Older Americans Act-Solicitation for Grant Applications; Senior Community Service Employment Program National Grants for Program Year 2006, 10798-10820 [06-1959]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training
Administration
Older Americans Act—Solicitation for
Grant Applications; Senior Community
Service Employment Program National
Grants for Program Year 2006
Employment and Training
Administration, DOL.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds
and solicitation for grant applications
for the national grants portion of the
Senior Community Service Employment
Program.
AGENCY:
Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/
DFA–PY 05–06.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Number: 17.235.
The closing date for receipt of
applications is April 17, 2006.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor
(the Department), Employment and
Training Administration (ETA)
announces a grant competition for
national grantee funding under the
Senior Community Service Employment
Program (SCSEP) authorized under title
V of the Older Americans Act
Amendments of 2000 (OAA
Amendments), Pub. L. 106–501, 42
U.S.C. 3056 and implemented under 20
CFR part 641 (April 9, 2004).
These projects will promote part-time
work-based training opportunities in
local communities for unemployed,
low-income individuals who are age 55
and over, and will foster increased
prospects for their economic selfsufficiency. SCSEP is the only
nationwide Federal program that
focuses on training and placing older
individuals into community work-based
training and unsubsidized employment.
The total amount of funds available
for this SGA is approximately
$341,000,000, or 78 percent of the total
appropriation for Program Year (PY)
2006 (July 1, 2006 through June 30,
2007). It is anticipated that no more
than 20 awards will be made under this
SGA, including at least one award to an
Indian and Native American
organization and at least one award to
an Asian Pacific Islander organization,
as required by section 506(a)(3) of the
OAA Amendments. Eligible entities
include any non-profit organization,
Federal public agency, or Tribal
organization that has the ability to
operate in more than one state and that
meets the eligibility and responsibility
requirements outlined in 20 CFR part
641 subpart D. The remaining 22
percent of the appropriation is reserved
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DATES:
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for state formula-funded programs and
therefore, is not included in this SGA.
The Department is holding a full and
open competition in order to provide
better services to SCSEP participants,
employers, and the communities served
by the national grant program. Open
competition is not only the preferred
vehicle for obtaining new grantees, but
in most cases, it is the required vehicle
for obtaining new grantees. The
Department favors full and open
competition because it provides an
opportunity to ensure that the best
applicants are awarded grants and that
the program is administered effectively.
The Department held the first
competition for national grant funding
in PY 2003. As a result of that
competition, the Department selected
four new national grantees, and made
extensive changes to the areas served by
the incumbent grantees. These grantees
provide diversity in services, including
expertise in serving individuals with
disabilities and minority populations as
well as close connections with One-Stop
Career Centers. The Department deems
it important to maintain diversity
among qualified service providers to the
extent possible. The Department is
especially interested in organizations
that demonstrate a partnership with
local One-Stop Career Centers and
community colleges and that promote
employment through high growth job
opportunities.
Under this SGA, the Department will
be consolidating grantee service areas to
increase program effectiveness and
achieve economies of scale. Therefore,
applicants are required to apply for
contiguous locations within a state.
Applicants applying as Asian and
Pacific Islander and/or Indian
organizations, pursuant to section
506(a)(3) of title V of the OAA, are
exempt from this contiguousness
requirement. The Department reserves
the right to negotiate with successful
applicants on the final service areas.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This SGA
consists of eight (8) sections:
• Section I provides background
information about the program.
• Section II describes the size and
nature of the anticipated awards.
• Section III describes applicant
eligibility criteria.
• Section IV outlines the application
submission and withdrawal
requirements.
• Section V describes the application
review process and rating criteria.
• Section VI outlines additional
award administration information.
• Section VII contains DOL agency
contact information.
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• Section VIII describes the notice to
state and incumbent national grantees,
bidders’ conference information, and
procedures for asking questions about
this SGA. This section also lists
appendices for other supplemental
information, including a list of
resources.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The SCSEP was originally authorized
in 1965 by the Economic Opportunity
Act, Public Law 89–73. In 1973 the
SCSEP was authorized under the Older
Americans Act (OAA). As authorized by
title V of the OAA of 2000 (42 U.S.C.
3056 et seq.), the SCSEP fosters and
promotes useful part-time work-based
training opportunities in community
organizations for persons with low
incomes who are 55 years of age or
older. Program participants receive onthe-job training at local public or nonprofit agencies and are paid the higher
of the Federal, state, or local minimum
wage or the comparable wage for
approximately 20 hours per week while
in job training (OAA Amendments
§ 502(b)(1)(J); 20 CFR 641.565(a)). The
ultimate goal is to assist the transition
of older individuals into unsubsidized
employment that leads to selfsufficiency.
The Fiscal Year 2005 total
appropriation was $438,678,400 and
applied to the Program Year that began
on July 1, 2005. This funding supported
over 61,300 positions and will result in
approximately 93,000 people being
served during the program year that
ends on June 30, 2006.
The following information describes
key aspects of the program. For a more
in-depth understanding, applicants
should read the resources listed in
Section VIII of this SGA.
Eligible Participant. An individual is
eligible for the program if he or she is
unemployed at the time of enrollment,
is age 55 or older, and has an income
of no more than 125 percent of the
Federal poverty guidelines.
Services for Individuals with Multiple
Barriers to Employment. SCSEP is a
focused program that seeks to serve
those most in need as provided at 20
CFR 641.525. These individuals are age
60 or over and who have the greatest
economic need, or greatest social need,
or poor employment history or
prospects.
Individual Employment Plans (IEP).
As required at 20 CFR 641.535, each
SCSEP participant must be assessed to
determine his or her skills and
employment-related needs and a plan
must be developed to improve the
participant’s employability. The IEP
generally includes a goal of
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unsubsidized employment and an
appropriate sequence of services and
training for that participant based on the
assessment. (Other employment and
training programs sometimes refer to
this type of plan as an Individual
Development Plan or Individual
Training Plan). Grantees should monitor
IEP progress regularly and are required
to update an IEP (if necessary) for each
participant at least twice during a 12month period.
Unsubsidized Employment. An
important goal of the program is to help
participants achieve self-sufficiency.
Grantees provide training opportunities
that enable participants to obtain
employment. In addition, grantees
provide regular follow-up
communication with the participant and
employer to ensure that the participant
is retained in the job. Grantees may also
provide supportive services to
successfully placed participants for up
to 6 months to enable them to remain
employed. Successful employment and
retention in a job should result from
quality training efforts and good
employer relationships.
Community Service Work-Based
Training. Providing subsidized workbased training through community
service is an important aspect of SCSEP.
Participants obtain the confidence
needed to become employable and the
organizations that ‘‘host’’ the
participants receive volunteer work. As
provided at 20 CFR 641.140, community
service may include, but is not limited
to, such activities as social, health,
welfare and educational services,
counseling services, including tax
counseling, environmental efforts,
weatherization efforts and economic
development. The training provided at
these host agencies must be consistent
with the participant’s IEP. Participants
receive wages paid by the grantee while
they are in work-based training.
Host Agencies. Host agencies provide
the worksites for program participants
and may be public or private 501(c)(3)
organizations, including communitybased and faith-based organizations,
authorized Federal agencies, state
agencies, or local public agencies. Host
agencies are an important component of
the program because they provide
training and work experience for
participants. Grantees must work with
host agencies to identify appropriate
training that does not lead to
maintenance of effort violations.
Therefore, the grantee’s communication
with and training for the host agency
directly affects the value of the workbased training experience for the
participants, and the participants’
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ability to obtain unsubsidized
employment.
Other Permissible Training. Training
other than work-based training is an
important tool to improve the skills and
talents of participants, to help them
succeed in their community service
assignments, and to facilitate placement
of participants in unsubsidized
employment. How much training, and
what types of training are necessary are
based on each individual participant’s
IEP, but may include classroom training,
general skills training, or specialized
training.
Coordination With One-Stop Career
Centers, State and Local Workforce
Investment Boards, State Agencies on
Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, Other
Grantees and SCSEP 502(e) Program
Grantees. As a required partner, all
SCSEP grantees are required to
coordinate activities with local OneStop Career Centers administered by
Local Workforce Investment Boards
under the Workforce Investment Act
(WIA), Pub. L. 105–220, through a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
For instance, as provided at 20 CFR
641.230, participant determinations of
eligibility and needs assessments
completed by the SCSEP satisfy any
condition for an assessment under WIA
and vice-versa.
Coordination with state agencies on
aging and area agencies on aging is
required to ensure seamless support of
aging individuals, which also helps
participants achieve self-sufficiency.
These organizations often operate local
SCSEP programs but also offer
supportive benefits to seniors. Grantees
are also encouraged to coordinate efforts
with other SCSEP grantees.
Participant Wages and Fringe
Benefits. Grantees are required to spend
a minimum of 75 percent of the Federal
grant funds on participant wages and
fringe benefits. Participant wages are
based on the higher of the Federal, state,
or local minimum wage, or at a
comparable wage for time spent in
approved program activities only (e.g.,
community service training, other
permissible training). See Section II of
this SGA for funding calculation
information. Generally, payments are
made every 2 weeks.
Although the Department discourages
grantees from providing permissive
fringe benefits, such as annual leave and
sick leave, because they dissuade
participants from obtaining
unsubsidized employment, applicants
will not be penalized if they elect to
provide such benefits. If a grantee
provides such benefits, they must be
consistently applied to all participants
and expire at the end of every program
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year. Workers’ compensation is a
statutorily required fringe benefit that
must be provided to each participant,
and falls into a different cost
classification from the workers’
compensation provided to the grantee’s
employees. Please see 20 CFR
641.565(b)(iii). Physical examinations
must also be offered to every participant
as required under 20 CFR
641.565(b)(ii)(A).
Equitable Distribution (ED). Section
507 of the OAA Amendments requires
the Department to ensure that services
are provided equitably within each
state. The calculation is based on census
data by county and state and annual
program appropriations, and results in
the number of authorized positions or
‘‘slots’’ that are allocated to each county.
The number of authorized positions is
proportional to the number of eligible
people in the county compared to the
state total. For every slot, one or more
individuals can receive services through
the program year. For instance, when a
participant exits the program for
employment, a new individual may be
enrolled based on remaining program
funds.
Right of First Refusal. Under this
solicitation, all successful applicants
must allow the current participants to
remain in the program under the same
conditions in which they are found in
order to minimize disruptions to the
program. Therefore, while participants
may not elect to remain under a former
grantee, they must be able to continue
community service work-based training
with the same host agency for a
minimum of 90 days after July 1, 2006.
Administrative Costs. The
administrative allowance for the
program is 13.5 percent of the Federal
share. Administrative costs are defined
in the OAA Amendments at section
502(c)(4) and 20 CFR 641.856. This
administrative limit may be extended to
15 percent as permitted under section
502(c)(3) of the OAA Amendments and
20 CFR 641.867.
Non-Federal Share Requirement.
Section 502(c)(1)–(2) limits the
Department’s cost of operating the
program to 90 percent. Therefore, each
grantee must contribute a minimum of
10 percent to the program through cash
or in-kind contributions. This
requirement also applies to Federal
agencies unless a statutory exemption is
demonstrated. Grantees are prohibited
from requiring local projects or
subgrantees from providing match as a
condition of receiving funds. For more
information on non-Federal share
requirements, please see 20 CFR
641.809 and 29 CFR 95.23.
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Subgrantee. This is defined as any
organization that provides program
services on behalf of the grantee. There
are no statutory restrictions on the type
of entity that may be a subgrantee;
however, all subgrantees are required to
follow all applicable Department rules,
regulations, and policy advisories. Some
examples of entities that may be
subgrantees include, but are not limited
to, community and faith-based
organizations, community colleges, state
agencies, One-Stop Career Centers, forprofit organizations, and tribal
organizations.
Extension of Funding. At the request
of a grantee, the Department may permit
a grantee to extend the use of any
remaining program year grant funds
beyond the program year. The
Department discourages such practice
and will grant an extension only under
extenuating circumstances.
Performance Measures. The
performance measures for the program
are outlined in 20 CFR part 641 subpart
G and Appendix I. These goals are
designed to ensure that grantees are
enrolling those individuals who need
the most training assistance to obtain
employment. They also ensure that
participants are placed into and retained
in jobs and that they continue to
improve their skills and employability.
The Department expects continuous
performance improvement from the
program overall, which is measured
under the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 through
established program goals. The ability of
a grantee to meet the performance
measures depends largely on how
successful the grantee is at recruiting,
conducting outreach, identifying job
openings, training participants, and
successfully matching participants with
jobs.
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II. Award Information
Type of Assistance Instrument. This is
an initial one year grant unless extended
by the Department under extenuating
circumstances as described in Section
II–C. The grant may be extended for an
additional two years, contingent upon
the grantee meeting or exceeding the
minimum negotiated performance
measures as required by section 514(a)
of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR
641.700.
A. Service Locations
The applicable service locations are
listed by state and county in Section
VIII, Appendix F of this SGA. Please
note that national grant funds are not
allocated for the states of Alaska,
Delaware, and Hawaii, and for the
territories of American Samoa, Guam,
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Northern Marianas Islands, and the U.S.
Virgin Islands.
B. Funding Levels
(1) Funding Amount and Total
Awards. The total amount of funds
available for this SGA is approximately
$341,000,000. It is anticipated that no
more than 20 awards will be made
under this SGA, including at least one
award to an Indian organization and at
least one to an Asian Pacific Islander
organization that serve older
individuals.
(2) Minimum Request for Funding. In
order to deliver services more efficiently
and to reduce duplicative
administrative costs, the Department
seeks to reduce the number of national
grantees serving individual local areas
through this SGA. To that end, certain
requirements have been placed on the
size of requests for funding.
Applicants must apply for at least 10
percent of the state allocation or
$1,600,000 (approximately 224 slots) in
each state, whichever is greater. (See
examples 1 and 2 below.) This
requirement does not preclude an
applicant from applying for more than
10 percent of the allocated amount in a
state. In fact, the Department encourages
applicants to apply for 20–25 percent
for maximum efficiencies of operation.
Applicants must also apply for all of
the positions allocated in a county,
except in large counties that exceed the
10 percent or $1.6 million state
minimum. The Department may award
two or more grants in large counties that
have more than 224 positions (or more
than $1.6 million). For those large
counties, the applicant may apply for a
portion of the county; but if that does
not meet the 10 percent or $1.6 million
state minimum, the applicant must also
apply for surrounding contiguous
counties.
In addition, requests for multiple
counties in a state must be contiguously
located to receive consideration. An
applicant may apply for more than one
cluster of counties in a state, such as in
larger states, but each cluster must meet
the minimum state funding
requirements.
Applicants must list their requests for
locations and number of positions by
county and state in a chart format. This
chart is available in Excel format with
accompanying instructions at https://
www.doleta.gov/seniors/. Applicants are
required to submit this file
electronically as part of the application
packet.
Example 1: Organization A submits an
application to provide services in Wyoming,
which has 230 available slots. Organization
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A must apply for all of the available slots in
Wyoming.
Example 2: Organization B submits an
application to provide services in California,
which has 4,080 available slots but only
wants to operate in the Oakland area, which
is in Alameda County. In order to be
considered for an application, Organization B
must meet the minimum funding
requirements, which in this case is 10
percent or $2,918,424 (408 slots) in
California. Organization B must apply for the
158 slots in Alameda County or $1,130,174,
and the slots in any contiguous counties to
meet the minimum state funding request. In
this example, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and
Stanislaus Counties are contiguously located.
Therefore, Organization B could also apply
for 81 slots in Contra Costa or $579,606; 131
slots in Santa Clara County or $937,043; and
61 slots in Stanislaus County or $436,333 for
a total request of $3,082,943, or other
contiguous counties to meet the minimum
funding requirements.
(3) The Calculation Formula.
Applicants can calculate the estimated
amount of funds allocated to a state by
county using the ‘‘cost per authorized
position’’ formula in section 506(g)(1) of
the OAA Amendments. The unit cost is
roughly $7,153 per authorized position
based on the Federal minimum wage.
This amount represents the total
funding allocated for each authorized
position, including administrative costs.
Applicants should multiply this amount
by the number of positions in the
county as listed in Section VIII,
Appendix F of this SGA.
Example: Stanislaus County, California has
61 available positions in the county.
Therefore, the amount of funding would be
$7,153 × 61 = $436,333. Although this is only
an estimate of cost per authorized position,
it is a useful tool for applicants to determine
their funding request under this proposal.
Note: A higher state minimum wage does
not impact the slot funding calculation, but
is a factor that is considered for performance
measure calculations.
(4) Calculation Requirements.
Calculations must be based on the
number of authorized positions as a
result of equitable distribution rather
than the actual number of positions that
currently exist in the county. This
requirement encourages equitable
distribution of positions. Therefore,
under-served areas will be funded to
provide services to more needy
individuals in those counties. However,
those counties that are over-served will
not be funded to provide for all current
participants. It will be the successful
applicant’s responsibility to move these
eligible participants into unsubsidized
employment or to fund the positions as
part of a non-Federal share contribution.
In exceptional circumstances, the
transition period may exceed one year.
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(See Appendix F for the number of
authorized positions in each county.)
Example 1: Alameda County, California
should receive 158 positions according to the
equitable distribution formula. However, this
county is currently over-served by 20
positions. An organization applying for this
county will only be funded for the 158
positions or $1,130,174. The successful
applicant will be responsible for either
placing 20 participants in unsubsidized
employment or funding the positions using
grant or non-Federal share (match) funds.
(See Appendix F for the number of
authorized positions and the current level of
filled positions.)
Example 2: San Joaquin County, California
should receive 85 positions according to the
equitable distribution formula. However, this
county is currently under-served by 7
positions. An organization applying for this
county will be funded for 85 positions or
$608,005 and will be able to enroll additional
participants in the program in the county.
(5) Disqualification Statement. A
failure in the application to adhere to
these requirements will result in the
disqualification of the applicant to
compete for the area(s) impacted.
Note: The Department reserves the right to
make final decisions on the service providers
in an area and may take into consideration
special local conditions and otherwise
unforeseen circumstances including
combining metropolitan areas across state
borders.
C. Period of Performance
Successful applicants under this SGA
are expected to commence program
operations on July 1, 2006. The period
of performance will initially be for one
(1) year (unless extended by the
Department under extenuating
circumstances) with an option to be
funded for an additional two (2) years
at the Department’s discretion.
However, the Department’s option to
refund the initial grant is contingent
upon the grantee meeting or exceeding
the minimum negotiated performance
measures as required by section 514(a)
of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR
641.700.
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III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
In order to be eligible to compete for
funds under this SGA, the applicant
must demonstrate that it is capable of
operating in more than one state as
required at 20 CFR 641.140. This
requirement does not preclude an
organization from applying for areas in
only one state as long as the other
requirements are met. Note, however,
that the Department reserves the right to
award only one applicant per state.
Applicants must also meet the
responsibility and eligibility tests under
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section 514(b)–(d) of the OAA
Amendments and 20 CFR 641.430—
641.440 and the funding requirements
in Section II above.
Applicants may apply to receive a
grant under one or more of the following
three (3) categories:
(1) General National Grant Funds.
Applications for general SCSEP national
grant funds will be accepted from public
and private nonprofit agencies and
organizations, including faith-based and
community-based organizations, and
tribal organizations consistent with
section 502(b)(1) of the OAA
Amendments and 20 CFR 641.400(a),
that are familiar with the areas and
populations to be served and that can
administer an effective program in more
than one state.
‘‘Nonprofit’’ is defined as an agency,
institution, or organization which is, or
is owned and operated by, one or more
corporations or associations no part of
the net earnings of which inures, or may
lawfully inure, to the benefit of any
private shareholder or individual (OAA
Amendments § 101(4)).
‘‘Public agency’’ is defined as a
Federal public agency with the statutory
authority to receive other Federal grant
funds (also known as gift authority) (20
CFR 641.400).
‘‘Tribal organizations’’ is defined as
the recognized governing body of any
Indian tribe, or any legally established
organization of Indians which is
controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by
such governing body (OAA
Amendments § 101(7) and 20 CFR
641.140). In any case in which a
contract is let or grant made to an
organization to perform services
benefiting more than one Indian tribe,
the approval of each such Indian tribe
is a prerequisite to the letting or making
of such contract or grant.
Applicants must mark a ‘‘G’’ on the
application and state specifically in the
application that they are applying for
general SCSEP national grant funds.
(2) Indian Grant Funds. Applications
will be accepted from public or
nonprofit national Indian aging
organizations with the ability to provide
employment services to older Indians as
required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA
Amendments.
‘‘Indian’’ means a person who is a
member of an Indian tribe (OAA
Amendments § 101(5) and 20 CFR
641.140).
‘‘Indian tribe’’ means any tribe, band,
nation, or other organized group or
community of Indians (including Alaska
Native village or regional or village
corporation as defined in or established
pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act) which (A) is recognized
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as eligible for the special programs and
services provided by the United States
to Indians because of their status as
Indians; or (B) is located on, or in
proximity to, a Federal or state
reservation (OAA Amendments § 101(6)
and 20 CFR 641.140).
Applicants must mark an ‘‘I’’ on the
application and state specifically in the
application that they are applying for
Indian SCSEP national grant funds. The
Department may take local needs and
population characteristics into
consideration when making funding
decisions.
(3) Pacific Islander and Asian
American National Grant Funds.
Applications for Pacific Islander and
Asian American national grant funds
will be accepted from national public or
nonprofit Pacific Islander and Asian
American aging organizations with the
ability to provide employment to older
Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans,
as required by section 506(a)(3) of the
OAA Amendments.
‘‘Pacific Islander and Asian
American’’ means Americans having
origins in any of the original peoples of
the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian
Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands
(OAA Amendments § 516(3)).
Applicants must mark an ‘‘AP’’ on the
application and state specifically in the
application that they are applying for
Pacific Islander and Asian American
SCSEP national grant funds. The
Department may take local needs and
population characteristics into
consideration when making funding
decisions.
(4) Other Useful Information.
Applicants applying for more than one
category above must submit separate
applications for each category for which
they are applying. Please note, however,
that regardless of the category selected,
all successful applicants are required to
serve any eligible individual within the
awarded counties and states.
Consideration of ethnic or racial status
is only a factor for tracking services
provided to individuals with multiple
barriers to employment as defined in
Section I of this SGA.
Entities may apply as a consortium,
but each member of the consortium
must meet all eligibility and
responsibility tests. Entities applying as
a consortium are also jointly and
severally liable for meeting all
requirements for administering this
Federally-funded program.
In the context of this SGA, a
consortium is two or more eligible
entities that enter into a legal agreement
to apply for SCSEP funds as if they were
applying as a single organization. For
grant administration purposes, the
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consortium must identify one
organization as the lead contact.
B. Veterans Priority
This program is subject to the priority
provisions of the Jobs for Veterans Act,
38 U.S.C. 4215 et seq. In cases where
providers of services must choose
between two or more candidates with
similar backgrounds and skill sets, the
Jobs for Veterans Act requires that
veterans and spouses of certain
specified veterans be given priority.
Please note that, to obtain priority of
service, a veteran must meet the
program’s eligibility requirements. The
advisory providing policy guidance on
veterans’ priority is at https://
www.doleta.gov/programs/VETs/.
Veterans priority for SCSEP is described
at 20 CFR 641.520.
Legal rules pertaining to inherently
religious activities by organizations that
receive Federal financial assistance. The
government is generally prohibited from
providing direct Federal financial
assistance for inherently religious
activities. Grants under the solicitation
may not be used for religious
instruction, worship, prayer,
proselytizing, or other inherently
religious activities. Neutral, nonreligious criteria that neither favor nor
disfavor religion will be employed in
the selection of grant recipients and
must be employed by grantees in the
selection of sub-recipients.
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C. Ineligible Applicants
Proposals will not be accepted from
the following applicants:
(1) Organizations described in section
501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code
that engage in lobbying are prohibited
from receiving Federal awards under
Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure
Act of 1995, Public Law 104–65.
(2) Organizations that fail to provide
any of the required information
described in this SGA, or fail to clearly
identify the number and location by
county of slots requested.
(3) Organizations that fail to
demonstrate that they are capable of
operating in more than one state, as
required by 20 CFR 641.400(a).
(4) Organizations that apply to serve
Alaska, Delaware, and/or Hawaii only.
(5) With the exception of Federal
public agencies, other public agencies,
such as state agencies or local
governments, are not eligible to apply.
D. Cost Sharing or Matching
All applicants, including Federal
agencies, must demonstrate a minimum
of 10 percent non-Federal contribution
to the program and the source of such
non-Federal share. Federal agencies that
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have a statutory exemption to the nonFederal share requirement must attach a
copy of the exemption language. The
source of such documentation must be
easily determined. Please see 20 CFR
641.809 for further information.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
A. Address To Request Application
Package
All application materials will be made
available on the following Web sites:
https://www.doleta.gov/sga/; https://
www.grants.gov; and https://
www.doleta.gov/seniors/. Please note
that this announcement includes all
information and forms needed to apply
for this funding opportunity.
B. Content and Form of Application
Each application must include the
original signed application and two
hard copies. The proposal must consist
of two separate and distinct parts: Part
A—Financial Proposal and Part B—
Technical Proposal. Both parts must be
included in each copy of a complete
application. Applications that fail to
adhere to the instructions in this section
will be deemed non-responsive and will
not be considered for funding.
1. Requirements for the Technical
Proposal
Page Limit. Maximum forty-five (45)
page narrative, including all optional
attachments, single-side only on 81⁄2″ x
11″ paper. Pages must be numbered.
Only those attachments listed below as
‘‘Required Attachments’’ will be
excluded from the page limit. Optional
attachments must be limited to
meaningful information that contributes
to and/or verifies the proposed
activities, such as letters of
commitment.
Spacing. Double-spaced with the
exception of optional and required
attachments. Major sections and subsections of the application should be
divided and clearly identified.
Font Size and Typeface. Minimum 12
points in Times New Roman typeface.
Margins. Must be a minimum of one
inch on all sides.
Required Attachments. The following
attachments must be affixed as separate,
clearly identified appendices to the
application and will not count against
the page limit:
(a) An organizational chart, resumes
of key personnel, and complete staffing
plans. Resumes of all key staff (e.g.,
Executive Director, Project Director,
etc.) must include a description of each
individual’s roles and responsibilities,
his/her current employment status and
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previous work experience, including
position title, duties, dates in position,
employing organizations, and
educational background. Staffing plans
must identify all key tasks, the person(s)
or days required to complete each task,
and the percentage of time allocated to
the program by individuals assigned to
the task, including sub-contractors and
consultants;
(b) A list of all government grants and
contracts the applicant and its affiliates
have had in the past 3 years, including
grant officer contact name, telephone
number and e-mail address, amount of
award, summary of the work performed,
period of performance, and performance
record and/or accomplishments. For
purposes of this SGA, the term
‘‘affiliate’’ refers to the applicant’s
subsidiaries, divisions, predecessors,
and successors;
(c) Chart listing the number of
positions for which the applicant is
applying to serve by county and state.
(See Section VIII, Appendix K of this
SGA);
(d) Consortium agreement, if
applicable; and
(e) Federal agencies must submit a
clearly identifiable copy of the statutory
provision that permits it to receive other
Federal funds and a clearly identifiable
copy of any applicable exemptions from
the non-Federal share requirements.
Note: Applicants receiving awards will be
expected to show audit reports for the past
3 years for the applicant and its affiliates
before final awards are made.
2. Requirements for the Cost Proposal
Application for Federal Assistance
SF–424. The SF–424 must clearly
identify the applicant and be signed by
an individual with authority to enter
into a grant agreement on behalf of the
applicant. Upon confirmation of an
award, the individual signing the SF–
424 on behalf of the applicant shall
represent the responsible entity. All
applications for Federal grant and
funding opportunities are required to
have a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS)
number. Applicants must supply their
DUNS number in item #8 of SF–424.
The DUNS number is easy to obtain and
there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS
number, access https://www.dnb.com or
call 1–866–705–5711.
Budget Information for SF–424A.
Standard Form 424A must contain a
detailed cost break out on each of the
expenditures under Section B of the
form, including Federal and nonFederal funds. Copies of all required
forms along with the instructions for
completing the forms are provided at
the appendices of this SGA.
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Note: The Application for Federal
Assistance (SF424) and the Budget
Information Form (SF–424A) are available at
https://www.grants.gov/GovtWideForms.
Indirect Cost Rate. An indirect cost
rate is required when an organization
operates under more than one grant or
other activity whether Federallyassisted or not. Organizations must use
the indirect cost rate supplied by the
cognizant Federal agency. If an
organization requires a new indirect
cost rate or has a pending indirect cost
rate, the Department’s Grant Officer will
award a billing rate for 90 days until a
provisional rate can be issued.
Cost Categories. Expenditures must
fall under one of two cost categories:
Administrative, which is to be divided
between headquarters and local, and
Program Costs, which includes wages,
fringe benefits, and other participant
costs.
Sufficient Local Funding. The OAA, at
section 502(b)(1)(R) requires each
grantee to allocate funding for
administrative costs incurred at
subrecipient levels for program
administrative activities. In addition,
grantees may not require a subgrantee to
contribute financial resources to
program operations as a condition of
operating the program. Please see 20
CFR 641.861 and 641.809(e) for further
information.
Transition and Training Costs.
Applicants are required to provide a
line item for transition costs (i.e., startup [costs], participant transfers, yearend closeout), as well as for sufficient
training costs for local staff that may be
required by the Department throughout
the program year. Procurement
procedures must comply with OMB
Circular A–122.
Required Attachments. Assurances,
Certifications, Signature page and
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form
are required.
Note: The cost proposal must be prepared
to cover program costs for one (1) year of
operation only.
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C. Submission Dates, Times, and
Addresses
Applications may be submitted in
either method described below but must
be received no later than 4:45 p.m.,
Eastern Time on the closing date. The
application will not be considered if an
applicant fails to adhere to the
submission instructions below.
Electronic Submissions. The
Department requests that applicants
apply online at https://www.grants.gov.
The Department strongly recommends
that applicants initiate and complete the
‘‘Get Started’’ steps to register with
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grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/
GetStarted. Please note that these steps
could take several days to complete,
which should factor into an applicant’s
submission timing to avoid the rejection
of an application due to potential
delays. Documents should be saved as
.doc or .pdf prior to electronic
submission through grants.gov.
U.S. Postal Mail and Overnight
Submissions. Submit one (1) blue-ink
signed, typewritten original of the
application, and two signed photocopies
in one package to: U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training
Administration, Attention: James
Stockton, Mail Stop N–4716, 200
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20210.
Other Methods of Submission.
Applications submitted by
e-mail, telegram, or facsimile will not be
accepted.
Late Applications. Any application
received after the closing date will not
be considered, unless it is received
before awards are made and:
(a) It was sent by U.S. Postal Service
registered or certified mail not later than
the fifth calendar day before the closing
date (e.g., an application required by the
20th of the month must be postmarked
by the 15th of that month); or
(b) It was sent by U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail/Next Day Service from the
post office to the addressee no later than
4:45 pm at the place of mailing, two (2)
working days (excluding weekends and
Federal holidays and days when the
Federal Government is closed), prior to
the closing date; or
(c) It is determined by the
Government that the late receipt was
due solely to the mishandling by the
Government after receipt at the U.S.
Department of Labor at the address
indicated.
Acceptable Evidence for Late
Applications. The only acceptable
evidence to establish the date of mailing
of a late application sent by registered
or certified mail is the U.S. Postal
Service postmark on the envelope or
wrapper and on the original receipt
from the U.S. Postal Service. If the
postmark is not legible, an application
received after the closing date and time
shall be considered as if mailed late.
The only acceptable evidence to
establish the date of mailing of a late
application sent by U.S Postal Service
Express Mail/Next Day Service from the
post office to the addressee is the date
entered by the Post Office receiving
clerk on the ‘‘Express Mail/Next Day
Service—Post Office to Addressee’’ label
and the postmark on the envelope or
wrapper on the original receipt from the
U.S. Postal Service.
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‘‘Postmarked’’ means a printed,
stamped, or otherwise placed
impression (exclusive of a postage meter
machine impression) that is readily
identifiable, with further action, as
having been supplied or affixed on the
date of mailing by an employee of the
U.S. Postal Service. Therefore,
applicants should request the postal
clerk to place a legible hand
cancellation ‘‘bull’s eye’’ postmark on
both the receipt and the envelope or
wrapper.
Mail Advisory in the DC Area. All
applicants are advised that U.S. mail
delivery in the Washington, DC area is
erratic. Packages addressed to the U.S.
Department of Labor are subject to
radiation before delivery. All applicants
must take this into consideration when
preparing to meet the application
closing date, as each applicant assumes
the risk for ensuring a timely
submission of its application. The
Department recommends that applicants
confirm receipt of their applications by
contacting James Stockton, U.S.
Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Office of
Grants and Contract Management,
telephone (202) 693–3335 before the
closing date. [This is not a toll-free
number.]
Applications may be withdrawn by
written notice or telegram (including
mailgram) at any time before the
Department makes an award. An
applicant may withdraw its submissions
in person by the applicant or through an
authorized representative of the
applicant if the applicant makes the
representative’s identity known to the
Grant Officer and the representative
signs a receipt when he or she receives
the withdrawn application.
D. Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to Executive
Order (E.O.) 12372, ‘‘Intergovernmental
Review of Federal Programs.’’ Each
applicant must contact the office or
official designated as the Single Point of
Contact (SPOC) in each applicable state
for information on the process the state
requires to be followed in applying for
assistance. In some cases the SPOC may
not have selected the SCSEP for review.
Names and addresses for the SPOCs are
listed in the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) at https://
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/
spoc.html. Additional information on
Executive Order 12372 can be found at
https://www.fws.gov/policy/library/
rgeo12372.pdf.
E. Funding Restrictions
The minimum funding requirement
must be at least 10 percent of the state
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allocation or $1,600,000 (approximately
224 slots), whichever is greater.
Applicants are also required to apply for
contiguously located counties within a
state, unless an applicant can meet the
greater of $1,600,000 or 10 percent state
allocation, within a single county.
Applicants should follow the minimum
request for funding guidance found in
Section II.B.
F. Other Submission Requirements
Each applicant must submit a copy of
the technical proposal (including the
chart of service areas but no other
attachment requirements) and the SF–
424 to the Governor in each state that it
proposes to serve before submitting an
application to the Department as
required by section 503(a)(5) of the OAA
Amendments and 20 CFR 641.410.
Under this provision, the Governor of
each state may submit a
recommendation to the Secretary
relating to the anticipated effect of an
applicant’s proposal on the overall
distribution of positions within the
state; recommendations for
redistribution of positions to underserved areas (i.e., Equitable
Distribution); and recommendations for
distribution of any newly available
positions. The Department will not
consider comments that are outside the
scope of this provision.
Please note that Governors are not
required to provide comments to
applicants. Therefore, applicants should
not wait for communication from the
Governor before submitting the
application to the Department.
Applicants submitting as an Indian
(‘‘I’’) grant are not required to submit
copies of their applications to the
Governors under this section, but are
encouraged to voluntarily comply with
this provision.
V. Application Review Information
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A. Evaluation Criteria
All applicants are required to use the
Rating Criteria format when developing
their proposals. The technical panel will
review grant applications against the
criteria listed below on the basis of 100
maximum points. In order to receive full
credit, applicants must provide quality
information that does more than
reiterate the requirement statement or
merely state how it will be
accomplished. Therefore, responses
must be thoughtful and reflect a
strategic vision for how these
requirements will be achieved. In
addition, an applicant that describes
only what has been accomplished in the
past but lacks a full description of what
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it will do during the grant period will
not receive credit for that response.
Points Summary:
1. Design and Governance—15 points.
2. Program and Grant Management
Systems—10 points.
3. Financial Management System—10
points.
4. Program Service Delivery—40
points.
5. Performance Accountability—25
points.
Total—100 points.
1. Design and Governance: (15 Points)
Strategic Planning. The applicant
must demonstrate how it will develop
and implement a strategic approach to
meeting business and industry needs for
a prepared and competitive workforce
through a demand-driven approach.
Applicants may wish to consider the
following when formulating a response:
• Strategies for consulting with
business leaders from the state and local
area in forming and managing demanddriven approaches and strategies.
• Strategies for functioning as a
partner with the public workforce
system, business and industry,
economic development agencies, and
education and training providers,
including community colleges.
• Strategies for identifying highgrowth business and industries, the
workforce needs, and the skills and
competencies needed to perform jobs in
these key business areas.
Service Design. The applicant must
describe its service delivery system
design that will accomplish its strategic
objectives for helping older workers.
Applicants may wish to consider the
following when formulating a response:
• Resources within the organization
including services, skills, expertise and
monetary resources, or through partners,
contributors, or vendors that will
enhance the program.
• Services to targeted industry
employers and host agencies, including
any strategies to prevent maintenance of
effort violations.
• Process for determining the needs
of employers that assist employers in
training and retaining older workers to
meet that need.
• Strategies for leveraging the
workforce system’s resources over the
grant period to create human resource
solutions for employers.
Program Integration. Applicants must
describe how integration will be
supported, codified in policy, measures,
and demonstrated at the leadership
level of the organization.
Applicants may wish to consider the
following when formulating a response:
• Strategies for engaging senior level
leadership (including board members, if
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applicable) in support of program
integration into the larger workforce
investment system.
• Strategies for coordinating with the
public workforce system, SCSEP State
Coordinators, area agencies on aging,
502(e) grantees, as applicable and other
SCSEP grantees that also serve in the
state.
• Strategies for ensuring negotiated
MOUs that improve the delivery of
services to low-income older workers in
every local area of operation and that
resolve impasse situations prior to
seeking Federal assistance.
2. Program and Grant Management
Systems: (10 Points)
Administrative Controls. The
applicant must demonstrate that its
administrative controls are sufficient to
ensure grant integrity.
Applicants may wish to consider the
following when formulating a response:
• The policies and procedures that
are in place or will be in place to
manage core functions and program
operations.
• The monitoring tools and
procedures that will be used to track
grant operations against performance
objectives and compliance with uniform
administrative requirements.
Consideration may also be given to how
often monitoring will occur, and under
what circumstances.
Personnel. The applicant must
describe how the management structure
and staffing of the organization are
aligned with the grant requirements,
vision, and goals, and how the structure
and staffing are designed to assure
responsible general management of the
organization.
Non-Federal Share. The applicant
must describe its policies and
procedures to meet non-Federal share
requirements, including the use of
leveraged resources.
Procurement. The applicant must
demonstrate that its procurement
actions are conducted according to
Federal requirements.
The following must be included in the
response:
• Applicants must describe written
procurement policies and procedures
and the extent to which they provide for
‘‘full and open competition.’’
• Applicants must describe the
procedures for the competition and
selection of subrecipients, if applicable.
Reporting Systems. The applicant
must describe how Enterprise Business
Support System (EBSS, formerly EIMS)
will be used to fulfill financial and
programmatic requirements and how
data collection and the SCSEP
Performance and Results QPR (SPARQ)
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system will be implemented and
populated to meet reporting
requirements and track program
performance. For information on
SPARQ, go to https://
charteroakgroup.org/resources/
scsep.shtml.
Applicants may wish to consider the
following when formulating a response:
• How financial data will be used to
drive program performance, including
tracking the minimum 75 percent wages
and fringe benefits expenditure
requirement, the remaining 13.5 percent
administrative expenditure requirement,
the use of the remaining funds for other
participant costs, and the enrollment of
participants.
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3. Financial Management System: (10
Points)
Budget Controls. The applicant must
describe its method for tracking planned
expenditures that will allow it to
compare actual expenditures or outlays
to planned or estimated expenditures.
The following information must be
included in the response:
• Applicants must describe the
process that will be in place to compare
planned and actual expenditures on a
regular basis, including whether the
applicant has a formalized process for
comparing and analyzing planned and
actual costs.
• Applicants must also describe the
strategies to ensure that obligations do
not exceed available funds.
Internal Controls. The applicant must
describe how it will ensure effective
control, integrity and accountability for
all grant and subrecipient grant assets.
4. Program Service Delivery: (40 Points)
Participant Recruitment. The
applicant must describe how it will
broaden local awareness of the program
in order to recruit eligible individuals to
the program.
The following must be included in the
response:
• Applicants must describe the
outreach efforts that will be made in
local communities to raise awareness of
the program. Please include a
description of the various methods of
outreach that will be utilized.
• Applicants must describe how
outreach efforts will be designed to
encourage low-income older individuals
age 55 or over to enroll in the program.
Please include a description of how the
outreach efforts will be specifically
designed to attract priority individuals
age 60 and over, and those individuals
who should be given special
consideration—e.g., those with multiple
barriers to employment, and individuals
with poor or no employment history or
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prospects consistent with the
regulations at 20 CFR 641.520 and
641.525.
• Applicants must describe how
recruitment goals for the target
population will be consistently met.
Applicants must also include a
description of how they will ensure that
all vacant positions remain filled as
program participants exit for
unsubsidized employment.
Participant Eligibility. The applicant
must describe how it will ensure that
individuals applying to be program
participants and continuing program
participants meet the eligibility criteria
to enroll or remain in the program.
The following must be included in the
response:
• Applicants must describe their
procedures to ensure the accuracy of the
individual’s income and age eligibility.
Applicants must include a description
of how often eligibility will be certified.
• Applicants must describe their
procedures to ensure that the individual
is unemployed at the time of enrollment
and while enrolled in the program.
• Applicants must describe how
ineligible individuals will be notified of
their ineligibility and any other action
that the applicant may implement. This
response must describe both preenrollment and post-enrollment
situations.
• Applicants must describe their
plans for ensuring that the veterans’
priority and SCSEP priorities are
properly implemented when there is a
wait list for services.
Assessments and IEPs. The applicant
must describe how it will continuously
assess program participants using the
IEP and other assessment tools to ensure
participants are trained for viable
employment opportunities.
The following must be included in the
response:
• Applicants must describe how often
assessments and IEPs will be completed.
• Applicants must describe how the
training and services reflected on the
IEP will enhance and improve the
participant’s skills and lead to higher
level skills that will enhance
employability.
• Applicants must describe any
procedures that will be in place to
ensure that the participant
acknowledges and agrees with the
training plan.
• Applicants must describe how
assessments will capture the assistance
that participants may need, including
those services that will be acquired
through other programs, such as
disability programs, veteran programs,
aging programs, transportation programs
or services, etc.
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• Applicants must describe policies
that will be implemented to assure that
local projects consistently document
activities and execute the plans
established by the assessments and IEPs.
• Applicants must identify whether
felony background checks will be
required for all participants and if so,
how this requirement will be applied
consistently to all participants, and
where the information will be
maintained.
Orientation. The applicant must
describe how it will introduce program
participants and host agencies to
program requirements, roles and
responsibilities, and permissible and
impermissible activities. Please include
general timeframes for when orientation
will occur and how often.
Community Service Work-Based
Training. The applicant must describe
how participants will be trained through
community service organizations, how
it will ensure that the work-based
training is of high quality, and how this
training will lead to unsubsidized
employment.
The following must be included in the
response:
• Applicants must describe how host
agency organizations will be recruited
and selected, including the factors that
will be used to determine whether the
host agency will provide quality job
training.
• Applicants must describe how
assignments to community service
work-based training will be made to
ensure that the training is consistent
with the participant’s IEP, including a
description of the contractual
relationship that will exist between the
applicant and the host agency.
• Applicants must describe plans for
ensuring that participants are only
placed in work-based training
assignments that are in addition to
employment opportunities that would
be available without assistance under
the OAA. Please include a description
of the action steps that will take place
if a maintenance of effort violation is
discovered.
• Applicants must describe plans for
ensuring appropriate community service
work-based training assignments for exoffenders.
• Applicants must describe how local
projects will ensure that participants
receive adequate supervision during
training hours.
• Applicant must describe procedures
for rotating participants to other host
agency assignments, if the applicant
intends to implement a participant
rotational requirement.
• Applicants must describe plans and
procedures for documenting and
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ensuring that host agencies are either
public agencies or have 501(c)(3)
designation, and how such records will
be maintained.
• Applicants must describe
procedures for terminating host agency
relationships and the circumstances that
would create cause for termination—
e.g., maintenance of effort violations,
inaccurate timekeeping, poor training
opportunities, failing to fulfill
contractual responsibilities, etc.
Other Training. The applicant must
describe any training that will be
offered, required, and/or provided to
program participants and host agencies.
The following should be included in
the response:
• Applicants should describe plans
for ensuring regular training of staff on
program operations, new initiatives, and
innovative ideas.
• Applicants should describe the
types of permissible training that will be
offered to participants. Please include a
description on how training will be paid
from other sources to leverage program
training opportunities, and how often
the training will be offered.
• Applicants should describe how
computer training will be provided to
participants, and how community
colleges will be utilized for computer
and other training opportunities.
• Applicants should describe how the
training identified will lead to
employment opportunities that would
not have otherwise been available to the
participant.
Fringe Benefits. The applicant must
describe any permissible and/or
required fringe benefits that will be
offered to participants and how it will
terminate (‘‘zero-out’’) any permissible
fringe benefits at the end of each
program year. If no permissible fringe
benefits will be offered, the applicant
must provide a statement to that effect.
Supportive Services. The applicant
must describe any supportive services
that will be offered to participants and
the additional resources the applicant
will use to support those services. The
applicant must also address those
supportive services that will be offered
to participants once they are placed in
an unsubsidized job in order to help
retain them in those positions.
Unsubsidized Employment. The
applicant must describe how it plans to
place participants in high growth jobs
according to local labor market data. In
addition, the applicant must describe
how the targeted jobs will enable
participants to become self-sufficient in
positions for which they would not have
otherwise had the necessary skill
training provided by the program.
Applicants should include in this
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description the types of jobs it will seek
for participants. A chart may be
attached if necessary.
Termination. The applicant must
describe the circumstances under which
a participant may be terminated from
the program, including its maximum
duration policy (if any), for cause, or
other reasons. Please include
description of the criteria that will be
used for ‘‘for cause’’ terminations.
Transition to Minimize Disruptions.
The applicant must describe how
participants will be transitioned to and
from a service provider if the grant is
terminated for any reason, including
loss of funds through a competitive
process, in a manner that is least
disruptive to program participants.
The following must be included in the
response:
• Applicants must address how
participant files will be transferred to a
new provider.
• Applicants must address how new
offices will be established within short
timeframes, if necessary, to ensure
seamless services. A short timeframe is
defined as 2 weeks to 1 month.
• Applicants must address how
participants will continue to be paid
during the transition from the
incumbent provider to the new
provider.
• Applicants must address how
complete cooperation of local staff will
be ensured to complete a smooth
transition.
• Applicants must describe how the
transition of participants to and from
service providers will occur to ensure a
smooth transition. Please include a
description of how and when
participants will receive notification
and/or other communication informing
them of the transition.
Confidentiality of Files. The applicant
must describe how participant files will
be kept confidential from personnel not
affiliated with the project. If the
applicant plans on enlisting volunteer
assistance, the applicant must describe
how it will ensure volunteer compliance
with the confidentiality requirements.
Complaint Resolution Process. The
applicant must describe the complaint
resolution process that will be in place
for program applicants, participants
and/or host agency complaints or
grievances without Federal intervention.
For complaints involving illegal acts or
discrimination, the applicant must
describe the complaint resolution
process that will be in place for
participants and/or host agencies prior
to Federal appeal.
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5. Performance Accountability: (25
Points)
Performance Management. The
applicant must describe how it will
monitor funding and program activities
to achieve the performance measures.
Applicants may wish to consider the
following when formulating a response:
• Implementation of plans that guide
the daily work of staff and that identify
project goals, activity levels, spending
targets and timeframes to achieve grant
goals.
• Ensuring that spending will occur
at a rate consistent with the amounts
budgeted through the most recent
quarter being reviewed.
• Strategies for ensuring that
performance measures are met or
exceeded.
• Procedures that will be in place to
communicate high or low performance
to staff and local projects or
subrecipients.
• Actions that will be taken to
improve low performance.
• Strategies for ensuring that
subrecipient performance goals are met
and actions that will be taken to address
poor performance.
B. Review and Selection Process
Selection Process. The Grant Officer
will organize several panels that include
three individuals per panel to review
the applications. The panels will use the
point scoring system and the Rating
Criteria format specified in Section A
above to evaluate each application. The
Grant Officer will rank applications
based on the score assigned by the
panels through the evaluation process.
The ranking will be the primary basis
used to identify applicants as potential
grantees; however, the panel’s
conclusions are advisory in nature and
are not binding on the Grant Officer.
Other Evaluation Factors. The
Department may establish a range, based
upon the application evaluation, for the
purpose of selecting qualified applicants
and to ensure that the best applicants
are awarded grants.
The Grant Officer may take into
account an applicant’s demonstration of
past program, financial and
administrative capability in
administering Federal grants or
contracts during the past three (3) years.
The Grant Officer may also take into
account the applicant’s key personnel
and staffing plans. The lack of prior
SCSEP experience will not disadvantage
applicants.
The Department further reserves the
right to select applicants out of rank
order if such a selection would result in
the most effective and appropriate
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combination of funding; administrative
costs (e.g., cost per enrollment and
placement); program goals (e.g., serving
the needs of minorities, limited English
speakers, Indian eligible individuals,
and those of greatest economic need);
service coverage; and statutory
requirements.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
The Department anticipates
completing its review and ranking
proposals by mid-May 2006. The Grant
Officer expects to announce the results
of this competition in mid- to late-May
2006. Applicants may appeal a Grant
Officer decision according to the
provisions outlined at 20 CFR 641.900.
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B. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
All grants will be subject to the
following administrative standards and
provisions, as applicable to the
particular grantee and/or sub-awardee:
• 29 CFR part 2, subpart D—Equal
Treatment in Department of Labor
Programs for Religious Organizations;
Protection of Religious Liberty of
Department of Labor Social Service
Providers and Beneficiaries.
• 29 CFR part 30—Equal Employment
Opportunity in Apprenticeship and
Training.
• 29 CFR part 31—Nondiscrimination
in Federally Assisted Programs of the
Department of Labor—Effectuation of
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• 29 CFR part 32—Nondiscrimination
on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or
Activities Receiving Federal Financial
Assistance.
• 29 CFR part 33—Enforcement of
Nondiscrimination on the Basis of
Handicap in Programs of Activities
Conducted by the Department of Labor.
• 29 CFR part 35—Nondiscrimination
on the Basis of Age in Programs and
Activities Receiving Federal Financial
Assistance from the Department of
Labor.
• 29 CFR part 36—Nondiscrimination
on the Basis of Sex in Education
Programs or Activities Receiving
Federal Assistance.
• 29 CFR part 37—Implementation of
the Nondiscrimination and Equal
Opportunity Provisions of the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998
(WIA)
• 29 CFR part 93—New Restrictions
on Lobbying.
• 29 CFR part 94—Government-wide
Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace
(Financial Assistance).
• 29 CFR part 95—Grants and
Agreements with Institutions of Higher
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Education, Hospitals, and other NonProfit Organizations, and with
Commercial Organizations.
• 29 CFR part 96—Audit
Requirements for Grants, Contracts, and
Other Agreements.
• 29 CFR part 99—Audit of States,
Local Governments, and Non-Profit
Organizations.
• Applicable cost principles and
audit requirements under OMB
Circulars A–21, A–87, A–110, A–122,
A–133, and 48 CFR part 31.
C. Reporting
Data Collection System. All selected
grantees must collect and report all
SCSEP data requirements according to
specified time schedules. Each grantee
will be required to use the new OMB
approved SCSEP Data Collection System
(SPARQ) unless the grantee has a
method for uploading information into
SPARQ that, for all intents and
purposes, provides the seamless
population of data in SPARQ as if it
were entered directly into the system.
SPARQ tracks participant records
beginning at the time of enrollment.
SPARQ has other case management
capabilities, although the primary use of
SPARQ is to track participant training
and employment, generate Quarterly
Progress Reports (QPR), alert grantees
when follow-ups are required, and lead
grantees to program improvement.
Applicants must ensure that all local
providers will have high-speed Internet
access and the ability to use SPARQ. For
a preview of the SPARQ system,
applicants may visit https://dol.saicsolutions.com/sparq2prototype/
index.html.
For financial data, grantees are
required to use the EBSS. Grantees must
submit quarterly financial reports using
the SF–269.
Negotiated Performance Measures. In
PY 2006, each grantee will be subject to
negotiated performance measures. All
national grantees must meet the state
goals in each state in which they
operate. Please see Appendix I for the
list of state goals established for PY
2005.
Incumbent grantees that are
successful in this competition will have
performance measures that reflect prior
performance and previously established
goals. Adjustments may be negotiated
based on factors such as populations
with barriers to employment and
poverty and unemployment in the new
areas served. Incumbents’ PY 2006
performance measures will continue
into the second year of the three-year
sanction and incentive cycle.
For new grantees, PY 2006 will be a
baseline year for establishing goals at
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the national grantee level. They will be
assigned national grantee goals that are
the proportional aggregation of the state
goals where they operate. New grantees
will be subject to the incentives and
sanctions cycle beginning in PY 2007, if
the initial one-year grant period is
extended.
The performance measures that apply
to the program are listed below. Please
note that the program also collects
information on the common
performance measures that apply to all
ETA programs.
The performance measures that apply
to the program are as follows:
Placement into Unsubsidized
Employment: Grantees must place a
minimum of 20 percent of the
individuals in authorized slots into
employment. The national goal is 30
percent.
Retention in Unsubsidized
Employment: The national goal for
retention is currently 55 percent.
Retention is measured by determining
the number of placed participants that
remain employed 6 months after the
first quarter they exit the program.
Participation Service Rate: The
national service rate goal for Program
Year 2005 is 160 percent. This
represents the number of participants
served beyond the number of authorized
slots. For example, using the current
program goal, a grantee that has 100
slots will be required to serve at least
160 people during the program year.
Service to the Most in Need: Grantees
are required to give special
consideration to enrolling individuals
who qualify as having the greatest need.
The current national goal is 67 percent.
Community Services: This measure
represents the number of hours a
participant spends in community
service work-based training
assignments. This measure does not
currently have a goal and is not subject
to sanctions.
Customer Satisfaction: The
satisfaction of participants, employers
and host agencies is a required
performance measure and is measured
using the American Customer
Satisfaction Index (ACSI) questions in
addition to other questions that are
designed to provide useful feedback on
program operations. Only the 3 ACSI
scores are used in the performance
measures to ease the burden on
grantees. The Department currently
utilizes a mail house with grantee
letterhead and electronic signature to
organize survey samples from
participant and host agencies. Grantees
must meet a minimum sample size and
response rate to have a valid sample.
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Earnings: The Department plans to
establish an average earnings measure.
VII. Agency Contacts
James Stockton, Grant Officer of the
Division of Federal Assistance, at (202)
693–3335.
[This is not a toll-free number.]
VIII. Other Information
A. Notice to Incumbent National
Grantees and State Grantees
With the publication of this SGA,
incumbent national grantees and state
grantees are notified that no slot
movements due to Equitable
Distribution or for other reasons will be
approved until the completion of the
competition.
B. Bidders’ Conference
The Department is planning on
holding a webinar in lieu of the
traditional bidders’ conference format in
order to reach more interested
organizations and to reduce costs.
Bidders will be able to access
information on the date and time of the
bidders’ conference at https://
www.doleta.gov/Seniors.
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C. Questions about the Program or SGA.
Individuals may submit questions
about the program or information in this
SGA to the Department by faxing the
question(s) to: James Stockton, Grant
Officer. Facsimile Number: 202–693–
2879.
Please note the SGA number on all
submitted questions (SGA/DFA PY 05–
06). Please also include your name,
facsimile number and contact number
on your submission.
Responses will be posted on the
Employment and Training
Administration Web site at https://
www.doleta.gov/seniors. Questions will
be received for one month after
publication only. The Department will
not respond to duplicate questions or
questions that are not within the scope
of this SGA. Please do not direct
questions to the Division of Older
Worker Programs.
D. Post-Selection Negotiations and
Requirements
A successful applicant may be
required to negotiate with the
Department on the geographic areas it
will serve to ensure that grantees serve
contiguous counties within a state and
that all geographic areas continue to be
served. Therefore, a successful applicant
may not be awarded all areas that it
proposes to serve, and may be required
to serve one or more counties not
identified in its application. The
Department will assure that all areas
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currently served continue to be served
through the selection and negotiation
processes. The Grant Officer expects to
negotiate the final assignments of slots
by the end of May.
In addition, all successful applicants
will be required to produce verification
of workers’ compensation coverage for
the participants, and will negotiate
performance goals with the Department
that will be included in the grant
agreement. Successful applicants may
want to consider grouping resources
under an umbrella insurance plan to
minimize the costs to any one
organization of workers compensation
costs.
In order to receive a grant, successful
applicants must make any mandatory
changes to the application requested by
the Grant Officer before the Department
makes an official grant award.
E. Transition of Participants
The Department expects the transition
period from incumbent grantees to new
providers to take place from June 1–June
30, 2006. Currently, participants occupy
nearly all SCSEP positions. If transitions
are made from one grantee to another as
a result of this competition, the enrolled
participants must be given the
opportunity to continue in the program.
Therefore, by applying for funds under
this SGA, selected applicants agree to
offer incumbent SCSEP participants the
first opportunity to continue in the
SCSEP authorized position in the
grantee’s program (i.e., ‘‘right of first
refusal’’). As such, selected grantees
must offer incumbent SCSEP
participants the opportunity to continue
in the SCSEP in the same geographic
area, and in the same host agency for up
to 90 days. At the end of the 90-day
period, selected grantees may choose to
move participants into new host
agencies, or they may continue to utilize
the current host agencies. Participants
may not remain with an incumbent
grantee that is no longer serving in that
area.
The Department is committed to
minimizing disruptions to the extent
possible, and the requirements that
applicants and grantees must meet
reflect this commitment. The
Department will work with grantees to
promote a seamless transition if there is
a new grantee in an area. The
Department will support the transition
by providing technical assistance,
participant and host agency data, and
pre-award cost approval, in accordance
with 29 CFR part 95 and the applicable
cost principles in OMB Circular A–122,
prior to the start of the grant period.
Successful applicants and incumbent
grantees will be required to ensure
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minimum disruptions to participants,
including continuous payments during
the transition. Therefore, the
Department expects new grantees to
assume payroll responsibilities on July
1, 2006. Successful applicants must
plan to make the first payment to
participants in the first or second week
of July 2006.
F. Transition Roles and Responsibilities
The Department
In addition to the responsibilities
described throughout this SGA, the
Department will be responsible for:
• Convening a national SCSEP
Program Year 2006 Orientation and
Training conference to inform all
national grantees about program
administration and management. (The
estimated date of this conference is midJune.);
• Institution of regularly scheduled
conference calls that include national
and regional Department staff and
national grantees; and
• Provision of an appropriate script
for Customer Service Representatives at
the Toll-Free Help Line national call
center to respond to questions from
participants and other interested parties
about the transition.
State Grantees
State grantees have coordination
responsibilities to ensure that services
are adequately provided across the state.
This opportunity is the Department’s
attempt to include state coordinators in
this process, which also facilitates the
working relationship the state
coordinators will have with any
providers in the state. In addition, this
process will assist the state coordinators
with their Equitable Distribution report
requirements as well as local board
MOU negotiation responsibilities.
Therefore, the Department will expect
state coordinators to assist with the
transition of national grantees to ensure
a smooth transition for participants.
Specifically, state coordinators should:
• Hold a meeting (by conference call
if necessary) with the incumbent and
new national grantee(s) to discuss the
transition process and timelines;
• Ensure that positive
communications are presented to
participants regarding the transition;
• Alert the responsible national
grantee organization when a complaint
is made to the state office regarding the
transition;
• Reassure participants who are
concerned about the transition process;
• Assist with turnover of records to
the new national grantee, if necessary;
and
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• Determining how and when
participants will be notified of changes;
• Establishing procedures to transfer
records, as applicable;
• Maintaining privacy of individual
records; and
• Establishing a mechanism for the
PY 2006 national grantees to
communicate among themselves.
• Report issues that cannot be
resolved to the Department.
National Grantees
The national grantees will be
responsible for:
• Maintaining open lines of
communication with the states and
attending any state or Federally
scheduled conference calls;
G. Appendices
• Ensuring that all participants have
the right of first refusal regarding new
work-based community service
assignments for up to 90 days;
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• Ensuring that check payments to
participants are made in a timely
manner;
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Appendix A: Application for Federal
Assistance, Standard Form 424
Appendix B: Budget Information Sheet,
Standard Form 424A
Appendix C: Standard Form 424A Clarifying
Instructions
Appendix D: Assurances and Certifications
Signature Page
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Appendix E: Standard Form LLL, Disclosure
of Lobbying Activities
Appendix F: Current County and State
Authorized Positions
Appendix G: States that Require 10 Percent
Minimum Bid
Appendix H: PY 2005 Levels of Funding for
Current National Grantees
Appendix I: List of State Performance
Measures in PY 2005
Appendix J: List of Resources
Appendix K: Positions Bid Form
Signed at Washington, DC, this 22nd day
of February, 2006.
Emily DeRocco,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and
Training Administration.
BILLING CODE 4510–30–P
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Appendix C: Standard Form 424A
Clarifying Instructions
Budget Information Instructions
Part 2 of the proposal should be titled
‘‘PART II—PROPOSED PROJECT BUDGET.’’
The applicant must prepare the proposed
budget using Standard Form (SF) 424A
(available in Adobe Acrobat format at https://
www.doleta.gov/seniors/other_docs/
SF424a.pdf.) or a comparable format.
Sections A, B, C, and D of the Budget
Information Form should include budget
estimate for the entire grant Period. Sections
A and B require information on the four basic
grant functional areas: (1) Administration; (2)
Local Administration; (3) Participant Wages
and Fringe Benefits; and (4) Other Participant
Costs. Costs attributable to these function
areas are described in the regulations. (See
also 20 CFR 641.847–641.873). Applicants
must ensure that the proportional
distribution of the Federal funds among these
functional areas meets the program
requirements.
The following instructions are intended to
clarify the process of completing the SF–424
grant application and the SF–424A budget
form. The current regulations should be
reviewed as well as OW Bulletin No. 00–20,
Allocation of Indirect Costs, and OAA
Amendments sections 502(b)(3)–(b)(4). Local
Administration includes estimated sums
associated with the administration of state
and Local SCSEP project activities including
subgrantees, subcontractors, or other
affiliates (OAA Amendments section
502(b)(1)(R)). Sufficient funding for
administrative costs must go to the local
levels of program operation.
Clarifying Instructions for Standard Form
424
If additional space is needed to complete
an item, insert an asterisk and use an extra
sheet of paper. For the most part, this form
is self-explanatory. Complete all applicable
items.
Item 12. List the counties with the number
of authorized positions to be placed in each
one. If the space on the form is not sufficient,
please continue on a separate page. This list
must be consistent with the appropriate
current individual State Equitable
Distribution plans.
Item 15. The Federal funding for Program
Year 2005 for all State applicants is listed in
Attachment V or may be obtained by calling
your primary contact.
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Clarifying Instructions for Standard Form
424–A
Section A—Budget Summary
Lines 1–4, Columns (a) and (b). Under
Column (a), enter the following:
Line 1—‘‘Administration’’
Line 2—‘‘Local Administration’’
Line 3—‘‘Participant Wages and Fringe
Benefits (PW/FB)’’
Line 4—‘‘Other Participant Costs (OPC)’’
Under Column (b) on Line 1, enter
‘‘17.235’’.
Lines 1–4, Column (c) through (g). Leave
Columns (c) and (d) blank. For each line
entry under Column (a), enter in Columns (e)
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(Federal), (f), (Non-Federal) and (g) the
appropriate amounts of funds needed to
support the project for the grant period.
Line 5. Show totals for all columns of the
non-Federal funds. The non-Federal share
must be no less than 10 percent of the total
cost of the project. The legislative
requirement is found in section 502(c)(1) of
the OAA Amendments. Rules regarding
States and non-Federal funds are found in
the administrative regulations, 29 CFR Part
97. Please indicate as a remark (on Line 23)
the specific source(s) and amounts (if known)
of any non-Federal funds and include this
information in the detailed cost breakout.
Column (b). Enter the amount of applicant
cash and/or in-kind contributions to be
made.
Column (c). Enter the State(s) contribution.
This requirement does not apply to State
grantees.
Column (d). Enter the amount of cash and/
or in-kind contributions to be made from all
other sources.
Column (e). Enter totals of Columns (b), (c),
and (d). The amount under Column (e)
should be equal to the amount on Line 5,
Column (f), Section A.
Line 12. Under each column enter the same
figure entered in Line (8).
Section B—Budget Categories
In the column headings at Line 6 titled
‘‘Object Class Categories’’ (1) through (4),
enter the titles of the grant functional areas
(Administration, Local Administration, PW/
FB, and OEC) shown on Lines 1–4, Column
(a), Section A. For each functional area fill
in the total funds needed (Federal plus nonFederal) by object class categories. The object
class categories are those listed in lines 6(a)
through 6(k) including totals.
Lines 6a through 6h. Show the estimated
amount (include the combined Federal and
non-Federal share) for each direct object class
category under each column used. All costs
to be incurred under contracts or subgrants
should be reflected in line 6f (Contractual).
The costs to be incurred under individual
contracts or sub-grants must be properly
attributed among the three basic functional
areas (i.e., Administration, Local
Administration, PW/FB, and OPC). Under the
PW/FB column (Participant Wages and
Fringe Benefits), entries may be made in
three object class categories: ‘‘Personnel’’
(Participant Wages), ‘‘Fringe Benefits’’
(Participant Fringe Benefits), or
‘‘Contractual’’ (when funds for participant
wages and fringe benefits are to be included
in contracts or subgrants).
Line 6i. Show the total of entries made for
lines 6a through 6h in each column.
Line 6j. Show the amount of indirect costs.
A copy of the current indirect cost rate
agreement must be sent with the application.
If it is not available please provide an
explanation and an estimate as to when it
will be available.
Line 6k. Enter the totals of the amounts
indicated on lines 6i and 6j. For all
applications, the total amount in Column (5),
Line 6k, should be the same as the total
amount shown in Section A, Column (g),
Line 5.
Line 7. Enter the estimated amount of
income, if any, expected to be generated from
this project. Do not add or subtract this
amount from the total project amount. Under
the project narrative statement describe the
nature and source of such income. Note:
Income generated by SCSEP projects must be
used for SCSEP activities.
Section D—Forecasted Cash Needs
Make no entries.
Section C—Source of Non-Federal Resources
Line 8. Enter amounts of non-Federal
resources that will be used in the grant.
Column (a). On Line (8) Column (a) only,
enter ‘‘SCSEP’’ (Senior Community Service
Employment Program). A breakdown by
functional areas is not necessary. Use Line (8)
for entries under all columns.
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Section E—Budget Estimates of Federal
Funds Needed for Balance of Project
Make no entries.
Section F—Other Budget Information
Line 21—Direct Charges. In the space
provided type ‘‘A Detailed Cost Breakout is
Attached.’’
A Detailed Cost Breakout is required with
the Grant Application Package. All
applicants should prepare this and have
available for inspection the basis for their
estimated costs by line item (including the
detail for the ‘‘Other’’ line item). The cost
breakout should reflect the SF–424A so that
totals match for both the form and the
detailed breakout. Information should be
presented by line item and category.
Applicants are encouraged to describe any
extraordinary item such as planned
conferences, travel, and unusual expenses.
It is important that the cost breakout
demonstrate how costs are distributed
vertically as well as horizontally, showing
costs that occur at the local levels. The
detailed cost breakout should also indicate
the specific kind of non-Federal resources;
for instance, the provision of office space or
the salaries of project staff.
The applicant may consult with the
Federal Project Officer regarding the needed
level of detail. In categorizing costs and their
applicability, all sponsors must follow OAA
2000 Section 502(c) and the Regulations at 20
CFR Part 641 Subpart D, sections 641.847–
641.876. Please also see the discussion of
administrative costs in the One-Stop
Comprehensive Financial Management Guide
at https://wdsc.doleta.gov/sga/pdf/
FinalTAG_August_02.pdf, pages II–5–3 to II–
5–6.
Other considerations: Successful
applicants may be expected to attend
Department-sponsored training and should
prepare their budgets accordingly. It will also
be useful to budget amounts for training,
software and new computers (including
Internet access) related to new reporting
requirements. NOTE: Applicants must have
current computer technology and ensure that
their organizations have the capability to link
to the Internet. Reporting will be done via the
Internet.
When applicants divide costs between the
‘‘Administration’’ and ‘‘Other Participant
Costs’’ Categories for the same cost item
(such as a local project director), they should
describe the basis for that division and
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include mention of any surveys used to
determine the allocations. The Department of
Labor reserves the right to require additional
information on any budget line item or cost
category.
Line 22—Indirect Charges. Enter the type
of indirect rate (provisional, predetermined,
final, or fixed) that will be in effect during
the grant period, and the nature and the
amount of the base to which the rate is
applied, and the total indirect charges.
Include a copy of your agency’s approved
indirect cost rate agreement. It should cover
the entire grant period. If not, state that a new
one will be provided when available.
Applicants that have not previously used
an indirect cost rate but wish to do so must
contact the Grant Officer, who will advise the
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grant applicant of the documents and
materials that must accompany the grant
application in support of the request. Where
indirect charges are approved, the terms and
conditions relating to the payment of indirect
costs, which are subject to negotiation by the
Department, will be specified in the grant
document.
Line 23—Remarks. Provide any other
explanations or comments deemed necessary,
such as specific sources of non-Federal
funds. It is also suggested that the words
‘‘See Attached Detailed Cost Breakout’’ be
entered in this section.
PO 00000
Appendix D: Assurances and
Certifications Signature Page
THE GRANT CONDITIONS AND CLAUSES
WILL BE PROVIDED TO GRANTEES BY THE
DIVISION OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
(GRANT OFFICER) ALONG WITH A GRANT
SIGNATURE SHEET AND PACKAGE FOR
THE GRANTEE’S SIGNATORY OFFICIAL.
SHOULD THERE BE ANY INCONSISTENCY
BETWEEN THE CONDITIONS AND THE
GRANTEE’S PROPOSAL, THE CONDITIONS
SHALL GOVERN. FURTHER, IF THERE
SHOULD BE SUCH INCONSISTENCY
BETWEEN THE CONDITIONS AND THE
SPECIAL CLAUSES, THE SPECIAL
CLAUSES SHALL GOVERN.
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Appendix F: County and State
Authorized Positions
Note: The following text is the instructions
for reviewing Appendix F, which is located
at https://www.doleta.gov/Seniors/SGA/
SGA.cfm.
In making decisions about areas to be
served, applicants should be mindful of the
number of ‘‘authorized positions’’ in each
county as compared to the number of ‘‘actual
positions.’’
Funding will be based on the number of
‘‘authorized positions,’’ which is the first
column of the state charts in this Appendix.
The actual number of participants in each
county is shown in the second column. In
many counties the two numbers are different.
In counties in which the actual positions
are greater than the authorized positions,
grantees will have to manage their state-wide
allocation to accommodate actual on-board
participants in the over-served areas even
though their funding allocation is based on
the authorized position level, which may be
less. Generally, in most counties that are
over-served, the difference is small and can
be adjusted by normal attrition or targeted
efforts to place more participants into
unsubsidized employment. It is expected that
these imbalances will be resolved by the end
of the grant period.
In a few states, there is one or more
significantly over-served counties. In these
states, applicants that wish to serve these
counties may consider proposing to also
serve enough contiguous under-served
counties to compensate for the over-service
in the other counties. In addition to
temporarily utilizing allocations from the
under served areas, attrition, and
concentrated efforts to make additional
unsubsidized placements, the grantee can use
other local, non-Federal resources. In a few
extreme cases in which the number of actual
participants is far out of proportion to the
number of available contiguous counties, the
Department, in consultation with the state
grantee, will intervene to alleviate the
situation.
Other Resources
For additional information regarding
which grantees are currently in a county and
where the state SCSEP grantee’s service areas
are located, applicants may consult the
Equitable Distribution Report which is found
at the SCSEP Web site https://
www.doleta.gov/seniors and the maps found
at the SGA item under ‘‘What’s New.’’
APPENDIX G.—STATES THAT REQUIRE
10 PERCENT MINIMUM BID
Funding
amount
California ...............
Florida ...................
New York ..............
Pennsylvania ........
Texas ....................
Slots
$29,193,091
20,122,897
22,540,759
18,297,675
18,928,589
4,079
2,813
3,151
2,558
2,646
APPENDIX H.—PY 2005 LEVELS OF
FUNDING FOR CURRENT NATIONAL
GRANTEES
AARP Foundation .................
Asociacion Nacional Pro
Personas Mayores ............
Easter Seals, Inc. .................
Experience Works ................
Mature Services, Inc. ............
National Able Network, Inc. ..
National Asian Pacific Center
on Aging ............................
National Caucus & Center on
Black Aged ........................
National Council on the
Aging .................................
National Indian Council on
Aging .................................
Senior Service America, Inc.
SER—Jobs for Progress,
Inc. ....................................
USDA Forest Service ...........
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7,689,923
16,077,169
85,790,315
5,514,963
5,435,364
5,978,047
15,228,375
21,838,654
6,027,252
50,970,214
26,168,160
20,369,239
Appendix I: State Performance
Measures in PY 2005
Note: These values may be slightly higher
(1–2 percent) in PY 2006 in order to promote
continuous improvement in program
performance and to reflect actual
performance.
Placement
(percent)
Alabama ...........................................................................................................................
Alaska ..............................................................................................................................
Arizona .............................................................................................................................
Arkansas ..........................................................................................................................
California ..........................................................................................................................
Colorado ..........................................................................................................................
Connecticut ......................................................................................................................
Delaware ..........................................................................................................................
District of Columbia .........................................................................................................
Florida ..............................................................................................................................
Georgia ............................................................................................................................
Hawaii ..............................................................................................................................
Idaho ................................................................................................................................
Illinois ...............................................................................................................................
Indiana .............................................................................................................................
Iowa .................................................................................................................................
Kansas .............................................................................................................................
Kentucky ..........................................................................................................................
Louisiana ..........................................................................................................................
Maine ...............................................................................................................................
Maryland ..........................................................................................................................
Massachusetts .................................................................................................................
Michigan ...........................................................................................................................
Minnesota ........................................................................................................................
Mississippi ........................................................................................................................
Missouri ............................................................................................................................
Montana ...........................................................................................................................
Nebraska ..........................................................................................................................
Nevada .............................................................................................................................
New Hampshire ...............................................................................................................
New Jersey ......................................................................................................................
New Mexico .....................................................................................................................
New York .........................................................................................................................
North Carolina ..................................................................................................................
North Dakota ....................................................................................................................
73,454,709
23
40
29
25
26
29
36
30
20
33
35
30
29
30
30
30
21
30
28
29
30
30
22
23
30
30
31
28
66
21
25
25
30
29
21
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Retention
(percent)
55
54
54
54
67
54
55
67
50
82
88
55
54
55
55
55
53
55
53
54
55
55
54
55
55
55
55
53
54
53
50
54
55
55
53
02MRN2
Service
level
(percent)
162
162
162
151
162
162
162
162
162
162
162
162
151
160
151
162
151
162
162
162
162
162
151
151
162
162
151
162
162
151
162
151
162
162
151
Most in
need
(percent)
70
64
67
67
71
67
67
67
81
73
67
67
67
67
67
67
73
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
79
64
67
67
67
67
77
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Placement
(percent)
Ohio .................................................................................................................................
Oklahoma .........................................................................................................................
Oregon .............................................................................................................................
Pennsylvania ....................................................................................................................
Puerto Rico ......................................................................................................................
Rhode Island ....................................................................................................................
South Carolina .................................................................................................................
South Dakota ...................................................................................................................
Tennessee .......................................................................................................................
Texas ...............................................................................................................................
Utah .................................................................................................................................
Vermont ...........................................................................................................................
Virginia .............................................................................................................................
Virgin Islands ...................................................................................................................
Washington ......................................................................................................................
West Virginia ....................................................................................................................
Wisconsin .........................................................................................................................
Wyoming ..........................................................................................................................
Appendix J: Resource List
3. Financial Resources
1. Program Legislation, Regulations, and
Policies
• OMB Circulars
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/
circulars.html
• Allowable and Unallowable Cost
Requirements 20 CFR 641.850
https://www.doleta.gov/Seniors/other_docs/
etaOAreg.pdf
• Allocation of Indirect Costs Under the
SCSEP
https://www.doleta.gov/Seniors/html_docs/
docs/00–20.cfm
• One-Stop Comprehensive Financial
Management Assistance Guide,
Administrative Costs and Limitations,
Chapter II–5–3 through II–5–6
https://www.doleta.gov/sga/pdf/
FinalTAG_August_02.pdf
• Older Americans Act Amendments of
2000, Pub. L. 106-501 https://www.doleta.gov/
Seniors/other_docs/owp-106–501.pdf
• SCSEP Final Rule, 20 CFR part 641
https://www.doleta.gov/Seniors/other_docs/
etaOAreg.pdf
641.440–460, Responsibility Review of
Applicants
641.500, Participant Eligibility
641.700–715, Grantee Performance Measures
641.750–770, Sanctions for Failure to Meet
Negotiated Levels of Performance
641.844, Maintenance of Effort Requirements
641.856, Administrative Costs
641.864, Program Costs
• Older Worker Bulletins and Training and
Employment Guidance Letters
TEGL No. 29–04, PY 2005 Fringe Benefit
Guidelines
https://166.97.5.198/Seniors/other_docs/
TEGL29-04.pdf
TEGL No. 21–04, Revised Federal Poverty
Guidelines for SCSEP
https://166.97.5.198/Seniors/other_docs/
teig_21-04.pdf
TEGL No. 13–04, Revised Income Definitions
and Income Inclusions and Exclusions for
Determining SCSEP Eligibility and
Attachments
https://166.97.5.198/Seniors/other_docs/
teig_13-04.pdf
https://166.97.5.198/Seniors/other_docs/
TEGL_PopSurvey.pdf
https://166.97.5.198/Seniors/other_docs/
TEGL_ComputeIncome.pdf
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2. Applicable Forms
Routine Program Forms
https://166.97.5.198/Seniors/html_docs/
Forms.cfm
SGA Forms
https://www.doleta.gov/sga/forms.cfm
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4. Other Applicable Laws
• Civil Rights Laws
Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972—49
CFR part 25 (gender)
Americans with Disabilities Act—28 CFR
part 35 (Disability)
Rehabilitation Act—29 CFR part 32 Section
504 (Disability)
Civil Rights Act of 1964—29 CFR part 31
Title VI (Race, color, national origin, sex)
Workforce Investment Act—29 CFR part 37,
Section 188 (race, color, national origin,
sex, religion, disability, political affiliation
or belief, and age).
Age Discrimination Act of 1975—29 CFR part
35 (any age)
U.S. Department of Labor Civil Right
Center contact information: Office of
Compliance Assistance and Planning (202)
693–6501
https://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/crc/
crcwelcome.htm
• Jobs for Veterans Act
https://www.doleta.gov/seniors/html_docs/
regs.cfm
• Workforce Investment Act, Pub. L. 105–
220
https://www.doleta.gov/seniors/html_docs/
regs.cfm
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30
30
27
30
25
20
29
30
23
29
27
34
30
20
30
22
29
41
Retention
(percent)
58
55
52
55
52
52
54
55
55
54
52
53
82
52
55
54
54
54
Service
level
(percent)
Most in
need
(percent)
160
160
162
162
162
162
151
151
151
162
162
162
160
162
162
151
162
162
67
71
67
67
67
67
67
67
70
67
67
64
70
67
67
73
67
67
• Workforce Investment Act Final Rules,
20 CFR part 652
https://www.doleta.gov/seniors/html_docs/
regs.cfm
5. ETA Initiatives
• High Growth Job Training Initiative
https://www.doleta.gov/BRG/
JobTrainInitiative/
• Community College Initiative
https://www.doleta.gov/business/CommunityBasedJobTrainingGrants.cfm
• Hispanic Initiative
https://www.doleta.gov/reports/HWI_brief.cfm
and
https://www.doleta.gov/reports/DPLD.cfm
6. SCSEP Data Collection System (DCS)/
SPARQ
• DCS/SPARQ Forms and Management
Reports Handbook
https://www.doleta.gov/Seniors/html_docs/
GranteePerf.cfm
• DCS/SPARQ 2 Prototype
https://dol.saic-solutions.com/
sparq2prototype/
7. Grantee Contact Information
• Current National Grantees
https://166.97.5.198/Seniors/html_docs/docs/
NationalGrantees.cfm
• State Grantees
https://166.97.5.198/Seniors/html_docs/docs/
statecontacts04.cfm
8. Other Contact Information
• One-Stop Career Centers
• State Units on Aging
• National Association of Area Agencies
on Aging
https://www.n4a.org/
• 502(e) Grantees and PY 2005 Service
Areas
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Appendix K: Positions Bid Form
Note: Appendix K is located at https://
www.doleta.gov/Seniors/SGA/SGA.cfm.
[FR Doc. 06–1959 Filed 3–1–06; 8:45 am]
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10798-10820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1959]
[[Page 10797]]
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Part IV
Department of Labor
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Employment and Training Administration
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Older Americans Act--Solicitation for Grant Applications; Senior
Community Service Employment Program National Grants for Program Year
2006; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 41 / Thursday, March 2, 2006 /
Notices
[[Page 10798]]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Older Americans Act--Solicitation for Grant Applications; Senior
Community Service Employment Program National Grants for Program Year
2006
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, DOL.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for grant
applications for the national grants portion of the Senior Community
Service Employment Program.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA-PY 05-06.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 17.235.
DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications is April 17, 2006.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (the Department), Employment and
Training Administration (ETA) announces a grant competition for
national grantee funding under the Senior Community Service Employment
Program (SCSEP) authorized under title V of the Older Americans Act
Amendments of 2000 (OAA Amendments), Pub. L. 106-501, 42 U.S.C. 3056
and implemented under 20 CFR part 641 (April 9, 2004).
These projects will promote part-time work-based training
opportunities in local communities for unemployed, low-income
individuals who are age 55 and over, and will foster increased
prospects for their economic self-sufficiency. SCSEP is the only
nationwide Federal program that focuses on training and placing older
individuals into community work-based training and unsubsidized
employment.
The total amount of funds available for this SGA is approximately
$341,000,000, or 78 percent of the total appropriation for Program Year
(PY) 2006 (July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007). It is anticipated that
no more than 20 awards will be made under this SGA, including at least
one award to an Indian and Native American organization and at least
one award to an Asian Pacific Islander organization, as required by
section 506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments. Eligible entities include any
non-profit organization, Federal public agency, or Tribal organization
that has the ability to operate in more than one state and that meets
the eligibility and responsibility requirements outlined in 20 CFR part
641 subpart D. The remaining 22 percent of the appropriation is
reserved for state formula-funded programs and therefore, is not
included in this SGA.
The Department is holding a full and open competition in order to
provide better services to SCSEP participants, employers, and the
communities served by the national grant program. Open competition is
not only the preferred vehicle for obtaining new grantees, but in most
cases, it is the required vehicle for obtaining new grantees. The
Department favors full and open competition because it provides an
opportunity to ensure that the best applicants are awarded grants and
that the program is administered effectively.
The Department held the first competition for national grant
funding in PY 2003. As a result of that competition, the Department
selected four new national grantees, and made extensive changes to the
areas served by the incumbent grantees. These grantees provide
diversity in services, including expertise in serving individuals with
disabilities and minority populations as well as close connections with
One-Stop Career Centers. The Department deems it important to maintain
diversity among qualified service providers to the extent possible. The
Department is especially interested in organizations that demonstrate a
partnership with local One-Stop Career Centers and community colleges
and that promote employment through high growth job opportunities.
Under this SGA, the Department will be consolidating grantee
service areas to increase program effectiveness and achieve economies
of scale. Therefore, applicants are required to apply for contiguous
locations within a state. Applicants applying as Asian and Pacific
Islander and/or Indian organizations, pursuant to section 506(a)(3) of
title V of the OAA, are exempt from this contiguousness requirement.
The Department reserves the right to negotiate with successful
applicants on the final service areas.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This SGA consists of eight (8) sections:
Section I provides background information about the
program.
Section II describes the size and nature of the
anticipated awards.
Section III describes applicant eligibility criteria.
Section IV outlines the application submission and
withdrawal requirements.
Section V describes the application review process and
rating criteria.
Section VI outlines additional award administration
information.
Section VII contains DOL agency contact information.
Section VIII describes the notice to state and incumbent
national grantees, bidders' conference information, and procedures for
asking questions about this SGA. This section also lists appendices for
other supplemental information, including a list of resources.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The SCSEP was originally authorized in 1965 by the Economic
Opportunity Act, Public Law 89-73. In 1973 the SCSEP was authorized
under the Older Americans Act (OAA). As authorized by title V of the
OAA of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 3056 et seq.), the SCSEP fosters and promotes
useful part-time work-based training opportunities in community
organizations for persons with low incomes who are 55 years of age or
older. Program participants receive on-the-job training at local public
or non-profit agencies and are paid the higher of the Federal, state,
or local minimum wage or the comparable wage for approximately 20 hours
per week while in job training (OAA Amendments Sec. 502(b)(1)(J); 20
CFR 641.565(a)). The ultimate goal is to assist the transition of older
individuals into unsubsidized employment that leads to self-
sufficiency.
The Fiscal Year 2005 total appropriation was $438,678,400 and
applied to the Program Year that began on July 1, 2005. This funding
supported over 61,300 positions and will result in approximately 93,000
people being served during the program year that ends on June 30, 2006.
The following information describes key aspects of the program. For
a more in-depth understanding, applicants should read the resources
listed in Section VIII of this SGA.
Eligible Participant. An individual is eligible for the program if
he or she is unemployed at the time of enrollment, is age 55 or older,
and has an income of no more than 125 percent of the Federal poverty
guidelines.
Services for Individuals with Multiple Barriers to Employment.
SCSEP is a focused program that seeks to serve those most in need as
provided at 20 CFR 641.525. These individuals are age 60 or over and
who have the greatest economic need, or greatest social need, or poor
employment history or prospects.
Individual Employment Plans (IEP). As required at 20 CFR 641.535,
each SCSEP participant must be assessed to determine his or her skills
and employment-related needs and a plan must be developed to improve
the participant's employability. The IEP generally includes a goal of
[[Page 10799]]
unsubsidized employment and an appropriate sequence of services and
training for that participant based on the assessment. (Other
employment and training programs sometimes refer to this type of plan
as an Individual Development Plan or Individual Training Plan).
Grantees should monitor IEP progress regularly and are required to
update an IEP (if necessary) for each participant at least twice during
a 12-month period.
Unsubsidized Employment. An important goal of the program is to
help participants achieve self-sufficiency. Grantees provide training
opportunities that enable participants to obtain employment. In
addition, grantees provide regular follow-up communication with the
participant and employer to ensure that the participant is retained in
the job. Grantees may also provide supportive services to successfully
placed participants for up to 6 months to enable them to remain
employed. Successful employment and retention in a job should result
from quality training efforts and good employer relationships.
Community Service Work-Based Training. Providing subsidized work-
based training through community service is an important aspect of
SCSEP. Participants obtain the confidence needed to become employable
and the organizations that ``host'' the participants receive volunteer
work. As provided at 20 CFR 641.140, community service may include, but
is not limited to, such activities as social, health, welfare and
educational services, counseling services, including tax counseling,
environmental efforts, weatherization efforts and economic development.
The training provided at these host agencies must be consistent with
the participant's IEP. Participants receive wages paid by the grantee
while they are in work-based training.
Host Agencies. Host agencies provide the worksites for program
participants and may be public or private 501(c)(3) organizations,
including community-based and faith-based organizations, authorized
Federal agencies, state agencies, or local public agencies. Host
agencies are an important component of the program because they provide
training and work experience for participants. Grantees must work with
host agencies to identify appropriate training that does not lead to
maintenance of effort violations. Therefore, the grantee's
communication with and training for the host agency directly affects
the value of the work-based training experience for the participants,
and the participants' ability to obtain unsubsidized employment.
Other Permissible Training. Training other than work-based training
is an important tool to improve the skills and talents of participants,
to help them succeed in their community service assignments, and to
facilitate placement of participants in unsubsidized employment. How
much training, and what types of training are necessary are based on
each individual participant's IEP, but may include classroom training,
general skills training, or specialized training.
Coordination With One-Stop Career Centers, State and Local
Workforce Investment Boards, State Agencies on Aging, Area Agencies on
Aging, Other Grantees and SCSEP 502(e) Program Grantees. As a required
partner, all SCSEP grantees are required to coordinate activities with
local One-Stop Career Centers administered by Local Workforce
Investment Boards under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Pub. L.
105-220, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). For instance, as
provided at 20 CFR 641.230, participant determinations of eligibility
and needs assessments completed by the SCSEP satisfy any condition for
an assessment under WIA and vice-versa.
Coordination with state agencies on aging and area agencies on
aging is required to ensure seamless support of aging individuals,
which also helps participants achieve self-sufficiency. These
organizations often operate local SCSEP programs but also offer
supportive benefits to seniors. Grantees are also encouraged to
coordinate efforts with other SCSEP grantees.
Participant Wages and Fringe Benefits. Grantees are required to
spend a minimum of 75 percent of the Federal grant funds on participant
wages and fringe benefits. Participant wages are based on the higher of
the Federal, state, or local minimum wage, or at a comparable wage for
time spent in approved program activities only (e.g., community service
training, other permissible training). See Section II of this SGA for
funding calculation information. Generally, payments are made every 2
weeks.
Although the Department discourages grantees from providing
permissive fringe benefits, such as annual leave and sick leave,
because they dissuade participants from obtaining unsubsidized
employment, applicants will not be penalized if they elect to provide
such benefits. If a grantee provides such benefits, they must be
consistently applied to all participants and expire at the end of every
program year. Workers' compensation is a statutorily required fringe
benefit that must be provided to each participant, and falls into a
different cost classification from the workers' compensation provided
to the grantee's employees. Please see 20 CFR 641.565(b)(iii). Physical
examinations must also be offered to every participant as required
under 20 CFR 641.565(b)(ii)(A).
Equitable Distribution (ED). Section 507 of the OAA Amendments
requires the Department to ensure that services are provided equitably
within each state. The calculation is based on census data by county
and state and annual program appropriations, and results in the number
of authorized positions or ``slots'' that are allocated to each county.
The number of authorized positions is proportional to the number of
eligible people in the county compared to the state total. For every
slot, one or more individuals can receive services through the program
year. For instance, when a participant exits the program for
employment, a new individual may be enrolled based on remaining program
funds.
Right of First Refusal. Under this solicitation, all successful
applicants must allow the current participants to remain in the program
under the same conditions in which they are found in order to minimize
disruptions to the program. Therefore, while participants may not elect
to remain under a former grantee, they must be able to continue
community service work-based training with the same host agency for a
minimum of 90 days after July 1, 2006.
Administrative Costs. The administrative allowance for the program
is 13.5 percent of the Federal share. Administrative costs are defined
in the OAA Amendments at section 502(c)(4) and 20 CFR 641.856. This
administrative limit may be extended to 15 percent as permitted under
section 502(c)(3) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.867.
Non-Federal Share Requirement. Section 502(c)(1)-(2) limits the
Department's cost of operating the program to 90 percent. Therefore,
each grantee must contribute a minimum of 10 percent to the program
through cash or in-kind contributions. This requirement also applies to
Federal agencies unless a statutory exemption is demonstrated. Grantees
are prohibited from requiring local projects or subgrantees from
providing match as a condition of receiving funds. For more information
on non-Federal share requirements, please see 20 CFR 641.809 and 29 CFR
95.23.
[[Page 10800]]
Subgrantee. This is defined as any organization that provides
program services on behalf of the grantee. There are no statutory
restrictions on the type of entity that may be a subgrantee; however,
all subgrantees are required to follow all applicable Department rules,
regulations, and policy advisories. Some examples of entities that may
be subgrantees include, but are not limited to, community and faith-
based organizations, community colleges, state agencies, One-Stop
Career Centers, for-profit organizations, and tribal organizations.
Extension of Funding. At the request of a grantee, the Department
may permit a grantee to extend the use of any remaining program year
grant funds beyond the program year. The Department discourages such
practice and will grant an extension only under extenuating
circumstances.
Performance Measures. The performance measures for the program are
outlined in 20 CFR part 641 subpart G and Appendix I. These goals are
designed to ensure that grantees are enrolling those individuals who
need the most training assistance to obtain employment. They also
ensure that participants are placed into and retained in jobs and that
they continue to improve their skills and employability. The Department
expects continuous performance improvement from the program overall,
which is measured under the Government Performance and Results Act
(GPRA) of 1993 through established program goals. The ability of a
grantee to meet the performance measures depends largely on how
successful the grantee is at recruiting, conducting outreach,
identifying job openings, training participants, and successfully
matching participants with jobs.
II. Award Information
Type of Assistance Instrument. This is an initial one year grant
unless extended by the Department under extenuating circumstances as
described in Section II-C. The grant may be extended for an additional
two years, contingent upon the grantee meeting or exceeding the minimum
negotiated performance measures as required by section 514(a) of the
OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.700.
A. Service Locations
The applicable service locations are listed by state and county in
Section VIII, Appendix F of this SGA. Please note that national grant
funds are not allocated for the states of Alaska, Delaware, and Hawaii,
and for the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas
Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
B. Funding Levels
(1) Funding Amount and Total Awards. The total amount of funds
available for this SGA is approximately $341,000,000. It is anticipated
that no more than 20 awards will be made under this SGA, including at
least one award to an Indian organization and at least one to an Asian
Pacific Islander organization that serve older individuals.
(2) Minimum Request for Funding. In order to deliver services more
efficiently and to reduce duplicative administrative costs, the
Department seeks to reduce the number of national grantees serving
individual local areas through this SGA. To that end, certain
requirements have been placed on the size of requests for funding.
Applicants must apply for at least 10 percent of the state
allocation or $1,600,000 (approximately 224 slots) in each state,
whichever is greater. (See examples 1 and 2 below.) This requirement
does not preclude an applicant from applying for more than 10 percent
of the allocated amount in a state. In fact, the Department encourages
applicants to apply for 20-25 percent for maximum efficiencies of
operation.
Applicants must also apply for all of the positions allocated in a
county, except in large counties that exceed the 10 percent or $1.6
million state minimum. The Department may award two or more grants in
large counties that have more than 224 positions (or more than $1.6
million). For those large counties, the applicant may apply for a
portion of the county; but if that does not meet the 10 percent or $1.6
million state minimum, the applicant must also apply for surrounding
contiguous counties.
In addition, requests for multiple counties in a state must be
contiguously located to receive consideration. An applicant may apply
for more than one cluster of counties in a state, such as in larger
states, but each cluster must meet the minimum state funding
requirements.
Applicants must list their requests for locations and number of
positions by county and state in a chart format. This chart is
available in Excel format with accompanying instructions at https://
www.doleta.gov/seniors/. Applicants are required to submit this file
electronically as part of the application packet.
Example 1: Organization A submits an application to provide
services in Wyoming, which has 230 available slots. Organization A
must apply for all of the available slots in Wyoming.
Example 2: Organization B submits an application to provide
services in California, which has 4,080 available slots but only
wants to operate in the Oakland area, which is in Alameda County. In
order to be considered for an application, Organization B must meet
the minimum funding requirements, which in this case is 10 percent
or $2,918,424 (408 slots) in California. Organization B must apply
for the 158 slots in Alameda County or $1,130,174, and the slots in
any contiguous counties to meet the minimum state funding request.
In this example, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus Counties
are contiguously located. Therefore, Organization B could also apply
for 81 slots in Contra Costa or $579,606; 131 slots in Santa Clara
County or $937,043; and 61 slots in Stanislaus County or $436,333
for a total request of $3,082,943, or other contiguous counties to
meet the minimum funding requirements.
(3) The Calculation Formula. Applicants can calculate the estimated
amount of funds allocated to a state by county using the ``cost per
authorized position'' formula in section 506(g)(1) of the OAA
Amendments. The unit cost is roughly $7,153 per authorized position
based on the Federal minimum wage. This amount represents the total
funding allocated for each authorized position, including
administrative costs. Applicants should multiply this amount by the
number of positions in the county as listed in Section VIII, Appendix F
of this SGA.
Example: Stanislaus County, California has 61 available
positions in the county. Therefore, the amount of funding would be
$7,153 x 61 = $436,333. Although this is only an estimate of cost
per authorized position, it is a useful tool for applicants to
determine their funding request under this proposal.
Note: A higher state minimum wage does not impact the slot
funding calculation, but is a factor that is considered for
performance measure calculations.
(4) Calculation Requirements. Calculations must be based on the
number of authorized positions as a result of equitable distribution
rather than the actual number of positions that currently exist in the
county. This requirement encourages equitable distribution of
positions. Therefore, under-served areas will be funded to provide
services to more needy individuals in those counties. However, those
counties that are over-served will not be funded to provide for all
current participants. It will be the successful applicant's
responsibility to move these eligible participants into unsubsidized
employment or to fund the positions as part of a non-Federal share
contribution. In exceptional circumstances, the transition period may
exceed one year.
[[Page 10801]]
(See Appendix F for the number of authorized positions in each county.)
Example 1: Alameda County, California should receive 158
positions according to the equitable distribution formula. However,
this county is currently over-served by 20 positions. An
organization applying for this county will only be funded for the
158 positions or $1,130,174. The successful applicant will be
responsible for either placing 20 participants in unsubsidized
employment or funding the positions using grant or non-Federal share
(match) funds. (See Appendix F for the number of authorized
positions and the current level of filled positions.)
Example 2: San Joaquin County, California should receive 85
positions according to the equitable distribution formula. However,
this county is currently under-served by 7 positions. An
organization applying for this county will be funded for 85
positions or $608,005 and will be able to enroll additional
participants in the program in the county.
(5) Disqualification Statement. A failure in the application to
adhere to these requirements will result in the disqualification of the
applicant to compete for the area(s) impacted.
Note: The Department reserves the right to make final decisions
on the service providers in an area and may take into consideration
special local conditions and otherwise unforeseen circumstances
including combining metropolitan areas across state borders.
C. Period of Performance
Successful applicants under this SGA are expected to commence
program operations on July 1, 2006. The period of performance will
initially be for one (1) year (unless extended by the Department under
extenuating circumstances) with an option to be funded for an
additional two (2) years at the Department's discretion. However, the
Department's option to refund the initial grant is contingent upon the
grantee meeting or exceeding the minimum negotiated performance
measures as required by section 514(a) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR
641.700.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
In order to be eligible to compete for funds under this SGA, the
applicant must demonstrate that it is capable of operating in more than
one state as required at 20 CFR 641.140. This requirement does not
preclude an organization from applying for areas in only one state as
long as the other requirements are met. Note, however, that the
Department reserves the right to award only one applicant per state.
Applicants must also meet the responsibility and eligibility tests
under section 514(b)-(d) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.430--
641.440 and the funding requirements in Section II above.
Applicants may apply to receive a grant under one or more of the
following three (3) categories:
(1) General National Grant Funds. Applications for general SCSEP
national grant funds will be accepted from public and private nonprofit
agencies and organizations, including faith-based and community-based
organizations, and tribal organizations consistent with section
502(b)(1) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.400(a), that are
familiar with the areas and populations to be served and that can
administer an effective program in more than one state.
``Nonprofit'' is defined as an agency, institution, or organization
which is, or is owned and operated by, one or more corporations or
associations no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may
lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual
(OAA Amendments Sec. 101(4)).
``Public agency'' is defined as a Federal public agency with the
statutory authority to receive other Federal grant funds (also known as
gift authority) (20 CFR 641.400).
``Tribal organizations'' is defined as the recognized governing
body of any Indian tribe, or any legally established organization of
Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing
body (OAA Amendments Sec. 101(7) and 20 CFR 641.140). In any case in
which a contract is let or grant made to an organization to perform
services benefiting more than one Indian tribe, the approval of each
such Indian tribe is a prerequisite to the letting or making of such
contract or grant.
Applicants must mark a ``G'' on the application and state
specifically in the application that they are applying for general
SCSEP national grant funds.
(2) Indian Grant Funds. Applications will be accepted from public
or nonprofit national Indian aging organizations with the ability to
provide employment services to older Indians as required by section
506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments.
``Indian'' means a person who is a member of an Indian tribe (OAA
Amendments Sec. 101(5) and 20 CFR 641.140).
``Indian tribe'' means any tribe, band, nation, or other organized
group or community of Indians (including Alaska Native village or
regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant
to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) which (A) is recognized as
eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United
States to Indians because of their status as Indians; or (B) is located
on, or in proximity to, a Federal or state reservation (OAA Amendments
Sec. 101(6) and 20 CFR 641.140).
Applicants must mark an ``I'' on the application and state
specifically in the application that they are applying for Indian SCSEP
national grant funds. The Department may take local needs and
population characteristics into consideration when making funding
decisions.
(3) Pacific Islander and Asian American National Grant Funds.
Applications for Pacific Islander and Asian American national grant
funds will be accepted from national public or nonprofit Pacific
Islander and Asian American aging organizations with the ability to
provide employment to older Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans, as
required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments.
``Pacific Islander and Asian American'' means Americans having
origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia,
the Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands (OAA Amendments Sec.
516(3)).
Applicants must mark an ``AP'' on the application and state
specifically in the application that they are applying for Pacific
Islander and Asian American SCSEP national grant funds. The Department
may take local needs and population characteristics into consideration
when making funding decisions.
(4) Other Useful Information. Applicants applying for more than one
category above must submit separate applications for each category for
which they are applying. Please note, however, that regardless of the
category selected, all successful applicants are required to serve any
eligible individual within the awarded counties and states.
Consideration of ethnic or racial status is only a factor for tracking
services provided to individuals with multiple barriers to employment
as defined in Section I of this SGA.
Entities may apply as a consortium, but each member of the
consortium must meet all eligibility and responsibility tests. Entities
applying as a consortium are also jointly and severally liable for
meeting all requirements for administering this Federally-funded
program.
In the context of this SGA, a consortium is two or more eligible
entities that enter into a legal agreement to apply for SCSEP funds as
if they were applying as a single organization. For grant
administration purposes, the
[[Page 10802]]
consortium must identify one organization as the lead contact.
B. Veterans Priority
This program is subject to the priority provisions of the Jobs for
Veterans Act, 38 U.S.C. 4215 et seq. In cases where providers of
services must choose between two or more candidates with similar
backgrounds and skill sets, the Jobs for Veterans Act requires that
veterans and spouses of certain specified veterans be given priority.
Please note that, to obtain priority of service, a veteran must meet
the program's eligibility requirements. The advisory providing policy
guidance on veterans' priority is at https://www.doleta.gov/programs/
VETs/. Veterans priority for SCSEP is described at 20 CFR 641.520.
Legal rules pertaining to inherently religious activities by
organizations that receive Federal financial assistance. The government
is generally prohibited from providing direct Federal financial
assistance for inherently religious activities. Grants under the
solicitation may not be used for religious instruction, worship,
prayer, proselytizing, or other inherently religious activities.
Neutral, non-religious criteria that neither favor nor disfavor
religion will be employed in the selection of grant recipients and must
be employed by grantees in the selection of sub-recipients.
C. Ineligible Applicants
Proposals will not be accepted from the following applicants:
(1) Organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal
Revenue Code that engage in lobbying are prohibited from receiving
Federal awards under Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995,
Public Law 104-65.
(2) Organizations that fail to provide any of the required
information described in this SGA, or fail to clearly identify the
number and location by county of slots requested.
(3) Organizations that fail to demonstrate that they are capable of
operating in more than one state, as required by 20 CFR 641.400(a).
(4) Organizations that apply to serve Alaska, Delaware, and/or
Hawaii only.
(5) With the exception of Federal public agencies, other public
agencies, such as state agencies or local governments, are not eligible
to apply.
D. Cost Sharing or Matching
All applicants, including Federal agencies, must demonstrate a
minimum of 10 percent non-Federal contribution to the program and the
source of such non-Federal share. Federal agencies that have a
statutory exemption to the non-Federal share requirement must attach a
copy of the exemption language. The source of such documentation must
be easily determined. Please see 20 CFR 641.809 for further
information.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Address To Request Application Package
All application materials will be made available on the following
Web sites: https://www.doleta.gov/sga/; https://www.grants.gov; and
https://www.doleta.gov/seniors/. Please note that this announcement
includes all information and forms needed to apply for this funding
opportunity.
B. Content and Form of Application
Each application must include the original signed application and
two hard copies. The proposal must consist of two separate and distinct
parts: Part A--Financial Proposal and Part B--Technical Proposal. Both
parts must be included in each copy of a complete application.
Applications that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section
will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered for funding.
1. Requirements for the Technical Proposal
Page Limit. Maximum forty-five (45) page narrative, including all
optional attachments, single-side only on 8\1/2\ x
11 paper. Pages must be numbered. Only those attachments
listed below as ``Required Attachments'' will be excluded from the page
limit. Optional attachments must be limited to meaningful information
that contributes to and/or verifies the proposed activities, such as
letters of commitment.
Spacing. Double-spaced with the exception of optional and required
attachments. Major sections and sub-sections of the application should
be divided and clearly identified.
Font Size and Typeface. Minimum 12 points in Times New Roman
typeface.
Margins. Must be a minimum of one inch on all sides.
Required Attachments. The following attachments must be affixed as
separate, clearly identified appendices to the application and will not
count against the page limit:
(a) An organizational chart, resumes of key personnel, and complete
staffing plans. Resumes of all key staff (e.g., Executive Director,
Project Director, etc.) must include a description of each individual's
roles and responsibilities, his/her current employment status and
previous work experience, including position title, duties, dates in
position, employing organizations, and educational background. Staffing
plans must identify all key tasks, the person(s) or days required to
complete each task, and the percentage of time allocated to the program
by individuals assigned to the task, including sub-contractors and
consultants;
(b) A list of all government grants and contracts the applicant and
its affiliates have had in the past 3 years, including grant officer
contact name, telephone number and e-mail address, amount of award,
summary of the work performed, period of performance, and performance
record and/or accomplishments. For purposes of this SGA, the term
``affiliate'' refers to the applicant's subsidiaries, divisions,
predecessors, and successors;
(c) Chart listing the number of positions for which the applicant
is applying to serve by county and state. (See Section VIII, Appendix K
of this SGA);
(d) Consortium agreement, if applicable; and
(e) Federal agencies must submit a clearly identifiable copy of the
statutory provision that permits it to receive other Federal funds and
a clearly identifiable copy of any applicable exemptions from the non-
Federal share requirements.
Note: Applicants receiving awards will be expected to show audit
reports for the past 3 years for the applicant and its affiliates
before final awards are made.
2. Requirements for the Cost Proposal
Application for Federal Assistance SF-424. The SF-424 must clearly
identify the applicant and be signed by an individual with authority to
enter into a grant agreement on behalf of the applicant. Upon
confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf
of the applicant shall represent the responsible entity. All
applications for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required
to have a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number. Applicants must supply
their DUNS number in item 8 of SF-424. The DUNS number is easy
to obtain and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access
https://www.dnb.com or call 1-866-705-5711.
Budget Information for SF-424A. Standard Form 424A must contain a
detailed cost break out on each of the expenditures under Section B of
the form, including Federal and non-Federal funds. Copies of all
required forms along with the instructions for completing the forms are
provided at the appendices of this SGA.
[[Page 10803]]
Note: The Application for Federal Assistance (SF424) and the
Budget Information Form (SF-424A) are available at https://
www.grants.gov/GovtWideForms.
Indirect Cost Rate. An indirect cost rate is required when an
organization operates under more than one grant or other activity
whether Federally-assisted or not. Organizations must use the indirect
cost rate supplied by the cognizant Federal agency. If an organization
requires a new indirect cost rate or has a pending indirect cost rate,
the Department's Grant Officer will award a billing rate for 90 days
until a provisional rate can be issued.
Cost Categories. Expenditures must fall under one of two cost
categories: Administrative, which is to be divided between headquarters
and local, and Program Costs, which includes wages, fringe benefits,
and other participant costs.
Sufficient Local Funding. The OAA, at section 502(b)(1)(R) requires
each grantee to allocate funding for administrative costs incurred at
subrecipient levels for program administrative activities. In addition,
grantees may not require a subgrantee to contribute financial resources
to program operations as a condition of operating the program. Please
see 20 CFR 641.861 and 641.809(e) for further information.
Transition and Training Costs. Applicants are required to provide a
line item for transition costs (i.e., start-up [costs], participant
transfers, year-end closeout), as well as for sufficient training costs
for local staff that may be required by the Department throughout the
program year. Procurement procedures must comply with OMB Circular A-
122.
Required Attachments. Assurances, Certifications, Signature page
and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form are required.
Note: The cost proposal must be prepared to cover program costs
for one (1) year of operation only.
C. Submission Dates, Times, and Addresses
Applications may be submitted in either method described below but
must be received no later than 4:45 p.m., Eastern Time on the closing
date. The application will not be considered if an applicant fails to
adhere to the submission instructions below.
Electronic Submissions. The Department requests that applicants
apply online at https://www.grants.gov. The Department strongly
recommends that applicants initiate and complete the ``Get Started''
steps to register with grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted.
Please note that these steps could take several days to complete, which
should factor into an applicant's submission timing to avoid the
rejection of an application due to potential delays. Documents should
be saved as .doc or .pdf prior to electronic submission through
grants.gov.
U.S. Postal Mail and Overnight Submissions. Submit one (1) blue-ink
signed, typewritten original of the application, and two signed
photocopies in one package to: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Attention: James Stockton, Mail Stop N-4716,
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.
Other Methods of Submission. Applications submitted by e-mail,
telegram, or facsimile will not be accepted.
Late Applications. Any application received after the closing date
will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made
and:
(a) It was sent by U.S. Postal Service registered or certified mail
not later than the fifth calendar day before the closing date (e.g., an
application required by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the
15th of that month); or
(b) It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail/Next Day
Service from the post office to the addressee no later than 4:45 pm at
the place of mailing, two (2) working days (excluding weekends and
Federal holidays and days when the Federal Government is closed), prior
to the closing date; or
(c) It is determined by the Government that the late receipt was
due solely to the mishandling by the Government after receipt at the
U.S. Department of Labor at the address indicated.
Acceptable Evidence for Late Applications. The only acceptable
evidence to establish the date of mailing of a late application sent by
registered or certified mail is the U.S. Postal Service postmark on the
envelope or wrapper and on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal
Service. If the postmark is not legible, an application received after
the closing date and time shall be considered as if mailed late.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a
late application sent by U.S Postal Service Express Mail/Next Day
Service from the post office to the addressee is the date entered by
the Post Office receiving clerk on the ``Express Mail/Next Day
Service--Post Office to Addressee'' label and the postmark on the
envelope or wrapper on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal
Service.
``Postmarked'' means a printed, stamped, or otherwise placed
impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is
readily identifiable, with further action, as having been supplied or
affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal
Service. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place
a legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' postmark on both the receipt
and the envelope or wrapper.
Mail Advisory in the DC Area. All applicants are advised that U.S.
mail delivery in the Washington, DC area is erratic. Packages addressed
to the U.S. Department of Labor are subject to radiation before
delivery. All applicants must take this into consideration when
preparing to meet the application closing date, as each applicant
assumes the risk for ensuring a timely submission of its application.
The Department recommends that applicants confirm receipt of their
applications by contacting James Stockton, U.S. Department of Labor,
Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants and Contract
Management, telephone (202) 693-3335 before the closing date. [This is
not a toll-free number.]
Applications may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram
(including mailgram) at any time before the Department makes an award.
An applicant may withdraw its submissions in person by the applicant or
through an authorized representative of the applicant if the applicant
makes the representative's identity known to the Grant Officer and the
representative signs a receipt when he or she receives the withdrawn
application.
D. Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' Each applicant must
contact the office or official designated as the Single Point of
Contact (SPOC) in each applicable state for information on the process
the state requires to be followed in applying for assistance. In some
cases the SPOC may not have selected the SCSEP for review. Names and
addresses for the SPOCs are listed in the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
Additional information on Executive Order 12372 can be found at https://
www.fws.gov/policy/library/rgeo12372.pdf.
E. Funding Restrictions
The minimum funding requirement must be at least 10 percent of the
state
[[Page 10804]]
allocation or $1,600,000 (approximately 224 slots), whichever is
greater. Applicants are also required to apply for contiguously located
counties within a state, unless an applicant can meet the greater of
$1,600,000 or 10 percent state allocation, within a single county.
Applicants should follow the minimum request for funding guidance found
in Section II.B.
F. Other Submission Requirements
Each applicant must submit a copy of the technical proposal
(including the chart of service areas but no other attachment
requirements) and the SF-424 to the Governor in each state that it
proposes to serve before submitting an application to the Department as
required by section 503(a)(5) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.410.
Under this provision, the Governor of each state may submit a
recommendation to the Secretary relating to the anticipated effect of
an applicant's proposal on the overall distribution of positions within
the state; recommendations for redistribution of positions to under-
served areas (i.e., Equitable Distribution); and recommendations for
distribution of any newly available positions. The Department will not
consider comments that are outside the scope of this provision.
Please note that Governors are not required to provide comments to
applicants. Therefore, applicants should not wait for communication
from the Governor before submitting the application to the Department.
Applicants submitting as an Indian (``I'') grant are not required
to submit copies of their applications to the Governors under this
section, but are encouraged to voluntarily comply with this provision.
V. Application Review Information
A. Evaluation Criteria
All applicants are required to use the Rating Criteria format when
developing their proposals. The technical panel will review grant
applications against the criteria listed below on the basis of 100
maximum points. In order to receive full credit, applicants must
provide quality information that does more than reiterate the
requirement statement or merely state how it will be accomplished.
Therefore, responses must be thoughtful and reflect a strategic vision
for how these requirements will be achieved. In addition, an applicant
that describes only what has been accomplished in the past but lacks a
full description of what it will do during the grant period will not
receive credit for that response.
Points Summary:
1. Design and Governance--15 points.
2. Program and Grant Management Systems--10 points.
3. Financial Management System--10 points.
4. Program Service Delivery--40 points.
5. Performance Accountability--25 points.
Total--100 points.
1. Design and Governance: (15 Points)
Strategic Planning. The applicant must demonstrate how it will
develop and implement a strategic approach to meeting business and
industry needs for a prepared and competitive workforce through a
demand-driven approach.
Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a
response:
Strategies for consulting with business leaders from the
state and local area in forming and managing demand-driven approaches
and strategies.
Strategies for functioning as a partner with the public
workforce system, business and industry, economic development agencies,
and education and training providers, including community colleges.
Strategies for identifying high-growth business and
industries, the workforce needs, and the skills and competencies needed
to perform jobs in these key business areas.
Service Design. The applicant must describe its service delivery
system design that will accomplish its strategic objectives for helping
older workers.
Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a
response:
Resources within the organization including services,
skills, expertise and monetary resources, or through partners,
contributors, or vendors that will enhance the program.
Services to targeted industry employers and host agencies,
including any strategies to prevent maintenance of effort violations.
Process for determining the needs of employers that assist
employers in training and retaining older workers to meet that need.
Strategies for leveraging the workforce system's resources
over the grant period to create human resource solutions for employers.
Program Integration. Applicants must describe how integration will
be supported, codified in policy, measures, and demonstrated at the
leadership level of the organization.
Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a
response:
Strategies for engaging senior level leadership (including
board members, if applicable) in support of program integration into
the larger workforce investment system.
Strategies for coordinating with the public workforce
system, SCSEP State Coordinators, area agencies on aging, 502(e)
grantees, as applicable and other SCSEP grantees that also serve in the
state.
Strategies for ensuring negotiated MOUs that improve the
delivery of services to low-income older workers in every local area of
operation and that resolve impasse situations prior to seeking Federal
assistance.
2. Program and Grant Management Systems: (10 Points)
Administrative Controls. The applicant must demonstrate that its
administrative controls are sufficient to ensure grant integrity.
Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a
response:
The policies and procedures that are in place or will be
in place to manage core functions and program operations.
The monitoring tools and procedures that will be used to
track grant operations against performance objectives and compliance
with uniform administrative requirements. Consideration may also be
given to how often monitoring will occur, and under what circumstances.
Personnel. The applicant must describe how the management structure
and staffing of the organization are aligned with the grant
requirements, vision, and goals, and how the structure and staffing are
designed to assure responsible general management of the organization.
Non-Federal Share. The applicant must describe its policies and
procedures to meet non-Federal share requirements, including the use of
leveraged resources.
Procurement. The applicant must demonstrate that its procurement
actions are conducted according to Federal requirements.
The following must be included in the response:
Applicants must describe written procurement policies and
procedures and the extent to which they provide for ``full and open
competition.''
Applicants must describe the procedures for the
competition and selection of subrecipients, if applicable.
Reporting Systems. The applicant must describe how Enterprise
Business Support System (EBSS, formerly EIMS) will be used to fulfill
financial and programmatic requirements and how data collection and the
SCSEP Performance and Results QPR (SPARQ)
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system will be implemented and populated to meet reporting requirements
and track program performance. For information on SPARQ, go to https://
charteroakgroup.org/resources/scsep.shtml.
Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a
response:
How financial data will be used to drive program
performance, including tracking the minimum 75 percent wages and fringe
benefits expenditure requirement, the remaining 13.5 percent
administrative expenditure requirement, the use of the remaining funds
for other participant costs, and the enrollment of participants.
3. Financial Management System: (10 Points)
Budget Controls. The applicant must describe its method for
tracking planned expenditures that will allow it to compare actual
expenditures or outlays to planned or estimated expenditures. The
following information must be included in the response:
Applicants must describe the process that will be in place
to compare planned and actual expenditures on a regular basis,
including whether the applicant has a formalized process for comparing
and analyzing planned and actual costs.
Applicants must also describe the strategies to ensure
that obligations do not exceed available funds.
Internal Controls. The applicant must describe how it will ensure
effective control, integrity and accountability for all grant and
subrecipient grant assets.
4. Program Service Delivery: (40 Points)
Participant Recruitment. The applicant must describe how it will
broaden local awareness of the program in order to recruit eligible
individuals to the program.
The following must be included in the response:
Applicants must describe the outreach efforts that will be
made in local communities to raise awareness of the program. Please
include a description of the various methods of outreach that will be
utilized.
Applicants must describe how outreach efforts will be
designed to encourage low-income older individuals age 55 or over to
enroll in the program. Please include a description of how the outreach
efforts will be specifically designed to attract priority individuals
age 60 and over, and those individuals who should be given special
consideration--e.g., those with multiple barriers to employment, and
individuals with poor or no employment history or prospects consistent
with the regulations at 20 CFR 641.520 and 641.525.
Applicants must describe how recruitment goals for the
target population will be consistently met. Applicants must also
include a description of how they will ensure that all vacant positions
remain filled as program participants exit for unsubsidized employment.
Participant Eligibility. The applicant must describe how it will
ensure that individuals applying to be program participants and
continuing program participants meet the eligibility criteria to enroll
or remain in the program.
The following must be included in the response:
Applicants must describe their procedures to ensure the
accuracy of the individual's income and age eligibility. Applicants
must include a description of how often eligibility will be certified.
Applicants must describe their procedures to ensure that
the individual is unemployed at the time of enrollment and while
enrolled in the program.
Applicants must describe how ineligible individuals will
be notified of their ineligibility and any other action that the
applicant may implement. This response must describe both pre-
enrollment and post-enrollment situations.
Applicants must describe their plans for ensuring that the
veterans' priority and SCSEP priorities are properly implemented when
there is a wait list for services.
Assessments and IEPs. The applicant must describe how it will
continuously assess program participants using the IEP and other
assessment tools to ensure participants are trained for viable
employment opportunities.
The following must be included in the response:
Applicants must describe how often assessments and IEPs
will be completed.
Applicants must describe how the training and services
reflected on the IEP will enhance and improve the participant's skills
and lead to higher level skills that will enhance employability.
Applicants must describe any procedures that will be in
place to ensure that the participant acknowledges and agrees with the
training plan.
Applicants must describe how assessments will capture the
assistance that participants may need, including those services that
will be acquired through other programs, such as disability programs,
veteran programs, aging programs, transportation programs or services,
etc.
Applicants must describe policies that will be implemented
to assure that local projects consistently document activities and
execute the plans established by the assessments and IEPs.
Applicants must identify whether felony background checks
will be required for all participants and if so, how this requirement
will be applied consistently to all participants, and where the
information will be maintained.
Orientation. The applicant must describe how it will introduce
program participants and host agencies to program requirements, roles
and responsibilities, and permissible and impermissible activities.
Please include general timeframes for when orientation will occur and
how often.
Community Service Work-Based Training. The applicant must describe
how participants will be trained through community service
organizations, how it will ensure that the work-based training is of
high quality, and how this training will lead to unsubsidized
employment.
The following must be included in the response:
Applicants must describe how host agency organizations
will be recruited and selected, including the factors that will be used
to determine whether the host agency will provide quality job training.
Applicants must describe how assignments to community
service work-based training will be made to ensure that the training is
consistent with the participant's IEP, including a description of the
contractual relationship that will exist between the applicant and the
host agency.
Applicants must describe plans for ensuring that
participants are only placed in work-based training assignments that
are in addition to employment opportunities that would be available
without assistance under the OAA. Please include a description of the
action steps that will take place if a maintenance of effort violation
is discovered.
Applicants must describe plans for ensuring appropriate
community service work-based training assignments for ex-offenders.
Applicants must describe how local projects will ensure
that participants receive adequate supervision during training hours.
Applicant must describe procedures for rotating
participants to other host agency assignments, if the applicant intends
to implement a participant rotational requirement.
Applicants must describe plans and procedures for
documenting and
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ensuring that host agencies are either public agencies or have
501(c)(3) designation, and how such records will be maintained.
Applicants must describe procedures for terminating host
agency relationships and the circumstances that would create cause for
termination--e.g., maintenance of effort violations, inaccurate
timekeeping, poor training opportunities, failing to fulfill
contractual responsibilities, etc.
Other Training. The applicant must describe any training that will
be offered, required, and/or provided to program participants and host
agencies.
The following should be included in the response:
Applicants should describe plans for ensuring regular
training of staff on program operations, new initiatives, and
innovative ideas.
Applicants should describe the types of permissible
training that will be offered to participants. Please include a
description on how training will be paid from other sources to leverage
program training opportunities, and how often the training will be
offered.
Applicants should describe how computer training will be
provided to participants, and how community colleges will be utilized
for computer and other training opportunities.
Applicants should describe how the training identified
will lead to employment opportunities that would not have otherwise
been available to the participant.
Fringe Benefits. The applicant must describe any permissible and/or
required fringe benefits that will be offered to participants and how
it will terminate (``zero-out'') any permissible fringe benefits at the
end of each program year. If no permissible fringe benefits will be
offered, the applicant must provide a statement to that effect.
Supportive Services. The applicant must describe any supportive
services that will be offered to participants and the additional
resources the applicant will use to support those services. The
applicant must also address those supportive services that will be
offered to participants once they are placed in an unsubsidized job in
order to help retain them in those positions.
Unsubsidized Employment. The applicant must describe how it plans
to place participants in high growth jobs according to local labor
market data. In addition, the applicant must describe how the targeted
jobs will enable participants to become self-sufficient in positions
for which they would not have otherwise had the necessary skill
training provided by the program. Applicants should include in this
description the types of jobs it will seek for participants. A chart
may be attached if necessary.
Termination. The applicant must describe the circumstances under
which a participant may be terminated from the program, including its
maximum duration policy (if any), for cause, or other reasons. Please
include description of the criteria that will be used for ``for cause''
terminations.
Transition to Minimize Disruptions. The applicant must describe how
participants will be transitioned to and from a service provider if the
grant is terminated for any reason, including loss of funds through a
competitive process, in a manner that is least disruptive to program
participants.
The following must be included in the response:
Applicants must address how participant files will be
transferred to a new provider.
Applicants must address how new offices will be
established within short timeframes, if necessary, to ensure seamless
services. A short timeframe is defined as 2 weeks to 1 month.
Applicants must address how participants will continue to
be paid during the transition from the incumbent provider to the new
provider.
Applicants must address how complete cooperation of local
staff will be ensured to complete a smooth transition.
Applicants must describe how the transition of
participants to and from service providers will occur to ensure a
smooth transition. Please include a description of how and when
participants will receive notification and/or other communication
informing them of the transition.
Confidentiality of Files. The applicant must describe how
participant files will be kept confidential from personnel not
affiliated with the project. If the applicant plans on enlisting
volunteer assistance, the applicant must describe how it will ensure
volunteer compliance with the confidentiality requirements.
Complaint Resolution Process. The applicant must describe the
complaint resolution process that will be in place for program
applicants, participants and/or host agency complaints or grievances
without Federal intervention. For complaints involving illegal acts or
discrimination, the applicant must describe the complaint resolution
process that will be in place for participants and/or host agencies
prior to Federal appeal.
5. Performance Accountability: