Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) for Community-Based Job Training Grants, 60340-60356 [E8-24107]

Agencies

• Employment and Training Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 198 (Friday, October 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60340-60356]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24107]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant 
Applications (SGA) for Community-Based Job Training Grants

    Announcement type: Notice of Solicitation for Grant Applications.
    Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY 08-02.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 17.269.

Key Dates:  The closing date for receipt of applications under this 
announcement is November 24, 2008. Applications must be received at the 
address below no later than 4 p.m. (Eastern Time). Application and 
submission information is explained in detail in Part IV of this SGA. A 
Virtual Prospective Applicant Conference will be held for this grant 
competition on October 24, 2008 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Additional 
information and links to registration for the Virtual Prospective 
Applicant Conference will be posted on ETA's Web site at https://
www.doleta.gov/business/Community-BasedJobTrainingGrants.cfm.

SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. 
Department of Labor (DOL), announces the availability of approximately 
$125 million in grant funds for Community-Based Job Training Grants.
    Community-Based Job Training Grants will be awarded through a 
competitive process to support workforce training for high-growth/high-
demand industries through the national system of community and 
technical colleges. Funds will be awarded to individual community and 
technical colleges, community college districts, state community 
college systems, and One-Stop Career Centers to support or engage in a 
combination of capacity building and training activities for the 
purpose of building the capacity of community colleges to train 
individuals for careers in high-growth/high-demand industries in the 
local and/or regional economies. This Solicitation contains an 
exception for rural areas and other communities that are educationally 
underserved due to their lack of access to community or technical 
colleges.
    In awarding Community-Based Job Training Grants, every effort will 
be made to fairly distribute grants across rural and urban areas and 
across the different geographic regions of the United States. It is 
anticipated that individual awards will range from $500,000 to $2 
million.
    This Solicitation provides background information and describes the 
application submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible 
entities must use to apply for funds covered by this Solicitation, and 
details how grantees will be selected.

ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department 
of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Attention: Chari Magruder, Reference SGA/DFA PY 08-02, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-4716, Washington, DC 20210. 
Telefacsimile (FAX) applications will not be accepted. Information 
about applying online can be found in Section IV.C of this document. 
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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    This solicitation consists of eight parts:
     Part I is the funding opportunity description that 
includes background information on the topics of: Globalization, 
regional innovation, economic competitiveness, and talent development; 
the Employment and Training Administration's strategic workforce 
investment strategies; and a description of the critical elements of 
Community-Based Job Training Grants.
     Part II describes the size and nature of the anticipated 
awards.
     Part III describes eligibility information and other grant 
specifications.
     Part IV provides information on the application and 
submission process.
     Part V describes the criteria against which applications 
will be reviewed and evaluated, and explains the proposal review 
process.
     Part VI provides award administration information.
     Part VII contains DOL agency contact information.

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     Part VIII lists additional resources of interest to 
applicants.
     Attachment A provides grantees with a template for a 
Memorandum of Agreement that they can submit with their proposal 
regarding a grant evaluation.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    The Community-Based Job Training Grants (CBJTGs) are designed to 
support workforce training for high-growth/high-demand industries 
through the national system of community and technical colleges. The 
primary purposes of these grants are to build the capacity of community 
colleges to provide training and to train workers to develop the skills 
required to succeed in local or regional (i) industries and occupations 
that are expected to experience high-growth and (ii) industries where 
demand for qualified workers is outstripping the supply. Part A 
provides an overview of globalization, regional innovation and economic 
competitiveness and ETA's transformational vision of talent development 
in a regional economy; and Part B describes the critical elements of 
CBJTGs.

A. Background

1. Globalization, Regional Innovation and Economic Competitiveness
    In the 21st Century global economy, talent development is a key 
factor in our nation's competitiveness. Global competition is typically 
seen as a national challenge. In reality, regions are where companies, 
workers, researchers, entrepreneurs and governments come together to 
create and contribute to our nation's competitive advantage in the 
global marketplace. That advantage rests on 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 people, institutions, capital, and 
infrastructure to generate growth and prosperity in the region's 
economy. 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.
    Maximizing the impact of talent development activities requires 
strong strategic partnerships composed of individuals and organizations 
that act in concert to transform the regional economy, including: The 
workforce investment system; employers; educators and training 
providers (such as community and technical 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. These strategic partnerships should 
focus on systemic solutions that address short-term challenges while 
contributing to long-term talent development and economic growth.
    A regional approach to talent development 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. It incorporates 
demand-driven skills development into the region's larger economic 
development, and integrates workforce development, economic 
development, and education efforts into a comprehensive system that is 
both flexible and responsive to the needs of business and workers.
    ETA has modeled the role of strategic partnerships in demand-driven 
workforce investment through the High Growth Job Training Initiative 
(HGJTI). Through the HGJTI, ETA identifies high-growth, high-demand 
industries; evaluates their skill needs; and funds 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. CBJTGs address one of the key workforce issue areas for 
many high growth industries, lack of educational capacity. CBJTGs build 
the capacity of the nation's community college system to train workers 
in the skills required to succeed in high growth, high demand 
industries. ETA seeks to ensure that these investments are fully 
connected to broader talent development strategies that are critical to 
regional economic growth.
    The CBJTGs continue to build upon the work of the HGJTI by 
incorporating its focus on high-growth, high-demand industries and its 
emphasis on the role of strategic partnerships in workforce development 
while addressing the critical capacity constraints of community 
colleges.
    Businesses in high-growth, high-demand industries face increasing 
difficulties in finding workers with the right skills. According to the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics, ninety percent of the fastest growing jobs 
in the United States require some level of education or training beyond 
high school. The accessibility and affordability of community college 
training, combined with the adaptability of community college curricula 
to changing skill needs, make community colleges a vital training 
resource for many U.S. workers. Furthermore, community colleges are 
closely connected to local and regional labor markets, making them 
well-positioned to prepare workers for good jobs with good wages in 
their regional economy.
    However, community college leaders and industry executives report 
that many community colleges are unable to meet the demand for training 
in their region because of critical capacity constraints. These 
capacity constraints occur when community colleges lack sufficient 
resources to support training facilities and equipment, curriculum 
development, faculty appointments, clinical experiences, and/or other 
elements that are necessary to provide either the volume or quality of 
training that industry requires. Despite rising application rates, the 
reality of current state and local budgets often prevent community 
colleges from funding the programs, faculty, and student services 
needed to be responsive to regional workforce demands.
    Similar to the HGJTI, CBJTGs highlight the critical role community 
colleges play as key strategic partners in a demand-driven workforce 
investment system, and the need for strong integration of industry 
driven training initiatives to broader talent development strategies in 
regional economies.
    Recognizing the growing need for regional economic competitiveness 
in the global economy, ETA has continued to evolve its strategies for 
supporting strategic workforce development. Through the Workforce 
Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative, ETA 
supports broad regional partnerships as they expand employment and 
advancement opportunities for American workers and catalyze the 
creation of high-skill and high-wage opportunities in regional 
economies. To optimize innovation and successful regional economic 
transformation, the WIRED strategic 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,

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and education efforts into a comprehensive system that is both flexible 
and responsive to the needs of business and workers. More information 
and tools to help implement a WIRED strategic framework can be found 
at: https://www.doleta.gov/WIRED.

B. Critical Elements of Community-Based Job Training Grants

    It is ETA's expectation that CBJTGs will contain at least seven 
critical elements. These elements consist of: (1) A focus on skill and 
competency needs of high-growth/high-demand industries that are locally 
defined in the context of the regional economy; (2) strategic 
partnerships; (3) industry-driven capacity building and training 
efforts; (4) leveraged resources; (5) replication of successful models 
for broad distribution; (6) clear and specific outcomes; and (7) 
integration with regional economic and talent development strategies. 
These characteristics are reflected in the evaluation criteria in Part 
V and are described in further detail below.
    1. Focus on Skill and Competency Needs of High-Growth/High-Demand 
Industries as locally defined in the context of the regional economy. 
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-220) (WIA) emphasizes 
a workforce system driven by the needs of local employers. In order for 
America to remain competitive in the global economy, it is essential 
that ETA target its investments to support employers in high-growth/
high-demand industries. Community colleges, Workforce Investment 
Boards, and One-Stop Career Centers play a vital role in this effort by 
understanding the workforce needs of these industries and providing 
training and other services to address those needs.
    A high-growth/high-demand industry meets one or more of the 
following criteria: (1) Is projected to add substantial numbers of new 
jobs to the economy; (2) has a significant impact on the economy 
overall; (3) impacts the growth of other industries; (4) is being 
transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skill sets for 
workers; or (5) is a new and emerging business that is projected to 
grow. CBJTGs will support industry demand for training in local or 
regional high-growth/high-demand industries. Regions are typically 
defined as geographically contiguous areas and can include multiple 
counties and cities and cross state lines. A range of factors 
contribute to the formation of a region, including economic 
interdependence (such as a common industry or industries) and shared 
assets (such as human capital, research and development entities, 
educational institutions, and airports and other types of 
infrastructure). ETA encourages applicants to define local high-growth 
industries in the context of their regional economy by illustrating how 
the industry is aligned with and fits into the region's economic 
development activities.
    2. Strategic Partnerships. ETA believes that strategic partnerships 
between community colleges; the workforce investment system, including 
One-Stop Career Centers; business and industry; and the continuum of 
education, including the K-12 system, adult education, and four-year 
colleges and universities need to be in place in order to implement 
effective demand-driven training and capacity building strategies. 
These strategic partnerships may have a local, regional, or statewide 
focus, and may include a consortium of partners or cross-industry 
representatives. Specific requirements for strategic partnerships are 
outlined in Section III.C.1 and in the exception detailed in Section 
III.C.5. These strategic partnerships should focus broadly on the 
workforce challenges of one or more high-growth, high-demand industries 
and work collaboratively to identify and implement solutions to those 
challenges. Solutions should include, among others, strategies to 
increase the capacity of community colleges to educate and train more 
workers with industry-defined skills and competencies. Therefore, the 
investment in community college capacity building would be one of many 
strategies and solutions that evolve from the partnership. While ETA 
welcomes applications from newly formed strategic partnerships, 
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 in the economy and the nature 
of the skills and competencies necessary for work in these industries, 
these partnerships need to be substantial and sustained. ETA encourages 
partners to plan for the partnership's sustainability beyond the CBJTGs 
investment period to enable ongoing assessment of industry workforce 
needs and collaborative development of solutions on a continual basis.
    Within the context of the broader strategic partnership and as it 
relates to this grant, each collaborative partner should have clearly 
defined roles. These roles must be verified through a letter of 
commitment submitted by each partner. The letter of commitment must 
detail the role the partner will play in the project, including 
specific responsibilities and resources committed, if appropriate. 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 employers, education and training providers, 
and the workforce system will contribute to the partnership in the 
following ways as outlined below. In addition, applicants are also 
encouraged to partner with faith-based and community organizations, as 
described below:
    a. Employers must be actively engaged in the project and should 
participate fully with other key partners in grant activities 
including: defining the program strategy and goals; identifying needed 
skills and competencies; designing training approaches and curricula; 
implementing the program; contributing financial support; and, where 
appropriate, hiring qualified training graduates.
    b. Education and training providers, including K-12 (elementary, 
middle, and high schools, as well as career and technical high 
schools), adult education, community and technical colleges, four-year 
colleges and universities, and other training entities, are important 
foundational partners to ensure the project's activities are tied to 
the broader continuum of education in the region. These entities assist 
in developing and implementing industry-driven workforce education 
strategies in partnership with employers that include competency 
models, curricula, and new learning methodologies, including 
technology-based learning.
    c. The workforce investment system, which may include State and 
Local Workforce Investment Boards, State Workforce Agencies, and One-
Stop Career Centers and their cooperating partners, as such terms are 
defined under WIA, may play a number of roles, including: Identifying 
and assessing candidates for training; working collaboratively to 
leverage WIA investments; referring qualified candidates to the 
community college for enrollment in training programs; providing access 
to wrap-around supportive services, when appropriate; and connecting 
qualified training graduates to employers that have existing job 
openings. Additionally, the workforce investment system in general, and 
One-Stop Career Centers in particular, have substantive experience in 
tracking the outcomes of program participants. One-Stop Career Centers 
may coordinate, provide support, or manage the tracking of training

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recipients for the performance management aspect of the CBJTGs. State 
labor market information systems are a valuable source of information 
on regional workforce needs. ETA encourages applicants to utilize these 
systems both as they develop their proposals and as part of their 
ongoing efforts to understand the workforce needs of their regional 
economies.
    d. ETA also encourages applicants to partner with faith-based and 
community organizations to serve populations with barriers to 
employment. Faith-based and community organizations often possess the 
compassion, commitment and expertise needed to prepare and mentor 
people in search of employment. These organizations also possess an 
intimate knowledge of the community, its resources and potential 
program participants. Faith-based and community organizations can 
provide a variety of services to help populations with barriers to 
employment prepare for, enter, and stay in the labor market, such as: 
Assessment of skills and barriers to employment, case management, 
mentoring, English language acquisition, and job retention services, 
among others. Faith-based and community organizations can also provide 
wrap-around, holistic, and comprehensive support services where 
appropriate, such as employability skills training, life skills 
training, job retention support, family support services and career 
awareness activities.
    Faith-based and community organizations can also be effective 
partners in serving populations with barriers to employment. 
Populations with barriers to employment are prevalent in regional 
economies around the country, and include groups such as ex-offenders, 
individuals with disabilities, veterans, and older workers. In many 
communities these populations are key non-traditional labor pools that 
can help employers address their pressing workforce challenges, but may 
not be fully utilized by regional employers. ETA encourages applicants 
to identify specific faith-based and community organizations with whom 
they will collaborate; outline the specific role these organizations 
will play in their project and demonstrate how partnerships with faith-
based and community organizations are part of the regional training 
efforts that are included in their project; and discuss how these 
partnerships will help populations with barriers to employment receive 
training in high-growth, high-demand industries.
    3. Industry-Driven Capacity Building and Training Efforts. Under 
CBJTGs, community colleges, or other entities as specified in the 
exception detailed in Section III.C.5, must develop and implement a 
combination of capacity building and training activities that target 
skills and competencies demanded by local high-growth/high-demand 
industries as defined in the context of the region's economy. 
Applicants are not limited in the strategies and approaches they may 
employ to implement college capacity building and training strategies, 
provided the activities meet the following requirements:
    a. Training. Training activities must: (1) Be provided by a 
community or technical college, except as specified in Section III.C.5 
of this Solicitation; (2) occur within the context of workforce 
education that supports long-term career growth, such as an articulated 
career ladder/lattice; and (3) result in credentials that are industry-
recognized and indicate a level of mastery and competence in a given 
field or function. Please note, when using credentials, CBJTGs must 
follow the definition of credential and (if applicable) certificate in 
Attachment B to TEGL 17-05 on Common Measures, found at: https://
wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL17-05_AttachB.pdf.
    The credential awarded to participants upon completion 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:
    i. Customized and short-term training should result in a 
performance-based certification or credential. This certification may 
be developed jointly by employers and the community college, based on 
defined knowledge and skill requirements for specific high-demand 
occupations/functions. Performance-based certifications may also be 
based on industry-recognized curriculum and standards.
    ii. Training in information technology, allied health professions, 
and other fields with established professional standards and 
examinations should result in certification or appropriate licensure.
    iii. In states where licensure is required for the specific 
occupation targeted by the training, the credentialing requirement 
should take licensing requirements into account.
    iv. In some instances, credential attainment may not occur prior to 
the end of the grant period due to the length of the training program. 
For example, training provided under CBJTGs may lead to a degree after 
the grant program is over. In these instances, college credit for each 
course leading to a Certificate or an Associates or Applied Associates 
degree will meet the program's credential requirement.
    b. Capacity Building. CBJTGs applicants are encouraged to broadly 
assess their capacity to meet the training needs of the targeted high-
growth/high-demand industry or industries. Proposed capacity building 
strategies are expected to address significant barriers which impede 
the ability of the community college, or other entity as specified in 
the exception detailed in Section III.C.5, to meet local and regional 
industry demand for workforce training as well as increase the capacity 
of the college to provide training resulting in an increase in the 
pipeline of skilled workers ready for employment or promotion in the 
regional economy. These strategies should not simply address isolated 
deficits, but rather provide a comprehensive solution to identified 
capacity challenges as they relate to the industry or industries of 
focus. Additionally, to avoid duplication, applicants are encouraged to 
align and leverage their proposed capacity building activities with 
existing curricula, competency models and other frameworks developed by 
existing HGJTI and CBJT grantees.
    Examples of capacity building activities include, but are not 
limited to:
    i. The development or adaptation of competency models and curricula 
to support training;
    ii. The development of innovative curricula, teaching methods and 
instructional design to maximize the impact of the initiative in 
meeting the skills needs of employers;
    iii. Innovative strategies to ensure availability of qualified and 
certified instructors;
    iv. Procurement of equipment and simulation equipment necessary to 
train to industry-demanded skills;
    v. Support for clinical experiences required for certification or 
licensure; or
    vi. Development of technology-based distance learning curricula and 
programs to promote better access to education and training programs.
    Capacity building activities must meet two criteria: (1) The 
proposed capacity building efforts must be directly linked to the 
specific training supported under the grant; and (2) grantees must use 
their grant funds in a manner consistent with the regulations and 
policies governing use of funds under Section 171(d) of WIA, which 
broadly allows the funds to be utilized to test an array of approaches 
to the provision of training services and supports the development and 
replication of effective training strategies. Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to review Section

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171(d) of WIA and to review allowable types of capacity building 
activities under Federal funds. Grantees may not utilize Federal funds 
on unallowable activities, even if those activities are written in a 
successful application, and any such activities will need to be removed 
from a grant statement of work.
    In their capacity building and training activities, ETA encourages 
CBJTGs applicants, particularly those serving rural areas and other 
areas that are educationally underserved due to lack of access to 
community colleges, to look at technology-based distance learning 
options when building their capacity to provide training. Technology-
Based Learning (TBL) is transforming the way people learn and can 
increase the geographic reach of training. TBL can be defined as the 
learning of content via all electronic technology, including the 
Internet, intranets, satellite broadcasts, audio and video tape, video 
and audio conference, Internet conferencing, chat rooms, bulletin 
boards, Web casts, computer-based instruction and CD-ROM. It 
encompasses related terms, such as online learning, Web-based learning, 
computer-based learning and e-learning. For example, a college may 
convert industry-specific curricula typically offered in traditional 
classroom settings to technology-based learning (e-learning or online) 
or develop technology-based learning training programs so that 
dislocated workers, incumbent workers, and/or new job entrants can 
access training 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
    4. Leveraged Resources. Projects funded through CBJTGs should 
leverage resources from key entities in the strategic partnership. 
Leveraging resources in the context of strategic partnerships 
accomplishes three goals: (1) It allows for the strategic pursuit of 
resources; (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.
    Leveraged resources include both Federal and non-Federal funds and 
may come from many sources. Applicants are required to leverage WIA 
training resources to support their project, and encouraged to leverage 
other types of WIA funding at the state and local level into their 
proposed project. Integrating WIA funds ensures that the full spectrum 
of assets available from the workforce system is leveraged to support 
capacity building and training activities. The wide variety of WIA 
programs and activities provide both breadth and depth to the proposed 
solution offered to both businesses and individuals. The use of WIA 
funds also serves to embed the solutions-based approach into the local 
or regional workforce investment system, which strengthens the system's 
ability to become more demand-driven.
    Applicants must demonstrate the integration of WIA training 
resources into grant activities, such as covering tuition costs for 
eligible new or incumbent workers. Examples of WIA training resources 
include Individual Training Accounts (ITAs), customized training, and 
Career Advancement Accounts (CAAs). ITAs are training funds that can be 
used by individuals who have been determined eligible by their local 
One-Stop Career Center(s) to receive WIA funded training. Customized 
training, defined at 20 CFR 663.715, is designed to meet the special 
requirements of an employer; is conducted with a commitment by the 
employer to employ, or continue to employ, an individual on successful 
completion of the training; and has the employer providing not less 
than 50% of the cost of the training (if employer contributions are 
provided toward the costs of customized training in support of grant 
activities, non-wage portions of these contributions may be considered 
leveraged resources). CAAs are self-managed accounts that are currently 
being piloted in eight states: Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. Under the demonstrations, an 
individual would apply for a CAA at a One-Stop Career Center that would 
enable the individual to gain the education and training needed to 
successfully enter, navigate, and advance in 21st century jobs.
    Other key sources of leveraged resources may be businesses, faith-
based and community organizations, economic development entities, 
education systems, and philanthropic foundations, which often invest 
resources to support workforce development. 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 programs such as registered apprenticeship, 
as well as non-DOL One-Stop partner programs such as Vocational 
Rehabilitation, Adult Education, and Department of Education Pell 
Grants. Faith-based and community organizations also may provide 
resources such as supportive services, mentoring, tutoring, and 
volunteers-all of which are important for grantees to leverage when 
assisting certain individuals targeted by these funds.
    When leveraging resources, please include the following information 
in the budget narrative and Part II of the application, as applicable: 
(1) The total amount leveraged from Federal sources; (2) the total 
amount leveraged from non-Federal sources; (3) the partners 
contributing the resources; and (4) the projected activities, broken 
out by the source of the leveraged resource (Federal or non-Federal), 
to be implemented utilizing these resources. Applicants should note 
that, as ETA evaluates proposals, the quality of the leveraged 
resources contributed will be evaluated, rather than the specific 
amount of resources contributed.
    ETA encourages CBJTG applicants and their strategic partners to be 
entrepreneurial as they seek out, utilize, and sustain these resources, 
whether they are in-kind or cash contributions, when creating capacity 
building and training strategies to effectively address the workforce 
challenges identified by industry.
    5. Replication of Successful Models for Broad Distribution. CBJTGs 
are intended to drive the community college and workforce investment 
systems to be more responsive to the workforce demands of industry by 
making the products, models, and effective approaches that result from 
CBJTG investments available to both systems. To that end, grantees will 
develop the foundations and outcomes of CBJTGs projects, including the 
learning and achievements resulting from the projects, into solutions-
based models that can be shared with, and implemented by, other 
community colleges, the workforce system, and industry leaders.
    ETA is currently pursuing an aggressive national dissemination 
strategy for grant products that focuses on widely distributing grantee 
tools, models, and products through a network of stakeholders including 
education and industry partners, and the public workforce system. As 
noted in section IV.E., the Federal government retains the right to use 
and distribute materials developed with grant funds. CBJTG grantees are 
required to submit the products and tools developed through the CBJTGs, 
including curriculum, competency models, distance learning tools, 
career awareness and outreach materials, research, case studies, career 
lattices, creation of industry skill centers, and Web sites to ETA for 
dissemination. Products will be available online at 
www.Workforce3One.org.
    Workforce3 One offers the public workforce system, employers, 
economic development professionals, and

[[Page 60345]]

education professionals an innovative knowledge network designed to 
create and support demand-driven communities, one that responds 
directly to business needs and prepares workers for good jobs in the 
fastest growing careers. By supporting replicable projects that can be 
implemented in multiple areas and industries, ETA is able to maximize 
its investment by expanding the grant's impact beyond the initial grant 
site and helping additional businesses and workers in other regions.
    6. Clear and Specific Outcomes. The CBJTGs are intended to achieve 
increased training capacity of community colleges for high growth, high 
demand industries and to train workers for those industries. Grants are 
expected to generate clear and specific outcomes that are appropriate 
to the nature of the solution and size of the project; that are 
achievable by the partnership during the life of the grant; that 
indicate progress towards meeting the workforce challenges identified 
by the partnership; and that the partnership can effectively report to 
ETA on a quarterly basis. Because CBJTG grantees are expected to invest 
in customized strategies to address local and regional workforce and 
skills shortages, ETA recognizes that specific outcomes will vary from 
project to project based on the specific activities proposed by 
applicants. Standard data collected from all grantees provides only 
part of the information necessary to measure CBJTGs successes 
effectively, so grant recipients may also define additional outcome 
measures appropriate to their project. CBJTGs applicants must 
demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed training activities by 
creating appropriate outcome projections for the project, which will be 
considered baseline performance measures for the grant if awarded. 
Additionally, applicants should note that CBJT grantees must report to 
ETA, on a quarterly basis, their progress towards meeting the projected 
capacity building and training outcomes listed in their applications.
    a. Training Outcomes: Training outcomes must include those tracked 
by the Common Measures, which are uniform evaluation metrics for job 
training and employment programs. The Common Measures are an integral 
part of ETA's performance accountability system. Applicants must 
include projected outcomes to be achieved during the life of the grant 
for the Entered Employment Rate Adult Common Measure. Grantees will 
also be required to report quarterly on their outcomes for all three 
Adult Common Measures--Entered Employment Rate, Employment Retention 
Rate, and Average Earnings. Please note that ETA recognizes that the 
reporting of certain data is contingent on the timing of the 
availability of data. Data must be reported when it is available. 
Additionally, tracking Common Measures requires either the collection 
of four data elements (Social Security number, employment status at 
participation, date of exit, and reason for exit) or use of 
supplemental data. A detailed description of ETA's policy on the Common 
Measures can be found in the Training and Employment Guidance Letter 
(TEGL) No. 17-05 (https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_
doc.cfm?DOCN=2195). Applicants may find it useful to review this 
document prior to submitting applications under this Solicitation.
    The Common Measures provide only part of the information necessary 
to measure CBJTGs successes effectively. Applicants are required to 
provide projections and track and report outcomes for each of the 
following outcome categories: total number of participants served, 
total number of participants beginning education/training activities; 
total number of participants completing education/training activities; 
total number of participants that complete education/training 
activities that receive a degree/certificate; total number of 
participants that complete education/training activities that enter 
employment; and the total number of participants that complete 
education/training activities that enter training-related employment. 
Grantees will be required, on a quarterly basis, to report on their 
outcomes for each of these outcome categories, as well as additional 
information such as total exiters.
    Applicants should also note that proposals will be evaluated based 
on outcomes, per the evaluation criteria in Section V.4.a. Therefore, 
all outcome categories and outcome projections provided in the 
application will become part of the project's statement of work as the 
baseline goals for the grant, should the application be funded. It is 
not ETA's intent to renegotiate performance outcomes after grant awards 
are made, though it reserves the right to do so if necessary.
    Finally, ETA has cleared and published a report format for grantees 
under the HGJTI and CBJTGs entitled: ``High Growth and Community-Based 
Job Training Grants: General Quarterly Reporting Forms & 
Instructions.'' The required format and associated instructions are 
available at: https://www.doleta.gov/Performance/Guidance/wia.cfm#HGBIT, 
and provide grantees with information on all of the above referenced 
outcome categories as well as specific instructions regarding how 
grantees report their performance in these categories on a quarterly 
basis. ETA strongly encourages applicants to review the required report 
format for detailed information on the program reporting requirements 
and to ensure they will be able to track and report the information 
required under the grant.
    b. Capacity Building Outcomes: The intent behind collecting 
capacity building outcomes is to assess how well the capacity building 
strategies of the program are meeting the training needs of the 
targeted high-growth, high-demand industry or industries through impact 
measures. CBJTGs employ a variety of strategies and many of them have 
an associated deliverable that is developed using grant funds. These 
strategies include (a) developing and disseminating career awareness 
information; (b) developing adequate numbers of qualified instructors, 
such as through train-the-trainer and professional development 
activities; (c) identifying occupational competencies and developing 
competency-based curricula; (d) developing applied learning and 
clinical experiences, such as internships or the use of simulations; 
and (e) developing innovative learning models and environments and ways 
of structuring the education process, such as distance learning and 
blended-learning models.
    Grantees will be required to report, on a quarterly basis, the 
outcomes of capacity building activities, which include impacts and 
other verifiable measures of participation where appropriate. An 
example of a capacity building activity where it is appropriate to 
report impact is for teacher professional development/train-the-trainer 
activities, in which there are no employment related outcomes for those 
being trained, but the impact of the grant activities has a far greater 
effect than on those just being trained. For example, a grant may train 
25 college students to be volunteer after-school ``instructors'' and 
the impact would be a total of 500 high school students because, over 
the three year period under the grant, each ``instructor'' taught one 
class with 20 high school students. In their quarterly reports, 
grantees will be required to track and report the following three 
categories for capacity building outcomes:
    1. The number of instructors who participated in grant-funded 
capacity building activities;

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    2. The number of students subsequently trained by those 
instructors; and
    3. The number of other people participating and/or benefitting from 
capacity building activities.
    Please note that capacity building outcomes and impacts of the 
proposed project must satisfactorily address the industry-identified 
workforce need and the capacity constraints identified by the community 
college, or other entity as specified in the exception detailed in 
Section III.C.5. Please see the recently approved required reporting 
format and associated instructions at https://www.doleta.gov/
Performance/Guidance/wia.cfm#HGBIT for additional information on 
reporting capacity building outcomes.
    c. It is imperative that applicants include projections for the 
above-mentioned required outcome categories in their grant proposals. 
Applicants that fail to include projections for required outcome 
categories (e.g., Entered Employment Rate Adult Common Measure) in 
their proposals will lose points during the review process. 
Additionally, reporting quarterly on all information contained in the 
grantee statement of work and the required reporting format are a 
condition of the grant award.
    7. Integration with Regional Economic and Talent Development 
Strategies.
    Today's global economy requires new workforce development 
strategies that build on demand-driven approaches to propel economic 
growth. Successful workforce investment leads to the creation of new 
jobs by attracting new businesses and industries, and expanding 
existing companies in communities through a talent-rich workforce.
    Maintaining America's competitive position in the global economy 
requires a workforce with postsecondary education credentials and the 
capacity to work in a high-technology environment while creatively and 
collaboratively adapting as new technologies and business process 
innovations evolve. To keep pace with change, workers require lifelong 
learning opportunities. Rather than simply training the workforce for 
today's jobs, community colleges, the workforce investment system, and 
other entities in the continuum of education must operate as a talent 
development system, meeting industry's present needs while also 
collaborating with the region's economic development system to identify 
and support emerging industries. The goal is to ensure the availability 
of an educated and prepared workforce that is able to compete in the 
global economy by attracting and sustaining industry's investment in 
regional economies.
    While CBJTGs assist individual community colleges in building their 
capacity to provide training in high-growth/high-demand industry 
sectors of the economy, they also play a vital role in the development 
of a regional talent development system. Therefore, the capacity 
building and training activities occurring under CBJTGs should be 
aligned with, and integrated into, regional talent and economic 
development strategies. A regional approach under CBJTGs ensures that 
the full range of assets, resources, knowledge, and leadership are at 
the table to implement a solution that will address the critical 
capacity constraints faced by the community college while supporting 
talent development in the regional economy.
    To demonstrate that their projects are aligned with and integrated 
into regional talent and economic development strategies, applicants 
should describe how their capacity building and training solution are 
part of or complement existing regional approaches under regional 
talent and economic development plans and initiatives or is the 
catalyst for bringing partners together to begin the analysis and 
strategic planning in their region. Additionally, applicants should 
demonstrate alignment with regional talent and economic development 
strategies by integrating regional partnerships into their proposed 
capacity building and training activities. In addition to the partners 
required under this Solicitation, applicants can demonstrate connection 
to regional talent and economic development activities through broader 
and deeper partnerships with regional business leadership and 
organizations, such as chambers of commerce; regional economic 
development organizations; the philanthropic community; seed and 
venture capital organizations or individuals; investor networks; 
entrepreneurs; faith-based and community organizations; and other 
regional entities. Finally, applicants should demonstrate that 
leveraged resources come from regional partners or from existing or 
planned talent development efforts within the region.

II. Award Information

A. Award Amount

    ETA intends to fund approximately seventy-five (75) grants ranging 
from $500,000 to $2 million through this competition. However, this 
does not preclude ETA from 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 should recognize 
that the funds available through this SGA are designed to complement 
additional leveraged resources rather than be the sole source of funds 
for the proposal.

B. Period of Performance

    The period of grant performance will be up to 36 months from the 
date of execution of the grant documents. This performance period shall 
include all necessary implementation and start-up activities, 
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. ETA may elect to exercise its option to award no-
cost extensions to grants for an additional period, based on the 
success of the program and other relevant factors, if the grantee 
applies for, and provides a significant justification for, such an 
extension.

III. Eligibility Information and Other Grant Specifications

A. Eligible Applicants

    In order to be eligible for consideration under this solicitation, 
the applicant must be either: (1) An individual Community or Technical 
College, (2) a Community College District, (3) a state Community 
College System, or (4) a One-Stop Career Center in partnership with its 
Local Workforce Investment Board. For educationally underserved 
communities without access to community or technical colleges, there 
are other eligible applicants; please see Section III.C.5. Requirements 
for each of these applicant types are provided below.
    1. Community or Technical College applicants must demonstrate that 
they are a public, accredited institution of higher education that 
predominantly awards Associate's Degrees. This definition includes 
tribally controlled colleges and universities. For the purposes of this 
paragraph, an ``Institution of Higher Education'' is defined as an 
entity that has its own Federal Tax Identification Number and has 
direct control of its funds. Entities that do not meet the above 
criteria may be eligible to apply under the exception in Section 
III.C.5, if the conditions of that section are met. However, private 
for-profit institutions of higher education are not eligible to apply 
at all under this Solicitation.

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    2. Community College District applicants must demonstrate that they 
are an education district organized by the state to define the 
community in which the college operates. Community College District 
applications must specify one or more community college(s) within the 
district where capacity building and training activities will occur 
under the grant.
    3. State Community College System applicants must demonstrate that 
their office represents the management and supervision of a unified 
statewide system of community and technical colleges. State system 
applications must specify one or more community college(s) within the 
state where capacity building and training activities will occur under 
the grant.
    4. One-Stop Career Centers, as established under Section 121 of the 
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-220). The eligible 
applicant for One-Stop Career Centers must be the One-Stop Operator, as 
defined under Section 121 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Pub. 
L. 105-220), on behalf of the One-Stop Career Center. The applicant 
must: (1) Have a letter of concurrence from the Local Workforce 
Investment Board; (2) demonstrate that the proposed activities are 
consistent with the state and local strategic Workforce Investment Act 
plan; and (3) demonstrate that the Local Workforce Investment Board, or 
its designated fiscal agent, will serve as the fiscal agent for the 
grant by clearly providing the legal name and EIN of the fiscal agent. 
The Local Workforce Investment Board's support and involvement in the 
project should be detailed in the letter of concurrence, which should 
also address the above requirements (2) and (3). Applications from One-
Stop Career Centers without a letter of concurrence from their Local 
Workforce Investment Board will be considered non-responsive and will 
not be reviewed. One-Stop Career Center applications must specify one 
or more community college(s) where all capacity building and training 
activities will occur under the grant. One-Stop Career Center 
applicants should clearly note in the Abstract that they are applying 
under Section III.A.4 of the SGA. Additionally, in the abstract, One-
Stop Career Center applicants should note that they are the One-Stop 
Career Center operator and provide the name of the One-Stop Career 
Center. Finally, in the abstract of the proposal, the One-Stop Career 
Center applicant must clearly articulate and demonstrate their role in 
operating the One-Stop Career Center and as appropriate, describe their 
relationship to the local Workforce Investment Board, local workforce 
and/or economic development agency, and state workforce and/or economic 
development agency.
    In addition, it is important to note that under each of the four 
applicant types above, an application could be submitted on behalf of a 
consortium of community or technical colleges. When applicants submit 
an application on behalf of a consortium, in addition to meeting other 
application requirements they will need to specify which organization 
will serve as fiscal agent for the grant by clearly providing the name 
and EIN of that organization. The applicant will also need to identify 
the specific role that each participating community and/or technical 
college will play in the project. Finally, the application will need to 
include a letter of support from each member of the consortium 
indicating their support for the project and identifying the specific 
role they will play in the project.
    Finally, within each specific category of applicant type noted 
above, an applicant may only submit one individual proposal. For 
example, an individual community college applying for a grant award may 
only submit one proposal, and a state community college system may only 
submit one proposal. However, please note that an individual community 
college may submit a proposal as an applicant and also be a partner in 
other applications submitted by other eligible applicants, but may not 
also be the applicant for a separate proposal submitted on behalf of a 
consortium.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not required for 
eligibility; however, applicants are required to leverage WIA training 
resources to support their project, and encouraged to leverage other 
types of resources from key entities in the strategic partnership in 
order to maximize the impact of the project in the region. The quality 
of leveraged resources is considered as part of the evaluation of 
proposals.

C. Other Grant Specifications

    1. Demonstrated Partnerships. To be considered for funding under 
this SGA, the applicant must demonstrate that the proposed project will 
be implemented by a strategic partnership that includes at least one 
entity from each of the following categories: (1) The Workforce 
Investment System, which may include State and Local Workforce 
Investment Boards, State Workforce Agencies, and One-Stop Career 
Centers and their partners; (2) an individual community or technical 
college; (3) employers and industry-related organizations such as 
associations and unions; and (4) the continuum of education, including 
the K-12 public education system, adult education, four-year colleges 
and universities, and other training providers. In addition to the 
previously identified entities, applicants are encouraged to include 
faith-based and community organizations as a component of their 
partnerships. Please note that some applicants applying under the 
exception in Section III.C.5 may not have a community college partner. 
In these cases, the applicant should substitute the training provider 
as the required community college partner. Please see Section III.C.5 
for more details. The strategic partnership may be a legally organized 
partnership, joint venture, or a more informal collaboration. Please 
note, while at least one entity from each category is required, ETA 
strongly encourages as many partners as necessary from each category to 
fully represent the community and the entire continuum of education.
    2. Required Capacity Building and Training Activities. To be 
considered for funding under this SGA, proposed grant activities must 
include a combination of capacity building and training activities at 
the community college, or other entities as specified in the exception 
detailed in Section III.C.5, that target skills and competencies 
demanded by local high-growth/high-demand industries that are defined 
in the context of the regional economy. A component of all grants must 
be direct training costs, which include, but are not limited to the 
following types of costs (when these costs are directly related to the 
provision of training to participants): faculty costs, including 
salaries and fringe benefits; in-house training staff; support staff 
costs such as lab or teaching assistants; classroom space, including 
laboratories, mock-ups or other facilities used for training purposes; 
and books, materials, and supplies used in the training course, 
including specialized equipment. Grantees are strongly encouraged to 
leverage other resources to cover the tuition costs for the students 
trained under the grant. Possible sources of leveraged resources for 
tuition include, but are not limited to: Pell Grants; WIA resources, 
including ITAs and CAAs; and employer tuition reimbursement. Applicants 
must also describe how tuition for students participating in the 
program will be covered, including tuition charged to students, funding 
made available through the workforce

[[Page 60348]]

investment system, business paid training, or other sources.
    Proposed capacity building activities must address barriers that 
impede the ability of the community college, or other entities 
specified in the exception detailed in Section III.C.5, to meet local 
and regional industry demand for workforce training and must be 
directly linked to the specific training supported under the grant. 
Applicants may propose a cross-cutting capacity building and training 
strategy that will support training in more than one high-growth/high-
demand industry if the applicant can demonstrate that skill needs in 
the identified industries are shared. Applicants that wish to propose 
training programs in two or more high-growth industries that do not 
share skill needs should do so through separate applications in which 
they are involved. Applicants must also describe their specific 
recruiting strategy for enrolling students in the new training 
opportunities available once capacity constraints are addressed.
    3. Participants Eligible to Receive Training. Generally, the scope 
of potential trainees is very broad. WIA Sec. 171(d) authorizes 
demonstration programs to serve dislocated workers, incumbent workers, 
and new entrants to the workforce. This authorization supports a broad 
range of training for a variety of populations, including: incumbent 
workers who need new skills for jobs in demand at higher levels of the 
career ladder or because the skill needs for their current jobs have 
changed; untapped labor pools such as immigrant workers, individuals 
with limited English proficiency, individuals with disabilities, 
veterans, Indian and Native Americans, older workers, youth, etc.; or 
entry level workers who need basic skills and/or specific occupational 
skill training. Please note that ETA will award five bonus points in 
this Solicitation to applicants that provide evidence of collaboration 
with faith-based and community organizations to serve populations with 
barriers to employment. The identification of targeted and qualified 
trainees should be part of the larger project planning process 
undertaken by the required partnership and should relate to the 
workforce challenge that is being addressed by the training.
    4. Training Providers. Community and technical colleges are the 
required training providers under CBJTGs, regardless of the applicant, 
with the exception of rural areas and other educationally underserved 
communities with no reasonable access to community colleges (please see 
Section III.C.5 below for more information on this exception). ETA 
encourages applicants to be creative in integrating partner resources 
and expertise into the training plan. For example, a business partner 
may provide a qualified instructor to the community college; the 
community college may provide on-site training for workers to take 
advantage of business-loaned equipment; the training may be provided 
jointly; or the training may utilize technology-based distance learning 
alternatives as well as blended learning, which combines self-paced and 
instructor-led interactions.
    5. Exception to Eligible Applicants and Training Provider 
Requirements for Rural and Other Educationally Underserved Areas with 
No Access to Community Colleges. ETA recognizes that some communities, 
particularly those in rural areas, may lack access to community and 
technical college training where physical college facilities are not 
reasonably close and technology-based and distance learning options are 
limited or not available. Educationally underserved communities that 
lack this access may submit proposals under the parameters detailed in 
this exception. In such cases, the applicant will be required to 
clearly state it is applying under this exception and must fully 
demonstrate as part of its statement of need that community college 
training is not reasonably available within commuting distance of the 
community in which grant activities will take place and that there are 
no viable technology-based or distance learning options available. 
Applicants may use mileage, population, and access to classrooms, 
Internet and other technology, public transportation and other 
services, as factors to support their demonstration of the lack of 
access to and availability of community college training. Please note 
that applications submitted under the exception must still meet all 
other requirements set forth in this Solicitation. Applicants must 
clearly note in the abstract that they are applying under this 
exception.
    Under this exception, the additional eligible applicants and 
requirements on training are listed below.
    a. Public, accredited Institutions of Higher Education that award 
certificates and both two-year and four-year degrees, and satellite 
campuses of such Institutions, are eligible to apply under this 
exception. However, the emphasis for capacity building and training 
activities under the grant must be at the certificate or two-year 
Associate's Degree level. The public institution of higher education 
applicant is also required to be the training provider for applications 
submitted under this exception and will serve as a substitute for the 
required community college training provider detailed in Section 
III.C.4;
    b. Alternate Educational Entities that are governmental or not-for-
profit organizations that directly deliver, or broker for delivery, 
post-secondary education opportunities in educationally underserved 
communities that lack access to community colleges are eligible to 
apply under this exception. Alternate Educational Entity applicants 
must demonstrate that: (1) The emphasis for capacity building and 
training activities under the grant must be at the certificate or two-
year Associate's Degree level; (2) the training is offered in 
partnership with a community college outside the underserved area and 
is acceptable for credit at or a credential from the partner community 
college; and (3) a component of the capacity building activities 
supports the partnering community college for the purposes of enhancing 
the training services provided by that college to the underserved area. 
Additionally, applications must specify one or more community 
college(s) where capacity building and training activities will occur 
under the grant.
    6. Veterans Priority. The Jobs for Veterans Act (Pub. L. 107-288) 
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. In circumstances where a CBJTG 
recipient must choose between two equally qualified candidates for 
training, one of whom is a veteran, the Jobs for Veterans Act requires 
that CBJTG recipients give the veteran priority of service by admitting 
him or her into the program. Please note that, to obtain priority of 
service, a veteran must meet the program's eligibility requirements. 
ETA Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 5-03 (September 
16, 2003) provides general guidance on the scope of the Job for 
Veterans Act and its effect on current employment and training 
programs. TEGL No. 5-03, along with additional guidance, is available 
at the ``Jobs for Veterans Priority of Service'' Web site: https://
www.doleta.gov/programs/vets.
    7. Re-designation of One-Stop Operators. If at any time the 
applicant One-Stop Operator changes, then DOL and the WIB will modify 
the application or grant on behalf of the One-Stop Career Center, for 
the purpose of designating a new One-Stop Operator.
    8. CBJTGs Evaluation. ETA is interested in determining if trai