Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program

VETS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

Notice of Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcement for: Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP), Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP) and the Homeless Female Veterans’ and Homeless Veterans’ with Families Program (HFVVWF) (referred together throughout this funding opportunity announcement as HVRP)

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FOA-VETS-17-01

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.805

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

[30 days from the date of publication in Grants.gov]. We must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Addresses: Address mailed applications to:

The U.S. Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management Attention: Mr. Thomas Martin, Grant Officer

Reference FOA-VETS-17-01

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716

Washington, DC 20210

For submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is responsible for the grant award process of the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service grant program.

Executive Summary:

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), announces the availability of approximately $12 million in grant funds authorized under Title 38 of United States Code (U.S.C.), Sections 2021 and 2023. You may apply for a 12-month grant. The grant period of performance is July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. We anticipate awarding approximately $12 million in different communities throughout the country. The maximum limit for an individual award is $500,000. Please note that an applicant operating an HVRP grant during July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017, must plan in its application to provide follow-up services for former program participants using funds made available under this solicitation. Follow-up services are described in more detail in Section II.C and Section IV.B.3.d.

Consistent with the Opening Doors national campaign directed by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), the purpose of these funds is to conduct programs to provide job training, counseling, placement, and related services to expedite the reintegration of homeless and incarcerated veterans (eligible veterans¹) into the labor force. As the applicant, you are encouraged to design programs that address the employment challenges faced by eligible veterans in consultation with industry, employers and employer associations to identify the skills needed for in-demand jobs and careers.

Each application selected for funding will demonstrate the following:

• A clear need for the program using current statistical evidence, including the numbers and characteristics of the eligible veterans who are homeless in your proposed service area;

• Ability to develop and execute strategies with attainable goals for job-driven training based on Labor Market Information and evidence-based practices;

• Ability to collaborate and coordinate with organizations to ensure that local, state, and federal resources are used effectively and efficiently to expedite the reintegration of eligible veterans into the labor force;

• Ability to deliver or connect participants to effective job training, counseling, and other wraparound services, such as the provision of housing and needed health services as means for expediting the reintegration of eligible veterans into the labor force;

• Ability to provide services tailored to the needs of female homeless veterans and homeless veterans with families;

• Ability to provide services tailored to the needs of incarcerated or recently incarcerated veterans who are at risk of homelessness.

1. Funding Opportunity Description

   1. Program Purpose

This Announcement solicits applications for HVRP. The purpose of this program 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.

In its 2016 annual point in time count of homeless persons in the nation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates there are 39,471 veterans experiencing homelessness. It is worthwhile to note the 2016 estimate of homeless veterans reflects a continued decrease in homeless veterans since the inception of the Opening Doors campaign in 2010. The 2010 annual point in time count found 76,329 veterans experiencing homelessness. The 2016 estimate of 39,471 represents a decrease of 48% in the veteran homeless population since 2009.

While the percentage of homeless veterans has gone down, those veterans who are currently homeless are more likely to be elderly and more likely than not to have multiple barriers to employment—for example, mental illness and chronic and acute health problems. When a homeless veteran has multiple health-related challenges, they face a heightened risk of dying on the street. Many unsheltered homeless veterans have been the victims of violent crimes since becoming homeless.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General states in its “Homeless Incidence and Risk Factors for Becoming Homeless in Veterans” report from 2012 that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 8% female as reported by HUD. The majority of the homeless veterans are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or a substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. Roughly 42% of all homeless veterans are non-whites. Homeless veterans are younger on average than the total veteran population. Approximately half (50%) of the homeless veterans are between the ages of 18 and 50. Conversely, only 28% of all veterans are between the ages of 18 and 50.

In order to meet the needs of those veterans experiencing homelessness, grant recipients are expected to provide an array of client-focused services utilizing a case management approach that directly assists homeless veterans as well as provide critical linkages for a variety of support services available in their local communities. The program is employment focused and veterans are to receive the employment and training services they need in order to re-enter the labor force. Job placement, training, job development, career counseling, and resume preparation are among the services that should be provided. Support services such as clothing, provision of or referral to temporary, transitional, and permanent housing, referral to medical and substance abuse treatment, and transportation assistance are also expected to be provided to meet the needs of this target group.

For the grants awarded under this solicitation, we established the following national goals: 69% overall placement rate; an overall average hourly wage at placement of $12.50; and a 60% placement rate for chronically homeless veterans. We recognize there are differences in labor markets when comparing urban to non-urban areas; these differences are described in more detail in section IV.B.3.b.

2. Program Authority

38 U.S.C. §§ 2021 and 2023.

2. AWARD INFORMATION

   1. Award Type and Amount

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. We expect availability of approximately $12 million. You may apply for a maximum amount of up to $500,000. Awards made under this Announcement are subject to the availability of Federal funds. In the event that additional funds become available, we reserve the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this Announcement. We also reserve the right to proportionally reduce or increase the size of a requested award for an applicant selected for funding under this solicitation to ensure adequate geographic coverage.

2. Period of Performance

The period of performance will be for the 12-month period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, unless modified by the Grant Officer. We expect that successful applicants will begin program operations on July 1, 2017. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.

3. Continuation of Funding

Should Congress appropriate additional funds for this purpose, we may consider up to two additional option years and a third additional year to provide follow-up services only. Follow-up services are described in greater detail at the end of this subsection and in Section IV.B.3.d. We do not guarantee the continuation of funding for any grantee. In reviewing whether to award funding for option years and follow-up services, the Department will review the availability of funds and whether the grantee has been meeting performance expectations in the aggregate or overall as defined in Section IV.B.3.b., as well as any other factors the Department determines necessary in making the decision of whether to award additional funds. If you receive option year funding, you will be required to provide follow-up services for previous HVRP grant awards.

Follow-up services are the activities necessary to report on former participants, including the administrative activities related to contacting or attempting to contact former participants and their employers, if applicable, for the purpose of securing documentation for the case file in order to report post-program or post-exit employment and earnings performance outcomes. The conduct of follow-up services for each participant begins the first quarter after the quarter of exit and ends the fourth quarter after the quarter of exit.

VETS homeless veterans program plans to incorporate the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) performance accountability indicators as critical performance indicators for HVRP recipients, to the maximum extent possible. WIOA was signed into law on July 22, 2014. It is designed to help job seekers access the employment, education, training, and support services necessary for success in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. This FOA begins the integration of the WIOA performance accountability indicators as information-only indicators, (see section IV.B.3b). However, VETS reserves the right to alter the list of critical performance indicators, which determine the overall success or failure of a grant, so that they include WIOA performance accountability indicators. VETS also reserves the right to make this alteration during the life of the grants awarded under this FOA. If this change occurs, all grantees will be notified and required to implement the change. VETS will develop appropriate policy and training and release it to all applicable grantees.

3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

   1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• State Government

• County Government

• City or Township Government

• Special District Government

• Regional Organization

• U.S. Territory or Possession

• Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education

• Private Institution of Higher Education

• Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)

• Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally

Recognized)

• Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization

• Public and Indian Housing

• Nonprofit Organization with IRS 501(c)(3) Status

• For profit/commercial entities

• State and Local Workforce Development Boards (SWDBs/LWDBs) established under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

• Other State and Local Government Agencies

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

This program does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Including such funds is not one of the application screening criteria and applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process. Instead, the agency considers any resources contributed to the project beyond the funds provided by the agency as leveraged resources. Section IV.B.2 provides more information on leveraged resources.

3. Other Information

   1. Application Screening Criteria

You should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package to ensure that the application has met all of the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for applicants and should not be included in the application package. We urge you to use this checklist to ensure that your application contains all required items. If your application does not meet all of the screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process.

Application Requirement	Instructions	Complete?
The deadline submission requirements are met	Section IV.C
If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.)	Section IV.C.
Application Federal funds request does not exceed $500,000	Section II.A
SAM Registration	Section IV.B.1
SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance	Section IV.B.1
SF-424 includes a DUNS Number	Section IV.B.1
SF-424A, Budget Information Form	Section IV.B.2
Budget Narrative	Section IV.B.2
Project Narrative	Section IV.B.2
Abstract included as an attachment	Section IV.B.4
Intent to Work Collaboratively Statement included as an attachment	Section IV.B.4
Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart included as an attachment	Section IV.B.4

2. Priorities and Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

The Department is establishing three priorities for this FOA. Every application will be assigned one of these priorities. The first priority (HVRP Priority) is for all applications that meet the requirements of this FOA but don’t fall under priorities 2 or 3. The second priority (HFVVWF Priority) is for applicants proposing to use 100% of their funding to serve homeless female veterans and veterans with families. The third priority (IVTP Priority) is for applicants proposing to use 100% of their funding to serve incarcerated veterans. The Department plans to make at least three awards each under the HFVVWF Priority and the IVTP Priority. Applicants falling under either of these two priorities will only be considered for an award if their application otherwise meets the FOA’s requirements and is minimally competitive. More than three awards may be made to applicants satisfying the criteria for the HFVVWF Priority or the IVTP Priority if more than three applications for that priority are competitive when compared with the HVRP Priority applications.

If you do not explicitly identify in the abstract that you intend for an application to be reviewed under the HFVVWF or IVTP priorities, then the application will be reviewed under the HVRP Priority.

Applicant organizations may submit multiple applications to serve the same geographic service area, provided that each application is for a different priority. We will not review grant applications with essentially the same geographic service area from the same applicant organization for the same priority. If we receive multiple applications from the same organization for the same geographic service area and priority, we will only consider the most recently received application that met the deadline. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, we will not replace it with an earlier application.

3. Eligible Participants

The intent of this FOA is to fund projects that provide training, employment and related support services to eligible veterans. An “eligible veteran” is a veteran eligible for grant services under sections 2021 and 2023 of Title 38 of the United States Code. Under 38 U.S.C. 2021, this program can serve homeless veterans. Under 38 U.S.C. 2023, this program can serve incarcerated veterans. In the unlikely event that statutory eligibility requirements change, we will work with awardees to modify their projects to accommodate the new requirements.

A Homeless Veteran:

1. A person who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;

2. A person living in a supervised public or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living arrangements;

3. A person who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided;

4. A person with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;

5. An individual who will imminently lose his or her housing, has no subsequent residence identified, and who lacks the resources or support network needed to obtain other permanent housing;

6. Unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other federal statutes who have experienced a long period without permanent housing; have experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period; and can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment; or

7. An individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in the individual’s or family’s current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized, and who have no other residence and lack the resources or support network to obtain other permanent housing.

An Incarcerated Veteran: Veterans who have been convicted as an adult and imprisoned under municipal, county, tribal, federal, or state law and fall into one of the following categories:

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

• 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;

• 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; or

• Category 4 – The veteran is a resident of an institution that provides long-term care for mental illness and is scheduled for release with no known housing destination and needs employment assistance.

4. Application and Submission Information

   1. How to Obtain an Application Package

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov and https://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/hvrp/, contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Applications submitted in response to this FOA must consist of four separate and distinct parts:

• The SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance;”

• Project Budget;

• Project Narrative; and

• Attachments to the Project Narrative.

You must ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.

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

• You must complete the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424_2_1-V2.1.pdf .

• In the address field, fill out the nine-digit (plus hyphen) zip code. Nine-digit zip codes can be looked up on the USPS website at https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action .

• The SF-424 must clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant is considered the Authorized Representative of the applicant. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, the signature of the Authorized Representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization is in compliance with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424B-V1.1.pdf ). You do not need to submit the SF-424B with the application.

Requirement for DUNS Number: All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities must have a DUNS number, and must supply their DUNS Number on the SF-424. The DUNS Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a DUNS Number, you can get one for free through the D&B website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.

Grant recipients authorized to make subawards must meet these requirements related to DUNS Numbers:

• Grant recipients must notify potential subawardees that no entity may receive a subaward from you unless the entity has provided its DUNS number to you.

• Grant recipients may not make a subaward to an entity unless the entity has provided its DUNS number to you.

Requirement for Registration with SAM: Applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application. Find instructions for registering with SAM at https://www.sam.gov.

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 has not fully complied with these requirements by the time the Grant Officer is ready to make a Federal award, the Grant Officer may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

2. Project Budget

You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at: http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424A-V1.0.pdf). In preparing the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.

Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It should also include a description of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.

Use the following guidance for preparing the budget narrative:

Personnel: List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed). Give the annual salary of each position, the percentage of each position’s time devoted to the project, the amount of each position’s salary funded by the grant, and the total personnel cost for the period of performance.

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

Travel: Specify the purpose, mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other costs for each type of travel. You should include funds to provide for an annual post-award conference, allowing for two staff to travel to and from an estimated national location, with four–nights lodging, and allowable expenses. Travel expenditures may not exceed 10% of the total HVRP funds requested in the application.

Equipment: Identify each item of equipment you expect to purchase which has an estimated acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (or if your capitalization level is less than $5,000, use your capitalization level) and a useful lifetime of more than one year (see 2 CFR 200.33 for the definition of Equipment). List the quantity and unit cost per item. Items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are supplies, not “equipment”. In general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year of the grant.

Supplies: Identify categories of supplies (e.g. office supplies, to include laptops and cell phones) in the detailed budget and list the quantity and unit cost per item. Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.94 for the definition of Supplies).

Contractual: Identify each proposed contract and specify its purpose and estimated cost. If applicable, identify any subrecipient agreements, including purpose and estimated costs. See Section VI.B.2.f. for more information on the distinction between contractor and subrecipient.

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

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

Indirect Costs: If you include indirect costs in the budget, then include either

a) the approved indirect cost rate with a copy of the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), a description of the base used to calculate indirect costs along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested,

or

b) if you meet the requirements to use the 10% de minimis rate as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f), then include a description of the modified total direct costs base (see 2 CFR 200.68 for definition) used in the calculation along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested based on the 10% de minimis rate. See Section IV.B.4. and Section IV.E.1. for more information. Additionally, the following link contains information regarding the negotiation of Indirect Cost Rates at DOL: http://www.dol.gov/oasam/boc/dcd/index.htm.

Note that the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative must include the entire Federal grant amount requested. Applicants must also show cost sharing or match on the SF-424 (line 18b), SF-424A, and budget narrative.

Do not show leveraged resources on the SF-424 and SF-424A. You should describe leveraged resources in the budget narrative.

Applicants should list the same requested Federal grant amount on the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative. If minor inconsistencies are found between the budget amounts specified on the SF-424, SF-424A, and the budget narrative, ETA will consider the SF-424 the official funding amount requested. However, if the amount specified on the SF-424 would render the application nonresponsive, the Grant Officer will use his or her discretion to determine whether the intended funding request (and match if applicable) is within the responsive range.

3. Project Narrative

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

The Project Narrative is limited to 15 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with Times New Roman 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. You must number the Project Narrative beginning with page number 1.

We will not read or consider any materials beyond the specified page limit in the application review process.

The following instructions provide all of the information needed to complete the Project Narrative. Carefully read and consider each section, and include all required information in your Project Narrative. The agency will evaluate the Project Narrative using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V.A. You must use the same section headers identified below for each section of the Project Narrative:

1. Statement of Need

Describe in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the need for assistance, including the nature and scope of the problem, and the consequences of not addressing the need. You must identify the specific geographical area you propose to serve, including the Congressional district(s) and/or Native American tribal area(s) contained within the proposed geographic service area. Your description of the geographic area must also state if the area is urban or non-urban. The distinction between urban and non-urban areas will be used in determining starting points for you to use in deriving planned performance goals for your project.

For this application, urban areas are the 75 largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) in population in 2014 as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau. Please see Appendix E, List of 75 Largest in Population Urban Areas, 2014 Census Estimates. Areas not listed in Appendix E are considered non-urban. For applicants proposing to serve both urban and non-urban areas, please identify your service area as urban if over half the population you propose to serve is in an urban area.

The statement of need presents current facts and evidence to support the need for the proposed project, including an analysis to determine the nature and extent of the problem or need, and the reasons and causes. Your statement of need must include:

• A description of the geographic area to be served by the project, including the number of eligible veterans in need, demographic information describing the employment and training needs of the eligible veterans targeted for participation and identification of the proposed service area as urban or non-urban;

• Supportive evidence to describe clearly the nature and extent of the employment-related need or problem facing eligible veterans to be served;

• A description of the labor market conditions in the geographic area, including the types of jobs and careers appropriate for eligible veterans;

• A description of the factors contributing to the problem or the circumstances creating the need; and

• A discussion of the current gaps in services or programs to meet the needs of eligible veterans in order to obtain and retain meaningful employment.

2. Expected Outcomes and Outputs

We require grants to have measurable outcomes of the grant’s effect in order to maximize the impact of grant dollars. Each awarded grantee will be required to report on progress toward its planned outcomes on a quarterly basis each year and at the end of the grant.

You will provide numeric goals for the following critical performance indicators and include these performance targets in the Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart (see Appendix C) as part of your application: the number of enrollments, the overall placement rate, the overall average hourly wage at placement and the placement rate for the chronically homeless.

We recognize there are differences in labor markets when comparing urban to non-urban areas, where enrollments, placement rates and average hourly wages are typically higher in urban areas. A lower capacity for homeless service provider infrastructure in non-urban areas is one of the largest differences between homelessness in non-urban versus urban areas. In order to account for these differences when proposing targets, we ask you to consider the adjusted PY 2015 values in Table 1 as starting points when setting targets for your project. These values may be further adjusted to account for the ease or difficulty in serving a particular group based on their characteristics and other mitigating factors and should be justified in the project narrative.

Table 1

Cost Per Enrollment, Placement Rates and Hourly Wage Data to Consider in Setting Targets

	Urban Area	Non-Urban Area
Cost Per Enrollment1	$2,3672	$2,726
Overall Placement Rate	70%	66%
Hourly Wage Overall3	$12.68	$11.34
Placement Rate for the Chronically Homeless	61%	57%

1. Used to determine the total enrollments for your project. The cost per enrollment values were adjusted upward to reflect a 18% increase over PY 2015 median values to account for the effects of inflation and the anticipated increased intensity of services to participants due to the anticipated increase in serving participants who are facing multiple barriers to employment.

2. For example, if an urban area applicant proposed to spend $500,000 in its application, then the calculated enrollment result is 211 (500,000/2,367=211).

3. The PY 2015 median hourly wage rate values were adjusted to account for the effects of inflation.

The number of enrollments, the overall placement rate, the average hourly wage at placement overall and the placement rate for the chronically homeless are considered critical performance indicators for which national goals have been set (see Section I.A.). The determination of overall success or failure of a grant-funded project is limited to actual performance on the critical indicators. The remaining advisory indicators are considered non-critical. Please refer to the Appendix G for definitions of the performance indicators.

Performance on each indicator will be defined as a range, bounded by an upper value representing the performance goal and a lower value representing 85% of the performance goal. Performance below 85% of the goal on an indicator is considered failure.

Minimum acceptable performance overall is defined as meeting or exceeding planned goals for more than half of the critical indicators. Failure to meet minimum acceptable performance overall is defined as not meeting planned goals for more than half of the critical indicators. This constitutes failure overall and will result in the grant being designated as “high risk” (see 2 CFR 200.207).

Please note that we will also collect data from each grant recipient to compute performance on the following advisory or as information only indicators: the average cost per placement and the three WIOA post-program indicators described here.

The three WIOA-based indicators are:

• The percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program;

• The percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit from the program; and

• The median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program.

3. Project Design

You must describe your overall strategy for providing job-driven employment and training services delivered through a client-centered case management approach that imparts relevant skills, connects participants with local employment opportunities, and that lead to improvements in employment and earnings outcomes over time. You must also describe the types of support services to be offered to participants and the approaches to providing these support services, with an emphasis on meeting the complex employment-related needs of special population groups of veterans, as defined in Appendix G. The strategy must address:

1. Population to be Served – A person must be an eligible veteran in order to be eligible for enrollment as a participant in the program. We place special emphasis on serving special population groups of veterans, also defined in Appendix G, as chronically homeless veterans, female homeless veterans, homeless veterans with families and incarcerated or recently incarcerated veterans who are at risk of homelessness. Approximately 35% of the individuals served nationwide by HVRP grantees were determined to be in one or more of these special population groups in 2015. You must identify in your application the number and percentage of individuals to be served by your project that fall into each special group when considering the total number of persons.

2. Outreach and Engagement – You must describe in your application how your program will conduct effective client outreach and engagement or recruitment to meet your participant enrollment goals, including the recruitment of special population groups and the use of Stand Down² events. The description must include evidence to support the proposed recruitment and engagement strategy with references from published research studies or government reports.

Effective case management with veterans who are homeless includes an active phase of outreach and engagement that is non-threatening, persistent over time, and patiently offers a flexible array of services, including help with basic survival needs. Effective engagement and outreach also builds on actions that show commitment to client choice, maintenance of dignity, and investment in a relationship. Describe how you will provide effective outreach and engagement as outlined above.

You must describe how your project will promote the active engagement of industry, employers, and employer associations in determining the available types of occupations and the skills needed to pursue in-demand jobs and careers.

3. Intake, Assessment, and Case Management – You must fully explain how you will design and implement your proposed intake, assessment, and case management process to serve eligible veterans. You must provide evidence to support the proposed intake, assessment and case management process. This evidence may reference published research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past. You must demonstrate that your proposed intake process involves the collection of necessary information on individuals seeking services in order to determine eligibility for the program and for the assessment of the types of services needed to assist the eligible veteran in gaining and retaining meaningful employment. The assessment is the foundation for development of the participant service plan and budget used by the case manager in coordinating services on behalf of the participant. The assessment process must demonstrate how you will determine a participant’s readiness to enter employment following the receipt of services, including the use of information about the individual’s strengths, preferences, medical, social and environmental issues, and behavioral and cognitive status.

4. Job-Driven Employment, Training, and Support Services – You must describe in your application the employment, training, and support services you will make available to participating veterans to assist these individuals in obtaining and retaining meaningful employment. Please note a minimum of 80% of your participants must receive one or more training services. You must also describe in your application how you will develop formal job-driven employment, training, and support services plan based on the training needs assessment results for participants and how you will manage and note the progress made by participants within a formal case management process. The description must include evidence to support the proposed job-driven employment, training, and support services strategy. This evidence may reference research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past.

Employment and training services included in service plans must be focused on in-demand jobs, imparting relevant skills with job-market value and should align with and leverage other federal education and training program resources. You must describe the array of employment and training services you will make available to participants. Examples of employment and training services include:

• Career technical skills training

• Registered apprenticeships

• Occupational skills training, including on-the-job training (OJT);

• Short-term unpaid work experience activities;

• Internships;

• Individualized job search assistance, including resume writing, interviewing skills, and counseling services; and

• Work readiness training, including basic skills training.

Please note the job-driven employment, training services, and support services received by participants may be provided directly through the grant or provided to participants through partnerships with American Job Centers (AJCs) and other organizations. At a minimum, all participants in your proposed program must be enrolled in Wagner-Peyser Act, Jobs for Veterans State Grant Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) or another WIOA-title I-funded service offered through AJCs to maximize the array of services available to participants. Please refer to Veterans’ Program Letter (VPL) No. 03-16, https://www.dol.gov/vets/VMS/VPLs/VPL-03-16.pdf.

Support services for overcoming barriers to employment include, but are not limited to, physical rehabilitation, drug or alcohol treatment, and/or mental health services. As part of your plan for support services, you must also propose a specific housing assistance strategy. You must describe in your application how HVRP participants will be rapidly re-housed, highlighting the provisions that will be made for program participants to access emergency, temporary, transitional, and/or permanent housing through various community resources, including, but not limited to the VA’s Grant and Per Diem Program, which funds emergency and transitional housing programs; the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) food and shelter programs; and HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program; and the Section 8 single room occupancy housing programs, as well as any other supportive, affordable, and permanent housing programs for homeless persons. You must demonstrate how they will incorporate both affordable housing alternatives and permanent supportive housing options into the service mix.

Please note that grant funds may only be spent directly on housing assistance for participants who meet the definition of incarcerated veterans in Appendix G. For all other participants, you cannot spend any grant funds on housing. Therefore, you may propose to use funds for housing assistance for incarcerated veterans. However, if you propose to use funds for this purpose, you must demonstrate in writing that you have worked with the eligible incarcerated veteran and others, including penal institution transition staff and community based housing providers, to exhaust all other housing assistance options before using grant funds for such assistance. If an incarcerated veteran can obtain housing by any other means, such as through other federal or state programs, then grant funds cannot be used for housing assistance.

The use of grant funds for housing 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, you must secure at least three samples of rents for housing units located in the specific community and zip code of the desired housing that meets the needs of the eligible incarcerated veteran. You may not provide housing funds directly to project participants.

v. Quality of Linkages - Stable housing, health care and other support services are critical to help veterans experiencing homelessness reintegrate into the labor force. You must describe how you will partner and coordinate proposed activities with a wide array of federal, state, and local housing, health care, and other support service programs and their associated agencies and/organizations, including prisons and halfway houses, if appropriate. The description must include evidence to support the proposed network of housing assistance, healthcare and other support service linkages to enable the applicant to successfully provide employment and training services to participants.

4. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity

You must describe in your application your organization’s ability to manage the operational, administrative, programmatic, and financial reporting requirements specified within this funding announcement. You must demonstrate the strength of the fiscal and administrative controls to properly manage Federal funds. You must describe key staff skills, experience, history, knowledge, qualifications, capabilities, and office locations, and provide an organizational chart. The description must include evidence to support the organization’s capacity to carry out the proposed project, including the conduct of follow-up tracking activities, sustaining the project once Federal funding ceases, and the sufficiency of qualifications and experience of personnel to fulfill the needs and requirements of the proposed project.

You must also address your capacity for timely implementation of the program, programmatic reporting and participant tracking, including the conduct of follow-up services to capture and report post-program outcomes. The conduct of follow-up services for each participant begins the first quarter after the quarter of exit and ends the fourth quarter after the quarter of exit. Applicants must describe all associated costs for obtaining and retaining participant information pertinent to the follow-up services, including any costs of using State Unemployment Insurance data to substantiate an applicant’s follow-up results, if applicable. Procedures for safeguarding all follow-up information will be provided after the award of the grant is determined.

For each PY 2017 award made under this solicitation, the grant recipient will be responsible for: 1) tracking and reporting post-program outcomes occurring during the 12-month grant period of performance AND 2) tracking and reporting post-program outcomes for up to 12-months after exit for former participants served by any HVRP grant operated by the grant recipient in PY 2016.

You must fully describe how the proposed program can or will outlast the federal funding being provided under this grant. You must describe in your application a diverse funding base or illustrate an organizational strategic plan that will lead to the attainment of financial resources beyond those secured through the HVRP grant.

5. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability

If you have previously operated a HVRP program, then you must include the planned and actual performance outcomes from your last or most recent completed program year’s Technical Performance Report (TPR) and Planned Goals Chart.

If you have not received an HVRP grant award in the past but do have experience operating comparable federally and/or non-federally funded assistance agreements, then please submit a list of no more than three such agreements. For each agreement, please describe and document past accomplishments achieved against expected outcomes while operating the comparable program. Explain how your experience operating a comparable program prepared you to undertake the complexities of operating the proposed project. Describe how long the comparable program has been in operation.

6. Budget and Budget Narrative

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

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative

In addition to the Project Narrative, you must submit attachments. All attachments must be clearly labeled as Attachments. We will only exclude those attachments listed below from the page limit.

You must not include additional materials such as résumés or general letters of support. You must submit your application in one package because documents received separately will be tracked separately and will not be attached to the application for review.

Save all files with descriptive file names of 50 characters or less and 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). You may use an underscore (example: my_Attached_File.pdf) to separate a file name.

Required Attachments: Please note that if your application does not contain all of the required attachments, it will not move forward through the merit review process.

1. Abstract - You must submit an up to two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project, including, but not limited to, the scope of the project and proposed outcomes. The proposed project summary must include the applicant’s name, project title, a description of the area to be served, number of participants to be served, the total cost per participant, and the funding level requested. The project description must also include whether the project is applying as an urban or non-urban area. The description must also include the special population groups and percentages to be served by the project and the project’s proposed priority (HVRP, HFVVWF, or IVTP, as described in section III.C.2. The Abstract is limited to two-page double-spaced single sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. When submitting in grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and specifically labeled “Abstract.”

2. Intent to Work Collaboratively Statement - You must include a statement that confirms your intent to work collaboratively with us and our contractor(s) on potential evaluation efforts related to veterans. This statement must be included as a separate attachment.

3. Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart - You must complete the Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart included in this announcement package as Appendix C with proposed programmatic outcomes.

Requested Attachments

We request the following attachments, but their omission will not cause us to screen out the application. Furthermore, if the omission of the attachment will impact scoring, the description of the attachment will note such an impact.

1. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: If you are requesting indirect costs based on a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by your Federal Cognizant Agency, then please attach the most recently approved Agreement. (For more information, see Section IV.B.2. and Section IV.E.1.) The omission of this attachment does not impact the scoring of the application.

2. Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form - This form is found in Appendix H. It 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. The omission of this attachment does not impact the scoring of the application.

3. Organizational Chart and Qualifications – An organizational chart and staff qualifications. The omission of this attachment impacts the scoring of the application.

3. Submission Date, Times, Process and Addresses

We will accept applications under this Announcement until [insert date XX days after the date of publication on Grants.gov]. You must submit your application either electronically on http://www.grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or in hard copy by hand delivery (including overnight delivery) no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their application before the closing date to ensure that the risk of late receipt of the application is minimized. We will not accept applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX).

Applicants submitting applications in hard copy by mail or overnight delivery must submit a ‘‘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 must also include in the hard copy submission an identical electronic copy of the application on compact disc (CD). If we identify discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD copy, we will consider the application on the CD as the official submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hardcopy and CD format may have an impact on the overall evaluation.

If an application is physically submitted by both hard copy and through http://www.grants.gov, a letter must accompany the hard-copy application stating which application to review. If no letter accompanies the hard copy, we will review the copy submitted through http://www.grants.gov .

We will grant no exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice. Further, we will not accept documents submitted separately from the application, before or after the deadline, as part of the application.

Address mailed applications to the:

U.S. Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration

Office of Grants Management

Attention: Thomas Martin, Grant Officer

Reference FOA-VETS-17-01

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716

Washington, DC 20210

Please note that mail decontamination procedures may delay mail delivery in the Washington DC area. We will receive hand-delivered applications 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.

Applicants submitting applications through Grants.gov must ensure successful submission at http://www.grants.gov no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. Grants.gov will subsequently validate the application.

We describe the submission and validation process in more detail below. The process can be complicated and time-consuming. You are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems. Note that validation does not mean that your application has been accepted as complete or has been accepted for review. Rather, grants.gov only verifies the submission of certain parts of an application.

• We strongly recommend that before you begin to write the application, you immediately initiate and complete the “Get Registered” registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

You should read through the registration process carefully before registering. These steps may take as much as four weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for timely electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application. The site also contains the Step-By-Step Guide to Organization Registration to help applicants walk through the process.

• We strongly recommend that you download the Guide at http://www.grants.gov/documents/19/18243/GrantsgovOrganizationRegistrationGuide.pdf/be70525d-59aa-45ee-b196-5e8951faca0a and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last minute searches for required information and save time.

As described earlier in Section IV.B.1., you must have a DUNS Number and you must register with SAM.gov before submitting an application.

The next step in the registration process is creating a username and password with Grants.gov to become an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). AORs will need to know the DUNS Number of the organization for which they will be submitting applications to complete this process.

• To read more detailed instructions for creating a profile on Grants.gov visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-3-username-password.html

After creating a profile on Grants.gov, the E-Biz point of Contact (E-Biz POC) - a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for SAM – will receive an email to grant the AOR permission to submit applications on behalf of their organization. The E-Biz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and approve an individual as the AOR, thereby giving him or her permission to submit applications.

To learn more about AOR Authorization visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-4-aor-authorization.html,

or to track AOR status visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-5-track-aor-status.html.

An application submitted through Grants.gov constitutes a submission as an electronically signed application. The registration and account creation with Grants.gov, with E-Biz POC approval, establishes an AOR. When an application is submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the AOR on file will be inserted into the signature line of the application. You must register the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for your organization as the AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submissions.

When a registered applicant submits an application with Grants.gov, an electronic time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. Within two business days of application submission, Grants.gov will send the applicant two email messages to provide the status of the application’s progress through the system.

• The first email, sent almost immediately, will contain a tracking number and will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov.

• The second email will indicate the application has either been successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors.

Grants.gov will reject applications if the applicant’s registration in SAM is expired. Only applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and later successfully validated will be considered. It is your 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, DOL will not consider the application.

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

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

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

If you encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources,

• call 1-800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or

• email [email protected] .

The Grants.gov Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, it is closed on Federal holidays.

Late Applications

For applications submitted on Grants.gov, we will consider only applications successfully submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated. You take a significant risk by waiting to the last day to submit through Grants.gov.

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

4. Intergovernmental Review

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

5. 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 and at 2 CFR Part 2900 (Uniform Guidance-DOL specific). 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.

6. 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. You have two options to claim reimbursement of indirect costs.

Option 1: You may use a NICRA or Cost Allocation Plan (CAP) supplied by the Federal Cognizant Agency. If you do not have a NICRA/CAP or have a pending NICRA/CAP, and in either case choose to include estimated indirect costs in your 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, you are required to submit an acceptable indirect cost proposal or CAP to your Federal Cognizant Agency to obtain a provisional indirect cost rate. (See Section IV.B.4. for more information on NICRA submission requirements.)

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

7. Intellectual Property Rights

Pursuant to 2 CFR 2900.13, to ensure that the Federal investment of DOL funds has as broad an impact as possible and to encourage innovation in the development of new learning materials, the grantee will be required to license to the public all work created with the support of the grant under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY) license. Work that must be licensed under the CC BY includes both new content created with the grant funds and modifications made to pre-existing, grantee-owned content using grant funds.

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 grantee. Notice of the license shall be affixed to the Work. For general information on CC BY, please visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 .

Instructions for marking your work with CC BY can be found at http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Marking_your_work_with_a_CC_license .

Questions about CC BY as it applies to this specific funding opportunity should be submitted to the ETA Grants Management Specialist specified in Section VII.

Only work that is developed by the recipient in whole or in part with grants funds is required to be licensed under the CC BY license. Pre-existing copyrighted materials licensed to, or purchased by the grantee from third parties, including modifications of such materials, remain subject to the intellectual property rights the grantee receives under the terms of the particular license or purchase. In addition, works created by the grantee without grant funds do not fall under the CC BY license requirement.

The purpose of the CC BY licensing requirement is to ensure that materials developed with funds provided by these grants result in work that can be freely reused and improved by others. When purchasing or licensing consumable or reusable materials, the grantee is expected to respect all applicable Federal laws and regulations, including those pertaining to the copyright and accessibility provisions of the Federal Rehabilitation Act.

Separate from the CC BY license to the public, 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 grantee may not use Federal funds to pay any royalty or license fee for use of a copyrighted work, or the cost of acquiring by purchase a copyright in a work, where the Department has a license or rights of free use in such work. If revenues are generated through selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual property, DOL treats such revenues as program income. Such program income is added to the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities.

If applicable, the following needs to be on all products developed in whole or in part with grant funds:

“This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it.”

8. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages

Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages – Wage subsidies are limited to OJT, apprenticeships, and/or Transitional Jobs (TJ) strategies in which the participant is in job-driven training and 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 HVRP funds for OJT, apprenticeships and/or TJ wages, you must demonstrate the participant need for subsidizing wages and develop an agreement with the employer, stipulating the terms of the subsidy, duration of the training, and expected outcome. The agreement must stipulate that HVRP funds will reimburse the employer for the agreed-upon earnings to be subsidized. Grantees may not take placement credit for participants until they are earning unsubsidized wages.

9. Other Submission Requirements

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

5. Application Review Information

   1. Criteria

We have instituted procedures for assessing the technical merit of applications to provide for an objective review of applications and to assist you in understanding the standards against which your application will be judged. The evaluation criteria are based on the information required in the application as described in Sections IV.B.2. (Project Budget) and IV.B.3. (Project Narrative). Reviewers will award points based on the evaluation criteria described below:

Criterion	Points (maximum)
Statement of Need (See Section IV.B.3.a.(1) Statement of Need)	17
Expected Outcomes, and Outputs (See Section IV.B.3.a.(2) Expected Outcomes and Outputs)	12
Project Design (See Section IV.B.3.a.(3) Project Design)	38
Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (See Section IV.B.3.a.(5) Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity)	12
Past Performance – Programmatic Capability (See Section IV.B.3.a.(6) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability)	12
Budget and Budget Narrative (See Section IV.B.2. Project Budget)	9
TOTAL	100

1. Statement of Need (up to 17 points)

The extent to which the application compellingly demonstrates the need and the consequences of not addressing the need, based on the quantitative and qualitative information provided. Points will be awarded based on the clarity, persuasiveness, and the evidence presented in the application.

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 5 Points		0 to 5 Points		0 to 5 Points
Award a full 5 points if the proposal clearly describes the nature and extent of the needs or problems facing the homeless veteran population to be served by the project. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing the needs or problems.		Award a full 5 points if the proposal is persuasive in demonstrating the need for the project is real. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully persuasive.		Award a full 5 points if the proposal cites information to describe the nature and extent of the needs or problems and supports the need for the project with quotes from others in the form of research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience. Award fewer points if less than sufficient information to describe the nature and extent of the needs or problems.
+
Promise Zone 0 or 2 Points	Award 2 points if the applicant’s organization is located in a Promise Zone designated community. For more information about Promise Zones, go to: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/promise-zones/#designees.

2. Expected Outcomes and Outputs (up to 12 points, with 3 for each performance indicator)

The extent to which the outcomes and outputs proposed by the applicant are realistic but challenging when considering the national goals that are adjusted for the characteristics of the population to be served and the labor market conditions. The attainment of realistic and challenging goals provides the highest return on the investment of federal funds when compared to goals that are not challenging. (12 points, with 3 for each performance indicator)

Performance Indicator	0 to 1 Points	2 Points	3 Points
	Low	Medium	High
Number of Enrollments (a maximum of 3 points for this indicator)	The proposed target is unrealistic when considering the population to be served and labor market conditions.	The applicant proposed a realistic target, but the target is not challenging when considering the population to be served and labor market conditions.	The applicant proposed a realistic and challenging target level when considering the population to be served and labor market conditions.
Overall Placement Rate (a maximum of 3 points for this indicator)
Average Hourly Wage at Placement (a maximum of 3 points for this indicator)
Placement Rate for the Chronically Homeless (a maximum of 3 points for this indicator)

3. Project Design (up to 38 points).

The extent to which the project targets chronically homeless veterans, female homeless veterans, homeless veterans with families, and incarcerated or recently incarcerated veterans who are at risk of homelessness. (5 points)

0 to 1 Points	1 to 2 Points	4 or 5 Points
Low	Medium	High
Award 0 points if the applicant proposes that less than 5% of its participants will fit the definition of one or more of the special populations groups. Award 1 point if the applicant proposes that 5%-154%, of its participants will fit the definition of one or more special populations groups.	Award 2 points if the applicant proposes that 16%-25% of its participants will fit the definition of one or more of the special population groups. Award 3 points if the applicant proposes that 26%-34% of its participants will fit the definition of one or more of the special populations groups.	Award 4 points if the applicant proposes that 35% to 40% of its participants will fit the definition of one or more of the special population groups. Award a full 5 points if the applicant proposes that more than 40% of its participants will fit into the definition of one or more of the special population groups.

The extent to which the proposed outreach and engagement strategy will result in the project meeting its proposed participant enrollment goals, including the recruitment of special population groups, the use of Stand Down events, and the engagement of employers. (6 points)

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 2 Points		0 to 2 Points		0 to 2 Points
Award 2 points if the proposal clearly describes the outreach and engagement strategy. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing the strategy.		Award 2 points if the proposal is persuasive in demonstrating the utility of the recruitment and engagement strategy. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully persuasive.		Award 2 points if the proposal cites information to support the utility of the recruitment and engagement strategy from research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past. Award fewer points if the proposal provides less than sufficient information.

The extent to which the proposed intake, assessment, and case management process will result in eligible homeless veterans reintegrating into the workforce. (9 points)

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 3 Points		0 to 3 Points		0 to 3 Points
Award 3 points if the proposal clearly describes the intake, assessment and case management process. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing the process.		Award 3 points if the proposal is persuasive in demonstrating the utility of the intake, assessment and case management process in reintegrating participants into the workforce. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully persuasive.		Award 3 points if the proposal cites information to support the utility of the intake, assessment and case management process from research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past. Award fewer points if the proposal provides less than sufficient information.

The effectiveness of the proposed case managed job-driven employment, training, and support services strategy. (12 points)

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 4 Points		0 to 4 Points		0 to 4 Points
Award 4 points if the proposal clearly describes the case managed job-driven employment, training and support services strategy. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing this strategy.		Award 4 points if the proposal is persuasive in demonstrating the utility of the case managed job-driven employment, training and support services strategy in reintegrating participants into the workforce. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully persuasive.		Award 4 points if the proposal cites information to support the utility of the case managed job-driven employment, training and support services strategy from research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past. Award fewer points if the proposal provides less than sufficient information.

The extent of the effectiveness of the proposed network of housing assistance, healthcare and other support service linkages to enable the applicant to successfully provide employment and training services to participants. (6 points)

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 2 Points		0 to 2 Points		0 to 2 Points
Award 2 points if the proposal clearly describes the network of housing assistance, healthcare and other support service linkages to enable the applicant to successfully provide employment and training services to participants. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing this strategy.		Award 2 points if the proposal is clearly persuasive in demonstrating the utility of the network of housing assistance, healthcare and other support service linkages to enable the applicant to successfully provide employment and training services to participants. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully persuasive.		Award 2 points if the proposal cites information to support the network of housing assistance, healthcare and other support service linkages strategy from research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past. Award fewer points if the proposal provides less than sufficient information.

4. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (up to 12 points)

The extent to which the organization has the capacity to carry out the proposed project, including the conduct of follow-up tracking activities, sustaining the project once Federal funding ceases and the sufficiency of qualifications and experience of personnel to fulfill the needs and requirements of the proposed project.

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 4 Points		0 to 4 Points		0 to 4 Points
Award 4 points if the proposal clearly describes the organization’s administrative and fiscal capacity to carry out the proposed project. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing this strategy.		Award 4 points if the proposal is persuasive in demonstrating the organization’s administrative and fiscal capacity to carry out the proposed project. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully persuasive.		Award a full 4 points if the proposal cites sufficient information to describe the organization’s administrative and fiscal capacity to carry out the proposed project from research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past. Award fewer points if the proposal provides less than sufficient information to describe the nature and extent of the needs or problems.

5. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability (up to 12 points)

Points will be awarded based on the applicant’s past performance as it relates to the probability of successfully accomplishing the current proposed effort. Past performance is evaluated in one of two manners: 1) applicants with prior HVRP or IVTP grant experience and 2) applicants with no prior HVRP or IVTP grant experience.

Applicants who have previously operated a HVRP or IVTP grant. DOL VETS will assign up to four points for each planned value that was met for 1) the total number of participant enrollments, 2) the overall placement rate, and 3) the average hourly wage for all participants employed through the program. Actual performance that is at or above 85% of the planned value for a performance indicator is considered to have met the minimum expectation. Points will be awarded on a sliding scale based on the degree the grantee surpassed 85%. For each of the three performance indicators above, the grantee will be scored as follows:

85 % - 90%	2 points
90.1% - 95%	3 points
95.1% - 100%	4 points

OR

Applicants who have NOT operated an HVRP or IVTP grant. The strength of the past accomplishments achieved operating a comparable program to the proposed project. Applications are rated on the extent to which the past performance of the comparable program prepares the organization to undertake the complexities proposed project. The applicant’s statement of prior experience will be evaluated in three areas.

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 4 Points		0 to 4 Points		0 to 4 Points
Award 4 points if the proposal clearly describes the applicant’s past performance in operating similar complex projects. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing prior performance.		Award 4 points if the prior performance is persuasive in demonstrating the organization’s capability in obtaining successful performance outcomes for homeless veterans. Award fewer points if the prior performance is less than fully persuasive.		Award 4 points if the proposal cites sufficient information to describe the organization’s past performance in operating homeless veteran projects of a similar complexity. Award fewer points if the information on prior performance is less than sufficient.

6. Budget and Budget Narrative (up to 9 points)

The extent to which the budget is reasonable based on the activities outlined in the project narrative and supports the successful operation of the proposed project. (6 points)

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 2 Points		0 to 2 Points		0 to 2 Points
Award 2 points if the proposal clearly describes the applicant’s budget. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing the budget.		Award 2 points if the budget and narrative are persuasive in demonstrating the reasonableness of the applicant’s budget. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully persuasive in demonstrating the reasonableness of the budget.		Award a full 2 points if the proposal cites sufficient information to describe the organization’s budget. Award fewer points if the budget information is less than sufficient.

The extent to which key personnel have adequate time devoted to the project to achieve project results. (3 points)

Clarity	+	Persuasiveness	+	Evidence
0 to 1 Point		0 to 1 Point		0 to 1 Point
Award 1 point if the proposal clearly describes the applicant’s key personnel project costs, including time devoted to the project. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully clear in describing these costs.		Award 1 point if the key personnel time and costs description is persuasive in demonstrating the adequacy of the proposal. Award fewer points if the proposal is less than fully persuasive in demonstrating the adequacy.		Award 1 point if the proposal cites sufficient information to describe the adequacy of the time and costs for the key personnel. Award fewer points if the information is less than sufficient.

2. Review and Selection Process

   1. Merit Review and Selection Process

A technical merit review panel will carefully evaluate applications against the selection criteria to determine the merit of applications. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this FOA. Up to 100 points may be awarded to an applicant, depending on the quality of the responses provided. The final scores (which may include the mathematical normalization of review panels) will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer.

Grant Officer Discretion in the Selection Process

Please note the Grant Officer reserves the right to make selections based solely on the final scores or to take into consideration the geographic distribution of funds and other relevant factors when applicable. The Grant Officer will ensure grants are awarded in such a manner so as to ensure an equitable distribution of funds throughout the United States.

If more than one application is submitted to serve an identical service area, the Grant Officer will limit the selection to the highest ranking application to prevent the duplication of services in that area. If an application is submitted to serve an area where there is an existing active identical HVRP grant with a period of active services overlapping with the period of services specified in the application, then the Grant Officer may not select the application for funding. Additionally, the Grant Officer will consider the different priorities described in section III.C.2.

The Grant Officer may consider any other information that comes to his/her attention. The government may elect to award the grant(s) with or without discussions with the applicant. Should a grant be awarded without discussions, the award will be based on the applicant’s signature on the SF-424, including electronic signature via E-Authentication on http://www.grants.gov , which constitutes a binding offer by the applicant.

2. Risk Review Process

Prior to making an award, ETA will review information available through any OMB-designated repository of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, such as Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), Dun and Bradstreet, and “Do Not Pay.” Additionally, ETA will comply with the requirements of 2 CFR Part 180 codified by DOL at 29 CFR Part 98 [Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)]. This risk evaluation may incorporate results of the evaluation of the applicant’s eligibility (application screening) or the quality of its application (merit review). If ETA determines that an award will be made, special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed may be applied to the award. Criteria to be evaluated include:

(1) Financial stability;

(2) Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed in the Uniform Grant Guidance;

(3) History of performance. The applicant’s record in managing awards, cooperative agreements, or procurement awards, if it is a prior recipient of such Federal awards, including timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements and, if applicable, the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards;

(4) Reports and findings from audits performed under Subpart F – Audit Requirements of the Uniform Grant Guidance or the reports and findings of any other available audits and monitoring reports containing findings, issues of non-compliance or questioned costs;

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

6. Award Administration Information

   1. Award Notices

All award notifications will be posted on the VETS homepage (http://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, we may enter into negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and decline to fund the application. We reserve the right to not fund any application related to this FOA.

2. 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:

1. Non-Profit Organizations, Educational Institutions, For-profit entities and State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments – 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards) and 2 CFR 2900 (DOL’s Supplement to 2 CFR Part 200)

2. All entities must comply with 29 CFR Part 93 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), 29 CFR Part 94 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)), 29 CFR Part 98 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension, and drug-free workplace requirements), and, where applicable, 2 CFR Part 200 (Audit Requirements).

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 29 CFR Part 32—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.

6. 29 CFR Part 35— Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.

7. 29 CFR Part 36—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.

8. 29 CFR Part 38 – Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

9. 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30—Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.

10. General Terms and Conditions of Award—See the following link: http://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/2015template.pdf.

11. Special Grant Provisions

2. Other Legal Requirements:

Religious Activities

The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. Section 2000bb, applies to all Federal law and its implementation. If an applicant organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be entitled to receive Federal financial assistance under this grant solicitation and maintain that hiring practice. If a faith-based organization is awarded a grant, the organization will be provided with more information.

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).

Transparency Act Requirements

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Safeguarding Data Including Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Applicants submitting applications in response to this FOA must recognize that confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the Department of Labor and must be observed except where disclosure is allowed by the prior written approval of the Grant Officer or by court order. By submitting an application, you are assuring that all data exchanges conducted through or during the course of performance of this grant will be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable Federal law. All such activity conducted by DOL and/or recipient/s will be performed in a manner consistent with applicable state and Federal laws.

By submitting a grant application, you agree to take all necessary steps to protect such confidentiality by complying with the following provisions that are applicable in governing their handling of confidential information:

1. You must ensure that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained, or otherwise associated with VETS funded grants is securely transmitted.

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

3. You must take the steps necessary to ensure the privacy of all PII obtained from participants and/or other individuals and to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure. You must maintain such PII in accordance with the DOL standards for information security described in TEGL NO. 39-11 and any updates to such standards we provide to you. Grantees who wish to obtain more information on data security should contact their Federal Project Officer.

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

5. You further acknowledge that all PII data obtained through your VETS 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 DOL. Accessing, processing, and storing of VETS 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 VETS.

6. Your employees and other personnel who will have access to sensitive/confidential/proprietary/private data must be advised of the confidential nature of the information, the safeguards required to protect the information, and that there are civil and criminal sanctions for noncompliance with such safeguards that are contained in Federal and state laws.

7. You must have policies and procedures in place under which your employees and other personnel, before being granted access to PII, acknowledge their understanding of the confidential nature of the data and the safeguards with which they must comply in their handling of such data as well as the fact that they may be liable to civil and criminal sanctions for improper disclosure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Record Retention

You must follow Federal guidelines on record retention, which require you to maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of at least three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. See 2 CFR §§ 200.333-337 for more specific information, including information about the start of the record retention period for awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, and when the records must be retained for more than three years.

Use of Contracts and Subawards

You must abide by the following definitions of contract, contractor, subaward, and subrecipient:

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

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

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

Subrecipient: Subrecipient means a non-Federal entity that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a Federal program; but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other Federal awards directly from a Federal awarding agency.

You must follow the provisions at 2 CFR 200.330-.332 regarding subrecipient monitoring and management. Also see 2 CFR 200.308(c)(6) regarding prior approval requirements for subawards. When awarding subawards, you are required to comply with provisions on governmentwide suspension and debarment found at 2 CFR Part 180 and codified by DOL at 29 CFR Part 98.

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 Grant Closeout FAQ located at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/docs/GCFAQ.pdf .

3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions

Except as specifically provided in this FOA, our acceptance of an application and an award of Federal funds to sponsor any programs(s) does not provide a waiver of any grant requirements and/or procedures. For example, the OMB Uniform Guidance requires that an entity’s procurement procedures ensure that all procurement transactions are conducted, as much as practical, to provide full and open competition. If an application identifies a specific entity to provide goods or services, the award does not provide the justification or basis to sole source the procurement, i.e., avoid competition.

4. Special Program Requirements

DOL Evaluation

Special Program Requirements – DOL will conduct an evaluation of HVRP and a condition of receiving a grant award is that the grantee will be required to participate in and cooperate with the DOL program evaluation if the program is selected to be included in the DOL evaluation. A component of an evaluation of HVRP may include that grantees administer a brief assessment or screening tool selected by DOL. Technical assistance will be provided should the evaluation include such tools. All grantees will be required to maintain participant records that include personally identifiable information (PII) (name, date of birth, social security number) and other services information needed for performance reporting. Under the direction of DOL’s Chief Evaluation Office, DOL’s independent evaluator will coordinate with grantees included in the evaluation to obtain the necessary information in a secure manner to protect personally-identifiable information. The program’s or project’s participation in the evaluation of overall performance of DOL grants and cooperation of the recipient is a required condition of award. The grantee agrees to make individual records on participants, including PII, and funding available to the evaluator(s) under our direction, as well as to provide access to program operating personnel and participants, as specified by the evaluator(s) under our direction, including after the expiration date of the grant. This evaluation will use program management information system data, local administrative data, and program progress reports. The grantee must keep this information up to date and accurate.

Stand Down Events

Your project is responsible for participating in “Stand Down” events. A “Stand Down” is an event held in a locality, usually for one (1) to three (3) days, where services are provided to homeless veterans along with shelter, meals, clothing, employment services, and medical attention. This type of event is organized within a community and brings service providers together such as the VA, HUD and the local Continuum of Care, Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program Specialists (DVOP) and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVER) staff from the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs), Veteran Service Organizations, military personnel, civic leaders, and a variety of other interested persons, groups, and organizations. Many services are provided on-site with referrals also made for continued assistance after the Stand Down event. These events can often be the catalyst that enables homeless veterans to get back into mainstream society. The Department of Labor has supported replication of these events and many have been held throughout the nation.

In addition to participating in area Stand Down events, you may also sponsor these events using grant funds. Each HVRP grantee is authorized to obligate and expend up to $10,000 per program year to execute a Stand Down event in their service-delivery area, and may be requested and explained in the budget narrative.

Please note that Stand Down activities may also be funded through a separate VETS Stand Down solicitation. Go to https://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/Stand%20Down/main.htm to access detailed information on applying for separate Stand Down grant awards.

Performance Goals

Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes provided and failure to meet those outcomes may result in technical assistance or other intervention by VETS, and may also have a significant impact on decisions about future grants with VETS.

3. Reporting

You must meet DOL reporting requirements. Specifically, you must submit the reports and documents listed below to DOL electronically:

1. Quarterly Financial Reports

After receiving a grant award, the grantee must complete a Federal Financial Report (SF 425) no later than 30 days after the end of each Federal fiscal quarter (October 30, January 30, April 30 and July 30). Instructions for completing this requirement are provided in the HHS/PMS information packet and are also available at: http://www.dpm.psc.gov/​grant_​recipient/​ffr_​info/​ffr_​info.aspx?​explorer.event=​true.

2. Quarterly Performance Reports

The progress reports required for grants awarded under this solicitation are the TPR, the Technical Performance Narrative and, if applicable, the Stand Down After Action Report (see OMB Control Number 1293-0014 which expires September 30, 2019). You must submit quarterly progress reports within 30 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. Please note the Stand Down After Action Report is not a quarterly report. This report should be submitted at the same time the final SF 425 is completed.

7. Agency Contacts

For further information about this FOA, please contact Ashley Hoek, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, at (202) 693-3632. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference FOA-VETS-17-01, and along with question(s), include a contact name, fax, and phone number. This Announcement is available on the VETS Web site at http://www.dol.gov/vets and at http://www.grants.gov.

8. Other Information

   1. Transparency

DOL is committed to conducting a transparent grant award process and publicizing information about program outcomes. Posting grant applications on public websites is a means of promoting and sharing innovative ideas. For all applications in this grant competition, we will publish the Abstracts required by Section IV.B.4., and selected information from the SF-424 for all applications on the Department’s public website or similar publicly accessible location. Additionally, we will publish a version of the Project Narrative required by Section IV.B.3. for all those applications that are awarded grants, on the Department’s website or a similar location. We will publish no other attachments to the application. We will not publish the Project Narratives and Abstracts until after we have announced the grant recipients. In addition, information about grant progress and results may also be made publicly available.

DOL recognizes that grant applications sometimes contain information that an applicant may consider proprietary or business confidential information, or may contain personally identifiable information (PII). Proprietary or business confidential information is information that is not usually disclosed outside your organization and disclosing this information is likely to cause you substantial competitive harm.

PII is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information^[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 will be asked to submit a second redacted version of their Project Narrative, with any proprietary, confidential commercial/business information, and PII redacted. You should remove all non-public information about the applicant’s and consortium members’ staff (if applicable) as well.

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

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

We encourage applicants 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). 

DOL will protect redacted information in grant applications  from public disclosure in accordance with Federal law, including the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1905), FOIA, and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). If DOL receives a FOIA request for your application, the procedures in DOL’s FOIA regulations for responding to requests for commercial/business information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA exemptions and procedures. See 29 CFR § 70.26. Consequently, it is possible that application of FOIA rules may result in release of information in response to a FOIA request that an applicant redacted in its “redacted copy.”

2. Web-Based Resources

DOL maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of assistance to applicants. For example, the Career One Stop portal (http://www.careeronestop.org), which provides national and state career information on occupations; the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Online (http://online.onetcenter.org) which provides occupational competency profiles; and America's Service Locator (http://www.servicelocator.org), which provides a directory of our nation's One-Stop Career Centers.

3. 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.

4. WorkforceGPS Resources

1. We encourage you to view the information gathered through the conference calls with Federal agency partners, industry stakeholders, educators, and local practitioners. The information on resources identified can be found on WorkforceGPS at: https://www.workforcegps.org/.

2. We encourage you to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through WorkforceGPS at: https://strategies.workforcegps.org/resources/2014/08/11/16/32/applying-for-eta-competitive-grants-a-web-based-toolkit-for-prospective-applicants-438?p=1

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

4. We created a technical assistance portal at https://www.workforcegps.org/resources/browse?id=b8dd0aa1ecfb4b2282d6cd30c7248790 that contains online training and resources for fiscal and administrative issues. Online trainings available include, but are not limited to, Introduction to Grant Applications and Forms, Indirect Costs, Cost Principles, and Accrual Accounting.

5. SkillsCommons Resources

SkillsCommons (https://www.skillscommons.org) offers an online library of curriculum and related training resources to obtain industry-recognized credentials in manufacturing, IT, healthcare, energy, and other industries. The website contains thousands of Open Educational Resources (OER ) for job-driven workforce development which were produced by grantees funded through the US Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program. Community colleges and other training providers across the nation can reuse, revise, redistribute and reorganize the OER on SkillsCommons for institutional, industry, and individual use.

9. OMB Information Collection

OMB Information Collection No 1225-0086, Expires May 31, 2019.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

Send comments about the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Labor, to the attention of the Departmental Clearance Officer, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N1301, Washington, DC 20210. Comments may also be emailed to [email protected] .

PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR GRANT APPLICATION TO THIS ADDRESS. ONLY SEND COMMENTS ABOUT THE BURDEN CAUSED BY THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND YOUR GRANT APPLICATION TO THE SPONSORING AGENCY AS SPECIFIED EARLIER IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant. DOL will use the information collected through this “Funding Opportunity Announcement” to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicants best suited to perform the functions of the grant. This information is required to be considered for this grant.

Signed XXXXX, in Washington, D.C. by:

Thomas Martin

Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration

1 ”Eligible veterans” are those veterans eligible for grant services under sections 2021 and 2023 of Title 38 of the United States Code. Under 38 U.S.C. 2021, this program can serve homeless veterans. Under 38 U.S.C. 2023, this program can serve incarcerated veterans. For more information on the definitions of homeless veterans and incarcerated veterans, please see Appendix G, Definitions and Terms.

2 Stand Downs are typically one- to three-day events providing supplies and services to homeless veterans, such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings and benefits counseling.

[1]^[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.

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