reporting of all measures in Appendix 3.

• Any additional measures that the applicant proposes to track and the applicant’s reasons for tracking those measures;

• System that will allow them to track and report outcomes for their participants who have been released to other geographic areas.

• Process for how they will register program participants with an American Job Center.

• If the project will participate in the local Homeless Management Information System and describes how that will occur.

b. Project Design: The applicant must propose methods that will be used to address the submitted outcomes and outputs. The applicant must also outline a plan of action that describes in detail the scope of how the proposed work will be accomplished and include a timeline for completion of work. The applicant must account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might accelerate or decelerate the work and state the reason for taking the proposed approach. The applicant must describe the need for the project which includes, why the project is needed in the specified geographic area, expected participants, severity of the participant’s offenses using the Department of Justice’s PCRA model, and type of and numbers of penal institutions in the specific geographic area. The applicant must identify any potential barriers, and describe how the project will be able to overcome those barriers.

(1) Demonstrated Need and Evidence: The application must provide a justification for the proposed approach, including reference to research and evaluation findings of the same or similar approaches where they exist.   If similar approaches exist, the justification must discuss what those approaches are and how they informed the applicant’s proposal. If the applicant’s proposal represents a departure from existing approaches, the proposal must include a full explanation of why the approach is likely to be successful, and in particular how this approach is beneficial to previously incarcerated veterans. The applicant must also demonstrate the need for the program by the target population in the applicant’s geographic area to be served.  The demand for the program must be based on labor market information including the expected participant population, expected severity of offenses considering the numbers, and types of penal institutions within the proposed geographic area, and other relevant data on the target population. The applicant must also discuss barriers that may impact the project’s success and propose solutions to address this.

(2) Core Program Components: Projects funded under this grant must include both core program components as described below which are: employment training and supportive services and address a “hand-off requirement” to the AJC.

• Employment Training. Applicants must describe:

  • A plan to develop and execute strategies and obtainable goals for job-driven training, employment preparation, employment, and employment retention by eligible participants;
    
    

  • A plan to design, develop, and execute programs that assist eligible participants by providing or collaborating with other entities to deliver job-driven training based on Labor Market Information (LMI) in the proposed area. LMI describes current and projected local, regional, state and national labor markets, such as the number and types of available jobs, their characteristics, and the characteristics of the labor supply. LMI can be used to guide jobseekers in choosing which fields of study, training and credentials to pursue. Examples of the use of LMI include using job openings data to strategically identify employer partners, and analyzing labor market projections and the characteristics of the regional labor market to conduct skill gap analysis;

• A plan to provide rapid job placement and retention services; and

• Any plan for the provision of wage subsidies.

• Supportive services. The applicant must describe their plan to provide counseling, mentoring, and referrals to support services for housing, physical and mental health services to facilitate the reintegration of incarcerated veterans into the labor force including any plan for providing housing subsidies.

• AJC Collaboration: the Department’s expectation is that all participants will be referred to their local AJC to receive services for which the participant may be eligible, and that all participants will be enrolled with an AJC, even if the participant may have already secured employment, for follow-up and supportive services;

• Grantees are expected to ensure the local workforce board is aware of the grant award and the grantee’s implementation plan.

(3) Implementation

• The applicant must identify a plan for ensuring that the applicant, all required and all additional, non-required partners have access to penal institutions and other facilities as needed;

• The application must include a schedule for proposed partner activities;

• The applicant must develop and describe a plan that includes the process and any regulations regarding the hiring of staff and the procurement of goods and services;

• The applicant must identify and describe the staffing plan for all core program staff positions, including the Project Director/Manager, Fiscal Director/Manager, and other key positions as determined by the applicant. For all positions for which potential staff members have already been identified, the applicant must describe their qualifications. For all positions for which potential staff members have not been identified, the applicant must describe the required qualifications that will be used for hiring purposes; and
  
  

• The applicant must describe how participants will be identified and selected for participation. Specifically, the applicant must address:

• The applicant’s ability to integrate its IVTP proposal with the United States Department of Justice’s Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA);
  
  

• Their ability to address the needs of chronically incarcerated veterans, especially those who are categorized as PCRA High or Moderate; and
  
  

• The applicant’s ability to provide services to incarcerated female or veterans with families.

• The applicant must identify the timeline, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, which includes all key activities within the implementation phase including the timeframe for beginning program services.

• The applicant must describe how participants’ evaluations will be used to identify individual service strategies and how employment retention will be tracked.

(4) Partnerships

• Required Partners: Grantees must partner with at least one penal institution and one AJC. Applications that do not propose to partner with at least one penal institution and one AJC will be screened out and will not move forward through the merit review process and considered for funding. While grantees can partner with any penal institution, DOL is particularly interested in partnerships with federal institutions through the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Prisons and US Courts.
  
  

• Additional Partners: Applicants are encouraged to form partnerships with service providers in their local communities. Additional partners may include public or nonprofit career and supportive services providers, such as philanthropic and community and faith-based organizations. These partners (which may include sub-grantees) may provide required program services such as: case management and wrap-around supportive services; pre-release planning; educational assessments; healthcare, mental healthcare, and substance abuse treatment; job readiness activities; employment connections; and post-release supervision planning.
  
  

• Please note that a copy of an agreement with the partner is not required except for a partnership with a penal institution. By submitting the grant application, applicants are certifying that the partnership information is accurate. For a partnership with a penal institution, the applicant must submit a written commitment from the institution ensuring necessary access to the institution for grantee staff.

• For all required partners and additional partners, applicants must:

• Describe how partners will be utilized to support program operations and ensure that all required services are available to all program participants;

• Identify how the program partners will work together to ensure that each of the interim and longer-term performance outcomes and outputs (as identified in the Expected Outcomes and Outputs (Appendix 3) will be met;

• Describe how roles and communication will be coordinated with and among the partners;

• Identify each partner (including parole officers) that will be used to support program operations and describe their roles and responsibilities, including the extent to which they will contribute tangible resources that support program implementation and goals;

• Describe how local employers/industry partners will be engaged to ensure that services to participants are in line with employer needs and will lead to future employment; and

• For all partnerships with penal institutions, the applicant must also include a written commitment from the penal institutions involved ensuring the necessary access to the penal institution.
  
  

• Describe whether or not the project will participate in the local Homeless Management Information System and if so, how that will occur.

c. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity

• The applicant must provide information on the applicant organization’s current mission and structure.
  
  

• The applicant must describe how the factors identified in the above bullet contribute to the ability of the organization to carry out the proposed project. Include information about any organization(s) under contract with the applicant that will have a significant role in implementing the project.
  
  

• The applicant must describe the fiscal and administrative controls in place to properly manage Federal funds.
  
  

• The applicant must describe the organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after Federal financial assistance has ended, including program partnerships and participant services. The applicant must also describe how it will utilize leveraged resources to sustain program operations.
  
  

• The applicant must describe its plan for utilizing data to determine strategies, activities, and partnerships.

d. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability: Applicants will receive points based on the two previous year’s HVRP achievement of the proposed targets for Enrollment, Placement Rate and Cost per Placement. Applicants must submit, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, a chart of past performance that identifies the three performance goals and the actual annual performance for the past two program years for their HVRP grant. In the chart, applicants must identify the expected level of performance (targets) for each goal and the actual outcomes (results) for each goal. Applicants should format the chart as below:

	PY 2014 Target	PY 2014 Result	PY 2013 Target	PY 2013 Result
Enrollment
Placement Rate
Cost Per Placement
Retention Rate

See Attachment 3 for detail of measures definition.

5. 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 as attachments. Additional materials such as resumes or general letters of support should not be included and will not be reviewed. 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.

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.

a. Required Attachments: The following attachments must be included with the application package; the failure to do so will cause the application package to be screened out

(1). Abstract: When submitting in www.grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and specifically labeled “Abstract in the file name (example: my_Attached_Abstract_File.pdf).”

Applicants must submit an abstract of not more than two pages that summarizes the proposed project, including, but not limited to, the scope of the project and proposed outcomes. The Abstract is limited to two double-spaced single-sided 8.5x11 inch pages with 12 point, Times New Roman text font and 1-inch margins. Any materials beyond the specified page limit will not be reviewed or considered in the evaluation process. Applicants must include in the abstract:

• applicant’s name;

• project title;

• A description of why the project is needed;

• a description of the geographic area to be served;

• the number of participants to be served;

• the local AJC(s) that will serve as project partners;

• the penal institution(s) that will serve as project partners and a description of what services will be offered at the penal institution if any;

• a description of the overall program model, including the scope of the project and proposed outcomes;

• a description of the additional partners; and

• the requested funding level.

(2) Timeline of Start-up (as identified in Section (III)(B)(1).

(3) Chart of Past Performance (as identified in Section (IV)(B)(4)(d).

(4) Planned Goals Chart (Appendix 7).

b. Requested Attachments: The following attachments are requested, but their omission will not cause the application to be screened out. Omission of these attachments does not impact scoring.

(1) Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form: Applicants should submit a Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). This form is in the grants.gov application package. Please note that this is a standard form used for many programs and has a check box for applying as an individual. Disregard this box on the form as individuals are not eligible to apply for this FOA.

(2) Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: If applicants are requesting indirect costs based on a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by the applicant’s Federal Cognizant Agency, then attach the most recently approved Agreement. For more information, see Section (IV)(E).

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIMES, PROCESS AND ADDRESSES

The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is September 2, 2015. Applications must be submitted either electronically on www.grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or by hand delivery (including overnight delivery).

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 www.grants.gov must also be successfully submitted (as described below) no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. We recommend that the application be submitted early to minimize the risk of late receipt. 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 ‘‘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 provide an identical electronic copy of the application on compact disc (CD). If discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD copy are identified, the application on the CD will be considered the official applicant submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hardcopy and CD format may have an impact on the overall evaluation.

If an application is physically submitted by both hard copy and through 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 www.grants.gov.

No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted. Further, any additional documents submitted separately from the application, before or after the deadline, will not be accepted as part of the application.

Mailed applications must be addressed to:

U.S. Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management

Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer

Reference FOA-VETS-15-02

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716

Washington, D.C., 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.

Electronic Applications that are submitted through www.grants.gov must be successfully submitted at www.grants.gov no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then subsequently validated by www.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 early and to allow for time to resolve technical problems if necessary. Note that validation does not mean that the application has been accepted as complete or has been accepted for review. Rather, www.grants.gov only verifies that certain parts of an application have been submitted.

We strongly recommend that before applicants prepare the application, they initiate and complete the “Get Registered” registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html 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. We strongly recommend that applicants download the “Organization Registration Checklist” at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-tools-and-tips.html 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)(2), applications must have a DUNS number and applicants must register it with SAM before submitting an application for this FOA.

The next step in the registration process is creating a username and password with www.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 www.grants.gov visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

After creating a profile on Grants.gov, the E‐Biz point of Contact (E‐Biz POC) ‐ the contact listed for SAM will receive an email to grant the AOR permission to submit applications on behalf of their organization. The E‐Biz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and approve an individual as the AOR, thereby giving him or her permission to submit applications. To learn more about AOR Authorization visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization‐ registration/step‐4‐aor‐authorization.html, or to track AOR status visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization‐registration/step‐5‐track‐ aor‐status.html

An application submitted through www.grants.gov constitutes a submission as an electronically signed application. The registration and account creation with www.grants.gov, with E‐Biz POC approval, establishes an AOR. When an application is submitted through www.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 the applicant’s organization as the AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submissions.

When a registered applicant submits an application with www.grants.gov, an electronic time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by www.grants.gov. Within two business days of application submission, www.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 www.grants.gov. The second email will indicate the application has either been successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors.

WWW.grants.gov will reject applications if the applicant’s registration in SAM is expired. Only applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and later successfully validated will be considered. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to ensure a timely submission. While it is not required that an application be successfully validated before the deadline for submission, it is prudent to reserve time before the deadline in case it is necessary to resubmit an application that has not been successfully validated. Therefore, enough time should be allotted for submission (two business days) and, if applicable, additional time to address errors and receive validation upon resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing submission). It is important to note that if enough time is not allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, the application will not be considered.

To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .docx, xls, .xlsx, .rtf or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent DOL from considering the application. We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event there are problems opening the document or attachments.

All Applications: We strongly advise applicants to use the various tools and documents, including FAQs, which are available on the “Applicant Resources” page at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant‐faqs.html.

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

If applicants encounter a problem with www.grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or email [email protected]. The Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week except on Federal holidays.

Late Applications: No late applications will be accepted. The deadline to submit an application on www.grants.gov is 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. Submissions must be successfully validated to be considered.

Any hard copy application received after the exact date and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made, it was properly addressed, and it was: (a) sent by U.S. Postal Service mail, postmarked no 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.

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

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW: For item 19 on the SF424, 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:

a. Option 1: Applicants may use a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) or Cost Allocation Plan (CAP) supplied by the Federal Cognizant Agency. If applicants do not have an NICRA/CAP or have a pending NICRA/CAP, and in either case chooses to include estimated indirect costs in the applicant’s budget, at the time of award, the Grant Officer will release funds in the amount of 10% of salaries and wages to support indirect costs. Within 90 days of award, applicants are required to submit an acceptable indirect cost proposal or CAP to the applicant’s Federal Cognizant Agency to obtain a provisional indirect cost rate. (See Section (IV)(B)(3)(i) for more information on NICRA submission requirements.).

b. Option 2: An 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% of modified total direct costs (see 2 CFR 200.68 for definition) which may be used indefinitely. If the applicant chooses 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: 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.

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 individuals 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 VETS programs. See Public Law 113-76, Division H, Title I, section 105.

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 VETS. 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. Limitation on the Use of Authorized Services (Last Resort Clause):

a. While this grant permits the use of funds to be used to help an incarcerated or recently incarcerated veteran secure housing, funds shall not be used for this purpose if funding for the same purpose if available through any other federal source. Funds may not be used for construction or renovation of a home or living facility.

b. While the grant permits the use of funds to encourage employers to hire an incarcerated or recently incarcerated veteran (e.g. wage subsidy during training, training programs, offset salary for a short period of time), funds shall not be used for this purpose if funding for the same purpose is available through any other federal source.

c. While the grant permits the use of funds for documents or a medical examination that are essential to obtain employment for participants, funds shall not be used for this purpose if funding for the same purpose is available through any other federal source.

SECTION V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA: VETS has instituted procedures for assessing the technical merit of applications to provide for an objective review of applications and to assist applicants in understanding the standards against which the application will be judged. The evaluation criteria are based on the information required in the application as described in Sections (IV)(B)(3) (Project Budget) and (IV)(B)(4) (Project Narrative). Reviewers will award points based on the evaluation criteria described below:

Criterion	Points (maximum)
1. Expected Outcomes, and Outputs (Section (IV)(B)(4)(a) Expected Outcomes and Outputs)	10
2. Project Design (Section (IV)(B)(4)(b) Project Design)	45
3. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (Section (IV)(B)(4)(c) Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity)	25
4. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability (Section (IV)(B)(4)(d) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability)	15
5. Budget and Budget Justification (Section (IV)(B)(3) Project Budget)	5
TOTAL	100

1. Expected Outcomes and Outputs (up to 10 points): The extent to which the strategies for tracking and reporting outcomes and outputs are comprehensive, realistic, clear, and consistent with the project purpose identified in Section (IV)(B)(4). Specifically, the applicant will be scored on:

a. The comprehensiveness of the system(s) to track and report outcomes for participants pre- (if applicable) and post-release;

b. If the applicant identified additional measures, the logic and feasibility of tracking those additional measures.

c. The sufficiency of the applicant’s plan for tracking and reporting on outcomes for their participants who have been released to other geographic areas.

d. The sufficiency of the plan to register program participants in the AJC.

e. Is the Planned Goals spreadsheet included and are the goals reasonable based on the applicant’s proposal – see Appendix 6.

f. The project will participate in the local Homeless Management Information System and describe how that will occur.

2. Project Design (up to 45 points):

a. Demonstrated Need and Evidence (up to 21 points): The applicant will be scored on extent to which the application reflects a coherent and feasible approach for successfully addressing:

• The strength of the justification for the proposed approach, including reference to research and evaluation findings of the same or similar approaches where they exist.. The justification must discuss what evidence exists on the effectiveness of the proposed approach, in particular, how this approach is beneficial to previously incarcerated veterans.(up to 9 points)

• There is a demonstrated need for the program by the target population in the applicant’s geographic area to be served. The demand for the program is based on: labor market information presented in the application including the expected participant population, expected severity of offenses considering the numbers, types of penal institutions within the proposed geographic area, and other relevant data on the target population. (up to 10 points)

• The degree to which the project takes into account barriers that may impact the project’s success and proposes solutions to address these, including addressing any factor that might accelerate or decelerate the proposed approach. (up to 2 points)

b. Core Program Components (up to 6 points): The strength, comprehensiveness, effectiveness of the applicant’s plan for providing the core program components:

• Employment Training. (up to 2 points)

• Supportive Services. (up to 2 points)

• AJC Hand-off (up to 2 points)

c. Implementation (up to 10 points): The strength and comprehensiveness of the following plans:

• The plan for partner providers to have access to the penal institutions and other facilities as needed;

• The schedule for proposed partner activities.

• The plan for the hiring of staff and procurement of goods and services.

• The staffing plan for all core program positions, including the strength of the qualifications of the identified staff members and/or the strength of the required qualifications for potential staff members that will reasonably lead to successful program operation.

• The plan for identifying and selecting the most at risk eligible participants (as described in (IV)(B)(4)(b)(2).

• The extent to which the timeline for the key activities in the implementation phase demonstrates a reasonable likelihood of successful program implementation.

• The plan for how evaluations will be sued to identify individual service strategies and how employment retention will be tracked.

d. Partnerships (up to 8 points)

• The strength of the plan to utilize partners to support program operations and ensure that all required services will be available to all program participants.

• The effectiveness of the partners’ contributions to the achievement of performance outcomes

• The effectiveness of the strategies to coordinate partners’ roles and communication with and among partners.

• The extent to which the partners will be active and invested and will contribute tangible resources that support program implementation and goals.

• The effectiveness of the plan to engage local employers/industry partners to ensure services will lead to future employment.

• The extent that the application demonstrates the necessary access to the penal institution.

• The strength of partnerships with the US Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons and the US Courts. Up to 3 points (out of 8) for a partnership with a Federal penal institution.

3. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (up to 25 points)

a. The application will be scored on the extent to which the organization has the capacity to carry out the proposed project, including the appropriate mission and structure to fulfill the needs and requirements of the proposed project (up to 10 points).

b. The strength of the fiscal and administrative controls to properly manage Federal funds (up to 5 points).

c. The capability of the organization to sustain project activities and successful strategies after Federal financial assistance ends, including how program partnerships will be sustained and how services to participants will be continued, as described in Section (IV)(B)(4)(b). The degree to which leveraged resources will be utilized to sustain program operations. The strength of the approach for utilizing data to determine effective strategies, activities, and partnerships (up to 10 points).

4. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability (up to 15 points): For the four goals and outcomes requested (Section (IV)(B)(4)(d) (for each program year), we will assign two points for each goal that was met or exceeded. With four goals/outcomes and two years’ worth of results considered, there are a total of eight possible goals/outcomes that will be scored as follows: Applicants that:

• met or exceeded all eight goals for both years will receive 15 points.

• met or exceeded seven of the goals for both years will receive 13 points.

• met or exceeded six of the eight goals for both years will receive 11 points.

• met or exceeded five of the eight goals for both years will receive 9 points.

• met or exceeded four of the eight goals for both years will receive 7 points.

• met or exceeded three of the eight goals for both years will receive 5 points.

• met or exceeded two of the eight goals for both years will receive 3.5 points.

• met or exceeded one of the eight goals for both years will receive 2 points.

• did not meet or exceed any of the eight goals for both years will receive 0 points.

5. Budget (up to 5 points): The extent to which the budget is reasonable based on the activities outlined in the project narrative. This includes projected cost per participant and cost per placement.

B. 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 the applications. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this FOA. Up to 100 points may be awarded to an applicant, depending on the quality of the responses provided. The final scores (which may include the mathematical normalization of review panels) will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer reserves the right to make selections based solely on the final scores or to take into consideration other relevant factors when applicable. Such factors may include the geographic distribution of funds and/or other relevant factors. The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to his/her attention such as information available from the grantee’s HVRP quarterly reports. 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 /www.grants.gov, which constitutes a binding offer by the applicant.

2. Risk Review Process: Prior to making an award, VETS 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, VETS 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 the Grant Officer 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:

a. Financial stability;

b. Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed in the Uniform Grant Guidance;

c. History of HVRP performance;

d. 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; and

e. The applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on recipients.

SECTION VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

All award notifications will be posted on the VETS Homepage (www.dol.gov/VETS). 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, the Grant Officer may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems are 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. The Grant Officer 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:

• 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)

• Profit Making Commercial Firms – Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) – 48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 2 CFR Part 200 (Administrative Requirements).

• 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.

• 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.

• 29 CFR Part 32—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.

• 29 CFR Part 35— Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.

• 29 CFR Part 36—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.

2. Other Legal Requirements:

a. Religious Activities: The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 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 and maintain that hiring practice. 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 noted 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://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2012-title2-vol1/CFR-2012-title2-vol1-part170-appA

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

• Federal awards to individuals who apply for or receive Federal awards as natural persons (i.e., unrelated to any business or non‐profit organization he or she may own or operate in his or her name);

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

• Federal awards, if the required reporting would disclose classified information.

e. 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 DOL 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. All such activity conducted by DOL and/or recipient/s will be performed in a manner consistent with applicable state and Federal laws.

f. Confidentiality: 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 the handling of confidential information:

• Applicants must ensure that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained, or otherwise associated with DOL/VETS funded grants is securely transmitted.

• To ensure that such PII is not transmitted to unauthorized users, all PII and other sensitive data transmitted via e-mail or stored on CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc., must be encrypted using a Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validated cryptographic module. Applicants must not e-mail unencrypted sensitive PII to any entity, including VETS or contractors.

• Applicants 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.

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

• Applicants further acknowledge that all PII data obtained through the DOL 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 VETS. Accessing, processing, and storing of DOL 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 Grant Officer’s Technical Representative.

• Applicants’ 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.

• Applicants 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 for civil and criminal sanctions for improper disclosure.

• Applicants must not extract information from data supplied by DOL for any purpose not stated in the grant agreement.

• Access to any PII created by the DOL grant must be restricted to only those employees of the grant recipient who need it in their official capacity to perform duties in connection with the scope of work in the grant agreement.

• All PII data must be processed in a manner that will protect the confidentiality of the records/documents and is designed to prevent unauthorized persons from retrieving such records by computer, remote terminal or any other means. Data may be downloaded to, or maintained on, mobile or portable devices only if the data are encrypted using National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validated software products based on FIPS 140-2 encryption. In addition, wage data may only be accessed from secure locations.

• PII data obtained by the recipient through a request from DOL must not be disclosed to anyone but the individual requestor except as permitted by the Grant Officer or by court order.

• Applicants must permit VETS to make onsite inspections during regular business hours for the purpose of conducting audits and/or conducting other investigations to assure that applicants are complying with the confidentiality requirements described above. In accordance with this responsibility, applicants must make records applicable to this Agreement available to authorized persons for the purpose of inspection, review, and/or audit.

• Applicants must retain data received from VETS 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, applicants agree that all data will be destroyed, including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and deletion of electronic data.

g. Record Retention: Applicants must follow Federal guidelines on record retention, which require applicants 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.

h. 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, Indian tribe, institution of higher education (IHE), nonprofit organization, for‐profit entity, foreign public entity, or a foreign organization that carries out a Federal award as a recipient or subrecipient) purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a Federal award. The term as used in this FOA does not include a legal instrument, even if the non‐Federal entity considers it a contract, when the substance of the transaction meets the definition of a Federal award or subaward (see definition of Subaward below).

• Contractor: Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined above in Contract.

• Subaward: Subaward means an award provided by a pass‐through entity (defined as a non‐Federal entity that provides a subaward to a subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal program) to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the pass‐through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that the pass‐through entity considers a contract.

• Subrecipient: Subrecipient means a non‐Federal entity that receives a subaward from a pass‐through entity to carry out part of a Federal program; but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other Federal awards directly from a Federal awarding agency. Applicants 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, applicants are required to comply with provisions on governmentwide suspension and debarment found at 2 CFR Part 180 and codified by DOL at 29 CFR Part 98.

i. Closeout of Grant Award: Any entity that receives an award under this Announcement must close its grant with VETS at the end of the final year of the grant. Information about this process may be found in the General Grant Conditions.

C. OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE STANDARDS AND PROVISIONS: Except as specifically provided in this FOA, DOL’s 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.

D. SPECIAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

1. DOL Evaluation: DOL will initiate an independent evaluation of the services and models developed with these grants, which will include an evaluation of the outcomes and benefits of these grants. By accepting grant funds, grantees agree to participate in the evaluation, should they be selected, including making records on participants, employers, and funding available and providing access to program operating personnel and participants, as specified by the evaluator(s) under the direction of DOL, including after the period of operation.

2. Performance Goals: Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes agreed to and failure to meet those outcomes may result in technical assistance or other intervention by DOL and may impact future grants with DOL.

3. Cooperation with Other Organizations: Grantees will be expected to participate in an IVTP Learning Community with the National Veterans Technical Assistance Center (NVTAC). Upon request, successful grantees will cooperate with the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the HVRP National Technical Assistance Center concerning requests for grantee information on performance activities, monitoring activities, and requests for specific data as approved by the DOL.

4. Clearance/Access to a United States Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Institution: Each and every grantee representative will only be allowed access to a BOP institution after he/she has received appropriate, written BOP approval as well as clearance(s) through all applicable, BOP institution-required background check(s). Such access for each/every grantee representative will only be allowable during regular BOP institution business hours, upon reasonable prior notice to the applicable BOP institution, and after receiving clearance from the BOP institution. At any time, BOP reserves the right to reject/revoke access to any/all grantee representative, in the interest of maintaining safety and security of the BOP institution.   

VII. AGENCY CONTACT

For further information about this FOA, please contact Erika Beasley, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, at (202) 693‐3906.  Applicants should e‐mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference FOA‐VETS‐15‐02 and along with question(s), include a contact name, fax and phone number. This Announcement is being made available on the VETS web site at www.dol.gov/vets and at www.grants.gov.

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. TRANSPARENCY

DOL is committed to conducting a transparent grant award process and publicizing information about program outcomes. Posting grant applications on public websites is a means of promoting and sharing innovative ideas. For all applications in this grant competition, DOL will publish the Abstracts required by Section (IV)(B)(5)(a), 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 (V)(A)(2) 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 the applicant’s organization and disclosing this information is likely to cause an applicant substantial competitive harm.

PII is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information.¹

Abstracts will be published in the form originally submitted, without any redactions. 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 who’s Project Narratives will be posted may submit a second redacted version of their Project Narrative, with any proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, and PII redacted.

The Department will contact the applicants whose Project Narratives will be published by letter or email, and provide further directions about how and when to submit the redacted version of the Project Narrative.

Submission of a redacted version of the Project Narrative will constitute permission by the applicant for DOL to make the redacted version publicly available. We will also assume that by submitting the redacted version of the Project Narrative, the applicant has obtained the agreement to the applicant’s decision about what material to redact of all persons and entities whose proprietary, confidential business information, or PII is contained in the Project Narrative. If an applicant fails to provide a redacted version of the Project Narrative within 45 days of DOL’s request, DOL will publish the original Project Narrative in full, after redacting only PII. Note that the original, unredacted version of the Project Narrative will remain part of the complete application package, including an applicant’s proprietary and confidential business information and any PII.

Applicants are encouraged to maximize the grant application information that will be publicly disclosed, and to exercise restraint and redact only information that clearly is proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, or PII. The redaction of entire pages or sections of the Project Narrative is not appropriate, and will not be allowed, unless the entire portion merits such protection. Should a dispute arise about whether redactions are appropriate, DOL will follow the procedures outlined in the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations (29 CFR Part 70).

Redacted information in grant applications will be protected by DOL from public disclosure in accordance with Federal law, including the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1905), FOIA, and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). If DOL receives a FOIA request for the applicant’s 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.”

B. PUBLIC REFERENCES TO THE GRANT: When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, FOAs, and other documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with federal money, all grantees receiving federal funds must clearly state the percentage of the total costs of the program or project financed with federal money; the total dollar amount of federal financial assistance for the project or program; and the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.

C. 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; including a customized site for ex-offenders (www.careeronestop.org/ExOffender/index.aspx); the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Online (http://online.onetcenter.org) which provides occupational competency profiles; My Next Move for Veterans, an O*NET site that provides a customized search by Military Occupation Code for veterans and links to information on civilian requirements, credentials, and job openings; and America's Service Locator (http://www.servicelocator.org), which provides a directory of our nation's AJC and can help with identifying local AJC partners.

Additional information on AJCs can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/ in particular, Section 117(f)(2), “Core Services; Intensive Services; Designation or Certification as One‐Stop Operators,” Section 121, “Establishment of One‐Stop Delivery Systems,” and Section 134(c), “Establishment of One‐Stop Delivery,” provide information on the AJC system and the required core and intensive services.

Information in apprenticeships can be found at http://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/.

Information on veteran programs can be found at http://www.dol.gov/vets ‘

D. INDUSTRY COMPETENCY MODELS AND CAREER CLUSTERS

DOL supports an Industry Competency Model Initiative to promote an understanding of the skill sets and competencies that are essential to an educated and skilled workforce. A competency model is a collection of competencies that, taken together, define successful performance in a particular work setting. Competency models serve as a starting point for the design and implementation of workforce and talent development programs. To learn about the industry‐validated models visit the Competency Model Clearinghouse (CMC) at http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel. The CMC site also provides tools to build or customize industry models, as well as tools to build career ladders and career lattices for specific regional economies.

Career Clusters and Industry Competency Models both identify foundational and technical competencies, but their efforts are not duplicative. The Career Clusters link to specific career pathways in 16 career cluster areas and place greater emphasis on elements needed for curriculum performance objectives; measurement criteria; scope and sequence of courses in a program of study; and development of assessments. Information about the 16 career cluster areas can be found by accessing: www.careerclusters.org.

E. WORKFORCEONE RESOURCES

We encourage 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

We created Workforce System Strategies to make it easier for the public workforce system and its partners to identify effective strategies and support improved customer outcomes. The collection highlights strategies informed by a wide range of evidence such as experimental studies and implementation evaluations, as well as supporting resources such as toolkits. We encourage applicants to review these resources by visiting http://strategies.workforce3one.org/.

F. REENTRY RESOURCES

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, in collaboration with the Center for Employment Opportunities, the Departments of Labor and Justice, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation recently released a white paper on integrating reentry and employment strategies using a resource allocation and service‐matching tool. The white paper introduces the Resource Allocation and Service‐Matching Tool, which is based on two key dimensions—an individual’s risk of reoffending (criminogenic risk) and job readiness.

There are four groupings that result from assessing individuals under correctional control along these dimensions. Each group can be assigned a combination of employment program components and service delivery strategies that are tailored to individuals’ risk for criminal activity and complemented by corrections interventions. Additional information is available at: http://csgjusticecenter.org/reentry/the-reentry-and-employment-project/developing-an-integrated-reentry-and-employment-strategy/

National Institutes of Corrections (NIC) maintains a number of web‐based resources that may be of assistance to applicants regarding women and reentry. Information may be accessed at http://nicic.gov/?q=women+reentry.

G. USE OF DOL LOGO: The Grant Officer must approve any use of the DOL logo prior to its use. The DOL logo may be applied to DOL funded material prepared for distribution including: posters, videos, pamphlets, research documents, national survey results, impact evaluations, best practice reports, and other publications of global interest. The grantee(s) must consult with DOL on whether the logo may be used on any such items prior to final draft or final preparation for distribution. In no event will the DOL logo be placed on any item until DOL has given the grantee permission to use the logo on the item.

IX. REPORTING

A. GENERAL: Applicants must agree to meet DOL reporting requirements. Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS data must be submitted by the applicant electronically to include reports and documents listed below:

1. Quarterly Financial Reports: A Federal Financial Report (Standard Form 425) is required until such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has expired. Quarterly reports are due 30 days after the end of each program year quarter. On the final Financial Status Report, applicants must include any subaward amounts so we can calculate final indirect costs, if applicable. Applicants must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System; information and instructions will be provided to grantees.

2. Quarterly Performance Reports: Applicants must submit a quarterly progress report within 30 days after the end of each program year quarter. The report must include quarterly information on grant activities, performance goals, and milestones. The last quarterly progress report will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report. This report must provide both quarterly and cumulative information on the grant activities. It must summarize project activities, employment outcomes and other deliverables, and related results of the project, and must thoroughly document the training or labor market information approaches that the applicant used. DOL will provide the applicant 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.

B. USE OF VOPAR: Applicants must enter data electronically and attach the Quarterly Technical Performance Report (TPR), success stories, and other job related information into VETS Operations and Program Activity Report (VOPAR) system. Applicants are required to use and submit their Federal Financial Report (FFR) in the E-Grants System (E-Grants). See the Special Provisions and Veterans Program Letter (VPL) #09-14 (Appendix 5) for detailed requirements regarding quarterly reporting.

C. LOCAL HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS): Although grantees are not required to participate in HMIS, participation may be necessary to access Continuum of Care homeless assistance services such as permanent or transitional housing.

D. ADDITIONAL REPORTING: See Appendix 3.

X . PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Performance measures are specified in Appendix 3.

XI. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

A. OMB Information Collection No 1225‐0086, Expires January 31, 2016.

B. 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.

C. 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.

D. 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 August 3, 2015, in Washington, D.C. by:

Donna Kelly

Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration

APPENDIX 1

FEDERAL PRISON (INCLUDING RESIDENTIAL REENTRY CENTER) LOCATION LISTING FOR POSSIBLE APPLICANT OPERATIONS

Institutions listed within approximate mile 50 radius of designated city. Institutions marked with “*” had the highest concentration of veterans at the time this solicitation was prepared.

FCC: Federal Correctional Complex

FCI: Federal Correctional Institution

FDC: Federal Detention Center

MDC: Metropolitan Detention Center

RRC: Residential Reentry Center

Birmingham, Alabama

• FCI Talladega

• RRC- Keeton Corrections, 1609 7thSt., Birmingham, AL

Bridgeport, Connecticut

• FCI Danbury

• RRC- Community Solutions, Inc, 136 Collins St., Hartford, CT

Colorado Springs, Colorado

• FCC Florence*

• FCI Englewood*

• RRC- COMCOR, Inc., 3615 Roberts Rd., Colorado Springs, CO

• RRC- Independence House, 2765 South Federal Blvd., Denver, CO

Frederick, Maryland

• No BOP institution in vicinity

• RRC- Volunteers of America, 4601 Monument St., Baltimore, MD

Houston, Texas

• FDC Houston

• RRC- Cornell Companies, Inc., 1700 West Loop S, STE 1500, Houston, TX

Lansing, Michigan

• No BOP institution in vicinity

• RRC- Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program, 203 Brigden Drive, Battle Creek, MI

Las Vegas, Nevada

• No BOP institution in vicinity

• RRC- Cornell Companies, Inc., 2901 Industrial Blvd., Las Vegas, NV

Leeds, Massachusetts

• No BOP institution in vicinity

• No RRC in vicinity

Los Angeles, California

• MDC Los Angeles

• FCI Terminal Island*

• RRC- The GEO Group, 9411 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA

• RRC- Behavioral Systems Southwest, 5520 Harold Way, Los Angeles, CA

• RRC- The GEO Group, 11750 Ramona Blvd., El Monte, CA

• RRC- Working Alternatives, Inc., 11112 Barclay Drive, Garden Grove, CA

• RRC- Behavioral Systems Southwest, 8141 Orion Ave., Van Nuys, CA

• RRC- Behavioral Systems Southwest, 3263 Rubidoux Blvd, Rubidoux, CA

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• No BOP institution in vicinity

• RRC- Wisconsin Community Services, 1645 N. 25^th St., Milwaukee, WI

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• FDC Philadelphia

• FCI Fairton*

• FCI Fort Dix*

• RRC- Liberty Management Services, 1007 W. Lehigh Ave., Philadelphia, PA

• RRC- Kintock Group, 301 East Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA

Phoenix, Arizona

• FCI Phoenix*

• RRC- Behavioral Systems Southwest, Inc., 2846 East Roosevelt Road, Phoenix, AZ

San Francisco, California

• FCI Dublin

• RRC- Cornell Companies, Inc., 111 Taylor St.., San Francisco, CA

• RRC- Cornell Companies, Inc., 205 Mac Arthur Blvd., Oakland, CA

Spokane, Washington

• No BOP institution in vicinity

• RRC- Pioneer Human Services, 3614 E. Ferry Ave., Spokane, WA RRC- Port of Hope, 218 North 23^rd St., Coeur D’Alene, ID

APPENDIX 2 – DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS

DOL: Department of Labor is the US Federal department responsible for fostering, promoting, and developing the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improving working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assuring work-related benefits and rights.

Homeless: The definition of homeless for the purposes of this grant is the definition of homeless in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 11302(a), as amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-22):

HVRP: Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. The purpose of the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) is to provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans. The program is authorized under 38 USC 2021.

Incarcerated veteran: For the purpose of this grant, the term means a veteran who is currently incarcerated in a penal institution or one who was incarcerated in the previous 12 months for at least six months and who is homeless or at risk of being homeless.

Interim Measures: Measures of performance as outlined in Appendix 3 that are taken throughout the term of the grant and follow-up period and prior to recording the final measure.

Job Driven Training: training that is provided based on the jobs in demand in the local market place using available labor market information. Services include:

• Training that is targeted to specific industries, occupations, and skills in demand;

• Training strategies that are focused on providing skills development for jobs currently available; and

• Work-based learning opportunities such as registered apprenticeships, paid internships, on-the-job training, cooperative learning, work experience, and customized training.

PCRA: Post Conviction Risk Assessment. This is a US Department of Justice tool that is used to categorize inmates based on their conviction. There are four levels of ratings: Low, Low-Moderate, Moderate and High.

Penal Institution: Includes federal, state, county and city facilities such as prisons, correctional centers, detention centers, reentry centers, penitentiaries and jails unless specified otherwise.

Veteran: Means a person who served in the active military, naval or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable [38 U.S.C. 101(2)]. Active service includes full-time duty in the National Guard or a Reserve component, other than full-time duty for training purposes. Veterans who received a “dishonorable” discharge are ineligible for IVTP services.

VETS: Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. The agency within the Department of Labor responsible for the preparing veterans and transitioning service members for meaningful careers, providing employment resources and expertise, and protecting their employment rights. VETS sponsors both the HVRP and IVTP grant programs.

Wage Subsidy: A temporary monetary incentive meant to subsidize the veteran’s wages which encourages employers to hire veterans.

APPENDIX 3 – PERFORMANCE MEASURES

1. Grantees are required to report data items as outlined in Veterans Policy Letter 09-14 included as part of this FOA in Appendix 5.

2. For purpose of assessing performance of grantees selected under this grant, VETS will focus on the following critical performance measures: enrollments, placement rate, cost per placement, Entered Employment Rate (EER), and Retention Rate at three quarters following placement. However, VETS will require the grantee to fully comply with all planned performance goals by meeting at the thresholds outlined in VPL09-14 Change 1 regarding planned, cumulative and quarterly goals.

a. Enrollment: Synonymous with the term “participant.” A veteran who is eligible for services at intake and who is receiving or scheduled to receive core training. An enrollment count is an unduplicated count over the grant period – each participant is counted only once regardless of the number of times services are provided. Applicants must project quarterly enrollments for the performance period.

b. Placements Rate: A method used to determine the percentage of participants who become employed. The figure is calculated by dividing the number of total participants who were registered for services or enrolled in the program by the number of applicants or program participants who were placed into or otherwise entered employment. The national target for placement rate is 65%.Subsidized placements are not counted unless employment continues beyond the subsidy period. Applicants must project the number of veterans placed by quarter for the performance period.

c. Cost per placement: The national target is no more than $5,000 per placement.

Note: We may consider a higher cost per placement if the applicant can justify that the higher cost per placement is needed to implement a job-driven employment and training strategy that will result in better employment outcomes. Applicants should consider these historic and strategic targets when proposing the goals submitted within their application.

d. Entered Employment Rate (EER): A Common Measure term determined by dividing the number of participants who obtained and retained employment one quarter after their initial placement or when they “exited” the program by the total number of participants who have exited the program. In order to determine the entered employment rate, the program must track the employment status of their enrollees after they leave the program. The national target for entered employment rate is 53%.

e. Retention Rate: A Common Measure term determined by dividing the number of participants who entered employment (or those exiters who earned wages in the quarter after their placement) by those exiters who also earned wages in all three quarters after their placement. Grantees will not have a reported retention rate in the first, second, or third quarters because it requires three quarters after placement to determine employment retention. The national target for employment retention rate is 60%.  

f. For each participant, the PCRA rating.

g. Placed into Transitional or Permanent Housing: A placement into transitional or permanent housing is recorded when an enrolled veteran upgrades his/her housing situation during the reporting period from shelter/streets to transitional housing or permanent housing or from transitional housing to permanent housing. Placements resulting from referrals by staff shall be counted. This item is an unduplicated count over the year; a participant may be counted once upon entering transitional housing and again upon obtaining permanent housing.

3. VETS will also require grantees to report additional participant data and performance information, as explained in the Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) for Competitive Grantees (Appendix 6).

4. Failure to meet performance measures may result in technical assistance or other intervention by VETS and may impact on future VETS-sponsored grants.

APPENDIX 4 - FOOTNOTE

¹ 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.

APPENDIX 5 – VPL 09-14

APPENDIX 6 – TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE

APPENDIX 7 – PLANNED GOALS CHART

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