National Technical Assistance and Research Center To Promote Leadership for Employment and Economic Independence for Adults With Disabilities; Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement, 39837-39848 [E7-14074]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
• Office of Disability Employment Policy
• Disability Employment Policy Office

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 139 (Friday, July 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39837-39848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14074]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Disability Employment Policy

[SGA 07-05]


National Technical Assistance and Research Center To Promote 
Leadership for Employment and Economic Independence for Adults With 
Disabilities; Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement

    Announcement Type: New Notice of Availability of Funds and 
Solicitation for Grant Application (SGA) for Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: SGA 07-05.
    Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.720.

DATES: Applications must be received by August 20, 2007.
    Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor (``DOL'' or 
``Department''), Office of Disability Employment Policy (``ODEP''), 
announces the availability of up to $2.35 million to fund a cooperative 
agreement to establish a National Technical Assistance and Research 
Center to Promote Leadership for Increasing Employment and Economic 
Independence for Adults with Disabilities with a 24-month period of 
performance. In addition, this initiative may be funded for up to three 
(3) additional option years depending on performance, identified need, 
and the availability of future funding.
    This National Technical Assistance and Research Center will focus 
on building leadership capacity at the Federal, State, and local levels 
to increase employment and economic self-sufficiency for adults with 
disabilities. ODEP is also funding a technical assistance and research 
center focusing on youth with disabilities through a separate 
competition.
    Seventeen years after enactment of the Americans with Disabilities 
Act (ADA), there is no barrier more challenging to the realization of 
the American dream for citizens with disabilities than unemployment and 
its resulting poverty, which precludes meaningful community 
participation. Multiple demonstrations have documented that people with 
barriers to employment resulting from a disability can become 
successfully employed with appropriate supports and the customization 
of employment responsibilities. With Federal investment of millions of 
dollars into such research and demonstrations, valuable data and 
successful practices have emerged. But their findings are not widely 
disseminated or utilized, and their impact on policy and practice 
within states is too often not evident.
    In recognition of this fact, over the last decade, the Federal 
Government has taken proactive steps to increase employment and 
otherwise resolve barriers to employment for adults with disabilities. 
Multiple Executive Orders have been issued focusing on employment and 
disability (such as Executive Order 13078: Increasing Employment of 
Adults With Disabilities, 1998), and on increasing the opportunity for 
individuals with disabilities to become qualified Federal employees 
(Executive Order 13163, Increasing the Opportunity for Individuals With 
Disabilities To Be Employed in the Federal Government, 2000).
    The Federal Government has also required Federal agencies to 
establish procedures providing reasonable accommodation of work-related 
disabilities (Executive Order 13164, Requiring Federal Agencies To 
Establish Procedures To Facilitate the Provision of Reasonable 
Accommodation, 2000) and to increase community-based alternatives for 
individuals with disabilities (Executive Order 13217, Community-Based 
Alternatives for Individuals With Disabilities, 2001). These Executive 
Orders are in addition to laws prohibiting discrimination in employment 
under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title I of the 
ADA. Further, the New Freedom Initiative, established in 2001 by 
President George W. Bush, brought heightened focus to and action in 
disability policy throughout the Federal sector across numerous areas, 
including employment.
    Yet despite these multiple efforts, employment outcomes for adults 
with disabilities are still far below that of the general adult 
population. The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey in 2005 
estimated that among the more than 21 million people with disabilities 
aged 16-64, only 8.5 million, or 37.5 percent, were employed (https://
www.disabilitystatistics.org, downloaded 5/15/07). Of the people with 
disabilities employed aged 16-64, 49.9 percent of men with disabilities 
are employed as opposed to 80.9 percent of

[[Page 39838]]

working-age men without a disability. For women of working age, 34.2 
percent of women with disabilities are employed, compared with 68.3 
percent of women without disabilities. Not surprisingly, the poverty 
rate among people with disabilities from 16 to 64 years old was 24.6 
percent, almost triple the rate for those without disabilities (9.3 
percent).
    Effectively addressing the complex and significant barriers to 
employment and economic self-sufficiency faced by adults with 
disabilities requires the use of multiple strategies and the active 
involvement of many stakeholders, including Federal, State and local 
governments, non-governmental organizations, financial institutions, 
consumers, and employers. To address this situation, ODEP is funding a 
national technical assistance and research center (the Center) to build 
capacity within and across both generic and disability-specific 
service-delivery systems to provide transformational leadership in 
service to adults with disabilities, and thus increase their employment 
and economic self-sufficiency.
    The Center will conduct research, develop and disseminate 
information, and provide technical assistance and training in five 
targeted goal areas defined in this solicitation. These goal areas have 
been identified through six years of ODEP research as critical 
leadership areas for improving systems capacity to effectively serve 
adults with disabilities and increase their employment and economic 
self-sufficiency. These targeted goal areas include the following:
    1. Increasing partnership and collaboration among and across 
generic and disability-specific systems that provide employment or 
employment-support services. This partnership and collaboration should 
produce more effective and efficient services through leveraging 
resources and funding across multiple systems.
    2. Increasing use of self-direction in service and integration of 
funding among and across cross-generic and disability-specific systems, 
including the blending and braiding of resources and funding across 
systems and programs, and the use of self-directed accounts providing 
choice and control to the individual job seeker.
    3. Increasing economic self-sufficiency through leveraging relevant 
generic and disability-specific tax incentives, financial education, 
social security work incentives, benefits planning, and other 
strategies for enhancing profitable employment resulting in the ability 
of people with disabilities to accrue assets and resources through 
employment.
    4. Increasing the use of universal design as the framework for the 
organization of employment policy and the implementation of employment 
services.
    5. Increasing the use of customized and other forms of flexible 
work options for individuals with disabilities and others with complex 
barriers to employment.
    In addition, the Center will provide rapid response on request to 
ODEP in areas related to employment and disability, and otherwise 
support ODEP as requested in its efforts to develop policy 
recommendations for increasing employment and economic self-sufficiency 
for adults with disabilities.
    In meeting each goal area, applicants must provide information on 
strategies they will undertake for advancing knowledge development and 
utilization, including describing specific research and technical 
assistance and training activities. In addition, applicants must 
describe how they will effectively disseminate policy knowledge, 
research findings, and successful practices through and within various 
networks of State and local systems' personnel, particularly leadership 
personnel, and other relevant stakeholder communities (including, but 
not limited to consumers, employers, and providers of employment and 
asset development services). They should also describe how they will 
encourage and monitor the translation and utilization of such 
knowledge, research, and successful practices.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Description and Purpose

    ODEP will award one cooperative agreement to establish a national 
technical assistance and research center for increasing employment and 
economic independence for adults with disabilities. The overall purpose 
of this effort is to build leadership and partnership across workforce 
development, economic development, and relevant partner agencies and 
systems, including generic and disability-specific agencies and 
systems, so that they work together strategically and effectively to 
increase employment outcomes and economic self-sufficiency for adults 
with disabilities. The Center will: Conduct research to identify, 
validate, document, and otherwise promote effective practices and 
policies in targeted goal areas; develop and disseminate information; 
provide technical assistance; encourage collaboration and partnership 
across State and local generic and disability-specific systems and 
programs, both public and private; and work with States and localities 
on multiple strategies in targeted goal areas for improving employment 
outcomes and economic self-sufficiency for adults with disabilities. 
Activities of the Center must be based on the assumptions that: people 
with disabilities have the ability to make and implement decisions 
(with support as appropriate) about their own work life, and that they 
have the ability to mobilize and develop resources (with support as 
necessary) to move from poverty and dependency to independence and 
productivity through employment. They must also be based on the 
assumption that there is a need for multiple generic and disability-
specific systems and services to effectively partner across traditional 
boundaries. In accomplishing these goals, the Center will provide 
transformational leadership for translating innovation and emerging 
successful solutions from isolated demonstrations to systemic 
practices, and will act as a voice for elevating the discussion about 
employment and disability nationally.
    The Center's research-related activities will improve systems 
capacity to provide leadership for increasing employment and economic 
self-sufficiency at the State and local level in targeted goal areas, 
and must include the development of policy-related recommendations for 
consideration across agencies and systems. It must include, but is not 
limited to, the following activities:
     Implementing research, demonstration activities, and 
otherwise developing evidence (either through qualitative and 
quantitative methods, as appropriate) in targeted goal areas for 
effective models and approaches to increasing employment and economic 
self-sufficiency for adults with disabilities;
     Promoting and documenting the impact of actions of key 
leadership personnel at the State and local levels across public and 
private systems and agencies utilizing employment approaches in 
targeted goal areas in select states;
     Conducting an analysis of the interaction between and 
among various strategies and approaches in targeted goal areas as they 
exist in public policy, both nationally and in select states; and
     Developing evidence across public and private systems and 
agencies of effective leadership strategies in targeted goal areas.

[[Page 39839]]

    The Center's technical assistance and dissemination activities must 
include, but are not limited to, the following:
     Developing evidence-based information and materials 
(including multi-media materials, curricula, and other relevant 
accessible products) in targeted goal areas for use in increasing 
leadership capacity for advancing employment and economic self-
sufficiency for adults with disabilities;
     Preparing and disseminating appropriate reports and 
documents related to targeted goal areas in publications including, but 
not limited to, peer-reviewed journals;
     Providing intensive technical assistance, training, and 
information in targeted goal areas to ODEP's grantees including 
documenting the impact of such actions;
     Providing information to educate relevant stakeholders, 
including State and local policymakers, systems personnel, key 
leadership personnel, educators, and other relevant individuals and 
groups about changes in policy and practice needed in order to increase 
employment and economic self-sufficiency for adults with disabilities, 
and the evidence supporting action in targeted goal areas under this 
solicitation;
     Providing technical assistance, training, and information 
to increase understanding and utilization by relevant workforce systems 
and agencies of strategies developed in targeted goal areas;
     Serving as a repository and dissemination center for 
materials and effective practices developed by current and former ODEP 
grantees; and
     Creating and maintaining a user-friendly Web site with 
relevant information and documents in a form that meets a government or 
industry-recognized standard for accessibility.
    The Center's collaboration and partnership activities must include, 
but are not limited to:
     Developing evidence on strategies for, and results of, 
effective interagency partnership and collaboration between and among 
Federal, State, and local systems and agencies, both generic and 
disability-specific, that effectively leverage and maximize available 
resources in ways that provide choice, control and self-direction to 
individual job seekers; and
     Developing, maintaining, and documenting relationships 
that result in partnerships and collaborations to foster employment and 
economic self-sufficiency for adults with disabilities. Partners may 
include but are not limited to the following entities:
    (1) State departments and agencies across generic and disability-
specific systems such as departments of Labor, Economic Development, 
Vocational Rehabilitation, Veterans Affairs, Mental Health, Medicaid, 
Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, Education, and Temporary 
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); and Governors' Committees on 
Employment of People with Disabilities and Developmental Disability 
Councils;
    (2) Local Work Investment Act (WIA) service providers, employment 
service providers, local One-Stop Career Centers and the Veterans 
Employment and Training Service; State and local financial services 
entities; social security benefits planning and assistance programs; 
community and faith-based organizations and disability organizations; 
community colleges and other training entities; and providers of 
employment-related supports, including public housing and 
transportation authorities;
    (3) Employers and their professional networks;
    (4) Federal agencies including the Departments of Labor, Health and 
Human Services, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, 
Transportation, Education, and Veterans' Affairs; the Small Business 
Administration and Social Security Administration; and other generic 
and disability-specific agencies that work in areas related to 
improving employment and economic self-sufficiency for adults with 
disabilities and others with complex barriers to employment; and
    (5) ODEP-sponsored and other Federal technical assistance projects 
that provide information about, or work in areas related to, employment 
(including self employment), economic development, and/or enhancing 
employment profitability through use of relevant tax incentives, 
financial literacy, work incentives, benefits assistance and related 
areas).
    Additionally, the Center will work with ODEP to implement on-site, 
intensive, targeted technical assistance and research in two pilot 
states or economic development regions. The pilot project will be 
competitively selected by the third quarter of year 1 of Center 
activities. Staff and expert consultant time and project resources 
dedicated to provide technical assistance, research, and training 
support to the competitively selected states or regions will be 
negotiated with ODEP as part of the Cooperative Agreement within thirty 
(30) days of the date of the award in year 1. However, it is expected 
that a minimum of $600,000 is to be spent on the above component of the 
work plan. Year 1 activities will include the development of targeted 
technical assistance materials, a work plan (to be approved by ODEP) 
for this component of Center activities, and design and implementation 
of a competitive selection process for the states or economic 
development regions. Intensive, on-site, targeted activities will begin 
immediately with the competitively selected states or regions no later 
than the first quarter of year 2 of Center activities, and will focus 
on implementation of goal areas defined in this SGA throughout the 
states or economic development regions. Additional funding for this 
activity will be dedicated to this component of Center activities 
during years 3-5 pending ODEP's exercise of the option periods provided 
herein, and the availability of funds and adequacy of performance.
    The remainder of the funding that is provided is to be spent on 
carrying out the general technical assistance, research, and training 
functions in targeted goal areas described previously.

2. Background

    The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides national 
leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment 
policy and practice. A five-year strategic plan guides ODEP in 
achieving its mission by identifying long-term strategic and outcome 
goals as well as short-term intermediate and performance goals. In 
addition to measuring agency performance, as required by the Government 
Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the strategic plan sets forth a 
road map for prioritizing the formulation and dissemination of 
innovative employment policies and practices to service-delivery 
systems and employers.
    ODEP's annual goal is to build knowledge and advance disability 
employment policy that affects and promotes systems change. The 
agency's long- and short-term goals focus efforts on initiatives that 
bring about this level of change. In short, ODEP develops policies and 
strategies that will:
     Enhance the capacity of service-delivery systems to 
provide appropriate and effective services and supports to youth and 
adults with disabilities;
     Increase planning and coordination within service-delivery 
systems to develop and improve systems, processes, and services;
     Improve individualization of services to better assist 
youth and adults with disabilities in seeking, obtaining,

[[Page 39840]]

and retaining employment or self-employment;
     Increase employer access to supports and services to meet 
their employment needs;
     Increase the quality of competency-based training for 
service-delivery systems;
     Increase the adoption of universal strategies for service 
provision; and
     Develop partnerships with and among critical stakeholders 
to effectively leverage available resources, and facilitate 
implementation of practices and policies that increase employment and 
self-employment opportunities as well as the recruitment, retention, 
and promotion of adults with disabilities.
    Three measures inform ODEP of its annual progress in meeting its 
three goals under the Government Performance and Results Act: (1) The 
number of policy-related documents; (2) the number of formal 
agreements; and (3) the number of effective practices. These 
performance results support achievement of the following intermediate 
outcome goals: accessible employment resources; coordinated programs, 
processes, and services; and adoption of effective practices.
    Achievement of these intermediate outcome goals, in turn, supports 
achievement of the long-term service-delivery systems outcome goals, 
which are marked by increases in these areas: Capacity of service-
delivery systems; planning and coordination within service-delivery 
systems; and employer access to supports and services for recruitment, 
retention, and promotion of adults with disabilities.
    On February 1, 2001, in announcing the New Freedom Initiative 
(NFI), President George W. Bush explicitly recognized that in today's 
global economy, America must be able to draw on the talents and 
creativity of all its citizens, and that people with disabilities 
represent valuable, largely untapped human capital. The NFI represents 
an important step towards ensuring that all Americans have the 
opportunity to learn and develop skills, engage in productive work, 
choose where to live, and participate in community life.
    The timeliness of the proposed effort to provide and promote 
leadership for employment and economic independence for adults with 
disabilities is reinforced by the demographic workforce issues that led 
to the New Freedom Initiative and the continuing challenges faced by 
workforce systems. Potential and current workers with disabilities fall 
within all of the following demographic groups: Returning veterans, 
mature workers, baby boomers, Generations X and Y, people with limited 
English proficiency, the chronically homeless, and migrants. In 
addition, the decline in the number of workers due to the potential 
retirement of millions of baby boomers; the desires and needs of 
millions of other baby boomers who choose to stay in the workforce, but 
on their own terms; the demands of Generation X and Y workers who 
expect companies to offer flexible work options; the complex needs of 
veterans with service-connected injuries; the poverty levels, lack of 
education, and skills' competencies of many people with limited English 
proficiency; migrant workers lacking higher-level skills, to name some 
of the key demographic issues, compel companies to retool their 
recruitment and retention strategies, and demand workforce systems to 
provide leadership to meet these needs.
    Related to these issues is the fact that from 2001 through 2006 
ODEP implemented several research initiatives to develop and document 
innovative and universal approaches to improving employment outcomes 
for adults with disabilities. In these ODEP initiatives, a total of 26 
Customized Employment and Workforce Action (Olmstead) grantees were 
funded for periods of time ranging from three to five years. Central to 
the assumptions guiding the creation of these grants was the 
recognition of the importance of flexibility in the way work is 
organized and performed, the importance of partnership between and 
among generic and disability-specific systems, the use of mechanisms to 
promote self-direction and economic self-sufficiency, and the 
universality and applicability of many of the successful approaches 
being tested with other populations of people with barriers to 
employment.
    Importantly, these projects were charged with operating as part of 
the workforce system and developing while demonstrating not only that 
certain system change is beneficial to outcomes achieved--but that such 
changes impact how services are organized and provided in a way that is 
often universal for other workforce customers. The lead service system 
for the initiatives was the One-Stop Career Centers operated under the 
Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Overall, these projects were expected 
to: increase the capacity of service-delivery systems to effectively 
serve people with disabilities and other ``hard-to-serve'' populations; 
increase planning and coordination within and across service-delivery 
systems within the state, including generic as well as disability-
specific systems; increase employment outcomes through the use of 
customized strategies for achieving employment; and develop policy 
recommendations with broad applicability based on the demonstrated 
evidence gathered through implementation of grant activities. 
Additional information about these grant initiatives can be found on 
ODEP's Web site: https://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/workforce/.
    Several key findings resulting from these research initiatives 
include the pivotal importance of the following in promoting positive 
systems change that results in increased employment and economic self-
sufficiency for adults with disabilities:
     Partnership and Collaboration: Collaboration and 
partnership development was the primary innovation and the foundation 
of all other systems change efforts across both initiatives. Whether 
considering policy, resource allocation, or service integration, 
effective partnerships and collaborative efforts were at the base of 
every best practice. Collaborative efforts hinged on attaining a shared 
understanding between and among systems, and the translation of the 
partnership relationship into written, measurable goals that positively 
affected each system and its customers.
     Universal Design: The importance of universal design and 
the use of universal strategies in serving job seekers with 
disabilities emerged as pivotal for improving access to the programs 
and services of the workforce development system. Universal design 
within the workforce development system refers to the design of 
environments, products, and communication practices as well as the 
delivery of programs, services, and activities that meet the needs of 
all customers of the system. ODEP's research documented that One-Stops 
are incorporating elements of universal design in the way they organize 
and deliver their services, organize their physical space, and develop 
the culture of their environments. This universal design incorporation 
includes addressing disability within the broader concept of diversity 
and viewing it as one facet of a more sweeping mandate to ensure access 
to workforce development services for all customers.
     Leveraging Resources: Another central finding of ODEP's 
research was that over time, collaboration with all types of 
organizations and agencies increased and resulted in opportunities for 
leveraging expertise and resources. No single partner or source of 
funds could adequately respond to the potential spectrum of needs of 
job

[[Page 39841]]

seekers with complex barriers to employment, including disability. 
Leveraging resources was facilitated at both the systems and individual 
level, and the blending or braiding of funds across systems became 
instrumental in the ability of grantees to support a range of job 
seekers, maximize their own resources, and share the scope of what it 
takes to effectively provide workforce development services.
    Additional findings identified the importance of leveraging various 
existing tax incentives, financial education, work incentives, and 
other strategies in order to maximize financial advantage and otherwise 
enhance profitable employment resulting from work for people with 
disabilities. Such individuals are no different than any other citizen 
in their desire to work and advance their economic status. Yet many 
public policies create barriers to work and economic self-sufficiency 
for people with disabilities by limiting their ability to accrue assets 
and maintain critical disability benefits. Numerous work incentives and 
other strategies exist to assist with maximizing the economic benefits 
of work for people with disabilities, but these remain underutilized. 
Developing models of partnership among disability and community-based 
organizations, One-Stop Career Centers, and local tax and financial 
institutions will ultimately assist workers with disabilities access to 
mainstream services, promote their self-determination and economic 
self-sufficiency, and otherwise enable their employment to positively 
impact their ability to fully participate in their communities. As the 
workforce development system continues to increase participation of 
individuals with disabilities in the labor force, development of models 
utilizing multiple tax incentives and other strategies that enable 
people with disabilities to maximize the financial advantage of work 
are critical. This area holds great promise for assisting people to 
permanently move off welfare and Social Security benefits, out of 
poverty, and into the economic mainstream through employment.
    Finally, a critical finding across these grant initiatives was the 
importance of key leadership personnel for promoting positive change at 
the State and local level across both public and private systems and 
programs. Understanding and ``buy-in'' on the part of key leaders was 
found to be essential to the success of long-term, effective, systemic 
change (Customized Employment: Employers and Workers Creating a 
Competitive Edge. Summary Report of Customized Employment and Workforce 
Action Grants. Boston: Institute for Community Inclusion/UCED. 
University of Massachusetts at Boston, 2007 in press).
    The impending changes in the workforce make it imperative for our 
nation to address the significant rate at which adults with 
disabilities continue to be out of the work force. Isolated 
demonstrations of success must be translated into broader replication 
and adoption at the State and local level. The mainstream 
infrastructure of our states and communities, both generic and 
disability-specific, must fashion new ways of working in partnership. 
The research and technical assistance effort proposed herein will 
support this effort by increasing leadership capacity in five targeted 
goal areas identified in this solicitation that have been validated 
through prior research as pivotal in creating positive change for 
people with disabilities. In addition, this effort will expand the 
knowledge-base of existing effective practices for increasing 
employment and economic self-sufficiency for adults with disabilities 
by intensively targeting technical assistance for implementation of 
identified successful practices in a number of states, and by providing 
proactive support, training, and dissemination of other relevant useful 
information nationally.
    The technical assistance to be provided will build upon ODEP's 
prior research and technical assistance efforts which focused on 
promoting increased understanding that:
     Increasing employment and economic self-sufficiency for 
adults with disabilities requires meaningful partnerships across 
generic and disability-specific systems in both the public and private 
sector;
     The use of universal design as a framework for 
organization and implementation of services benefits, not just people 
with disabilities, but other job seekers with complex barriers to 
employment;
     Leveraging resources across generic and disability-
specific systems can enable the work force system to more effectively 
respond to the varying needs of job seekers with disabilities and 
maximize their own systems resources;
     The use of customized employment strategies and other 
forms of flexible work options can result in integrated, competitive 
employment for individuals with disabilities and others with complex 
barriers to employment; and
     Economic self-sufficiency for workers with disabilities is 
created not by the earning of wages alone, but by leveraging existing 
tax incentives, financial education, work incentives, and other 
strategies including, but not limited to, tax incentives for 
individuals and business, work incentives under Social Security, and 
matched savings accounts.

3. Definitions

    Definitions for purposes of this solicitation include:
     Universal Design: Universal Design is defined as the 
design of environments, products, and communication practices, as well 
as the delivery of programs, services, and activities, to meet the 
needs of all customers of the work force development system.
     Customized Employment: Customized employment is a process 
for individualizing the employment relationship between a job seeker 
and/or employee and an employer in ways that meet the needs of both, 
based on an individualized negotiation (including negotiation of the 
responsibilities and requirements of the job) that addresses the 
strengths, conditions, and interests of the job seeker and/or employee, 
and the identified business needs of the employer. Use of customized 
employment strategies results in a job in a competitive, integrated 
setting that pays minimum wage or above.

II. Award Information

    Estimated Available Funds: The full $2,350,000 for the initial 24-
month period of performance will be awarded in 2007.
    Period of Performance: 24 months from date of award with up to 
three (3) additional option years depending on performance, identified 
need, and the availability of future funding.
    The U.S. Department of Labor (``DOL'' or ``Department''), Office of 
Disability Employment Policy (``ODEP''), announces the availability of 
up to $2,350,000 to fund a national technical assistance and research 
Cooperative Agreement.

    Note: Selection of an organization as a Grantee does not 
constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before 
the actual grant is awarded, DOL may enter into negotiations about 
such items as program components, staffing (including key project 
staff and consultants), funding levels, and administrative systems 
in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not 
result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer 
reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and decline to fund 
the application.

    Because ODEP plans to make this award in the form of a cooperative 
agreement, DOL will have substantial involvement in the administration 
of the agreement. Such DOL involvement will consist of:

[[Page 39842]]

    (1) Approval of any sub-contract awarded by the Grantee after the 
grant award;
    (2) Participation in site visits to project areas;
    (3) Providing advice and consultation to the Grantee on specific 
program criteria;
    (4) Providing the Grantee with technical and programmatic support, 
including training in DOL monitoring and evaluation systems, and 
standard procedures regarding DOL management of cooperative agreements;
    (5) Reviewing, at reasonable times, all documents pertaining to the 
project, including status and technical progress reports, and financial 
reports. ODEP will provide the format for the reports;
    (6) Discussing administrative and technical issues pertaining to 
the project;
    (7) Approving all key personnel decisions, sub-contractors, and 
consultants;
    (8) Approving all fact sheets, training materials, press releases, 
and publicity-related materials regarding the project;
    (9) Approving all content for online resources developed through 
project activities, including clearing concepts for material production 
and final document production; and
    (10) Drafting terms of reference for, and participating in project 
evaluations.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants are consortia which may include a combination 
of any two or more of the following: Public/private non-profits or for-
profit organizations (including community and faith-based 
organizations) and universities and colleges all with demonstrated 
appropriate experience in providing technical assistance, and 
conducting research and demonstrations in targeted goal areas defined 
in this solicitation for increasing employment and economic self-
sufficiency for adults with disabilities. The demonstrated expertise 
required should include, but not be limited to:
     The work force development system, including both policy 
and practice, related to individuals with disabilities and others with 
complex barriers to employment, and the use of universal design 
features and strategies throughout physical and programmatic 
implementation of work force development services;
     The integration/partnership of work force development and 
other generic and disability-specific systems including leveraging and 
blending of funds and resources across systems, and the use of self-
directed accounts providing choice and control to the individual job-
seeker;
     The use of customized employment solutions for individuals 
with complex barriers to employment and their employers;
     The use of strategies for enhancing profitable employment 
and financial advantage for adults with disabilities, including but not 
limited to, tax incentives for individuals and business, individual 
development accounts, financial literacy training, and work incentives 
and benefits assistance available through Social Security; and
     Providing leadership development at the State and local 
implementation level, including building partnership and collaboration 
across generic and disability-specific systems and programs.
    There must be a prime or lead member of the consortium who is 
responsible for overall grant management and serves as the fiscal 
agent. All applications must clearly identify the lead grant recipient 
and fiscal agent, as well as all other members of the consortium 
including consultants applying for the grant. In addition, the 
application must identify the relationship between all of the members 
of the consortium.
    According to section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an 
organization, as described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986, that engages in lobbying activities will not be eligible 
for the receipt of Federal funds constituting an award, grant, or loan. 
See 2 U.S.C. 1611; 26 U.S.C. 501(c) (4). Funding restrictions apply. 
See Section IV (5).

2. Cost Sharing

    Cost sharing, matching funds, and cost participation are not 
required under this SGA. However, leveraging of public and private 
resources to foster inclusive service-delivery and achieve project 
sustainability is highly encouraged and included under evaluation 
criteria. See V (1) (b) (9).

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Legal rules pertaining to inherently religious activities by 
organizations that receive Federal Financial Assistance:
     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 or in the selection of sub-awardees.
     The government is generally prohibited from providing 
direct financial assistance for inherently religious activities.\1\
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    \1\ In this context, the term direct financial assistance means 
financial assistance that is provided directly by a government 
entity or an intermediate organization, as opposed to financial 
assistance that an organization receives as the result of the 
genuine and independent private choice of a beneficiary. In other 
contexts, the term ``direct'' financial assistance may be used to 
refer to financial assistance that an organization receives directly 
from the Federal Government (also known as ``discretionary'' 
assistance), as opposed to assistance that it receives from a State 
or local government (also known as ``indirect'' or ``block'' grant 
assistance). The term ``direct'' has the former meaning throughout 
this SGA.
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IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Addresses To Request Application Package

    This SGA contains all the information and forms needed to apply for 
this grant funding. Application announcements or forms will not be 
mailed. The Federal Register may be obtained from your nearest 
government office or library. In addition, a copy of this notice and 
the application requirements may be downloaded from ODEP's Web site at 
https://www.dol.gov/odep and at https://www.grants.gov. Applicants 
submitting proposals online are requested to refrain from mailing a 
hard copy application as well. It is strongly recommended that 
applicants using https://www.grants.gov immediately initiate and 
complete the ``Get Started'' registration steps at https://
www.grants.gov/GetStarted. These steps may take multiple days to 
complete, and this should be factored into plans for electronic 
submission in order to avoid facing unexpected delays that could result 
in the rejection of an application. If submitting electronically 
through https://www.grants.gov the application must be saved as .doc, 
.pdf, or .txt files. If additional copies of the standard forms are 
needed, they can also be downloaded from: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
omb/grants/grants_forms.html.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    General Requirements: Applicants must submit one (1) paper copy 
with an original signature and two (2) additional paper copies of the 
signed proposal. To aid with the review of applications, DOL also 
requires applicants to submit an electronic copy of their proposal's 
Sections II (Executive Summary) and III (Project Narrative) on disc or 
compact disc (CD) using Microsoft Word. The application (not to exceed 
30 pages for Section III), must be double-spaced with standard one-inch 
margins (top, bottom, and sides) on 8\1/2\ x 11-inch paper, and

[[Page 39843]]

must be presented on single-sided and numbered pages. A font size of at 
least twelve (12) pitch is required throughout. All text in the 
application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, 
quotations, and captions must be double-spaced (no more than three 
lines per vertical inch); and, if using a proportional computer font, 
must be in at least a 12-point font, and must have an average character 
density no greater than 18 characters per inch (if using a non-
proportional font or a typewriter, must not be more than 12 characters 
per inch). Applications that fail to meet these requirements will be 
considered non-responsive.
Cooperative Agreement Mandatory Application Requirements
    The three required sections of the application are titled below and 
described thereafter:

Section I--Project Financial Plan (No page limit).
Section II--Executive Summary--Project Synopsis (Not to exceed two 
(2) pages).
Section III--Project Narrative (Not to exceed 30 pages).

The mandatory requirements for each section are set forth below. 
Applications that fail to meet the stated mandatory requirements for 
each section will be considered non-responsive.
    Section I. Project Financial Plan (Budget): The Project Financial 
Plan will not count against the application page limits. Section I of 
the application must include the following:

(1) Completed ``SF-424--Application for Federal Assistance.''

    Please note that, beginning October 1, 2003, all applicants for 
Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to include a Dun 
and Bradstreet (DUNS) number with their application. See OMB Notice of 
Final Policy Issuance, 68 Fed. Reg. 38402 (June 27, 2003). The DUNS 
number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies 
business entities. There is no charge for obtaining a DUNS number 
(although it may take 14-30 days). To obtain a DUNS number, access the 
following Web site: https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Requests for exemption from the DUNS number requirement must be 
made to the Office of Management and Budget. The Dun and Bradstreet 
Number of the applicant should be entered in the ``Organizational 
Unit'' section of block 8 of the SF-424. (See Appendix A of this SGA 
for required form.)
    (2) The SF-424 must contain the original signatures of the legal 
entity applying for cooperative agreement funding and two additional 
copies of the signed SF-424. The individual signing the SF-424 on 
behalf of the applicant must represent and be able to legally bind the 
responsible financial and administrative entity for a cooperative 
agreement should that application result in an award. Applicants shall 
indicate on the SF-424 the organization's Internal Revenue Service 
(IRS) status (e.g. 501(c)(3) organization), if applicable.
    (3) Completed SF-424A--Budget Information Form by line item for all 
costs required to implement the project design effectively. (See 
Appendix B of this SGA for required forms.)
    (4) DOL Budget Narrative and Justification that provides sufficient 
information and methodologies used to support the reasonableness of the 
costs included in the budget in relation to the service strategy and 
planned outcomes, including continuous improvement activities.
    The DOL Budget Narrative and Justification must include a detailed 
cost breakout of each line item on the Budget Information Sheet. Please 
label this page or pages the ``Budget Narrative'' and ensure that costs 
reported on the SF 424A correspond accurately with the Budget 
Narrative; the Budget Narrative must include, at a minimum, Personnel 
Costs--Applicants must provide a breakout of all personnel cost b 
position, title, annual salary rates, and percent of time of each 
position to be devoted to the proposed project; Fringe Benefits--
Applicants must provide an explanation and breakout of fringe benefit 
rates and associated charges that exceed 35% of salaries and wages; 
Explanation of Costs and Methodologies--Applicants must provide an 
explanation of the purpose and composition of, and methodology used to 
derive the costs of each of the following: Personnel costs, fringe 
benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contracts, and any other costs. 
The applicant must include costs of any required travel described in 
this Solicitation; describe all costs associated with implementing the 
project that are to be covered with cooperative agreement funds. The 
budget must support the travel and associated costs of sending 
representatives to both a post-award conference and periodic meetings 
with ODEP staff in Washington, D.C. (at least once per quarter), at a 
time and place to be determined. In addition to other administrative 
requirements identified in section VI(2) of this SGA, the applicant 
must comply with the ``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments'' (also known 
as OMB Circular A-102), codified at 29 CFR part 97, or ``Grants and 
Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other 
Non-Profit Organizations'' (also known as the ``Common Rule'' or OMB 
Circular A-110), codified at 2 CFR part 215 and 29 CFR part 95.
    In addition, the budget submitted for review by DOL must include, 
on a separate page, a detailed cost analysis of each line item. The 
costs listed in the detailed cost analysis must comply with the 
applicable OMB cost principles circulars, as identified in 29 CFR 95.27 
and 29 CFR 97.22(b). Justification for administrative costs must be 
provided. Approval of a budget by DOL is not the same as the approval 
of actual costs. The applicant must also include the Assurances and 
Certifications Signature Page (Appendix C) and the Survey on Ensuring 
Equal Opportunity for Applicants (Appendix D).
    Section II. Executive Summary--Project Synopsis: The Executive 
Summary is limited to no more than two single-spaced, single-sided 
pages on 8\1/2\ x 11-inch paper with standard margins throughout. The 
project synopsis must identify the following:
    (1) The lead entity;
    (2) The list of consortium members and consultants, as appropriate; 
and
    (3) An overview of how the applicant will carry out the technical 
assistance and research activities described in Section I of this 
solicitation.
    Section III. Project Narrative: The DOL Cooperative Agreement 
Project Narrative is limited to no more than thirty (30), 8\1/2\ x 11'' 
pages, double-spaced with standard one-inch margins (top, bottom, and 
sides), and must be presented on single-sided, numbered pages. This 
page limit does not apply to Section I, the Project Financial Plan 
(Budget), Section II, the Executive Summary and the Appendices (the 
assurances and certifications, resumes, a bibliography or references, 
and the documentation of commitment/formal agreement/letters of support 
and other materials relevant to the application). A page is 8\1/2\ x 
11'' (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). 
All text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, and captions must be double-spaced (no more than 
three lines per vertical inch); and, if using a proportional computer 
font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average character 
density no greater than 18 characters per inch (if using a non-
proportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12 characters 
per inch).

[[Page 39844]]

    Applications must include a Project Narrative that addresses the 
work proposed to be accomplished under the Cooperative Agreement, and 
the evaluation/selection criteria in Part V(1) that will be used by 
reviewers in evaluating the application.
    The successful applicant will be a Technical Assistance and 
Research Consortium and will describe in their Project Narrative their 
innovative and comprehensive plan for accomplishing the technical 
assistance and research activities described in Part I(1) Description 
and Purpose, and Part I(2) Background.
    The Project Narrative must:
    (1) Identify members of the consortium (including the lead entity, 
other consortium members, and key consultants) and provide 
documentation (such as letters of intent and memorandum of agreement 
which will be included in an Appendix) of a formal agreement of 
participation;
    (2) Demonstrate each of the consortium members' and key 
consultants' relevant experience and expertise;
    (3) Identify how the applicant proposes to disseminate research 
findings and technical assistance products; and
    (4) Identify how the applicant proposes to monitor the 
implementation and/or adoption of technical assistance and training and 
otherwise provide evidence of project impact.
    Each Project Narrative must include:
    (1) A detailed 24-month management plan for project goals, 
objectives, and activities;
    (2) A detailed 24-month timeline for project activities, including 
producing and submitting a final report;
    (3) A detailed outline for an evaluation of the project (see 
Section V(1)(f) for more information);
    (4) A description of procedures and approaches that will be used to 
provide ongoing communication, collaboration with, and input from 
ODEP's Project Officer on all grant-related activities.
    (5) A detailed description of how the consortia will work with 
multiple Federal, State and local public and private entities to 
implement and monitor implementation of policy recommendations and 
strategies identified in carrying out project activities; and
    (6) A detailed description of measures that will be taken to ensure 
that elements of the project's technical assistance will be sustained 
following the completion of project activities.
    The Project Narrative must describe the proposed staffing for the 
project and must identify and summarize the qualifications of the 
personnel who will carry it out related to the objectives of this 
solicitation. In addition, the evaluation criteria listed in Section V 
(1)(c) include consideration of the qualifications, including relevant 
education, training, and experience, of key project personnel, as well 
as the qualifications, including relevant education, training and 
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors. Resumes must be 
included in the appendices. Key personnel include any individual 
(whether consortium member or individual consultant or contractor) 
playing a substantial role in the project. Minimum qualifications 
should be commensurate with the role identified in the application. In 
addition, the applicant must specify in the application the percentages 
of time to be dedicated by each key person on the project.
    For each staff person named in the application, documentation of 
all internal and external time commitments shall be provided. In 
instances where a staff person is committed on a Federally supported 
project, the project name, Federal office, program title, the project 
Federal award number, and the amount of committed time by each project 
year shall be provided. This information (e.g., Staff: Jane Doe; 
Project Name: Succeeding in the General Curriculum; Federal office: 
Office of Special Education Programs; Program title: Field-Initiated 
Research; Award number: H324C980624; Time commitments: Year 1-30%; Year 
2-25% and Year 3-40%) can be provided as an appendix to the 
application.
    In general, ODEP will not reduce time commitments on currently 
funded grants from the time proposed in the original application. 
Therefore, ODEP will not consider for funding any application where key 
staff are bid above a time commitment level that staff have available 
to bid. Further, the time commitments stated in newly submitted 
applications will not be negotiated down to permit the applicant to 
receive a new grant award.
    The Project Narrative should also describe how the applicant plans 
to comply with the employment discrimination and equal employment 
opportunity requirements of the various laws listed in the assurances 
section.

3. Submission Dates, Times and Addresses

    Applications will be accepted commencing July 20, 2007. The closing 
date for receipt of applications by DOL under this announcement is 
August 20, 2007.
    Applications, including those hand delivered, must be received by 
4:45 p.m. (EST) on the closing date at the address specified below. No 
exceptions to the mailing and hand-delivery conditions set forth in 
this notice will be granted. Applications that do not meet the 
conditions set forth in this notice will be considered non-responsive.
    Applications must be mailed or hand delivered to: U.S. Department 
of Labor, Procurement Services Center, Attention: Cassandra Mitchell, 
Reference SGA 07-05, Room S-4307, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20210. Applications sent by e-mail or telefascimile 
(FAX) will not be accepted.
    Hand-Delivered Proposals: Hand-delivered applications will be 
considered for funding, but must be received by the above specified 
date and time. Overnight or express delivery from carriers other than 
the U.S. Postal Service will be considered hand-delivered applications. 
It is preferred that applications be mailed at least five (5) days 
prior to the closing date to ensure timely receipt. Failure to adhere 
to the above instructions will serve as a basis for a determination of 
non-responsiveness.
    Applicants are advised that mail in the Washington, DC area may be 
delayed due to mail decontamination procedures and may wish to take 
this information into consideration when preparing to meet the 
application deadline.
    Late Applications: Any application received by the designated 
office after the exact date and time specified will be considered non-
responsive, unless it is received before awards are made and it: (a) Is 
determined that its late receipt was caused by DOL error after timely 
delivery to the Department of Labor; (b) 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 submitted in response to a solicitation requiring receipt 
of applications by the 20th of the month must have been postmarked by 
the 15th of that month); or (c) was sent by the U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail Next Day Service to addressee not later than 5:00 p.m. at 
the place of mailing two (2) working days prior to the date specified 
for receipt of applications. The term ``working days'' excludes 
weekends and Federal holidays. ``Postmarked'' means a printed, stamped, 
or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine 
impression) that is readily identifiable without further action as 
having been supplied or affixed on the

[[Page 39845]]

date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service.
    Withdrawal of Applications: An application that is timely submitted 
may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram (including mailgram) 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's identity is made known and the representative 
signs a receipt for the proposal.

4. Intergovernmental Review

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

5. Funding Restrictions

    (a) Funding Levels: The total funding available for this 
solicitation is $2,350,000. The Department of Labor reserves the right 
to negotiate the amounts to be awarded under this competition. Please 
be advised that requests exceeding the maximum stated amount will be 
considered non-responsive. Additionally, there will be no reimbursement 
of pre-award costs.
    (b) Period of Performance: The period of performance will be for 24 
months from the date of the award unless modified. It is expected that 
the successful applicant will begin program operations under this 
solicitation immediately upon receiving the ``Notice of Award.''
    (c) Option Year Funding: Up to three (3) additional option years 
may be available depending on performance, identified need, and the 
availability of future funding.
    (d) Indirect Charges: If indirect charges are claimed in the 
proposed budget, the recipient must provide on a separate sheet, the 
following information:
    (1) Name and address of cognizant Federal audit agency;
    (2) Name, address and phone number (including area code) of the 
Government auditor;
    (3) Documentation from the cognizant agency indicating:
    (a) Current indirect cost rate and the base against which the rate 
should be applied;
    (b) Effective period (dates) for the rate; and
    (c) Date last rate was computed and negotiated.
    (4) If no government audit agency computed and authorized the rate 
claimed, a proposed rate with justification may be submitted providing 
a brief explanation of computation, who computed the rate, and the date 
of the computation. Successful applicants will be required to negotiate 
an acceptable and allowable rate within 90 days of grant award with the 
appropriate DOL Regional Office of Cost Determination or with the 
applicant's cognizant agency for indirect cost rates (See Office of 
Management and Budget Web site at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/
attach.html). The recipient shall call the Office of Cost Determination 
at 202-693-4100 for the initial contact.
    However, applications claiming an indirect cost rate greater than 
15% will not be considered.

V. Application Review Information

1. Evaluation Criteria

    A technical panel will review grant applications against the 
criteria listed below, on the basis of the maximum points indicated.
(a) Significance of the Proposed Project (10 Points)
    In determining the significance of the proposed research, the 
Department will consider the following factors:
    1. The potential contribution of the proposed project to increase 
knowledge or understanding of problems, issues, or effective strategies 
for promoting leadership to increase employment and economic self-
sufficiency for adults with disabilities;
    2. The likelihood that the proposed project will result in systems 
change or improvement across generic and disability-specific systems;
    3. The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the needs 
of the target population as they relate to targeted goal areas in this 
solicitation;
    4. The likely utility of the products (such as information, 
materials, processes, or techniques) that will result from the proposed 
project, including the potential for their being used effectively in a 
variety of other settings;
    5. The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to 
be attained by the proposed project; and
    6. The extent to which the proposed project builds upon prior work 
done by ODEP and its partners around increasing employment for adults 
with disabilities, including integration of universal strategies, 
customized employment, and related policies and practices within and 
across generic and disability-specific systems.
(b) Project Design (25 Points)
    In evaluating the quality of the proposed project design, the 
Department will consider the following factors:
    1. The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
    2. The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes 
a comprehensive review of the relevant literature, a detailed plan for 
project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological tools 
to ensure successful achievement of project objectives;
    3. The extent to which the proposed project will effectively 
contribute to increased knowledge, understanding, and utilization of 
strategies in targeted goal areas by building upon current research, 
and effective practices;
    4. The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related Federal technical assistance efforts, such as 
research, training, and information efforts;
    5. The extent to which the proposed project encourages involvement 
of relevant experts and organizations including individuals with 
disabilities and generic systems' personnel;
    6. The extent to which performance feedback and continuous 
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project;
    7. The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or 
beneficiaries of those services;
    8. The adequacy of the documentation submitted in support of the 
proposed project to demonstrate the commitment of each entity or 
individual included in project implementation;
    9. The extent to which the proposed project leverages other public 
and private resources to foster inclusive service delivery and 
sustainability and provides other concrete evidence of sustainability, 
including appropriate letters of support included in the appendices; 
and
    10. The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes 
a comprehensive strategy for providing technical assistance and 
conducting research to effectively integrate universal design and 
services, customized employment and flexible work options, and use of 
tax incentives, work incentives, and other strategies for enhancing 
employment profitability into the policy and practice of public and 
private workforce systems (and their public and private partners) 
nationally.
(c) Organizational Capacity and Quality of Key Personnel (25 points)
    Applications will be evaluated based on the extent to which the 
applicant

[[Page 39846]]

demonstrates organizational capacity and quality of key personnel to 
implement the proposed project, including:
    1. Demonstrated experience with similar projects providing 
technical assistance and conducting research relating to targeted goal 
areas;
    2. Qualifications and demonstrated experience of the applicant's 
key personnel, subcontractors and consultants particularly in targeted 
goal areas; and
    3. Appropriateness of the organization's structure to carry out the 
project.
(d) Budget and Resource Capacity (10 Points)
    In evaluating the capacity of the applicant to carry out the 
proposed project, ODEP will consider the following factors:
    1. The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project; and