Youth Build Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Notice of Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcement for:

YouthBuild

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FOA-ETA-17-03

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.274

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

[insert date XX days after the date of publication on Grants.gov]. We must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A Virtual Prospective Applicant Conference will be held for this grant competition. The date and access information for this Virtual Prospective Applicant Conference will be posted on www.workforcegps.org/events.

Addresses: Address mailed applications to:

The U.S. Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management Attention: Brinda Ruggles, Grant Officer

Reference FOA-ETA-17-03

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716

Washington, DC 20210

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

Executive Summary:

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $80 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Pub. L. 113-128) for YouthBuild.

Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOL will award grants through a competitive process to organizations to oversee the provision of education, occupational skills training, and employment services to at-risk youth while performing meaningful work and service to their communities. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, DOL hopes to serve approximately 5,250 participants during the grant period of performance, with approximately 80 projects awarded across the country. Individual grants will range from $700,000 to $1.1 million and require an exact 25 percent match from applicants, using sources other than federal funding. Any resources contributed to the project in addition to the 25 percent matching funds will be considered leveraged resources. The grant period of performance for this FOA is 40 months, including a four-month planning period.

1. Funding Opportunity Description

   1. Program Purpose

This Announcement solicits applications for the YouthBuild program. The purpose of this program is to fund organizations to provide education, occupational skills training, leadership development and post-program placement opportunities to at-risk youth. YouthBuild is a community-based alternative education program for youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are high school dropouts, adjudicated youth, youth aging out of foster care, youth with disabilities, homeless youth, and other disconnected youth populations. The YouthBuild program simultaneously addresses several core issues important to low-income communities: affordable housing, education, employment, leadership development, and energy efficiency. The YouthBuild model balances project-based academic learning and occupational skills training to prepare disadvantaged youth for career placement. The academic component assists youth who are often significantly behind in basic skill development in obtaining a high school diploma or state high school equivalency credential. The occupational skills training component prepares at-risk youth to gain placement into career pathways and/or further education or training, and also supports the goal of increasing affordable housing within communities by teaching youth construction skills learned by building or significantly renovating homes for sale or rent to low-income families or transitional housing for homeless families or individuals.

Under WIOA, Registered Apprenticeship and Career Pathways are greatly emphasized as strategies to increase employment opportunities. In the DOL WIOA Final Rule at 20 CFR, 688.120, YouthBuild programs funded by the Department are recognized as pre-apprenticeship programs. Grantees funded under this announcement are expected to develop program models that align with the definition of pre-apprenticeship as described in part 688 of the Final Rule:

Pre-apprenticeship, as defined in § 681.480, means a program designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in an apprenticeship program registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the “National Apprenticeship Act”; 50 Stat.664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.)(referred to in this part as a “registered apprenticeship” or “registered apprenticeship program”) and includes the following elements:

1. Training and curriculum that aligns with the skill needs of employers in the economy of the State or region involved;

2. Access to educational and career counseling and other supportive services, directly or indirectly;

3. Hands-on, meaningful learning activities that are connected to education and training activities, such as exploring career options, and understanding how the skills acquired through coursework can be applied toward a future career;

4. Opportunities to attain at least one industry-recognized credential; and

5. A partnership with one or more registered apprenticeship programs that assists in placing individuals who complete the pre-apprenticeship program in a registered apprenticeship program.

Grantees awarded under this announcement should be actively developing the connection points described above and developing relationships and pathways that lead to Registered Apprenticeship placements.

Also under WIOA, there is a greater emphasis on the role of employers in successful workforce development strategies, and a requirement to report on the effectiveness in serving employers performance indicators. Grantees awarded under this announcement are expected to actively develop new employer relationships and strengthen existing connections. As a required One-Stop system partner, YouthBuild grantees should be accessing and leveraging the strengths of the One-Stop system to support participant success. This may include, but is not limited to, job development support through One-Stop system partners, employer connections, basic assessment and referral services, supportive service provision, and transition services for post-exit placements and continuing education and training.

Additionally, grantees that have been previously funded by the Department may include occupational skills training in other in-demand industries in addition to construction skills training. This expansion into additional in-demand industries is the “Construction Plus” component. Under WIOA, DOL is emphasizing YouthBuild programs’ role as required partners of the One-Stop Career Centers. All YouthBuild programs must adhere to the requirements of being a One-Stop partner. Partnering with One-Stop Career Centers provides an opportunity for YouthBuild grantees to increase the number of eligible applicants, have greater access to local employers, and develop the ability to directly access information regarding changes to local workforce needs and respond with program changes accordingly.

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

Because one of the goals of the YouthBuild program is to provide affordable housing, all prospective applicants must demonstrate their commitment to increasing the supply of permanent housing for homeless and/or low-income individuals and families. The construction of affordable housing benefits the community where the affordable housing is built or renovated, and also provides youth with an opportunity to give back to their communities and work and learn in a team environment. YouthBuild grantees must accomplish this goal by having a sufficient number of youth enrolled in and completing the construction skills training component to enable the program to build or substantially renovate at least one unit of housing within the grant period of performance. Each program must also have access to a work site to use for on-site construction training. The construction work sites built and renovated by YouthBuild participants must only be constructed for homeless and/or low-income individuals and families to reside in.  Please note that the requirements of the YouthBuild regulations at 20 CFR 688.730 require a minimum of a 5-year restrictive covenant.

To build or substantially renovate at least one unit of housing requires the new construction or substantial renovation of single-family homes or apartment/condominium/townhouse complexes, or the construction or substantial renovation of a single dwelling within a complex. Substantial renovation includes those activities that will provide YouthBuild participants with significant construction experience and knowledge that will prepare them for entry-level employment in the construction industry and are tied to the construction curriculum used by the program. Painting or cleaning apartments and simple weatherization tasks do not constitute substantial renovation or a sufficiently comprehensive level of construction training to satisfy the requirement that each program build or substantially renovate a unit of housing, and thus, do not qualify as work sites. For guidance on qualifying work sites, please refer to Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 06-15: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=6610.

The YouthBuild Final Rule regulation (20 CFR part 688) was published on August 19, 2016. This regulation clarifies the requirements of the YouthBuild program as authorized under WIOA for program providers and participants. The regulation sets the standards under which YouthBuild program providers can carry out the goals of the program. The YouthBuild regulation can be found at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-08-19/pdf/2016-15975.pdf. For more information on the YouthBuild program, please go to: www.doleta.gov/youth_services/YouthBuild.cfm.

2. Program Authority

This program is authorized by Section 171(i) of WIOA (Pub. L. 113-128), and 20 CFR part 688.

2. AWARD INFORMATION

1. Award Type and Amount

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant.

We expect availability of approximately $80,000,000 to fund approximately 80 grants. You may apply for an amount ranging from $700,000 to a ceiling amount of up to $1.1 million. 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.

Due to the complex nature of the YouthBuild program model and the interest in expanding YouthBuild beyond construction skills training, this FOA is focused on ensuring that an adequate number of established YouthBuild programs are funded while newly-funded YouthBuild programs establish effective operation and delivery of services outlined in each of the required program components. Therefore, the Department intends to award at least 70 percent of the total available funding for this competition for the grants to eligible applicants that the DOL YouthBuild program has previously funded and which have demonstrated success in the program. The remainder of funds will be awarded to qualifying organizations not fitting this description, further described in Section III.A. below.

The Department’s intended mix of grant awards to new and previously-funded applicants will ensure that organizations with little experience with a DOL YouthBuild grant have an opportunity to implement a new DOL YouthBuild program, while allowing for continued support to the existing, previously-funded YouthBuild grants that have demonstrated success.

2. Period of Performance

The period of performance is forty (40) months with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2017. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities. This includes:

• a planning period of up to four months to complete the planning milestones below;

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

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

Applicants are required to describe, as an attachment to the application, the activities they expect to undertake during the planning period in order to ensure that they may begin active program services on schedule. Applicants may be prepared to start the active program services sooner than described above. If so, they must explain the rationale for why the planning period is less than four months; beginning active programs services earlier does not shorten the period of performance. A minimum of five percent of total funds should be reserved for the twelve-month follow-up period. Grantees must fully expend grant funds during the period of performance. Therefore, applicants must carefully consider their ability to spend the level of funding requested during the allotted time while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all expenditures.

Grantees must ensure the achievement of the following milestones during the planning period:

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

• Reaching out to the local One-Stop Center to discuss MOU requirements, such as the infrastructure costs and plans for collaborating with other required partners, including employers, at a minimum;

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

• initiating recruitment and outreach efforts for enrollment of participants;

• reconfirming work site financing and access (see Section IV.B.4.(b) for more information); and

• reconfirming match sources and amounts.

Please note that while the core program staff described above do not need to be in place at the time of application, the Department expects applicants to describe the plan to recruit and train for each core position.

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

1. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

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

• a community-based organization;

• a faith-based organization;

• an entity carrying out activities under the WIOA, such as a Local Workforce Development Board;

• a community action agency;

• a state or local housing development agency;

• an Indian tribe or other agency primarily serving Native Americans (including those living on reservations), Native Hawaiians, or Alaska Natives;

• a community development corporation;

• a state or local youth service or conservation corps;

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

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

Grantees who received funding from the FY 2016 YouthBuild competition [FOA-ETA-16-10] are funded through mid-February 2020, and these grantees (based on their unique Employer Identification Numbers) are not eligible to participate in this competition. Additionally, only one grant will be awarded to an individual organization.  An individual organization must have a unique Employer Identification Number and its program services shall not be administered at the same location as any other YouthBuild grantee.

Among eligible applicants listed above, the applicant agency or organization must also maintain a local presence in any identified target communities to be served.

Applicant Types

This FOA distinguishes between new applicants for DOL YouthBuild funding (those applicants that have never received a DOL YouthBuild award, have not received an award within the last six grant cycles, or have not yet completed their first DOL YouthBuild grant) and established applicants (those applicants that have previously received at least one YouthBuild grant from DOL which is near completion and provides sufficient performance outcomes for review). Carefully consider the requirements below and apply under the appropriate category (Category A or Category B), being sure to respond to the application instructions (project narrative, evaluation criteria, and attachments) that correspond to your category.

This FOA refers to previously-funded applicants as “Category A applicants.” DOL intends to award at least 70 percent of the available grant funds to applicants in Category A. As of the date of publication of this FOA, a Category A applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. At least one of the applicant’s previous grants must have been awarded from a competition that took place in FY 2011, 2012, 2013, or 2014; and

2. The applicant must not have received an award in the FY 2016 (FOA-ETA-16-10) competition.

Note that applicants that have been previously funded by DOL’s YouthBuild program, but not within the past six grant competitions (i.e. the applicant has not received a YouthBuild award since FY 2010 or earlier), will now be considered as new applicants who must apply under Category B. Previously, these applicants would have still been considered as Category A applicants. This change will provide applicants who have not been funded under the YouthBuild program in recent years to demonstrate growth and increased success in serving disconnected youth through improved organizational capacity, implementation of best practices, and more relevant performance outcomes than those available prior to FY 2011.

This FOA refers to new applicants as “Category B applicants.” DOL intends to award up to 30 percent of grant funds for awards to applicants in Category B. All applicants that do not meet the requirements for Category A above must apply as Category B. Category B applicants fall into one of these categories:

1. Applicants that did not receive a YouthBuild award in FY 2011, 2012, 2013 or 2014 but received a DOL YouthBuild award in one or more of the following grant competitions: FY 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and/or 2015; or

b) Applicants that have never received a DOL YouthBuild award.

Note that grantees that were funded by DOL for the first time in FY 2015 are included with new applicants because DOL will not have sufficient information to fairly evaluate their application against previously-funded applicants.  During this competition, these grantees will not have completed their grant’s active service cycle (as defined by the two-year period during which they are enrolling and serving active participants).  The performance outcomes for YouthBuild are long-term in nature, and DOL will not have sufficient information on the performance of FY 2015 grantees to evaluate them based on their past performance. 

 

As noted in the previous section, grantees funded in FY 2016 (FOA-ETA-16-10), regardless of any previous grant awards from DOL for YouthBuild funding, are not eligible to participate in this competition under Category A or Category B and should not respond to this FOA. The following chart summarizes the requirements specified in this section:

Applicant Type:	Category A	Category B	Not Eligible to Apply
Grant Classes Included:	Those funded at least once in FYs 2011, 2012, 2013 or 2014	FY 2015 First-Time Grantees Applicants last funded by DOL’s YouthBuild program in FY 2010 or earlier Applicants last funded in FY 2010 or earlier prior to receiving a FY 2015 grant award Those never funded by the DOL YouthBuild program	Any applicant who received an FY 2016 DOL-funded YouthBuild grant
Percent of Grant Funds Available:	At least 70 percent	Up to 30 percent	N/A
Construction Plus Eligible:	YES	NO	N/A

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

This program requires cost sharing or matching funds. Such funds may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions and equal to 25 percent of the total Federal awarded amount to the grant recipient. Any resources contributed to the project in addition to cost sharing or matching funds will be considered leveraged resources. Section IV.B.2 provides more information on leveraged resources. To be allowable as part of match, an expenditure must be an allowable charge for federal grant funds and considered necessary and reasonable to accomplish the project or program objectives. DOL will make determinations of allowable costs in accordance with the applicable Federal Cost Principles as indicated in section IV.E. If the cost would not be allowable as a grant-funded charge, then DOL cannot count it toward the applicant’s matching funds.

The recognition of documentation of match has changed since the release of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards: Final Rule at 2 CFR part 200 and OMB’s approved exceptions for DOL at 2 CFR 2900.

2 CFR 2900.8 Cost sharing or matching states that: In addition to the guidance set forth in 2 CFR 200.306(b) for Federal awards from the Department of Labor, the non-Federal entity accounts for funds used for cost sharing or match within their accounting systems as the funds are expended. It is no longer sufficient or adequate to receive and report monies as match; the monies must be expended on the program in order for it to be counted as match. Expenditures of match funds must be reported on the recipient share section of the ETA-9130 Form.

Additionally, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.306, match amount must be verifiable from the non-Federal entity’s records, not included as contributions for any other Federal award, are necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives and not provided by the Federal government under another Federal award.

DOL encourages applicants to leverage additional resources beyond the required match to supplement grant activities. Applicants must count and document as leveraged funds any cash or in-kind resources committed beyond 25 percent of the grant award amount required as matching funds.

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

Examples of Match Sources that Do Not Qualify:

Funding Source	Type of Match	Reason Match does not Qualify
Work site	Applicant lists full value of home as in-kind match	Only the portion of match that involves direct training of YouthBuild participants can be applied toward match – not the full value of the house.
Federal funds from another agency or through pass-through entity	Applicant lists pass-through grant as match	Federal funds do not qualify as a match source, even where the immediate funder was not Federal. In this case, a Federal agency awarded funds to a non-profit which then provided them to the applicant to be used on the current grant. These funds are still Federal in source. Federal funds cannot be used to meet a matching or cost sharing requirement unless expressly authorized by that Federal agency. It is the responsibility of the grant recipient to confirm and document such authority in its records.

For the purposes of the grant application, match letters of commitment must contain:

• Letterhead of contributing agency

• Written signature of authorized individual at the contributing agency, dated between the publication date and application date of this FOA

• Total dollar value of commitment, per year of grant and overall

• The source of match funds

• Detailed calculations showing how the total dollar value was derived

  • For match based on participants served, the calculation should be: __ participants enrolled x ___ cost of training/class/session per participant per year x __years of the commitment = total commitment

    • Example: XYZ Community College is committing 10 slots per year in a computer programming class. The match commitment letter must read: 10 slots X $500 per slot x 2 years = $10,000

  • For match based on staff time, the calculation should be: __hours per year (or percentage of FTE) x __hourly rate (or annual salary) x __years of commitment = total commitment

    • Example: Applicant is committing Executive Director for 20% of the FTE over the life of the grant. The match commitment letter must read: 20% x $75,000 per year x 3 years = $45,000

  • For match based on a set resource, the calculation should be: __monthly rate x __months per year x __years of commitment = total commitment

    • Example: ABC Organization is committing office space for the program. The match commitment letter must read: 800 square feet x $2.00/sq. ft. x 12 months x 3 years = $57,600

Calculations must be clear and able to be replicated by reviewers. Applicants proposing to use their own non-Federal resources to provide match must also have a letter of commitment that details the same information as above.

Please be reminded that these letters of commitment are not sufficient nor do they meet the supporting documentation requirements of cost sharing and matching as specified in 2 CFR 200.306. DOL recognizes match at the time it is expended as specified at 2 CFR 2900.8 and not when it is earned or received. Additionally, the grant recipient must apply the same supporting documentation requirement to tracking match expenditures as it would grant expenditures.

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

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

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.
Eligibility	Section III.A.
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 for Federal funds request within the grant award range of $700,000 to $1.1 million	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-424 lists the cost sharing or match amount on line 18b.	Section IV.B.2
SF-424A, Budget Information Form	Section IV.B.2
Budget Narrative	Section IV.B.2
Project Narrative	Section IV.B.3
Work Site Description (ETA-9143) with required attachments (no more than 3 work sites should be submitted since only three will be reviewed)	Section IV.B.3(B)(2)
Applicant indicates one contiguous service area or closely located communities within a metropolitan service area, defined by the zip codes, or identifies separate and severable target communities but indicates local presence in each identified community	Section III.C.5

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

We will consider only one application from each organization. If we receive multiple applications from the same organization, 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. This requirement applies to both Category A and Category B applicants.

3. Eligible Participants

   1. Participants Eligible to Receive Training

The intent of this FOA is to fund projects that provide education/training services to any individual who:

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

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

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

As it relates to determining which youth are considered out-of-school youth (OSY), the Department does not consider providers of Adult Education under YouthBuild programs to be “schools.” Therefore, WIOA youth programs may consider a youth to be OSY for purposes of WIOA youth program eligibility if they are attending Adult Education provided under YouthBuild.

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

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

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

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

2. Veterans’ Priority for Participants

38 U.S.C. 4215 requires grantees to provide priority of service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. The regulations implementing this priority of service are at 20 CFR Part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans’ priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans’ priority. ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.

4. Cost per Participant

The Department expects that the cost per participant will be between $15,000 and $18,000, and must not exceed $18,000. The Department calculates the expected cost-per-participant by dividing the total DOL grant award by the number of participants the grantee expects to enroll.

5. Target Community Service Area

Please note that the Department evaluates applications on the need of the proposed service area. For YouthBuild programs, the Department considers not only the need for the services to youth participants in this area, but also the area’s need for affordable housing. Applicants must refer to one contiguous service area or closely located communities within a metropolitan service area, defined by the zip codes to be served. If an applicant proposes to serve multiple service areas that are not contiguous or closely located, they must document that there is a local organizational presence (office or office sharing agreement with a non-YouthBuild organization) in a physical space sufficient to provide program services, including work site access, within each service area proposed.

The Department expects applicants to provide services only within their proposed service area(s), both in terms of recruitment and enrollment of youth and the work sites used by grantees for construction training. Grantees may, however, recruit and enroll up to 20 percent of eligible youth from beyond the targeted service area, if necessary. Work sites must be within a reasonable commuting distance of the target community at a minimum but grantees should focus on securing work sites within the target community where possible.

6. Industry-Recognized Credentials

Participation in the YouthBuild program should lead to the attainment of a stackable and portable credential, certification or degree that employers recognize and use in hiring decisions. A credential is considered stackable when it is part of a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time and move an individual along a career pathway or up a career ladder. A credential is considered portable when it is recognized and accepted as verifying the qualifications of an individual in other settings - either in other geographic areas, at other educational institutions, or by other industries or employing companies.

Refer to guidance from TEGL 15-10 (http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL15-10.pdf) regarding industry-recognized credentials. The term credential refers to an attestation of qualification or competence issued to an individual by a third party (such as an educational institution or an industry or occupational certifying organization) with the relevant authority or assumed competence to issue such a credential. WIOA includes a credential attainment performance measure for which YouthBuild programs will be accountable. The WIOA Final Rule and TEGL 10-16 “Performance Accountability Guidance for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV Core Programs,” found at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=8226, define the credential attainment measure. Any credential proposed in the application that is determined not to qualify for the purposes of the credential attainment measure will require a modification to the grant agreement after award.

Examples of credentials that may qualify include:

• Educational Diplomas and Certificates (typically for one academic year or less of study);

• Educational Degrees, such as an associate’s (2-year) or bachelor’s (4-year) degree;

• Registered Apprenticeship Certificate;

• Occupational Licenses (typically, but not always, awarded by state government agencies); and

• Industry-recognized or professional association certifications, also known as personnel certifications.

7. Travel and Technical Assistance

All applicants should include in their budget funds to cover travel to DOL-sponsored technical assistance training events. DOL expects YouthBuild programs to attend DOL-sponsored (not to be confused with YouthBuild USA-sponsored) events for each year of program operation. This would include, at a minimum, one national New Grantee Orientation during the first year of their grant award; one Management Information System (MIS) training in the first year of grant award and as new staff are hired; construction train-the-trainer events, as needed; and one regional peer-to-peer training event each year which will be held in the city where ETA’s regional office for that grantee’s region is located. DOL expects programs to send multiple levels of staff to specialized training that is offered either at learning exchanges or in specific training programs. These are important professional development opportunities for program staff. For example, the Department offers construction training certification several times a year in various locations across the country. In addition to sending the construction supervisor, grantees may consider sending the classroom instructor(s) as well, to create stronger connections between educational and construction components of YouthBuild programs. Applicants may also budget grant funds for participation in other non-DOL sponsored events, such as those sponsored by YouthBuild USA or other government or non-governmental entities. It is expected that funds allocated to travel outside of DOL-sponsored events are reasonable and provide a direct benefit to the program.

2. Application and Submission Information

   1. How to Obtain an Application Package

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov and http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm, contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

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

(1) the SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance;”

(2) Project Budget;

(3) Project Narrative; and

(4) Attachments to the Project Narrative.

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.

In addition, the applicant’s Authorized Representative’s signature in block 21 of the SF-424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of compliance with the following requirements in accordance with 29 CFR 37.20.

As a condition to the award of financial assistance from the Department of Labor under Title I WIOA , the grant applicant assures that it will comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: Section 188 of the WIOA, which prohibits discrimination against all individuals in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against beneficiaries on the basis of either citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States or participation in any WIOA Title I—financially assisted program or activity; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color and national origin; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities; The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs. The grant applicant also assures that it will comply with 29 CFR part 37 and all other regulations implementing the laws listed above. This assurance applies to the grant applicant's operation of the WIOA Title I-financially assisted program or activity, and to all agreements the grant applicant makes to carry out the WIOA Title I-financially assisted program or activity. The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance.

• Requirement for DUNS Number

All applicants for Federal grant 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.

(See Appendix A to 2 CFR section 25.)

• 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 can 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) that will work directly on this grant. 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, number of staff, mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other costs for each type of travel.

Equipment: Identify each item of equipment 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) 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: Under the Contractual line item, delineate contracts and subawards separately. Contracts are defined according to 2 CFR 200.22 as a legal instrument by which a non-Federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a Federal award.  A subaward, defined by 2 CFR 200.92, means an award provided by a pass-through entity 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.

For each proposed contract and subaward, specify the purpose and estimated cost.

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: Provide clear and specific detail, including costs, for each item so that we are able to determine whether the costs are necessary, reasonable and allocable. List any item, such as stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere here.

Indirect Costs: If you include indirect costs in the budget, then include one of the following:

a) If you have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), provide an explanation of how the indirect costs are calculated. This explanation should include which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Also provide a current version of the NICRA.

or

b) If you intend to claim indirect costs using the 10 percent de minimis rate, please confirm that your organization meets the requirements as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f). Clearly state that your organization has never received a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), and your organization is not one described in Appendix VII of 2 CFR 200, paragraph (D)(1)(b).

Applicants choosing to claim indirect costs using the de minimis rate must use Modified Total Direct Costs (see 2 CFR 200.68 below for definition) as their cost allocation base. Provide an explanation of which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Note that there are various items not included in the calculation of Modified Total Direct Costs. See below the definitions to assist you in your calculation.

2 CFR 200.68 Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

You will note that participant support costs are not included in modified total direct cost. Participant support costs are defined below.

2 CFR 200.75 Participant Support Cost means direct costs for items such as stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences, or training projects.

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.

As mentioned in Section II.B., the proposed budget must ensure that adequate funding (a minimum of five percent) is set aside to support the required twelve-month follow-up period. The budget should adequately reflect this allotment.

The maximum percentage of funds that may be used for supervision and training of participants on the rehabilitation of community and other public use facilities is 15 percent [WIOA section 171(c)(2)(C)(i)].

Note that the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative must include the entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year). 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 are within the responsive range.

3. Project Narrative

Preparing the Project Narrative

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

The Project Narrative is limited to 25 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with Times New Roman 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. 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:

(A) Statement of Need

The application must identify the proposed target service area and the number of youth ages 16 to 24 that the applicant expects to serve. For the proposed service area, applicants must provide the information identified below. For specific instructions on how to locate the information requested in Section IV B.3(A)(1) and (2) below, please see Section VIII. Other Information.

(1) Unemployment Rate:

The applicant must provide weighted average unemployment rate (rounded to one decimal place) of the combined cities or towns identified as part of the target community(ies), (based on zip codes) compared to the national unemployment rate as of the latest available comparable data. The national unemployment rate for youth ages 16 – 24 against which DOL will evaluate applicants is: 16.9 percent (using 1-year American Community Survey estimates as of 2014). For specific instructions on how to locate and calculate the information requested here, please see Section VIII. Other Information. These data are broken into two youth age subsets: 16 – 19 and 20 – 24. Applicants must calculate the weighted average unemployment rate for these two age groups by adding the unemployed population for each age group together, and then dividing by the total population of both age groups.

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

EXAMPLE:

	Zip Code 1	Zip Code 2	WEIGHTED AVERAGE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
16-19 year-old Unemployment Rate	25.4 percent	7.7 percent	N/A
20-24 year–old Unemployment Rate	14.6 percent	6.3 percent	N/A
Total estimated population aged 16 -19	17,205	33,234	N/A
Total estimated population aged 20-24	22,719	43,674	N/A
Total number of youth unemployed 16-19	17,205 x 0.254 = 4,370	33,234 x 0.077 = 2,559	N/A
Total number of youth unemployed 20-24	22,719 x 0.146 = 3,317	43,674 x 0.063 = 2,751	N/A
TOTAL Unemployment Rate	4,370 + 3,317 = 7,687 17,205 + 22,719 = 39,924	2,559 + 2,751 = 5,310 33,234 + 43,674 = 76,908	7,687 + 5,310 = 12,997 39,924 + 76,908 = 116,832 12,997/116,832 = AVERAGE: 11.1 percent

Applicants must use Census data for the national unemployment rate and for the local areas to be served. This data can be found through the U.S. Census’ Web site at: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.

To assist with the weighted average calculations, applicants are encouraged to use the formatted Excel spreadsheet in Attachment D and available for download at www.doleta.gov/youth_services/youthbuild.cfm.

(2) Poverty Rate:

The application must provide, across all zip codes that make up the proposed area the applicant intends to serve, the weighted average poverty rate from the poverty data available at

http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. Please see the example in Section IV B.3.a(1) above for information about how to calculate the weighted average. For specific instructions on how to locate and calculate this information, please see Section VIII. Other Information.

To assist with the weighted average calculations, applicants are encouraged to use the formatted Excel spreadsheet available for download at www.doleta.gov/youth_services/youthbuild.cfm.

(3) Graduation Rate:

The applicant must compare the average high school graduation rate from all high schools located within or serving the zip codes covered by the target community which the applicant intends to serve to the national graduation rate of 81 percent (based on the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from the class of 2013). Applicants are required to use State-level data sources to identify the graduation rate for their local community and must cite the specific source used, as well as providing, as an attachment, the print-out of the data source information.

Where State-level data are not available, the applicant must use an alternative data source and provide the rationale for using the alternate source, the citation for that source, and the print-out of the data source information for independent verification.

To assist with the average high school graduation rate calculations, applicants are encouraged to use the formatted Excel spreadsheet available for download at www.doleta.gov/youth_services/youthbuild.cfm.

(4) Priority Consideration Points for Federal Designation:

As a participant in the Promise Zone Initiative¹, DOL is cooperating with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and 9 other Federal agencies to support comprehensive revitalization efforts in 20 of the highest poverty urban, rural and tribal communities across the country. Applicants that submit a certification (HUD Form 50153) signed by an authorized representative of the lead organization of a Promise Zone designated by HUD or USDA supporting the application will receive two (2) priority consideration points. Currently, Promise Zones are located in: Atlanta, GA; Camden, NJ; the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Evansville, IN; Hartford, CT; Indianapolis, IN; Minneapolis, MN; Los Angeles, CA; Nashville, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, SD; Roosevelt Roads, PR; San Antonio, TX; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; St. Louis, MO; South Carolina Low Country; Southeastern Kentucky; Southwest Florida; Spokane, WA; and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians; ND. To view the list of designated Promise Zones and lead organizations, please go to www.hud.gov/promisezones.

(B) Construction Skills and Other Occupational Skills Training Focus

As stated throughout the FOA, all applicants must provide construction skills training. Category B applicants can only provide construction skills training with YouthBuild grant funds.  All applicants must guarantee that a sufficient number of students will enroll in and complete construction skills training during the grant period of performance to enable the grantee to build or renovate at least one unit of affordable or transitional housing for low-income or homeless individuals or families.  It is up to the applicant to determine the threshold number of participants that it will need during the program cycle to complete at least one unit of housing. Note that Category A applicants that propose other occupational skills training in an additional industry(ies)will not receive additional (“bonus”) points beyond Category A applicants that propose only construction skills training. Applicants must ensure a steady supply of work sites, sufficient to accomplish the hands-on work experience for all youth participating in construction training.

(1) Skills Training Requirements:

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

Need for Affordable Housing: Applicants must provide a narrative describing the condition and availability of affordable housing in the community, including a description of existing housing, such as the number and percentage of substandard and/or overcrowded units, rent burden (defined as average housing cost divided by average income), and/or the incidence of homelessness. 

Additional Category A Requirements:

Category A applicants planning to offer occupational skills training in high-demand industries in addition to construction skills training (known as Construction Plus fields) must provide information on the industry(ies) in which the applicant plans to offer training.  The applicant must include local labor market data that supports the decision to provide occupational skills training in the additional targeted field(s).  The applicant must describe all the training curricula that it will use, for both construction skills training and other occupational skills training, and the industry-recognized credential(s) that will result from the training.  The applicant must describe how the additional occupational skills selected will benefit the target community(ies) and why the skills training and proposed credentials will be a good fit for YouthBuild participants. The applicant must describe how industry partners have or will be engaged in the design of the program. In particular, the applicant must demonstrate a capacity to work with employers to identify local or regional hiring needs and design training programs that are responsive to those needs. Category A applicants that are pursuing Construction Plus industries should include as an attachment to the technical proposal a Construction Plus Field Proposal (see Attachment C of this FOA for an example of this template). Applicants must provide information for each additional field proposed beyond construction.

If the applicant does not use the suggested Construction Plus Field Proposal template, at a minimum, the attachment must address: 1) the occupational skills training proposed; 2) what industry-recognized certification(s) will result; 3) how employers will be involved in training/hiring; 4) the curriculum or training strategy to be used; 5) how many youth the program anticipates training in the new industry; and 6) how the program will incorporate community service, youth leadership development, and work experience opportunities into the occupational skills training.

(2) Work Site Qualification:

The applicant must provide an ETA-9143 form, with subsequent attachments, for each qualifying work site. Instructions on how to complete the ETA-9143 form and all required attachments can be found in Attachment E. A letter of commitment must be provided from each funding source indicating what is being provided, its dollar value, and the site where this will be applied. If any unit is currently occupied, the applicant must provide as an attachment a narrative that identifies who is occupying the property, the estimated cost of relocation, the relocation funding source, and the contact information of who will be providing relocation assistance. For each work site, the applicant must provide proof of ownership or a letter from the owner of the property granting them access. The applicant must also provide the roles and responsibilities, including specific training activities that youth will perform on each work site. Applicants may submit up to three work site forms. If applicants provide more than three work site forms, panelists will only review the first three. If additional work sites are necessary during the grant period of performance, grantees may submit additional work site modifications for Grant Officer consideration.

(C) Project Design

The applicant must identify and describe the various components of the proposed program, how these components integrate with each other, and how youth will progress through the program. Given the connection between education and earnings, the applicant must describe a rigorous and challenging academic component, and must provide participants with opportunities to transition to post-secondary education and/or advanced occupational skills training. Applicants also must describe the design and integration of the required program components, including education, occupational skills training, youth leadership development, career exploration and planning, post-program support and follow-up, and community service learning opportunities. Applicants must explain how their project design is informed by the existing evidence base on disadvantaged youth-serving social programs, and in particular disadvantaged youth workforce development programs.

One key component of an effective YouthBuild program is Project-Based Learning. Project-Based Learning involves an activity of extended duration, resulting in a product, presentation, or performance. It typically has a time line and milestones, and other aspects of formative evaluation as the project proceeds. Project-Based Learning emphasizes interdisciplinary and student-centered activities. Unlike traditional, teacher-led classroom activities, students often must organize their own work and manage their own time in a project-based class and the learning concepts are applied to real life situations. Benefits of Project-Based Learning include a greater depth of understanding of concepts, broader knowledge base, improved communication and interpersonal/social skills, enhanced leadership skills, increased creativity, and improved writing skills.

Within Project-Based Learning, there is a subset of objectives that specifically focuses on a solution to a known problem, referred to as “problem-based learning.” Problem-Based Learning focuses on the problem and the process, while Project-Based Learning focuses on the product. In Problem-Based Learning, a specific problem is defined by the course instructor. Students work individually or in teams over a period of time to develop solutions to this problem.  Applicants should consider the many ways in which project-based and problem-based learning may be applied to the YouthBuild curriculum, both in the classroom and on the work site, to enhance the engagement and learning outcomes for participants.

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

(1) Education and Occupational Skills Training:

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

The applicant must describe how the educational and occupational skills training curricula will be integrated. If project-based or problem-based learning strategies will be incorporated, these must be described, as well.

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

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

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

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

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

(2) Post-Program Placement and Follow-Up Services:
Applicants must describe the post-program transition services that they will offer to prepare youth for employment placements and/or educational placements, including the use of assessments of college and career readiness, and the need for ongoing supportive and post-program services.

Applicants must also describe work readiness and career exploration opportunities offered to youth. Applicants must also describe the integrated approach to post-program placement planning and follow-up strategies to support ongoing communication and retention for youth during the follow-up period.

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

(3) Employer Engagement Strategy:

Applicants must explain their use of Labor Market Information (LMI) and/or employer-provided information to inform education/training.

Applicants must also describe their approach for targeting employers and the outreach strategy, as well as any distinct approaches used to target specific industry employers and/or union trades. Applicants must also describe how employers will be engaged in work experience and career exploration activities with youth participants.

Applicants must also describe the approach for ongoing communication with, and feedback from, employers, to ensure the needs of employers are being met by the program’s engagement strategy.

(4) Community Service Learning and Leadership Development:

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

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

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

(5) Partners:

Applicants must identify and describe the key partners who the applicant anticipates will help implement and operate the proposed YouthBuild project.

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

Applicants must describe any existing partnerships with registered apprenticeships in demand industries and how they will train and connect participants to these career pathway opportunities. Where such partnerships do not yet exist, applicants should describe plans to develop such pathways.

Applicants must describe how they will establish and maintain a partnership with the applicable One-Stop Career Center(s) as required under WIOA.

(6) Outreach, Recruitment, Selection, and Retention:

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

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

Applicants must list anticipated barriers to successful participant retention in the program and describe approaches for addressing common barriers for at-risk youth.

(7) Staffing Plan:

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

The staffing plan must highlight key positions during the start-up phase that are currently staffed and highlight its strategy for hiring open positions. The plan should also highlight the staffing structure during the follow-up stage and how this strategy may differ. The staffing plan must include, at a minimum, a Project Manager/Director, a Case Manager, and a Job Developer/Placement Specialist, either through direct employment or subcontracting. Applicants must also explain how the program will quickly accommodate staff turnover if the need arises.

(8) Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity:

The applicant must provide information on how they will manage the program, including the applicant’s current mission, structure, and relevant experience. Describe how these factors contribute to the ability of the applicant to administer the program and meet expected outcomes. Include any previous experience implementing projects of similar design or magnitude. Describe the applicant’s fiscal and administrative controls in place to manage Federal funds.

(D) Budget and Budget Justification

Please see Section IV.B.2. for information on requirements related to the budget and budget justification. The Budget and Budget Justification does not count against the page limitation for the Project Narrative.

(E) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category A Applicants

(1) Performance Goals

Organizations that have previously received and completed a YouthBuild grant award from the Department will receive points based on past performance demonstrated by the Quarterly Performance Report (ETA-9136) and Quarterly Financial Report (ETA-9130). Applicants do not need to submit these two reports as attachments; the Department will use data previously submitted through the YouthBuild MIS and the DOL financial reporting system. In the event that the current quarter’s requested report is not submitted or available, the most recent previous report will serve this purpose. The four performance measures that are evaluated under this criterion are: placement in education or employment, certificate/degree attainment, literacy/numeracy gains, and retention in education or employment.

Applicants should refer to the chart below to determine which reports will be reviewed for their most recently-completed grant from 2014 or earlier.

YouthBuild Grantees (for the Period of Performance):	Quarterly Performance Report (ETA-9136) and Quarterly Financial Report (ETA-9130) Will Be Reviewed for Period Ending:
June 1, 2011 – May 31, 2014	June 30, 2014 (Q4 of PY13)
September 1, 2012 – December 31, 2015	December 31, 2015 (Q2 of PY15)
July 15, 2013 – November 14, 2016	December 31, 2016 (Q2 of PY 16)
August 11, 2014 – December 30, 2017	December 31, 2016 (Q2 of PY 16)

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

(2) Spending Rate Analysis: 

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

The spending rate analysis will take into account the expected grant startup period of approximately four months, during which grantee spending is typically lower. DOL will base this analysis on the applicant’s most recent completed grant.  For example, if the applicant’s organization received an award in 2012 and in 2014, DOL will use information regarding the spending rate from the 2014 grantee reports.

(F) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category B Applicants

(1) Performance Goals:

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

Category B applicants must submit a chart of past performance that identifies four (4) performance goals and the actual performance results for the most recently-completed grant, as specified above. If available, Category B applicants should use the performance metrics most similar to: employment/education placement, degree/certificate attainment, literacy/numeracy gains, and retention in education or employment. ETA views these four metrics as the most critical to demonstrating that the applicant’s past success in similar programs has prepared its organization to succeed in operating a YouthBuild project. Applicants must choose at least three (3) out of these four (4) metrics (or substantially similar metrics) in demonstrating past performance.

For the fourth metric, applicants must provide another performance metric, which may be the fourth metric described in the preceding paragraph or a different metric, as required by their grantor. In the chart, Category B applicants must identify the total number of participants enrolled in the program, the expected level of performance for each metric, and the actual outcomes displayed as both a fraction (i.e., the numerator equal to the number of program participants who achieved the identified metric and the denominator equal to the total program participants eligible for the identified metric) and a percentage. Category B applicants will receive points based on past performance demonstrated in the attached performance chart. The performance chart attachment must clearly identify the four metrics being used and must include a definition for how the metric is calculated (i.e. the numerator and denominator for the metric). DOL reserves the right to discount metrics provided that are determined not to be sufficiently similar to the measures described above and award zero points for discounted metrics.

(2) Spending Rate Analysis:

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

For the response to Section IV.B.3(F)(1) and (2) above, applicants are encouraged to use a single chart that provides all requested information. Below is an example of such a chart:

Name of Previous Grantor Organization, Project Title, and Grant Number:
Project Period of Performance:
Grantor Contact - Name, Title, Organization, E-mail Address, and Telephone Number:
Performance Goals
Total Number of Participants:
Metric		Defined Numerator/ Denominator for Metric	Expected Outcome	Actual Outcome	Percentage Rate of Actual Achievement
Metric 1:
Metric 2:
Metric 3:
Metric 4:
Spending Rate Analysis
Grant Funds Received
Grant Funds Spent
Percentage Rate of Spending

(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 resumés 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

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 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;

• the funding level requested;

• whether the application is being submitted as an urban, rural, or Native American application;

• the target community service area, as identified by zip codes;

• whether the applicant is applying as a Category A or Category B applicant;

• whether the applicant is applying for Construction Plus (only allowable for Category A applicants);

• if the applicant is a government entity in a territory that is eligible for the matching waiver and intends to waive match, as described in Section III.B. Cost Sharing or Matching;

• an acknowledgement of the applicant’s designation as a Promise Zone or member of a Promise Zone collaboration (if appropriate); and

• any experience with Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701u).

The Abstract is limited to two-page double-spaced single sided 8.5x11 inch pages with 12 point Times New Roman 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.”

b. Work Site Description: The applicant must submit a minimum of one and there should be a maximum of three signed Work Site Description Form(s) (ETA-9143) including all required attachments, which describes the planned work site that the applicant will use for on-site housing rehabilitation and construction training for youth participants. This form can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/youthbuild.cfm by selecting “Form ETA-9143” under the YouthBuild Applications Forms section. All applicants must use the ETA-9143 form available at the above web site, which has an expiration date of August 31, 2018. Earlier versions of the work site form are not acceptable. Applicants should submit up to 3 work site forms for consideration as only three work site forms will be reviewed. Please note that Attachment E provides instructions for completing ETA-9143 and all required attachments.

Please note that before finalization of the grant award document, and before grant funds are released, grantees must be able to reconfirm information about the work site(s) and the applicant’s access to the property(ies). DOL may also require this same re-verification process of grantees after their first year of performance in order to ensure that necessary work sites are still available during the grant cycle.

Sections 7 and 8 of ETA-9143 request information about the property owner or property management company(ies) allowing access to the housing site(s) for on-site construction training. Evidence of site access is:

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

• If the applicant owns the property, a copy of the deed or other documentation showing proof of ownership (a letter from the applicant does not serve as proof of ownership); or

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

Applicants should include completed ETA-9143 forms (including all required attachments) for each proposed work site as attachments to the Project Narrative and they do not count against page limitations.

Applicants should note that there is a second section of the Work Site Description Form, called the “Housing Census Form.” Applicants do not need to fill this out at the time of application or award. DOL will require this census from awarded applicants in August of each year for the past 12-month period as a means of tracking the total units of housing completed by YouthBuild programs.

All properties rehabilitated or constructed using DOL YouthBuild grant funds require a restrictive covenant clause that ensures that for a period of at least five years, all residential housing that is constructed or rehabilitated with DOL YouthBuild funds will be rented or sold to low-income or homeless individuals or families. For further information on the restrictive covenant requirements, see 20 CFR 688.730.

Applicants should also note that participating on construction work sites that use funding from HUD triggers Davis-Bacon or related acts (DBRA). DBRA prevailing wage rates are generally equivalent to journeyman-level wages and may be prohibitive for YouthBuild programs to pay participants.

DBRA rules are quite complex and cover a number of different statutes within HUD. There are exemptions within some of these statutes under which prevailing wage rates do not apply. Determining exactly which units of a construction project may be funded with HUD assistance is also quite complex. It does not necessarily have to mean the construction itself is supported by HUD funding but rather, could mean that rental assistance to residents is supplemented by HUD. Review TEGL 11-16 “YouthBuild Compliance with Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA),” found at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=6026, for additional guidance.

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 attach the most recently approved Agreement. (For more information, see Section IV.B.2. and Section IV.E.1.) This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

2. Signed Letters of Commitment: Signed letters from partners supporting the response to Section IV.B.3(C)(5). This attachment will impact scoring as specified in the evaluation criteria.

3. 4-Month Implementation Chart: As described in Section II.B. Period of Performance to provide a timeline for completing critical activities within the four month planning period. This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

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

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

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

g. Category A Construction Plus Description: Category A applicants selecting Construction Plus must attach the optional template in Attachment C or an alternative document that contains all requested information from the Construction Plus Field Proposal template for each Construction Plus industry proposed. Each attached template or alternative document must be no longer than two pages. The Construction Plus Field Proposal must be included as an attachment for any previously-funded applicant wishing to be considered a Construction Plus program and must describe all additional skills training beyond construction skills training.

h. Past Performance Chart (For Category B Applicants Only): Category B applicants must include a past performance chart that specifies the performance goals and spending rate analysis information for a previous grant (see Section IV.B.3(F)). In the chart, applicants must also provide the grantor name, project title, grant number, and project period of performance, along with the name, title, organization, e-mail address, and telephone number of an individual from the previous grantor entity or agency who had oversight for the program. This attachment impacts scoring as specified in the evaluation criteria.

i. Certification of Consistency with Promise Zone Goals and Implementation (HUD Form 50153): For applicants whose targeted service areas are within or benefitting Promise Zone designated communities, provide the Certification form, available here: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=HUD_Form_50153.pdf. This attachment impacts scoring as specified in the evaluation criteria at Section V.A.

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: Brinda Ruggles, Grant Officer

Reference FOA-ETA-17-03

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 at the 3^rd Street Visitor Entrance. 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 .

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

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

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

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

• email [email protected] .

The 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 4:00:00 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.

1. Indirect Costs

As specified in the Uniform Guidance Cost Principles (2 CFR 200.56), 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 and is not a governmental department or agency unit that receives more than $35 million in direct Federal funding or an organization identified 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, you must clearly state in the budget narrative that the organization never received a negotiated indirect cost rate in the past. If chosen, this de minimis 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.) For WIOA grants, all costs charged as a result of the de minimis rate will be counted towards the administrative cost limitation specified below.

2. Administrative Costs

Under this FOA, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a project or program may not use more than 10 percent of the amount of the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or project. Administrative costs are for the performance of administrative functions in carrying out activities under 20 CFR 683.215 that are not related to the direct provision of workforce investment services (including services to participants and employers). Such costs include both personnel and non-personnel costs and both direct and indirect costs. Administrative costs do not need to be identified separately from program costs on the SF-424A Budget Information Form. However, they must be tracked through the recipient’s accounting system. To claim any administrative costs that are also indirect costs, the applicant must obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement from its Federal Cognizant Agency or be eligible to use the 10 percent de minimis rate, as specified above.

3. Salary and Bonus Limitations

None of the funds appropriated under the heading “Employment and Training” in the appropriation statute(s) may be used by a recipient or subrecipient of such funds to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual, either as direct costs or indirect costs, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II. This limitation does not apply to contractors providing goods and services as defined in the Audit Requirements of the OMB Uniform Guidance (see 2 CFR 200 Subpart F). Where States are recipients of such funds, States may establish a lower limit for salaries and bonuses of those receiving salaries and bonuses from subrecipients of such funds, taking into account factors including the relative cost-of-living in the State, the compensation levels for comparable State or local government employees, and the size of the organizations that administer Federal programs involved including Employment and Training Administration programs. See Public Law 114-113, Division H, Title I, section 105 for further clarification: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2262.

4. 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.”

5. WIOA Infrastructure

All one-stop partner programs including all programs funded under title I of WIOA are required to contribute to the infrastructure costs and certain additional costs of the one-stop delivery system in proportion to their use and relative benefits received as required in 20 CFR 678.700 and 678.760. The sharing and allocation of infrastructure costs between one-stop partners is governed by WIOA sec. 121(h), WIOA’s implementing regulations, and the Federal Cost Principles contained in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR part 200 (Uniform Guidance). The Federal Cost Principles state that a partner’s contribution is an allowable, reasonable, necessary, and allocable cost to the program and is consistent with other legal requirements. A list of the required one-stop partner programs is available at 20 CFR 678.400. Additional guidance is provided in Training and Employment Guidance Letter 17-16, “Infrastructure Funding of the One-Stop Delivery System,” available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=4968.

6. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages and Need-based Payments

Under Sec. 171(c)(2) of WIOA (Pub. L. 113-128), grantees may use funds to provide need-based payments, stipends, wages, or benefits to help enable program participants to participate in the program.   Need-based payments, stipends, wages, and benefits provided under YouthBuild grants must accord with the policies and procedures of the grantee organization.  Wages can compensate youth at the same rates (including periodic increases) as similar trainees or employees in the construction fields, and rates must accord with all applicable laws. Stipends should provide a weekly living allowance to those participating in the program, designed to help with transportation, living expenses, day care, etc. Per section 181(a)(2) of WIOA, payments to participants in the YouthBuild program do not count as income for the purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of income transfer and in-kind aid provided to participants through any federal or federally assisted program, except as provided under the Social Security Act. Need-based payments refer to additional payments (beyond regular stipends for program participation) that are based on defined needs that enable youth to participate in the program.

Under 20 CFR 688.320(a)(7)(ii), to provide need-based payments, the grantee must have a written policy in place, which defines: 1) eligibility; 2) the amounts; and 3) the required documentation and criteria for payments. This policy must be applied consistently to all program participants.

Please note that there are legal and financial obligations activated by paying participants wages or stipends. The Department encourages applicants to seek legal and/or accounting counsel before setting up or changing the funding system at your program for YouthBuild participants to ensure compliance with IRS and DOL requirements, and to help participants determine their income tax liability.

6. 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.

3. 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)
	Category A Applicants	Category B Applicants
Statement of Need (See Section IV.B.3(A) Statement of Need) Unemployment Rate Poverty Rate Graduation Rate	18 Points Total 6 6 6	18 Points Total 6 6 6
Construction Skills and Other Occupational Skills Training Focus (See Section IV.B.3(B) Construction Skills and Other Occupational Skills Training Focus) Skills Training Requirements Work Site Qualification	14 Points Total 6 8	14 Points Total 6 8
Project Design (See Section IV.B.3(C) Project Design) Education and Occupational Skills Training Post-Program Placement and Follow-Up Services Employer Engagement Strategy Community Service Learning and Leadership Development Partners Outreach, Recruitment, Selection, and Retention Staffing Plan Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity	35 Points Total 10 7 3 3 4 3 2 3	35 Points Total 10 7 3 3 4 3 2 3
Budget and Budget Justification (See Section IV.B.2. Project Budget)	5 Points Total	5 Points Total
Category A Applicants Only Past Performance – Programmatic Capability (see Section IV.B.3(E)) Performance Goals: a) Placement in Education or Employment b2) Certificate/Degree Attainment c) Literacy/Numeracy Gains d) Retention in Education or Employment Spending Rate Analysis	28 Points Total 6 6 6 6 4
Category B Applicants Only Past Performance – Programmatic Capability (see Section IV.B.3(F)) Performance Goals: a) Metric 1 b) Metric 2 c) Metric 3 d) Metric 4 Spending Rate Analysis		28 Points Total 6 6 6 6 4
TOTAL	100	100
Priority Consideration for Promise Zone Designation (see Section IV.B.3(A)(4))	2	2
TOTAL	102	102

(A) Statement of Need (up to 18 points)

(1) Unemployment Rate (Maximum 6 points):

DOL will score applicants based on the weighted average youth unemployment rate across the zip codes that the applicant proposes to serve.

• If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years for the proposed zip codes is greater than 16.9 percent: 6 Points.

• If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years is between 13.0 and16.9 percent: 4 Points.

• If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years is between 9.0 and 12.9 percent: 2 Points.

• If the weighted average unemployment rate for youth ages 16 to 24 years is less than 9.0 percent: 0 Points.

(2) Poverty Rate (Maximum 6 points):

DOL will score applicants based on the weighted average poverty rate across the zip codes that the applicant proposes to serve.

• If the weighted average poverty rate is 15 percent or more across all zip codes to be served: 6 Points.

• If the weighted average poverty rate is between 10 percent and 14.99 percent across all zip codes to be served: 4 Points.

• If the weighted average poverty rate is between 5 percent and 9.99 percent across all zip codes to be served: 2 Points.

• If the weighted average poverty rate is less than 5 percent across all zip codes to be served: 0 Points.

(3) Graduation Rate (Maximum 6 points):

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

• If the average graduation rate for the schools located in the proposed cities or towns is 61.00 percent or below: 6 Points

• If the average graduation rate for the schools located in the proposed cities or towns is 61.01 percent to 71.00 percent: 4 Points

• If the average graduation rate for the schools located in the proposed cities or towns is 71.01 percent to 80.99 percent: 2 Points

• If the average graduation rate for the schools located in the proposed cities or towns is 81.00 percent or above: 0 Points

(B) Construction Skills and Other Occupational Skills Training Focus (up to 14 points):

(1) Skills Training Requirements (Maximum 6 points):

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

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

• The extent to which the Construction Training Plan responds to the criteria described in Section IV.B.3.B.

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

Additional Category A Criteria: The following criteria apply to Category A “Construction Plus” applicants who plan to offer construction and construction plus training in additional occupational fields. Note: Panelists will not award additional points for applicants that also offer additional occupational fields (Construction Plus); all applicants can receive a maximum of 7 points for the “Construction Skills and Other Occupational Skills Training Focus.”

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

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

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

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

(2) Work Site Qualification (Maximum 8 points): DOL will score this section based on the completeness of the required documents provided. All parts of the Work Site Description need to be submitted for each work site (Please see Attachment E for instructions). Specifically, we will be judging up to the first three provided ETA-9143 documents on the following criteria:

• For all work sites included (up to three), Attachment 1 of ETA-9143 has the work site address, the current owner’s name, and is signed by a person listed on the SF-424: 0 or 2 points

• For all work sites included (up to three), Attachment 1A of ETA-9143 has the applicant’s name and work site address as listed on Attachment 1, the applicant provides a letter of commitment from each Provider/Donor listed, and the funding amounts listed in the top Resources chart are the same as those listed in the bottom Documentation of Housing Resources chart: 0 or 2 points

• For all work sites included (up to three), the applicant has provided one of the following: 1) a Deed or tax bill, if they are the owner; 2) a contract or option to buy documentation if under contract to purchase the property; or 3) a letter that contains the a) name of the owner and explicitly stating that they own the property, b) complete address of the property, c) allowing access to the property, d) signed, and e) dated (using current date) if the property is owned by a third party.  0 or 2 points

• For all work sites included (up to three), Attachment 1D of ETA-9143 must provide a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities and the specific construction training activities the youth will undertake at each individual work site. 0 or 2 points

(C) Project Design (up to 35 points)

(1) Education and Occupational Skills Training (Maximum 10 points):

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

• The extent to which the applicant describes the integration of educational and occupational skills training curricula.

• The quality of the applicant’s plan to use project-based or problem-based learning strategies to support contextual learning.

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

• The strength and feasibility of the applicant’s plan in demonstrating the quality of the proposed occupational skills training, as well as evidence that the applicant can ensure a steady supply of work sites, provide access to work experience opportunities, and link community service learning to the industries in which training occurs.

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

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

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

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

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

• The strength of the post-program connections to local community and four-year colleges for post-program placements of participants, particularly those who may receive a state-recognized high school equivalency degree rather than a traditional high school diploma.

• The strength of the description of opportunities that the applicant will provide for work experience and career exploration, including the use of employer partnerships to provide such opportunities and lead to post-program placement opportunities.

• The degree to which a clear and feasible plan is demonstrated to ensure the placement of participants into post-program employment and the use of the Job Developer role to create a network of employment opportunities, including internships and unsubsidized employment.

(3) Employer Engagement Strategy (Maximum 3 points):

• The extent to which the use of Labor Market Information (LMI) and/or employer-provided information is incorporated into education and training curricula, including work experience opportunities.

• The strength of the approach for targeting employers and the outreach strategy.

• The degree to which specific industry employers and/or union trades are targeted for outreach.

• The degree to which employers are thoughtfully engaged in work experience and career exploration activities with youth participants.

• The strength of the approach for ensuring ongoing communication with, and feedback from, employers, in order to meet the needs of employers.

(4) Community Service Learning and Leadership Development (Maximum 3 points):

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

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

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

(5) Partners (Maximum 4 points): DOL will score this section based on the quality of partnerships, not the quantity. In order to receive the full five points, applicants must demonstrate partnerships with one or more businesses or employers (including those with registered apprenticeship opportunities such as a joint apprenticeship program), state or local governments, or institutions of higher learning.

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

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

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

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

• The strength of the applicant’s explanation of how it will ensure partnership with the applicable One-Stop Career Center.

(6) Outreach, Recruitment, Selection, and Retention (Maximum 3 points):

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

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

• The strength of the proposed efforts to engage young men and women into non-traditional career pathways, such as the fields of nursing and child care for young men and construction for young women.

• The extent to which the plan identifies potential barriers and describes strategies to support participant retention.

(7) Staffing Plan (Maximum 2 points):

• The strength and sufficiency of the personnel proposed for each phase of the project, such that the full period of performance is adequately staffed, including the staffing strategy for the start-up phase, the operational phase, and follow-up phase.

• The extent to which the plan describes effective plans for the hiring of the required key personnel (see Section IV.B.3(C)(7)), staff retention strategies, and staff turnover plans, and demonstrates an effective level of support for participant needs.

• The strength of the plan for the hiring or inclusion of existing staff in the required staff roles and the extent to which the required roles are assigned effective leadership roles in the program model.

(8) Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (Maximum 3 points):

• The demonstration of an effective plan for the management of the program, including the applicant’s current mission, structure, and relevant experience.

• The applicant provides strong evidence of their ability to administer the program and meet expected outcomes, including any previous experience implementing projects of similar design or magnitude, as well as the strength of the applicant’s fiscal and administrative controls to manage Federal funds.

(D) Budget and Budget Justification (up to 5 points):

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

• The extent to which key personnel (see Section IV.B.3(C)(7)) have adequate time devoted to the project to achieve project results. (2 points)

(E) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category A Applicants (up to 28 points)

CATEGORY A APPLICANTS SECTION ONLY.

Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category A

As stated in Section IV.B.3(E)(1), Category A applicants will be evaluated based on performance from previously-submitted Quarterly Performance Reports, as pulled from the YouthBuild MIS.

(1) Performance Goals (Maximum 24 points):

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• For organizations that received a YouthBuild award in FY 2011, 2012, or 2013 DOL will award points as follows:

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

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

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

• Category A applicants that expended less than 80 percent of grant funds will receive 0 points.

• Category A applicants that did not meet 100 percent of their match requirement (25 percent of the grant award), regardless of the percentage of funds expended, will also receive 0 points.

• For programs that received a YouthBuild award in FY 2014, we will award points as follows:

• Category A applicants that expended at least 75 percent of grant funds by December 31, 2015 and have reported no less than 50 percent of the match requirement will receive 4 points.

• Category A applicants that expended at least 60 percent of grant funds by December 31, 2015 and have reported no less than 50 percent of the match requirement will receive 3 points.

• Category A applicants that expended at least 50 percent of grant funds by December 31, 2015 and have reported no less than 50 percent of the match requirement will receive 2 points.

• Category A applicants that expended less than 50 percent of grant funds by December 31, 2015 and/or have reported less than 50 percent of the match requirement will receive 0 points.

(F) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category B Applicants (up to 28 points)

CATEGORY B APPLICANTS SECTION ONLY.

Past Performance – Programmatic Capability for Category B

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

(1) Performance Goals (Maximum 24 points):

As stated in Section IV.B.3(F)(1), applicants must choose at least three (3) out of the four (4) metrics identified in that section (or substantially similar metrics) in demonstrating past performance. For the fourth metric, applicants must provide another performance metric, which may be the fourth metric from the list specified in Section IV.B.3.F(1) or another different metric from their grantor. Applicants will receive 0 points for any metric that does not meet these requirements.

a. Metric 1 (Maximum 6 points):

• Category B applicants that met 90.00 percent of their goal or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 89.99 percent – 70.00 percent of their goal will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 69.99 percent – 50.00 percent of their goal will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 49.99 percent – 30.00 percent of their goal will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 29.99 percent – 20.00 percent of their goal will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 19.99 percent or below of their goal will receive 0 points for this subsection.

b. Metric 2 (Maximum 6 points):

• Category B applicants that met 90.00 percent of their goal or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 89.99 percent – 70.00 percent of their goal will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 69.99 percent – 50.00 percent of their goal will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 49.99 percent – 30.00 percent of their goal will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 29.99 percent – 20.00 percent of their goal will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 19.99 percent or below of their goal will receive 0 points for this subsection.

c. Metric 3(Maximum 6 points):

• Category B applicants that met 90.00 percent of their goal or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 89.99 percent – 70.00 percent of their goal will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 69.99 percent – 50.00 percent of their goal will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 49.99 percent – 30.00 percent of their goal will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 29.99 percent – 20.00 percent of their goal will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 19.99 percent or below of their goal will receive 0 points for this subsection.

d. Metric 4 (Maximum 6 points):

• Category B applicants that met 90.00 percent of their goal or higher will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 89.99 percent – 70.00 of their goal will receive 5 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 69.99 percent – 50.00 of their goal will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 49.99 percent – 30.00 of their goal will receive 3 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 29.99 percent – 20.00 of their goal will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Category B applicants that met 19.99 percent or below of their goal will receive 0 points for this subsection.

(2) Spending Rate Analysis during the Original Period of Performance

(Maximum 4 points):

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

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

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

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

Priority Consideration Points for Federal Designation (2 points):

Applicants will receive two (2) priority consideration points if they demonstrate proof of being in a Federally-designated Promise Zone on a Promise Zone Certification Form, as discussed at Section IV.B.3(A)(4).

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. Two additional points will be given to applicants located within a Federally-designated Promise Zone. The final scores (which may include the mathematical normalization of review panels) will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer reserves the right to make selections based solely on the final scores or to take into consideration other relevant factors when applicable. Such factors may include the geographic distribution of funds and/or other relevant factors. The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to his/her attention.

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

NOTE:  As part of the Employment & Training Administration’s Risk Review process, The Grant Officer will determine:

• If the applicant had any restriction on spending for any ETA grant due to adverse monitoring findings ; or 

• If the applicant received a High Risk determination in accordance with Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 23-15, “The Process for Making High Risk Determinations after Award and the Associated Risk Mitigation Procedures”.

Depending on the severity of the findings and whether the findings were resolved, the Grant Officer may at his/her discretion, elect to not fund the applicant for a grant award regardless of the applicant’s score in the competition.

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.

4. Award Administration Information

   1. Award Notices

All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted directly before the grant’s execution. Non-selected applicants will be notified by mail or email and may request a written debriefing on the significant weaknesses of their application.

Selection of an organization as a recipient does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, 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:

a. 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)

b. All recipients must comply with the applicable provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Public Law No. 113-328, 128 Stat. 1425 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) and the applicable provisions of the regulations at 20 CFR 675 et seq. Note that 20 CFR part 683 (Administrative Provisions) allows unsuccessful applicants to file administrative appeals.

c. 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).

d. 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.

e. 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.

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

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

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

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

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

k. General Terms and Conditions of Award—See the following link: https://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/2016template.pdf

2. Other Legal Requirements:

   1. 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.

2. 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).

3. 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.

4. Safeguarding Data Including Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Applicants submitting applications in response to this FOA must recognize that confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the Department of Labor and must be observed except where disclosure is allowed by the prior written approval of the Grant Officer or by court order. By submitting an application, you are assuring that all data exchanges conducted through or during the course of performance of this grant will be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable Federal law and TEGL NO. 39-11 (issued June 28, 2012). All such activity conducted by ETA and/or recipient/s will be performed in a manner consistent with applicable state and Federal laws.

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

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

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 ETA 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 ETA 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 ETA grant must be stored in an area that is physically safe from access by unauthorized persons at all times and the data will be processed using recipient issued equipment, managed information technology (IT) services, and designated locations approved by ETA. Accessing, processing, and storing of ETA grant PII data on personally owned equipment, at off-site locations e.g., employee’s home, and non-recipient managed IT services, e.g., Yahoo mail, is strictly prohibited unless approved by ETA.

6. 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 ETA for any purpose not stated in the grant agreement.

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

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

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

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

13. You must retain data received from ETA only for the period of time required to use it for assessment and other purposes, or to satisfy applicable Federal records retention requirements, if any. Thereafter, you agree that all data will be destroyed, including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and deletion of electronic data.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Closeout of Grant Award

Any entity that receives an award under this Announcement must close its grant with ETA at the end of the final year of the grant. Information about this process may be found in ETA’s Grant Closeout FAQ located at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/docs/GCFAQ.pdf .

3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions

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

4. Special Program Requirements

   1. ETA Evaluation

As a condition of grant award, YouthBuild grantees may be required to participate in a national evaluation. The national evaluation may include an implementation assessment across grantees, an impact and/or outcomes analysis of all or selected sites within or across grantees, and a benefit/cost analysis or assessment of return on investment. Conducting an impact analysis could involve random assignment (which involves random assignment of eligible participants into a treatment group that would receive program services or enhanced program services, or into control group(s) that would receive no program services or program services that are not enhanced). We may require applicants to collect data elements to aid any evaluation. By accepting a YouthBuild grant award, grantees must agree, if an evaluation is planned, to: (1) make records on participants, employers, and funding available; (2) provide access to program operating personnel, participants, and operational and financial records, and any other pertaining documents to calculate program costs and benefits; and (3) facilitate the assignment by lottery of participants to program services (including the possible increased recruitment of potential participants); and 4) follow evaluation procedures as specified by the national evaluator under the direction of DOL including after the grant period of performance.

2. 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 ETA, and may also have a significant impact on decisions about future grants with ETA.

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

A Quarterly Financial Report (ETA-9130) is required until such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. On the final Financial Report, you must include any subaward amounts so we can calculate final indirect costs, if applicable. You must use DOL’s Online Electronic Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to grantees. For other guidance on ETA’s financial reporting, reference Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 02-16 and on our webpage at https://www.doleta.gov/grants/financial_reporting.cfm.

2. Quarterly Narrative Progress Reports

The grantee must submit a quarterly narrative progress report within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter during which the grant is within the period of performance for the award.  The report must include quarterly information regarding grant activities. This report must provide a detailed account of activities undertaken during that quarter. The quarterly progress report will be a standard report template that all grantees must use. This report will be shared with grantees once final OMB approval is secured. This report will contain:

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

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

1. Quarterly Performance Reports

1. The grantee must submit a quarterly performance report for YouthBuild within 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. The report must include quarterly information on grant activities, performance goals, and milestones. The last quarterly performance report will serve as the grant’s Final Performance Report. This report must provide both quarterly and cumulative information on the grant activities. It must summarize project activities, employment outcomes and other deliverables, and related results of the project, and must thoroughly document the training or labor market information approaches that you used.

2. The grantee may also be required to submit a WIOA performance report in addition to the standard performance report in order to capture WIOA specific performance indicators.

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

5. Agency Contacts

For further information about this FOA, please contact Michael Lessmeier, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, at (202) 693-3323. Applicants should e-mail all technical questions to [email protected] and must specifically reference FOA-ETA-17-03, and along with question(s), include a contact name, fax and phone number. This Announcement is available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants and at http://www.grants.gov .

6. Other Information

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

1. Go to http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. For best results, use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. Mozilla Firefox can be downloaded for free at http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all-older.html and Google Chrome can be downloaded for free at https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/.

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

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

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

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

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

7. If serving an area that encompasses multiple zip codes, add up the total estimated number of youth who are unemployed in each age group together (as in step 5) for each zip code and divide this total number by the total estimated population aged 16 to 24 for all zip codes. Divide the total estimated number of youth unemployed by the total estimated population across the zip codes to determine the weighted average unemployment rate for the proposed service area.

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

1. Go to http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. For best results, use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. Mozilla Firefox can be downloaded for free at http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all-older.html and Google Chrome can be downloaded for free at https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/.

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

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

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

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

5. If serving an area that encompasses multiple zip codes, add the below poverty level estimate for the total population for whom poverty status is determined for each zip code to be served. Add the total estimated population for whom poverty status is determined for each zip code. Divide the total number below poverty level across the zip codes being targeted by the total population for whom poverty status is determined. This is your weighted average poverty rate for the proposed service area.

3. Web-Based Resources

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

4. Industry Competency Models and Career Clusters

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

5. Workforce GPS 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://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. This and other similar resources can be located at:

https://www.workforcegps.org/resources/2016/05/27/14/00/Applying_for_ETA_Competitive_Grants-_A_Web-Based_Toolkit-for_Prospective_Applicants.

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/online-training 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.

1. Career Pathways Toolkit

As part of WIOA’s broader initiative to better integrate resources across federal, state and local resources, the Department of Labor released a revamped and revised “Career Pathways Toolkit: A Guide for System Development” in September 2015, available here: https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/TEN_17-15_Attachment_Acc.pdf

Career pathways are an effective strategy to help workers acquire marketable skills and industry recognized credentials by encouraging greater collaboration across adult education, post-secondary education, and other workforce partners. The model can be adapted for youth and adults, individuals with disabilities as well as a range of individuals facing unique circumstances, such as New Americans, a group that is specifically addressed in the new guide.

7. YouthBuild-Related Guidance Resources

Applicants should refer to the following advisories for policy and guidance related to YouthBuild. All documents are available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/.

• TEGL 17-16 – Infrastructure Funding of the One-Stop Delivery System

• TEGL 11-16 - YouthBuild Compliance with Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA)

• TEGL 10-16 - Performance Accountability Guidance for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV Core Programs

• TEN 08-16 - Implementation of an Integrated Performance Reporting System for Multiple Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) Administered Programs

• TEGL 06-15 - Qualifying Work Sites and Construction Projects for YouthBuild Grantees

• TEGL 07-14 - Guidance for Implementing the “Construction Plus” Component of the YouthBuild Program

• TEGL 35-12 - Definition and Guidance on Allowable Construction Credentials for YouthBuild Programs

• TEN 13-12 - Defining a Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Program and Related Tools and Resources

• TEGL 15-10 - Increasing Credential, Degree, and Certificate Attainment by Participants of the Public Workforce System

• TEGL 05-10 - Match and Allowable Construction and Other Capital Asset Costs for the YouthBuild Program

• TEGL 14-09 - Mental Toughness/Orientation Allowable Costs in a YouthBuild Program

• TEN 44-07 - Providing Strategies to the One-Stop Career Center System on Collaborating with YouthBuild Programs

7. 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 this ___ day of ___________, 2017 in Washington, D.C. by:

Brinda Ruggles

Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration

Attachment A: Checklist for Submittal

Requirements/Required Attachments	Category A Applicants	Category B Applicants	Screen-out Factor
The deadline submission requirements are met			
If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (DOL will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.)			
Application applies for a funding amount within the grant award range of $700,000 to $1.1 million			
Applicant has registered with SAM and maintains an active account			
Signed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance			
Signed SF-424 includes a DUNS Number			
Signed SF-424 lists the cost sharing or match amount of exactly 25 percent of the requested federal funding amount on line 18b. (any additional amount mistakenly placed on line 18b will be considered leveraged resources)			
SF-424A, Budget Information Form			
Budget Narrative			
Project Narrative			
Two-Page Abstract		
Work Site Form(s) (ETA-9143) with all attachments Signed Includes Address or Parcel Number Includes Site Access	   	   	
Applicant indicates one contiguous service area or closely located communities within a metropolitan service area, defined by the zip, or demonstrates physical presence in each non-contiguous service area			

Requested Attachments	Category A Applicants	Category B Applicants	Screen-out Factor
Construction Training Plan		
Construction Plus Field Proposal Abstract addition	 (if applying as Construction Plus)
Performance Chart		
Proof of 501(c)(3) or Other Non-Profit Status		
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement		
Source Documentation for Statement of Need Data		
4-Month Implementation Planning Chart		
Commitment Letters from Partners		
Promise Zone Certification (HUD Form 50153)	 (if applying as a Federally-designated Promise Zone)	 (if applying as a Federally-designated Promise Zone)

Attachment B: Construction Training Plan Sample Template

Sections of Training Plan	What To Include
Introduction	A brief summary of the training project and how it will be used for project implementation.
Training Scope Including Objectives, Goals and Assumptions	Include the major objectives for the training project along with the goals and any assumptions made related to implementation.
Training Strategy	Describe the applicant’s training strategy including the use of project- and problem-based learning in the classroom, the curriculum(a) to be used, and the division between classroom and work site-based training.
Roles and Responsibilities	Include a discussion of those who are supporting the implementation of the construction training, including the specific tasks that are needed to successfully launch, deliver, and sustain the training. This is a subset of the training task from the project plan and should provide the very detailed tasks needed to complete the training including the start and end dates for each.
Contingency Plan	Outline how training will be implemented and sustained despite barriers and problems that emerge. The training for this grant must begin expeditiously and this contingency plan allows for alternate training to be implemented, if necessary. Specifically, the applicant should describe how additional work sites will be quickly secured should the housing partner fall through or approved sites become no longer available or viable for the on-site construction component.
Training Materials, Design, and Standards	Describe the materials that will be used during the training courses, how and who will design the materials and a quality control process for ensuring materials are up-to-date, accurate, and effective.
Restrictive Covenant Clause	Describe how awarded applicants will ensure that all properties rehabilitated or built with DOL YouthBuild funds will use the restrictive covenant clause and enforce it.

ATTACHMENT C
“CONSTRUCTION PLUS” FIELD PROPOSAL
(Applicant must complete one form for each proposed additional occupational field beyond construction.)
YouthBuild (YB) 2016 Funding Opportunity Announcement
APPLICANT IDENTIFYING INFORMATION (Complete All Sections)
Applicant Name:
Program/Project Name & Address:
Type of Applicant (select one): □ Previously-Funded □ New Applicant
Area Served:
Project Type (select one): □ Rural □ Urban □ Tribal
Number of Youth to be Trained in this Industry:
CONSTRUCTION PLUS PROGRAM DESCRIPTION (Complete All Sections)
Industry Focus:
Evidence of Industry Need (Local Labor Market Data):
Employer Partners/Engagement Strategy:
Intended Industry-Recognized Credential(s):
Planned Curriculum:
Length of Training:
Number of Planned Participants:
Linked Occupations:
Previously Offered this Construction Plus Field (select one): □ Yes □ No
Apprenticeable Field (select one): □ Yes □ No
Apprenticeship Opportunities:
Work Experience/Internship Providers:
Community Service Opportunities:
Additional Collaborators:
APPLICANT VERIFICATION
Printed Name: ______________________	Signature: ___________________________________________
Title: __________________________________________________ Date: _____________
Organization: ______________________________________________________________

Attachment D: Weighted Average Unemployment Rate Worksheet

Attachment D: Weighted Average Poverty Rate Worksheet

Attachment D: Weighted Average and Simple Average Graduation Rate Worksheet

Attachment E: Instructions for (ETA – 9143) Attachments 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D

EACH qualified work site (as identified by address or parcel number) must have its own ETA-9143 with all required attachments

Attachment 1 (Required for each work site)

• Applicant Name – Name of the applicant/grantee listed on the SF-424

• Program/Project Name & Address – Program/Project name and the physical mailing address of the applicant/grantee as listed on the SF-424

1. The physical address of the work site or the parcel number.

2. The number of housing units to be produced or renovated.

3. Select the type(s) of housing to be produced.

4. Indicate whether or not the housing is for homeless, low-income, or very-low income persons.

5. This field refers to Attachment 1A, Individual Housing Project Site Estimate and Documentation of Resources. Please see instructions for completing this attachment below.

6. Indicate if the site is new construction and/or rehabilitation.

7. If any of the units are currently occupied, select yes and provide a relocation narrative and label as attachment 1B. The requirements for attachment 1B can be found below.

8. Write the name of the current owner of the property/work site.

9. This field refers to Attachment 1C, Documentation of Site Access. The instructions for attachment 1C can be found below.

10. This field refers to Attachment 1D, Detailed Work Description. The instructions for attachment 1D can be found below.

11. Name the entity who will own and manage the property after the work is complete.

• Applicant Signature – Filled out, dated, and signed by the Authorized Representative that signed the SF-424 with their title and organization

Attachment 1A (Required for each work site)

• Applicant Name – Name of the applicant/organization that is listed on the SF-424

• Address of the Property – The work site physical address or parcel number

• Grant Activities/Resources – Provide the resource amounts and where they are coming from as it pertains to this site. If YouthBuild grant funds are included, a separate attachment must be included to document the uses of YouthBuild grant funds.

• Documentation of Housing Resources – List all providers, whether they are providing cash or in-kind, the dollar value, and a letter of commitment for each funding source.

• The commitment letter should be on organizational letter head with a signature and date. Within the letter it should state what it is they are committing, whether it’s cash or in-kind, and the dollar value of the commitment. The letter should also include the physical address of the site(s) where those contributions are being applied.

Attachment 1B (Only required if a work site is currently occupied)

• Submit a narrative that:

• Identifies the person(s), the business, or others occupying the property on the date of submission of this application

• Estimated cost of relocation

• Funding source for relocation

• Who will be providing the relocation assistance, along with the contact person’s name and phone number

Attachment 1C (Required)

• Submit Documentation of Access if the applicant/grantee is the owner by:

• Supplying a Deed or tax bill. The address in the documents must be consistent with all accompanying attachments for that particular work site. A letter is not considered proof of ownership for grantee organizations.

• Submit Documentation of Access if a third party owns the property by:

• Submitting a letter from the property owner stating that YouthBuild participants will be allowed access to site(s) for onsite construction training. If the third party owner is an organization, the letter must be on the organization’s letterhead. As with proof of ownership, the address must match on all accompanying attachments for that particular work site. At a minimum, the letter of access must state: a) the name of the owner, explicitly stating that they own the property, b) complete address of the property, c) verification of access to the property, d) signature of owner, and e) date (using current date).  0 or 2 points

• Submit Documentation of Access if the applicant has a contract or option to purchase the property by:

  • Submitting a copy of the contract or option.

Attachment 1D (Required)

• Detailed Work Description

• Submit a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities and the specific construction training activities youth will perform as participants on the specified work site.

*The ETA-9143 form can be found here: http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/youthbuild.cfm

1 Promise Zones are high poverty communities where the federal government partners with local leaders to increase economic activity, improve educational opportunities, leverage private investment, reduce violent crime, enhance public health and address other priorities identified by the community. Through the Promise Zone designation, communities will work directly with federal, state and local agencies to give local leaders proven tools to improve the quality of life in some of the country’s most vulnerable areas.