High Growth Job Training Initiative Grants for the Long-Term Care Sector of the Health Care Industry; Solicitation for Grant Applications, 7680-7692 [E7-2741]

Agencies

• Employment and Training Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 32 (Friday, February 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7680-7692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2741]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


High Growth Job Training Initiative Grants for the Long-Term Care 
Sector of the Health Care Industry; Solicitation for Grant Applications

    Announcement Type: New. Notice of solicitation for grant 
applications.
    Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY-06-07.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance CFDA Number: 17.268.
    Key Dates: Applications are due by April 5, 2007. A Webinar for 
prospective applicants will be held for this grant competition on March 
5, 2007. Access information for the Webinar will be posted on the U.S. 
Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Web 
site at https://www.doleta.gov/BRG/Indprof/Health.cfm.
    Summary: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. 
Department of Labor (DOL), announces the availability of approximately 
$2.5 million in grant funds for demand-driven regional approaches to 
meeting the workforce challenges of the long-term care sector of the 
health care industry under the President's High Growth Job Training 
Initiative.
    The President's High Growth Job Training Initiative (HGJTI) is a 
strategic effort to prepare workers for new and increasing job 
opportunities in high-growth, high-demand, and economically vital 
industries and sectors of the

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American economy. Through the initiative, ETA identifies high-growth, 
high-demand industries, evaluates their skill needs, and funds local 
and national partnership-based demonstration projects that: (a) Address 
workforce challenges identified by employers; and (b) prepare workers 
for good jobs with career pathways in these rapidly expanding or 
transforming industries. When linked to broader regional economic and 
talent development strategies, the HGJTI approach strengthens regional 
employment and economic opportunities. The products, models, and 
effective approaches that result from HGJTI investments will be broadly 
disseminated to employers, education and training providers, and the 
workforce system to build their capacity to respond to employers' 
workforce needs.
    Grant funds awarded under this Solicitation for Grant Applications 
(SGA) should be used to implement industry-driven training solutions 
that address the long-term care sector's critical workforce challenges. 
Each solution must take place in the context of a regional strategic 
partnership between the workforce investment system, long-term care 
employers, and education and training providers, as well as other 
public and private sector partners that bring critical assets to the 
table. Proposed solutions should take full advantage of existing 
workforce development models, promising practices, and tools. Solutions 
must either take an existing promising solution, model, or approach to 
scale in the region or adapt a solution that has been demonstrated to 
have positive impact on the identified workforce development challenges 
in another region.
    Applicants may be public, private for-profit, and private non-
profit organizations. It is anticipated that average individual awards 
will be approximately $500,000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This solicitation provides background 
information on the High Growth Job Training Initiative and critical 
elements required of projects funded under the solicitation. It also 
describes the application submission requirements, the process that 
eligible applicants must use to apply for funds covered by this 
solicitation, and how grantees will be selected. This announcement 
consists of seven parts:
     Part I provides background information on the High Growth 
Job Training Initiative and workforce development for the long-term 
care sector.
     Part II describes the size and nature of the anticipated 
awards.
     Part III describes the qualifications of an eligible 
applicant.
     Part IV provides information on the application and 
submission process.
     Part V explains the review process and rating criteria 
that will be used to evaluate applications.
     Part VI provides award administration information.
     Part VII contains ETA contact information.
     Part VIII contains other information for applicants.

Part I. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Background

    The growth of the elderly population in the United States is 
expected to rise from 8 million in 2000 to 19 million by 2050, 
according to the U.S. Census. As regions across the country begin to 
experience these significant demographic shifts, demand for long-term 
health care services will increase exponentially. Already, a growing 
gap is emerging between the supply of long-term care workers and the 
mounting needs of the elderly and people with disabilities for long-
term care services--translating into rapidly increasing demand for 
well-trained direct care givers. As a highly regulated industry 
impacted by a range of complex factors, the need for systemic regional 
coordination around long-term care workforce development is clear. The 
workforce system is a key component in this regional coordination. 
Building strategic partnerships, integrating assets, connecting to 
broader long-term care delivery strategies and trends, and effectively 
managing resources and workforce strategies regionally will lead to 
better outcomes for both workers and employers.To support regional 
strategic partnerships focused on developing systemic solutions to 
long-term care workforce challenges, the Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) is making funds available through the President's 
High Growth Job Training Initiative. The remaining sections of this 
part describe ETA's key strategies and approaches to workforce 
development and describe critical elements for the High Growth Job 
Training Initiative grants for the long-term care sector.

2. Globalization, Regional Innovation and Economic Competitiveness

    The world is now witnessing one of the greatest economic 
transformations in history. Revolutions in technology and information 
have ushered in the globalization of the economic marketplace. 
Globalization is marked by tremendous advances in communications, 
travel, and trade--allowing individuals instant access to commerce from 
almost anywhere in the world. At the same time, American businesses now 
compete not only with companies across the street, but also with 
companies around the globe.
    Global competition is typically seen as a national challenge. In 
reality, regions are where companies, workers, researchers, 
entrepreneurs and governments come together to create a competitive 
advantage in the global marketplace. That advantage stems from the 
ability to transform new ideas and new knowledge into advanced, high 
quality products or services--in other words, to innovate.
    Regions that are successful in creating a competitive advantage 
demonstrate the ability to organize ``innovation assets''--people, 
institutions, capital and infrastructure--to generate growth and 
prosperity in the region's economy. These regions are successful 
because they have connected three key elements: Workforce skills and 
lifelong learning strategies, investment and entrepreneurship 
strategies, and regional infrastructure and economic development 
strategies.
    In the new global economy, a region's ability to develop, attract, 
and retain a well educated and skilled workforce is a key factor in our 
nation's economic competitiveness. A region may possess a strong 
infrastructure and the investment resources for success, but without 
the talented men and women to use those elements for economic growth, 
they are meaningless. Talent can also drive infrastructure and 
investment because investment capital is smart money and will follow 
talent, while infrastructure can be built to support a growing economy.
    The health care industry plays a critical role in regional economic 
and talent development strategies for many regions across the country. 
As the largest industry in the U.S. economy in 2004, health care 
provided 13.5 million jobs nationally. The industry is frequently an 
engine of regional job growth, often serving as both a critical point 
of entry into the workforce and as a source of opportunities for career 
advancement. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more new 
jobs--about 19 percent, or 3.6 million--created between 2004 and 2014 
will be in health care than in any other industry. Trends in the long-
term care sector play a crucial role in driving this job growth. In 
fact, over 800,000 jobs for direct care workers in the long-term care 
sector will be created between 2004 and

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2014. Developing adequate numbers of skilled long-term care workers is 
particularly critical in regions currently experiencing or anticipating 
growth in the aging population, as this will significantly increase 
demand for services.

3. Talent Development in the Global Economy

    Each year, the federal government invests billions of dollars in a 
state and local workforce investment network to assist businesses in 
recruiting, training, and retaining a skilled workforce. This network 
is called the workforce investment system, and consists of state and 
local workforce investment boards, state workforce agencies, and One-
Stop Career Centers and their cooperating partners.
    In this 21st century globally competitive economy, it is becoming 
increasingly important that the workforce system act as a strategic 
partner in regional economic development. As the leader in regional 
talent development, the workforce system aligns workforce investment 
dollars with regional economic growth goals by focusing on workforce 
and lifelong learning strategies that are demanded by employers and 
based on an understanding of future job growth in emerging, high-growth 
and economically vital industries and sectors of the American economy. 
Through this strategic alignment, the workforce system helps to ward 
off and respond to economic shocks, creating more stable and rewarding 
employment opportunities for the workforce. In addition, the system 
serves as a galvanizing partner by bringing together entities that can 
both grow talent, as well as leverage that talent base in attracting 
industry investment to the local or regional economy.
    To maximize the impact of talent development activities, workforce 
investment boards must partner with a strong team composed of 
individuals and organizations necessary to transform the regional 
economy, including: Employers; educators at all levels, including 
community colleges; economic development entities; local, regional, and 
state government; the philanthropic community; faith-based and 
community organizations; research institutions; and other civic leaders 
with a stake in economic growth and talent development.

4. Solutions-Based Approaches to Workforce Investment Strategies: A Key 
Component for Regional Innovation and Talent Development

    Within the context of these strategic partnerships, the workforce 
system should take a solutions-based approach to workforce development, 
focusing on systemic solutions that address short term challenges while 
contributing to long-term talent development and economic growth. 
Partners should work collaboratively to:
    (1) Identify the regional economy;
    (2) Form a core leadership group that is responsible for developing 
and implementing solutions and guiding the effort;
    (3) Collect and analyze information about regional workforce needs 
and critical capacity constraints;
    (4) Work collaboratively to explore, frame, and implement 
solutions; and
    (5) Leverage resources and measure progress and outcomes.
    Please note, this process is not linear--the steps may occur and 
reoccur depending on regional circumstances. The goal of this process 
is to ensure that workforce system resources help workers get education 
and training that aligns with regional industry-identified needs and 
job opportunities, and that these needs reflect economic development 
priorities in the region.
    The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has modeled the 
role of strategic partnerships in demand-driven workforce investment 
through the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative (HGJTI). 
Through the initiative, ETA has identified high-growth, high-demand 
industries; evaluated their skill needs; and funded local and national 
partnership-based demonstration projects that provide workforce 
solutions to ensure that individuals can gain the skills to get good 
jobs with career pathways in rapidly expanding or transforming 
industries.
    The foundation of the HGJTI has been partnerships between the 
publicly funded workforce investment system, business and industry 
representatives, and the continuum of education. These partnerships 
engage each partner in its area of strength. Industry representatives 
and employers define workforce challenges facing the industry and 
identify the competencies and skills required for the industry's 
workforce. Education and training providers, such as community 
colleges, assist in developing competency models and curricula and 
train new and incumbent workers. The workforce investment system 
compiles and analyzes local labor market information, accesses human 
capital (e.g. youth, unemployed, underemployed, and dislocated 
workers), provides funding to support training for qualified 
individuals, and connects trained workers to good jobs.
    Recognizing the growing need for regional economic competitiveness 
in the global economy, ETA has continued to evolve its strategies for 
supporting strategic workforce development. In February 2006, ETA 
launched the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development 
(WIRED) Initiative, focusing on the role of talent development in 
driving regional economic competitiveness, leading to increased job 
growth and new opportunities for American workers. To optimize 
innovation and successful regional economic transformation, the WIRED 
framework brings together all the key players in a region to leverage 
their collective public and private sector assets and resources, and to 
devise strategies that focus on infrastructure, investment, and talent 
development.
    The WIRED strategic framework supports regions in incorporating 
demand-driven talent and skills development into their larger economic 
strategies and integrating workforce development, economic development, 
and education efforts into a comprehensive system that is both flexible 
and responsive to the needs of business and workers.

5. The Long-Term Care Sector and Its Workforce Challenges

    The long-term care sector is a powerful regional job engine for 
direct care occupations as well as an important entry point into 
licensed health-related occupations. Talent development strategies to 
support recruitment, retention, and career pathways in this sector are 
critical to the current and future health of the American people, as 
well as the economic vitality of regions throughout the United States.
    In 2004, approximately 2.09 million direct care workers in long-
term care occupations provided care to Americans in long-term care 
settings, including nursing and personal care facilities, residential 
care facilities, and home health and community-based care services. 
Direct care workers include registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical 
and vocational nurses, paraprofessionals, including nurse aides, home 
health aides, and home and personal care workers, and direct support 
professionals. More than 70 percent of long-term care workers are 
paraprofessionals.
    The long-term care sector is facing rapidly increasing demand for 
care over

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the next half century. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates 
that by 2014, direct care worker jobs in long-term care settings should 
grow by about 830,000 jobs, or roughly 40 percent. Most of this 
increase will be driven by the growth in the number of elderly in need 
of such care. The number of individuals using either nursing 
facilities, alternative residential care, or home and community care 
services is expected to increase from 15 million in 2000 to 27 million 
in 2050.
    Changes in service delivery systems in long-term care are also 
impacting job growth. For example, a trend in the long-term care system 
in which services are increasingly provided in home and community-based 
settings is creating stronger projected growth in home health aides and 
personal and home care aides occupations. According to the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics, home health aides is expected to be the fastest 
growing occupation in the United States through 2014, growing at a rate 
of 56 percent, adding 350,000 new jobs.
    ETA began its engagement with the long-term care sector of the 
health care industry in 2003 with a series of forums through which 
industry executives shared their workforce challenges. Simultaneously, 
the Department of Labor began to collaborate with the Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS) to help support mutual understanding 
and collaboration between long-term care employers and the workforce 
investment system. Since that time, ETA has continued to support and 
further develop the role of the workforce system in response to long-
term care workforce challenges through information sharing, partnership 
development, technical assistance, and investment in workforce 
solutions.
    Through ETA-sponsored industry forums, long-term care employers and 
industry representatives identified numerous workforce challenges, as 
identified below. Applicants are encouraged to address one or more of 
these challenges in their proposal.
    Recruitment of Direct Care Workers. The increase in demand for 
long-term care services is occurring at a time when the supply of 
workers who have traditionally filled these jobs--women between the 
ages of 25 and 44--is expected to increase only slightly. As a result 
of social and economic shifts, the long-term care sector must now 
compete for this traditional labor pool against many other industries 
and sectors. To meet increased demand, the sector will need to recruit 
from a wide range of labor pools while working to increase the 
competitiveness of its jobs. At the same time, the sector needs 
targeted recruitment and assessment strategies to identify ideal 
candidates who understand the demanding nature of long-term care work 
and possess the appropriate skills and abilities to succeed on the job.
    Retention of Direct Care Workers. Challenges in filling current and 
projected direct care vacancies are exacerbated by high turn-over rates 
in the industry. Estimates of worker turnover rates vary based on the 
data source and how turnover is measured; however, a report by the 
Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2001 confirms wide variation 
in turnover rates and concludes rates typically exceed 50%. Industry 
leaders reported to ETA turn over rates of frontline caregivers 
exceeding 100% annually. High rates of staff vacancies and turnover 
have negative effects on providers, consumers, and workers in a variety 
of ways: The cost to providers of replacing workers is high; quality of 
care may suffer; and workers in understaffed environments may suffer 
higher rates of injury.
    Numerous factors contribute to the difficulty in recruiting and 
retaining paraprofessionals. For example:
     Wages are generally low and benefits are poor because 
facilities, in particular, remain strongly dependent on public 
reimbursement rates;
     Job preparation, continuing education, and training 
frequently fail to prepare these workers for what they face in caring 
for people with increasingly complex needs;
     Advancement opportunities are often limited; and
     Paraprofessionals report that they often do not feel 
valued or respected by their employers and supervisors.
    Entry-level and Incumbent Worker Skill Development. It is critical 
that the long-term care industry fill vacant and projected positions 
with well-trained, skilled workers capable of providing high-quality 
care. Technological advances, changing care needs, and demanding 
management environments call for enhanced, competency-based skill 
development through training of both entry-level and incumbent workers. 
Many employers report that workers struggle to advance their careers, 
both because skill gaps can be large, and because career pathways and 
opportunities may not be articulated clearly. Employers also report 
that limited health care training capacity in many communities creates 
bottlenecks that impact the long-term care workforce pipeline.

6. Long-Term Care Workforce Development Strategies

    The long-term care sector, workforce development practitioners, and 
educators have developed a number of approaches for addressing long-
term care workforce challenges. Broadly speaking, these approaches 
involve efforts to improve wages and benefits, create opportunities for 
skill development and career advancement (e.g. career ladders and 
lattices), and improve the workplace environment, including management 
and supervision of paraprofessional workers. The workforce investment 
system has been particularly engaged in solutions that focus on 
recruiting workers to the sector, developing opportunities for training 
and career advancement, and helping to impact job quality by delivery 
of incumbent worker supervisory training. Examples of promising 
solutions include:
     Career lattices that provide pathways to advancement and 
specialization from all points of entry in the long-term care sector;
     Expansion of education capacity, including the integration 
of learning technology that offers flexibility in time and place of 
training, and maximizes effectiveness of limited training resources and 
the adoption of innovative training methodologies such as 
apprenticeship and on-the-job training;
     Targeted recruitment strategies;
     Mentoring programs for new employees;
     Development of a diverse pipeline of future workers; and
     Competency-based training for incumbent workers in 
supervisory and team leadership skills.

7. Critical Elements of Long-Term Care Workforce Development Grants

    Grants funded through this SGA are expected to contain at least 
five critical elements. These elements consist of: (A) Strategic 
regional partnerships; (B) data driven analysis of regional long-term 
care workforce challenges and solutions; (C) systemic solutions to 
industry identified workforce challenges; (D) shared and leveraged 
resources for implementation; and (E) clear and specific outcomes. Each 
of these characteristics will be reflected in the ratings criteria in 
Part V and is described in further detail below.
A. Strategic Regional Partnership
    ETA believes that strategic partnerships between the workforce 
investment system, employers, and education and training providers need

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to be in place in order to implement effective demand-driven training 
and capacity building strategies. Strategic partnerships between these 
three entities are a required component of proposals submitted under 
this SGA, as detailed in Part III.2, and they may have a regional, 
statewide, or multi-state focus, as defined by the applicant.
    In addition to the required entities, the partnership should 
include a strong, broad consortium of the individuals and organizations 
necessary to resolve systemic long-term care workforce challenges, 
including partners such as organizations representing the long-term 
care industry, the long-term care workforce, and/or consumers; state 
Medicare/Medicaid offices and other state agencies addressing long-term 
care delivery, payment, or workforce issues; technical assistance 
providers such as Area Health Education Centers and Quality Improvement 
Organizations; faith-based and community organizations that provide 
recruitment and retention support to entry-level workers; and other 
stakeholders.
    A regional approach is necessary to ensure that the full range of 
assets, resources, knowledge, and leadership are at the table. The 
strategic partnership should focus broadly on the workforce challenges 
facing the long-term care sector, and should work collaboratively to 
identify and implement a wide range of solutions. Additionally, the 
partnership should include entities that can act as levers of change to 
identify and address barriers to success. Partners should have a 
demonstrated record of close collaboration or coordination. If a high 
level of coordination or collaboration does not exist, applicants must 
demonstrate their capacity to quickly establish these links and discuss 
strategies for strengthening the partnership. Applicants are advised 
that grant funds may not be used for partnership development.
    In order to maximize the long-term success of the proposed solution 
and to keep pace with the rapid changes both in the economy and the 
nature of the skills and competencies necessary for work in this 
sector, these partnerships need to be substantial and sustained. 
Therefore, the proposed solution to be funded through this solicitation 
should be one of many strategies that evolve from the partnership. ETA 
encourages partners to plan for the partnership's sustainability beyond 
the HGJTI investment period to enable ongoing assessment of industry 
workforce needs and collaborative development of solutions.
    Each partner should have clearly defined roles in the proposed 
solutions. The exact nature of these roles may vary depending on the 
issue areas being addressed and the scope and nature of the activities 
undertaken. However, ETA expects that each collaborative partner will, 
at minimum, significantly contribute to one or more aspects of the 
project. For example, employers must be actively engaged in the project 
and may contribute to many aspects of grant activities including 
defining the program strategy and goals, identifying needed skills and 
competencies, and, where appropriate, hiring qualified training 
graduates and/or training existing staff. Education and training 
providers from the continuum of education, which includes K-12, 
community and technical colleges, four year colleges and universities, 
and other training entities, should assist in developing and 
implementing industry-driven workforce education strategies in 
partnership with employers including competency models, curricula, and 
new learning methodologies such as apprenticeship training.
    The workforce investment system may play a number of roles, 
including compiling and analyzing labor market information, identifying 
and assessing candidates for training and employment, providing wrap-
around support services and training funds for qualified individuals, 
where appropriate, and connecting qualified training graduates to 
employers that have existing job openings.
    Partnerships with faith-based and community organizations are also 
encouraged. Grantees may elect to sub-award funds to faith-based and 
community organizations to perform a variety of grant services such as 
case management, mentoring, and English language programs, among 
others. Faith-based and community organizations can also provide wrap-
around holistic and comprehensive support services where appropriate, 
such as employability training and career awareness activities. Faith-
based and community organizations can also be helpful in identifying 
under-employed populations and pipelines of potential trainees, 
including low-income populations, immigrants, etc., and can provide the 
culturally-relevant supports and follow-up services necessary to aid in 
job retention.
B. Data Driven Analysis of Regional Long-Term Care Workforce Challenges 
and Assets Available for Solutions
    The basis of partnership engagement and activity should be a data-
driven analysis of workforce development challenges and the regional 
assets available for solutions. Economic regions do not typically 
correspond to geographic or political jurisdictions such as municipal 
boundaries or state, county, local workforce investment areas. Thus, 
partners should develop a regional understanding of the long-term care 
sector that is comprised of multiple jurisdictions within a state or 
across state borders.
C. Systemic Solutions to Industry Identified Workforce Challenges
    Grants funded under this SGA should demonstrate how a demand-driven 
workforce system can more effectively meet the regional workforce needs 
of long-term care employers while at the same time helping workers find 
good jobs with promising career pathways. Proposed solutions should be 
focused and integrated, and should be driven by an accurate and 
comprehensive understanding of regional industry-identified workforce 
challenges and the educational, workforce, and other assets available 
to support systemic solutions.
    Applicants should note that grants under this SGA are not intended 
to support the development of entirely new solutions to long-term care 
workforce challenges. Rather, they are intended to support partnerships 
that either a) take an existing promising solution, model, or approach 
to scale in the region and/or b) adapt a solution, model, or approach 
that has been demonstrated to have positive impact on the identified 
workforce challenges in another region or context. The long-term care 
sector and many public and private partners have been developing 
solutions to long-term care workforce challenges for many years. Grants 
funded under this SGA should demonstrate an understanding of the 
growing body of knowledge from public, private, and governmental 
sources about effective workforce development practices for this 
sector. A sampling of resources for workforce solutions and workforce 
development tools is available in Appendix A to assist applicants in 
identifying appropriate existing solution models.
    Applicants are not limited in the strategies and approaches they 
may use to implement solutions provided the strategy is well developed, 
addresses industry-defined regional workforce challenges, and includes 
training to prepare entry level and/or incumbent workers for the long-
term care industry. To the extent possible, applicants are encouraged 
to design training activities that (a) occur within the context of 
workforce education that supports long-term career growth, such as an

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articulated career ladder/lattice; and (b) result in credentials that 
are industry-recognized and indicate a level of mastery and competence 
in a given field or function. Please note that ETA is particularly 
interested in projects that focus on the direct care occupations 
described in Part I.5.
    Examples of potential solutions include:
    1. A program to create articulated career pathways for workers from 
entry-level occupations, such as direct support specialists, CNAs, and 
home health aids, to more advanced or specialized positions, drawing on 
a variety of education and development techniques, including 
apprenticeship training.
    2. A program to support recruitment and retention of direct care 
workers through strategic recruitment campaigns and enhanced training 
opportunities.
    3. A program to promote workplace retention by providing peer 
mentoring and supervisory training to incumbent workers.
    Where appropriate, applicants are encouraged to align long-term 
care solutions with broader health care workforce development 
strategies in the region to further strengthen recruitment, retention, 
skill development, education capacity-building, and career ladder/
lattice development.
    ETA recognizes that a great deal of work is being done in the area 
of improving job quality for long-term care workers. While the goal of 
this SGA is to support workforce development solutions targeted at 
training and skill enhancement, grantees are encouraged to link 
activities under this grant to broader state and regional activities 
and strategies to improve long-term care job quality.
D. Shared and Leveraged Resources for Implementation
    Investments under this SGA should leverage funds and resources from 
key entities in the strategic partnership. Leveraging resources in the 
context of strategic partnerships accomplishes three goals: (1) It 
allows for the pursuit of resources driven by the strategy; (2) it 
increases stakeholder investment in the project at all levels including 
design and implementation phases; and (3) it broadens the impact of the 
project itself by creating alignment with other funding streams. 
Projects funded under this SGA should demonstrate that their efforts 
align with federal, state, regional, and local assets and resources.
    Leveraged resources include both federal and non-federal funds and 
may come from many sources. Businesses, faith-based and community 
organizations, economic development entities, state and local 
government agencies, education systems, and philanthropic foundations 
often invest resources to support workforce development. In addition, 
other federal, state, and local government programs may have resources 
available that can be integrated into the proposed project. Examples of 
such programs include other Department of Labor (DOL) programs such as 
registered apprenticeship and Job Corps, as well as non-DOL-funded One-
Stop partner programs such as Vocational Rehabilitation and Adult 
Education. ETA encourages grantees and their partners to be 
entrepreneurial as they seek out, utilize, and sustain these resources 
when creating effective solutions to the workforce challenges 
identified by the industry.
    Please note that this grant opportunity has a match requirement. 
Information on the match requirement can be found in Part III.4.
E. Clear and Specific Outcomes
    Grants awarded under this initiative are results-oriented and 
demonstrate clear and specific outcomes that are appropriate to the 
nature of the solution and the size of the project and that indicate 
progress towards the workforce challenges identified by the 
partnership. Because HGJTI grants invest in customized strategies to 
address local workforce challenges and skill shortages, ETA recognizes 
that outcomes will vary from project to project based on the specific 
activities proposed. HGJTI grants should demonstrate the effectiveness 
of all activities by creating appropriate benchmarks and measuring 
against them on a regular basis.
    Training outcomes must include those tracked by the Common 
Measures, OMB-approved uniform evaluation metrics for job training and 
employment programs. These outcomes include average earnings, job 
placements, and job retention. A detailed description of ETA's policy 
on the Common Measures can be found on the Common Measures/Individual 
Program Performance webpage at https://www.doleta.gov/Performance/
quickview/IPPMeasures.cfm.
    Grants that include additional non-training activities should track 
the impact of those activities on employers, workers, and appropriate 
partners. All outcomes and impacts of the proposed project should 
satisfactorily address the workforce needs identified by the 
partnership. Where appropriate, grants should use standard industry 
outcome measures.

Part II. Award Information

1. Award Amount

    ETA intends to fund five projects at approximately the $500,000 
level; however, this does not preclude funding grants at either a lower 
or higher amount, or funding a smaller or larger number of projects, 
based on the type and the number of quality submissions. Applicants are 
encouraged to submit budgets for quality projects at whatever funding 
level is appropriate to the project. Nevertheless, applicants should 
recognize that the limited funds available through this SGA are 
intended to supplement project budgets rather than be the sole source 
of funds for the proposal.

2. Period of Performance

    The period of grant performance will be 36 months from the date of 
execution of the grant documents. This performance period shall include 
all necessary implementation and start-up activities as well as 
participant follow-up for performance outcomes and grant close-out 
activities. A timeline clearly detailing these required grant 
activities and their expected completion dates must be included in the 
grant application. If applied for and with significant justification, 
ETA may elect to exercise its option to award no-cost extensions to 
these grants for an additional period at its own discretion, based on 
the success of the program and other relevant factors.

Part III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Applicants may be public, private for-profit, and private non-
profit organizations including faith-based and community organizations. 
The application must clearly identify the applicant and describe its 
capacity to administer the HGJTI long-term care grant, in terms of 
organizational and strategic leadership capacity and data management 
capabilities. Applications for supplementation of distinct on-going 
projects, regardless of funding source, are eligible for consideration 
under this SGA; however, applications for renewal of existing projects 
will not be considered. Please note that the applicant and fiscal agent 
must be the same organization.

2. Required Partners

    Applicants must demonstrate the existence of a partnership that 
includes at least one entity from each of three categories: (1) The 
publicly funded Workforce Investment System, which may include state 
and local Workforce Investment Boards, State Workforce

[[Page 7686]]

Agencies, and One-Stop Career Centers and their partners; (2) the 
education and training community, which includes the K-12 system, 
community and technical colleges, four year colleges and universities, 
and other training entities; and (3) long-term care employers. This 
partnership should be regional in nature, as defined by the applicant.

3. Proposed Solutions

Building on Existing Best Practices
    This SGA is intended to support regional long-term care workforce 
development strategies that take full advantage of existing solutions, 
models, promising practices, and tools while meeting the specific needs 
and circumstances of the identified region. Therefore applicants must 
demonstrate that proposed solutions meet one of two criteria. Either a) 
the applicant proposes to take an existing promising solution, model, 
or approach to scale in the region and/or b) the applicant is 
implementing a solution, model, or approach that has been demonstrated 
to have positive impact on the identified workforce development 
challenges in another location. To the greatest extent possible, 
applicants are also encouraged to use existing tools and curricula as 
part of their proposed grant activities.
Training Workers for Employment in Long-Term Care
    All grants funded under this solicitation must include the direct 
provision of training to individual participants. Applicants are not 
limited in the strategies and approaches they may employ to implement 
training activities; however, the training must: (a) Target skills and 
competencies demanded by the long-term care sector; (b) support 
participants' long-term career growth along a defined career pathway 
such as an articulated career ladder or lattice; and (c) result in an 
industry-recognized certificate, degree, or license that indicates a 
level of mastery and competence in a given field or function. The 
credential awarded to participants should be based on the type of 
training provided through the grant and the requirements of the 
targeted occupation, and should be selected based on consultations with 
industry partners. For example:
    1. Customized and short-term training should result in a 
performance-based certification or certificate. This certification may 
be developed jointly by employers and the project partners, based on 
defined knowledge and skill requirements for specific high-growth 
occupations.
    2. Training in fields with established professional standards and 
examinations should result in certification.
    3. In states where licensure is required for the specific 
occupation targeted by the training, the credentialing requirement 
should be set accordingly.
    4. In some instances, training provided under the HGJTI grant may 
lead to a degree. In these instances, the credential will be the degree 
itself or the successful completion of coursework required for the 
degree.

4. Matching Funds and Leveraged Resources

    Aligning resources and leveraging funding are key components of 
success under the High Growth Job Training Initiative. Therefore, 
applicants must provide cash or in-kind resources equivalent to at 
least 25 percent of the grant award amount as matching funds. Please 
note that neither prior investments nor Federal resources may be 
counted as match.
    To be allowable as part of match, a cost must be an allowable 
charge for Federal grant funds. Determinations of allowable costs will 
be made in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles as 
indicated in Part IV.4. If the cost would not be allowable as a grant-
funded charge, then it also cannot be counted toward matching funds. 
Matching funds must be expended during the grant period of performance.
    Please note that applicants are expected to fulfill the match 
amount specified on their SF-424 application and SF-424a budget form. 
Upon completion of the grant, if the match amount specified by the 
applicant is not met or if a portion of the matching funds are found to 
be an unallowable cost, the amount of DOL grant funds may be decreased 
on a dollar for dollar basis. This may result in the repayment of funds 
to DOL.
    Applicants are encouraged to leverage additional funds outside of 
the match to supplement the project as a whole. Matching funds and 
leveraged resources could come from a variety of sources including: 
public sector (e.g., state or local governments); non-profit sector 
(e.g., community organizations, faith-based organizations, or education 
and training institutions); private sector (e.g., businesses or 
industry associations); investor community (e.g., angel networks or 
economic development entities); and the philanthropic community (e.g., 
foundations).
    Applicants should clearly make the distinction of what will be 
considered matching funds versus leveraged funds. Only the matching 
funds shall be shown on the SF-424 and SF-424a. The amount of funds 
specified on these forms will be considered by DOL as the applicant's 
match. All other leverage resources should be explained in the budget 
narrative separate from the explanation of match.

5. Participants Eligible to Receive HGJTI Training

    Generally, the scope of potential trainees is very broad. Training 
may be targeted to a wide variety of populations, including unemployed 
individuals and incumbent workers. The identification of targeted and 
qualified trainees should be part of the larger project planning 
process by the required partnership and should relate to the workforce 
issues addressed by the training.

6. Veterans Priority

    This program is subject to the provisions of the ``Jobs for 
Veterans Act,'' Public Law 107-288, which provides priority of service 
to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of 
employment, training, and placement services in any job training 
program directly funded, in whole or in part, by the Department of 
Labor. Please note that to obtain priority of service, a veteran must 
meet the grantee's program eligibility requirements. ETA Training and 
Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 5-03 (September 16, 2003), 
available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=1512, 
provides general guidance on the scope of the veterans priority statute 
and its effect on current employment and training programs.

7. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Distribution Rights. Selected applicants must agree to give ETA the 
right to use and distribute all materials developed with grant funds 
such as training models, curriculum, technical assistance products, 
etc. Materials developed with grant resources are in the public domain; 
therefore, ETA has the right to use, reuse, modify, and distribute all 
grant-funded materials and products to any interested party, including 
broad distribution to the public workforce investment system via the 
Internet or other means.
    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. See 29 CFR part 2, 
subpart D.

[[Page 7687]]

Grants under this 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.

Part IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

    This announcement includes all information and links to forms 
needed to apply for this funding opportunity.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    The proposal must consist of two (2) separate and distinct parts, 
Parts I and II. Applications that fail to adhere to the instructions in 
this section will be considered non-responsive and may not be given 
further consideration.
    Part I of the proposal is the Cost Proposal and must include the 
following three items:
     The Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application for Federal 
Assistance'' (available at https://www.grants.gov/techlib/424_
20090131.doc). The SF 424 must clearly identify the applicant and be 
signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement. 
Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF 424 on 
behalf of the applicant shall be considered the authorized 
representative of the applicant.
     All applicants for federal grant and funding opportunities 
are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number. See Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Notice of Final Policy Issuance, 68 FR 
38402 (June 27, 2003). Applicants must supply their DUNS number on the 
SF 424. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number that 
uniquely identifies business entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy 
and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access this Web site: 
www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-5711.
     The SF 424A Budget Information Form (available at https://
www.doleta.gov/sga/forms.cfm). In preparing the Budget Information 
Form, the applicant must provide a concise narrative explanation to 
support the request. The budget narrative should break down the budget, 
match and leveraged resources by the project activities specified in 
the technical proposal and should discuss precisely how the 
administrative costs support the project goals.
    Please note that applicants that fail to provide a SF 424, SF 424A 
and/or a budget narrative will be removed from consideration prior to 
the technical review process. Only an applicant's match amount (not 
other leveraged resources) should be listed on the SF 424 (Block 18) 
and SF 424A Budget Information Form (Section A & C). The amount of 
federal funding requested for the entire period of performance should 
be shown together on the SF 424 and SF 424A Budget Information Form. 
Applicants are also encouraged, but not required, to submit OMB Survey 
N. 1890-0014: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants, 
which can be found at https://www.doleta.gov/sga/forms.cfm.
    Part II of the application is the technical proposal which 
demonstrates the applicant's capabilities to plan and implement a 
demonstration project under the High Growth Job Training Initiative in 
accordance with the selection criteria. The Technical Proposal is 
limited to twenty (20) double-spaced, single-sided, 8.5-inch-by-11-inch 
pages with 12-point font and 1-inch margins. Any pages over the 20 page 
limit will not be reviewed. In addition, the applicant may provide 
resumes, a staffing pattern, statistical information, and related 
materials in attachments which may not exceed 10 pages. Letters of 
commitment from partners may be submitted as attachments and will not 
count against the allowable maximum page totals. The applicant must 
reference any participating entities and articulate their role in grant 
activities clearly in the text of the Technical Proposal.
    Except for the discussion of match and leveraged resources in 
response to the evaluation criteria, no cost data or reference to 
prices should be included in the technical proposal. The following 
information is required as part of the technical proposal:
     A table of contents listing the application sections.
     A 2-3 page abstract summarizing the proposed project and 
applicant profile information including: (1) Applicant name; (2) 
project title; (3) identification of region; (4) overview of 
strategies; (5) regional partnership members; and (6) requested funding 
level.
     A 1-2 page timeline.
     An implementation plan outlining project activities.
    Please note that the table of contents, the abstract, and the 
timeline are not included in the 20-page limit. The implementation plan 
will be included in the 20-page limit. Applications that do not meet 
these requirements will not be considered. Please note that applicants 
should not send letters of commitment or support separately to ETA 
because letters are tracked through a different system and will not be 
attached to the application for review.
    Applications may be submitted electronically on www.grants.gov or 
in hard-copy via U.S. mail, professional delivery service, or hand 
delivery. These processes are described in further detail in Section 
IV(3). Applicants submitting proposals in hard-copy must submit an 
original signed application (including the SF 424) and one (1) ``copy-
ready'' version free of bindings, staples or protruding tabs to ease in 
the reproduction of the proposal by DOL. Applicants submitting 
proposals in hard-copy are also requested, though not required, to 
provide an electronic copy of the proposal on CD-ROM.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    The closing date for receipt of applications under this 
announcement is April 5, 2007. Applications must be received at the 
address below, or electronically received at the website below, no 
later than 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), except as identified in the ``Late 
Applications'' paragraph below. Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, 
or facsimile (fax) will not be honored. No exceptions to the mailing 
and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted.
    Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Attention: Eric Luetkenhaus, Reference SGA/DFA PY 06-07, 
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-4716, Washington, DC 20210. 
Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington area may be 
delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-delivered 
proposals will be received at the above address.
    Applicants may apply online at https://www.grants.gov by the 
deadline specified above. Any application received after the deadline 
will not be accepted. For applicants submitting electronic applications 
via Grants.gov, please note that it may take several days to complete 
the ``Get Started'' step to register with Grants.gov. It is strongly 
recommended that these applicants immediately initiate this step in 
order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the 
disqualification of their application. If submitted electronically 
through https://www.grants.gov, applicants should save application 
documents as a .doc or .pdf file.
    A Webinar for prospective applicants will be held for this grant 
competition

[[Page 7688]]

on March 5, 2007. Access information for the Webinar will be posted on 
ETA's Web site at https://www.doleta.gov/BRG/Indprof/Health.cfm. 
Following the Webinar, this link will also include instructions for 
accessing an archived version. Please note that frequently asked 
questions may be made available and will be found on ETA's Web site at 
https://ww.doleta.gov/BRG/Indprof/Health.cfm. Applicants are encouraged 
to check the ETA Web site frequently, as the frequently asked questions 
document may be updated from time to time up until the close of the 
SGA.
    Late Applications: Any application received after the exact date 
and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice 
will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made, 
was properly addressed, and: (a) Was sent by U.S. Postal Service 
registered or certified mail not later than the fifth calendar day 
before the date specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an 
application required to be received by the 20th of the month must be 
post marked by the 15th of that month) or (b) was sent by professional 
overnight delivery service or submitted on Grants.gov to the addressee 
not later than one working day prior to the date specified for receipt 
of applications. It is highly recommended that online submissions be 
completed one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of 
applications to ensure that the applicant still has the option to 
submit by overnight delivery service in the event of any electronic 
submission problems. ``Post marked'' means a printed, stamped or 
otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine 
impression) that is readily identifiable, without further action, as 
having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an employee 
of the U.S. Postal Service. Therefore, applicants should request the 
postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' 
postmark on both the receipt and the package. Failure to adhere to the 
above instructions will be a basis for a determination of non-
responsiveness. Evidence of timely submission by a professional 
overnight delivery service must be demonstrated by equally reliable 
evidence created by the delivery service provider indicating the time 
and place of receipt.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (EO) 
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs''.

5. Funding Restrictions

    Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with 
the applicable Federal cost principles as indicated in Part VI.2. 
Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency 
or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with 
the applicable Federal Cost Principles or other conditions contained in 
the grant. As discussed above, only costs that would be allowable with 
grant funds may be counted as part of the recipients' share of project 
costs.
    Use of Stipends. The provision of stipends to training enrollees 
for the purposes of wage replacement or supportive services, such as 
transportation costs, for unemployed or employed workers, is not an 
allowable cost under this Solicitation for Grant Applications.
    Indirect Costs. As specified in OMB Circular Cost Principles, 
indirect costs are those that have been incurred for common or joint 
objectives and cannot be readily identified with a particular cost 
objective. In order to utilize grant funds for indirect costs incurred, 
the applicant must obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with its 
Federal cognizant agency either before or shortly after the grant 
award.
    Administrative Costs. Under the President's High Growth Job 
Training Initiative, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a 
project or program may not use more than 10 percent of the amount of 
the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or 
project. Administrative costs could be both direct and indirect costs, 
and are defined at 20 CFR 667.220. Administrative costs do not need to 
be identified separately from program costs on the SF 424A Budget 
Information Form. They should be discussed in the budget narrative and 
tracked through the grantee's accounting system. Although there will be 
administrative costs associated with the managing of the partnership as 
it relates to specific grant activity, the primary use of funding 
should be to support the actual capacity building and training 
activity(ies). To claim any administrative costs that are also indirect 
costs, the applicant must obtain an indirect cost rate agreement as 
described above.

6. Other Submission Requirements

    Withdrawal of Applications. Applications may be withdrawn by 
written notice or telegram (including Mailgram) received at any time 
before an award is made. Applications may be withdrawn in person by the 
applicant or by an authorized representative thereof, if the 
representative signs a receipt for the proposal.

Part V. Application Review Information

1. Rating Criteria

    This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be 
used to evaluate the proposals under this SGA: (A) Statement of Need 
(15 points); (B) Strength of Partnership (20 points); (C) Strategies 
for Long-Term Care Workforce Development (30 points); (D) Outcomes (15 
points); (E) Leveraged Resources (10 points); and (F) Program 
Management and Organization Capacity (10 points).
A. Statement of Need (15 points)
    Applicants must identify the region in which grant activities will 
take place and demonstrate a clear and specific need for the federal 
investment in the proposed activities. Scoring for this factor will be 
based on the following.
    Identification of the region (5 points). Applicants must define the 
region of focus in the proposal, demonstrate the appropriateness of the 
geographic boundaries of the region as it relates to the long-term care 
sector. This discussion should include, but is not limited to, how the 
following factors contribute to the formation of the region:
     Economic interdependence (relating how the long-term care 
industry contributes to and is impacted by the regional economy)
     Assets (e.g., human capital, educational capacity, 
financial capital, research and development institutions, 
infrastructure, etc.)
     Networks (e.g., how strategic partners are collaborating 
to develop talent in the context of the regional economy)
    Demonstration of need (10 points). Through narrative discussion and 
data displays, the applicant must provide an overview of the labor 
market and economic landscape of the region, the role of the long-term 
care sector in the economy, and the state of workforce preparation and 
education related to the sector. Applicants may draw from a variety of 
resources for supporting data, including: traditional labor market 
information, including projections; industry data; trade association or 
direct information for the local industry; and information on the 
regional economy and other transactional data, such as job vacancies, 
that are available. Discussion should include, but is not limited to, 
the following:
     Demonstrated knowledge of the long-term care sector in the 
region,

[[Page 7689]]

including the impact of the industry on the regional economy.
     Demonstrated existence of identified workforce challenges 
in the region, and if capacity building activities are proposed, 
demonstrated existence of a capacity constraint in addressing those 
challenges, in the area in which the grant activity will take place.
     Discussion of how the industry workforce challenges affect 
the specific employer partners contained in the proposal.
     Description of the resource analysis and mapping that has 
been conducted to date that demonstrates that local resources are not 
sufficient to address the workforce challenges.
B. Strength of Partnership (20 points)
    The applicant must demonstrate that the proposed grant activities 
were developed and will be implemented by a strategic partnership 
comprised of a strong team of regional leaders. The partnership must be 
representative of the entire region as defined by the applicant and 
have the authority to drive the proposed investment strategy. One or 
more long-term care employers, representatives of the workforce system 
(i.e., state and/or local workforce investment boards and One-Stop 
Career Centers), and education and training providers are required 
partners. Applicants should also demonstrate that they have included a 
broader consortium of partners where appropriate, including 
organizations representing entities such as the long-term care 
industry, the long-term care workforce, or consumers; state Medicare/
Medicaid offices and other state agencies addressing long-term care 
delivery, payment, or workforce issues; technical assistance providers 
such as Area Health Education Centers and Quality Improvement 
Organizations; and others. Scoring on this criterion will be based on 
the following factors:
    Completeness of the Partnership (15 points). The applicant must 
identify the partners and explain the meaningful role each partner will 
play in the project. Points for this factor will be awarded based on:
     A comprehensive list of the strategic partners that will 
be included in the project and the articulation of each partner's role 
in the project within an overall project governance structure. Please 
note that, in order to receive full points, applicants must demonstrate 
that each required partner will play a well-developed and committed 
role in the project. (5 points).
     Demonstration that the partnership includes all the key 
regional assets and institutions necessary to address the identified 
workforce challenges. If all key regional assets and institutions are 
not currently engaged in the partnership, then the applicant must 
clearly identify how appropriate organizations or individuals will be 
brought into the partnership quickly. (4 points).
     Demonstration that integration or a high level of 
coordination already exists between partners. If a high level of 
integration or coordination does not exist, then the applicant must 
demonstrate that it has the capacity to quickly establish these links 
and discuss strategies for strengthening the partnership. (2 points).
     Identification of how the partnership will ensure the 
integration of education, workforce development, industry and other 
partner assets. (2 points).
     Indication that the partnership has addressed 
sustainability beyond the High Growth Job Training Initiative 
investment. (2 points).
    Partnership Management (5 points). Points for this factor will be 
awarded based on evidence that the administrative entity has the 
capacity to lead the regional partnership in implementing the 
initiative. Discussion should include, but is not limited to, the 
administrative entity's leadership and staff capacity and experience 
implementing initiatives of this caliber.
C. Strategies for Long-Term Care Workforce Development (30 points)
    The applicant must describe the proposed workforce development 
solution strategy in full, including all solution elements and 
implementation strategies, how the solutions address the workforce 
challenges described in the statement of need, and how the proposed 
solution draws on existing best practices, models, and tools. Points 
for this criterion will be awarded for the following factors:
    Solution Description (20 points). Applicants may earn up to 20 
points based on evidence that the applicant has developed an effective 
solutions-based approach a