Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) for Community-Based Job Training Grants, 12272-12288 [2010-5609]

Agencies

• Employment and Training Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 49 (Monday, March 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12272-12288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5609]


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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

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor.
    Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation for Grant Applications.
    Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY 09-07.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.269.

Key Dates

    The closing date for receipt of applications under this 
announcement is April 29, 2010. Applications must be received no later 
than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. A pre-recorded Webinar will be on-line 
(https://www.workforce3one.org) and accessible for viewing on April 6, 
2010, and will be available for viewing any time after that date. While 
a review of this Webinar is encouraged it is not mandatory that 
applicants view this recording.

ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department 
of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 
09-07, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. 
For complete ``Application and Submission Information,'' please refer 
to section IV.

SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. 
Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department), announces the 
availability of approximately $125 million in grant funds for 
Community-Based Job Training Grants (CBJTGs).
    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, technical, 
and Tribal colleges. In order to be eligible for consideration under 
this solicitation, the applicant must be either: (1) An individual 
Community or Technical College, such as a public community college, a 
nonprofit community college, a Tribally controlled college, or a 
Tribally controlled university; (2) a Community College District; (3) a 
State Community College System; (4) a One-Stop Career Center in 
partnership with its Local Workforce Investment Board, that specifies 
one or more community or technical colleges where education/training 
activities will occur; or (5) an applicant proposing to serve an 
educationally underserved community without access to community or 
technical colleges that meet the requirements in section III.A.5. See 
section III.A for additional information related to eligible 
applicants.
    It is anticipated that awards will range generally from $1 million 
to $3 million. The exception is that applicants that include three or 
more community, technical, or Tribal colleges will be considered 
``consortium applications,'' and may request an award ranging from $1 
million to $5 million. See section III.B for additional information 
related to consortium applications. ETA expects to allot up to $50 
million of the total designated funds to organizations that have never 
received a grant through a CBJTG SGA.
    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. Applicants should read the 
entire SGA and note specific sections that contain required 
information, such as in section II.A, section III.B, and section IV. B, 
where failure to comply will be considered non-responsive and those 
applicants will then not be considered for funding.
    The Department of Labor is committed to providing the public with 
an open and transparent grant selection process and to providing useful 
information to assist prospective applicants with developing quality 
proposals. One way to achieve these goals is through public access to 
selected and non-selected grant applications. Applicants are advised 
that the information they submit in response to this solicitation may 
be posted on a publicly accessible Web site or may otherwise be made 
available to the public.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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. Grants 
under this SGA will fund projects that provide workers with education/
training that will prepare them to enter and advance in high growth and 
emerging industries.
    Successful education/training programs funded through this SGA will 
prepare participants for employment in high growth and emerging 
industries, and will: (1) Target skills and competencies in demand by 
the industries described in section I.B of this SGA; (2) provide 
education/training for jobs currently available or job openings that 
are anticipated during the life of the grant; (3) educate individuals 
about opportunities for career advancement and wage growth within the 
targeted industry and/or occupation, and provide comprehensive coaching 
to help individuals take advantage of those opportunities; and (4) 
result in an employer- or industry-recognized credential (which can 
include an educational certificate or degree, an occupational license, 
an industry-sponsored certificate or certification, as well as a 
Registered Apprenticeship certificate or degree). Applicants must 
propose projects that target incumbent workers, dislocated workers, 
and/or unemployed workers. Further, applicants may serve individuals at 
different education levels and stages within their career. ETA also 
encourages applicants to provide supportive services and leverage 
Workforce Investment Act (WIA) core and/or intensive services to help 
participants

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overcome barriers to employment, as appropriate. For more information 
on targeted populations, see section III.F of this SGA.
    To ensure quality education/training within a limited timeframe, 
applicants are strongly encouraged to use existing curricula and 
strategies to deliver education/training. Where appropriate, applicants 
may modify existing curricula. Recognizing the long-term needs of 
workers, it is strongly recommended that education/training lead to 
portable and/or stackable industry-recognized credentials.
    The next two sections describe key elements of the SGA.

A. Good Jobs for Everyone

    As a key component of the workforce system, community colleges are 
critical stakeholders in meeting President Barack Obama's call for 
Americans to complete at least one year of post-secondary school or 
career training. Community colleges also help advance the Department's 
goal of ``Good Jobs for Everyone'' by increasing opportunities for 
America's workers to acquire the skills to succeed in a knowledge-based 
economy and strengthen the nation's economy through a highly skilled 
workforce. Good jobs are jobs that can support a family by increasing 
incomes; jobs that are safe and secure, and give people a voice in the 
workplace; jobs that provide good benefits and workplace flexibility 
for family and personal care-giving; jobs that are sustainable, such as 
green jobs; and jobs that maintain and preserve a strong middle-class.
    Community colleges also serve a key role in promoting and advancing 
the nation's economic recovery efforts by assisting those most impacted 
by the recession through opportunities for training, skill upgrades, 
and preparation for a career in high growth and emerging industries. 
This program will help participants find and retain employment, while 
leveraging WIA funds and other investments funded by the American 
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) intended to create jobs 
and promote economic growth.

B. Industry Focus

    Projects funded through this SGA will teach workers necessary 
skills for and help them pursue careers in high growth and emerging 
industry sectors.
1. High Growth and Emerging Industries
    ETA encourages applicants to define high growth or emerging 
industries in the context of their local or regional economy. An 
industry targeted by applicants must benefit from expanded education/
training or a better skilled workforce, and meet one or more of the 
following criteria to be considered a high growth or emerging industry 
in a local area for the purposes of this SGA: (1) It is projected to 
add substantial numbers of new jobs to the economy; (2) it is being 
transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skill sets for 
workers; (3) it has a significant impact on the economy or the growth 
of other industries; or (4) it is a new and emerging industry projected 
to grow. Applicants may draw from a variety of resources for supporting 
data that demonstrates that an industry is high growth or emerging, 
including: Traditional labor market information, such as industry and 
occupational projections; industry data from trade or industry 
associations, labor organizations, or direct information from the local 
employers or industry; information on the local and/or regional economy 
from economic development agencies; and other transactional data, such 
as job vacancies. Applications must include strong supporting evidence 
and data that are current, relevant, and specific to the local areas or 
communities where grant-funded education/training and placement 
activities will be conducted, and that discussions with local employers 
indicate that the proposed training is responsive to their needs.
    A wide range of industries may meet the criteria above in local and 
regional areas around the country, such as health care, transportation, 
and advanced manufacturing. As applicants consider the high growth and 
emerging industry on which their application will focus, ETA encourages 
applicants to consider targeting high growth or emerging green 
industries.
2. Proposed Training Activities
    The purpose of this SGA is to fund projects that provide training, 
education, and job placement assistance to prepare workers for 
employment in high growth and other emerging industries as described in 
section I.B of this SGA. A community college, Tribally controlled 
college or university, or technical college must be the primary 
training provider through the grant (unless the applicant is applying 
under the criterion described in section III.A.5 and is a public, 
accredited institution of higher education or an alternate educational 
entity), and in addition to the required partners described in section 
III.C.2 applicants may partner with additional organizations as 
described in section III.C.3 to provide specific types of training 
services. All projects must lead to employment for program 
participants, and must incorporate education/training activities that:
     Address skills and competencies demanded by the industries 
targeted through this SGA and described in section I.B, Industry Focus;
     Provide education/training for jobs currently available or 
job openings that are anticipated during the life of the grant;
     Educate individuals about opportunities for career 
advancement and wage growth within the targeted industry and/or 
occupation, and provide comprehensive coaching to help individuals take 
advantage of those opportunities;
     Result in an employer- or industry-recognized credential 
during the period of performance. Credentials can include an 
educational certificate or degree, an occupational license, an 
industry-sponsored certificate or certification, as well as a 
Registered Apprenticeship certificate or degree (see definition of 
``credential'' in section VI.B.2.ii), that indicates a level of mastery 
and competence in a given field or function. The credential awarded to 
participants should be based on the type of education/training provided 
through the grant and the requirements of the targeted occupation, and 
should be selected based on consultations with employer and labor 
partners, as appropriate;
     Take place at times and locations that are convenient and 
easily accessible for the targeted populations; and,
     Integrate occupational training with basic skills 
training, as appropriate, to ensure that participants have the 
foundational skills necessary to attain and retain employment.
    Applicants may propose a wide range of activities in implementing 
projects that meet the requirements outlined above. When designing the 
proposed activities, applicants must propose projects that primarily 
focus on providing services to workers in one or more of the following 
three targeted categories: Unemployed workers, dislocated workers, and 
incumbent workers. Further, applicants may serve individuals at 
different education levels and stages within their career. ETA also 
encourages applicants to provide supportive services and to leverage 
WIA core and/or intensive services to help participants overcome 
barriers to employment, as appropriate. Examples of WIA core services 
may include but are not limited to job search assistance such as access 
to job banks, listing of available jobs, or referrals to employers with 
job openings; resume development;

[[Page 12274]]

networking skills workshops; and interviewing techniques. Examples of 
WIA intensive services may include but are not limited to comprehensive 
assessments of skills and service needs; intensive career counseling; 
case management; and referring individuals who may be eligible for 
training services offered by the CBJT grant. Further, we encourage 
applicants to use program models with demonstrated success in serving 
the target populations, especially those with strong program 
evaluations showing positive impacts on participants. Promising models 
include the following:
     Strategies that integrate academic instruction with 
occupational skills training in a specific career field have shown 
promising employment and earnings outcomes. Applicants should consider 
program models that strongly link opportunities to improve basic 
literacy and mathematics skills with work-based learning in the 
targeted industries.
     Providing on-the-job training with a specific employer who 
agrees to hire individuals upon successful completion of the training 
has been an effective way for some programs to place disadvantaged 
individuals into employment. Registered Apprenticeship, with the 
combination of on-the-job training, related technical instruction, a 
mentoring component and incremental wage increases, has been highly 
successful in training a range of participants that may include but are 
not limited to veterans, older workers, and the unemployed.

II. Award Information

A. Award Amount

    Under this SGA, ETA intends to award approximately $125 million in 
grant funds. In order to ensure that Federal funds reach areas and 
individuals that have not previously benefited from earlier CBJTG grant 
awards, ETA expects to allot up to $50 million of the total designated 
funds to organizations that have never received a grant through a CBJTG 
SGA (this refers to projects awarded through the following SGAs: SGA/
DFA PY 04-10, SGA/DFA PY 05-11, SGA/DFA PY 07-01, and SGA/DFA PY 08-
02). However, ETA reserves the right to change this amount depending on 
the quantity and quality of applications submitted under this SGA. 
Organizations that received a grant through previous CBJTG SGAs may 
submit proposals for funding through this SGA, but may only propose 
projects that focus on different industries and occupations than they 
targeted through their previous grants that were funded through a CBJTG 
SGA. ETA does not intend to award grants to sustain projects previously 
funded under CBJTG SGAs.
    ETA intends to fund approximately 40 to 60 grants generally ranging 
from $1 million to $3 million. The exception to this range is that 
consortium applicants that include three or more community colleges, 
technical colleges, or Tribally controlled colleges or universities in 
their proposal may request an award ranging from $1 million to $5 
million; the specific criteria that applicants must meet to be 
considered a consortium are defined in section III.B. ETA does not 
expect to fund any project for less than $1 million. However, this does 
not preclude funding grants at a lower amount based on the type and 
number of quality submissions. ETA will consider requests for greater 
than $3 million non-responsive, and such applicants will not be 
considered for funding unless those requests meet the definition of 
consortium, as defined in section III.B. ETA will consider requests 
exceeding $5 million submitted on behalf of a consortium non-
responsive, and such applicants will not be considered for funding. 
Within the funding ranges specified above, applicants are encouraged to 
submit proposals for quality projects at a funding level that is 
appropriate to the project.

B. Period of Performance

    ETA expects to make awards by June 30, 2010. The period of grant 
performance for these awards will be up to 36 months from the date of 
execution of the grant documents. This performance period includes all 
necessary grant activities; the completion of education/training 
activities and the award of employer- or industry-recognized 
credentials; placement activities; and participant follow-up for 
performance outcomes. ETA also expects that the grant start date will 
be July 1, 2010, and start-up activities, such as hiring appropriate 
program staff, curriculum modification or development, and specialized 
equipment purchases, will begin immediately. The Department also 
expects that education and training activities will begin no later than 
January 15, 2011. We strongly encourage grantees to develop their 
project work plans and timelines accordingly. In addition, the 
Department intends that all grantees complete appropriate equipment 
purchases and curriculum development within the first year of the 
grant. Further, applicants should plan to fully expend grant funds 
during the period of performance, while ensuring full transparency and 
accountability for all expenditures. Therefore, applicants are 
encouraged to carefully consider their ability to spend the level of 
funding requested.

III. Eligibility Information

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, including a Tribally Controlled College or University; (2) a 
Community College District; (3) a State Community College System; (4) a 
One-Stop Career Center in partnership with its Local Workforce 
Investment Board, that specifies one or more community or technical 
college(s) where all education/training activities will occur under the 
grant; or (5) an applicant proposing to serve an educationally 
underserved community without access to community or technical colleges 
that meet the requirements in section III.A.5. Requirements for each of 
these applicant types are provided below. Further, eligible applicants 
are encouraged to collaborate and submit an application together as a 
consortium. Organizations may not submit more than one application in 
response to this SGA, either as a single lead organization or as the 
lead among a consortium. However, organizations are not precluded from 
participating as a partner in a separate application submitted in 
response to this SGA.
1. Individual Community or Technical College, Including a Tribally 
Controlled College or University
    Applicants under this criterion must demonstrate that they: (1) 
Admit as regular students only persons having a certificate of 
graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the 
recognized equivalent of such a certificate; (2) are legally authorized 
within the State to provide a program of education beyond secondary 
education; (3) provide an educational program for which the institution 
predominantly awards Associate's Degrees; (4) are a public or nonprofit 
institution; and (5) are accredited by a nationally recognized 
accrediting agency or association. ETA has determined that for the 
purposes of this SGA Tribally controlled colleges and universities are 
considered Individual Community or Technical Colleges, and do not have 
to demonstrate that they meet the five parameters listed above. For the 
purposes of this paragraph, an ``Individual Community or Technical

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College'' is defined as an entity that has its own Federal Tax 
Identification Number. Entities that do not meet the above criteria may 
be eligible to apply under the criterion in section III.A.5, if the 
conditions of that section are met. However, private for-profit 
institutions of higher education are not eligible to apply under this 
Solicitation.
2. Community College District
    Applicants under this criterion must demonstrate that they are a 
community college education district created by the State for the 
purpose of carrying out a common objective on behalf of a group of 
community or technical colleges. The community college district must 
serve as the programmatic and fiscal agent for the grant, having 
ultimate responsibility for implementing the grant's statement of work, 
meeting all fiscal and administrative requirements as required by the 
grant, and ensuring the grant adheres to all other requirements of the 
grant agreement. The applicant must specify one or more community or 
technical colleges within the district where education/training 
activities will occur under the grant, and identify the specific role 
the college(s) will play in the project.
3. State Community College System
    Applicants under this criterion must demonstrate that their office 
is the agency primarily responsible for the State supervision of a 
unified statewide system of community and technical colleges. The State 
community college system must serve as the programmatic and fiscal 
agent for the grant, having ultimate responsibility for implementing 
the grant's statement of work, meeting all fiscal and administrative 
requirements as required by the grant, and ensuring the grant adheres 
to all other requirements of the grant agreement. State system 
applications must specify one or more community college(s) within the 
State where education/training activities will occur under the grant.
    For the purposes of this solicitation, a ``State'' is defined as 
the States of the United States, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, District 
of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, United States Virgin Islands, 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of the Marshall 
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau.
4. One-Stop Career Centers
    Under this criterion, 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 (29 U.S.C. 2841), on behalf of the 
One-Stop Career Center. One-Stop Career Center applications must 
specify one or more community or technical college(s) where all 
education/training activities will occur under the grant. The applicant 
must: (1) Demonstrate that the proposed activities are consistent with 
the State and local strategic WIA plan; (2) 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 Federal Tax Identification Number of the fiscal agent; and (3) have 
a letter of concurrence from the Local Workforce Investment Board. The 
Local Workforce Investment Board's support and involvement in the 
project must be detailed in the letter of concurrence, and must also 
address the above requirements (1) and (2). 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.
5. Educationally Underserved Communities
    ETA recognizes that some communities, particularly those in rural 
areas, may lack access to community or technical college training 
because 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 criterion. 
In such cases, the applicant will be required to clearly state it is 
applying under this criterion 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. Applications submitted under the 
criterion must still meet all other requirements set forth in this 
Solicitation. Applicants must clearly note in the abstract that they 
are applying under this criterion.
    Under this criterion, the additional eligible applicants and 
requirements on education/training are listed below.
     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 criterion. However, the emphasis for education/training activities 
under the grant must be at the level of a certificate, two-year 
Associate's Degree, or other credential as defined in section 
VI.B.2.ii. The public institution of higher education applicant is also 
required to be the education/training provider for applications 
submitted under this criterion.
     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 criterion. Alternate Educational Entity 
applicants must demonstrate that: (1) The emphasis for education/
training activities under the grant must be on training that leads to a 
certificate, two-year Associate's Degree, or other credential as 
defined in section VI.B.2.ii; and (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. Additionally, applications must specify one or more community 
college(s) where education/training activities will occur under the 
grant.

B. Additional Eligibility Information

    Any of the eligible applicant types noted in section III.A.1, 
III.A.2, III.A.3, and III.A.4 may submit a proposal on behalf of a 
consortium of community or technical colleges. Entities applying under 
section III.A.5 may not submit a proposal on behalf of a consortium of 
community or technical colleges. To be eligible as a consortium, 
applicants must:
     Identify at least three individual community colleges, 
technical colleges, or Tribally controlled colleges or universities 
within the region, State, or interstate area where education/training 
activities will occur through the consortium and specify the role that 
each will play in the project;
     Demonstrate that each of the participating community and 
technical colleges and Tribally controlled colleges and universities 
meets the definition of an ``individual community and technical 
college'' as stated in section III.A.1. Each community or technical 
college participating in the consortium must (1) admit as regular 
students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a

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school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of 
such a certificate; (2) be legally authorized within the State to 
provide a program of education beyond secondary education; (3) provide 
an educational program for which the institution predominantly awards 
Associate's Degrees; (4) be a public or nonprofit institution; and (5) 
be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or 
association (as noted earlier, Tribally controlled colleges and 
universities do not have to demonstrate that they meet the five 
parameters listed above). For the purposes of this paragraph, an 
``individual community or technical college'' is defined as an entity 
that has its own Federal Tax Identification Number;
     Clearly indicate in the required abstract if the 
application is a consortium proposal. A consortium application must 
also clearly designate that the lead applicant will serve as both the 
programmatic and fiscal agent for the grant; and
     Include a letter of commitment from each partner college 
within the consortium, indicating their support for the project and 
identifying the specific role they will play. The letters of commitment 
from each partner college within the consortium must include that 
institution's unique Federal Tax Identification Number. Applicants that 
fail to provide the unique Federal Tax Identification Number of each 
partner college within the consortium will be considered non-responsive 
and those applicants will not be considered for funding.
    Examples of consortium applications include, but are not limited 
to, the following:
     A proposal submitted by an individual community or 
technical college that meets the definition of ``individual community 
or technical colleges'' as stated in section III.A.1 and includes at 
least two more individual community colleges, technical colleges, or 
Tribally controlled colleges that meet the definition of ``individual 
community and technical colleges'' in section III.A.1;
     A proposal submitted by an individual Community College 
District that includes three individual community or technical colleges 
that all meet the definition of ``individual community and technical 
colleges'' as defined in section III.A.1; and
     A proposal submitted by an individual State Community 
College System that includes three individual community or technical 
colleges that all meet the definition of ``individual community and 
technical colleges'' as defined in section III.A.1.
    Organizations may not submit more than one application in response 
to this SGA. However, organizations are not precluded from 
participating as a partner in a separate application submitted in 
response to this SGA. Applicants that submit requests for more than $3 
million that do not meet the requirements to be considered a consortium 
will be considered non-responsive. Applicants that meet the 
requirements to be considered a consortium noted above that request 
more than $5 million will be considered non-responsive.

C. Strategic Planning and Partnerships

1. Strategic Planning
    Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage in a concise and 
thorough strategic planning process before submitting an application 
for this SGA. If the applicant already has completed a similar 
strategic planning process, that process should be reviewed and 
evaluated, as appropriate. DOL expects the public workforce system and 
other required and suggested partners listed in section III.C.2 and 3, 
to have a strong voice and integral role in the strategic planning 
process. In order to effectively engage in planning and fulfill the 
requirements of this SGA, applicants may incorporate the following as 
part of their planning efforts: review and analyze the local workforce 
investment system's workforce vision and goals; review and analyze 
other State and local planning documents, and applicable State and 
local policies, to align the technical proposal with overall workforce 
development, education, and economic development strategies; establish 
a collaborative strategic vision to prepare an educated and skilled 
workforce to meet the current and emerging needs of high growth and 
emerging industries in the local and/or regional area; analyze and 
determine the sectors where investments are or will be made and the 
occupations and skill needs within the high growth emerging industries 
that will be targeted; and analyze and determine the populations that 
will be targeted, and identify those population specific workforce 
challenges and the specific education/training activities that address 
the needs and demands of those targeted sectors and target populations.
    The results of a strategic planning process will be valuable in 
informing the development of the technical proposal. Applicants should 
be aware they may not charge any strategic planning or other pre-award 
activities to the grant.
2. Required Partners and Their Roles
    To be eligible for funding under this SGA, applicants must 
demonstrate that the proposed project will be implemented by a robust 
strategic partnership. By including the types of organizations 
referenced below in a comprehensive partnership, applicants can ensure 
they are maximizing available resources and organizational expertise 
for each project, and that individual participants within the project 
have all of the support they need to successfully complete education/
training, overcome barriers to employment, and obtain jobs and advance 
in their careers. These partners can contribute a wide array of 
knowledge and activities to each project, and must work together to 
ensure that they leverage each other's expertise and resources.
    The strategic partnership must include at least one entity from 
each of the following required organizational categories (a labor 
organization partner is only required for certain applicants, 
identified in section III.C.2.iii). Consortium applicants are 
encouraged to include more than one representative of the required and 
suggested partners, as needed, in order to ensure geographic 
representation.
i. Local Workforce Investment Boards and Their One Stop Systems
    ETA requires that Local Workforce Investment Boards and their One 
Stop systems serve as partners in the proposed project. Further, either 
the Local Workforce Investment Board or their One Stop System must 
serve as a funded partner in the applicants' overall strategy and 
project work plan (applicants may also choose to fund both the Local 
Workforce Investment Board and the One Stop System). The role of the 
workforce system may include but is not limited to the following 
activities: (1) Understanding and analyzing the need for education/
training and employment in the local area including identifying 
targeted industries, occupations, and hiring needs, as well as 
populations to be served, and connecting the applicant to relevant 
sources of data including the workforce investment board's strategic 
plan, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports, and other relevant 
State tools or reports; (2) assessing potential participants for the 
CBJTG program; (3) identifying and referring candidates for education/
training in the CBJTG program; (4) connecting and placing participants 
with employers that have

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job openings; (5) collecting, tracking, and reporting participant data 
to ETA; and (6) providing information on potential eligibility for Pell 
Grants. In addition, ETA strongly encourages the workforce system to 
leverage, where possible, WIA core and/or intensive services. This 
could involve making referrals for participants in the CBJT program, if 
eligible, who are in need of supportive services in order to overcome 
barriers to education/training and employment and ensure successful 
outcomes.
ii. Employers and/or Labor-Management Organizations
    These organizations should be actively engaged in the project and 
may contribute to many aspects of grant activities, such as defining 
the program strategy and goals, identifying necessary skills and 
competencies, providing resources to support education/training 
(equipment, instructors, funding, internships, or other work-based 
learning activities or situations, etc.), and where appropriate, hiring 
qualified program participants. Applicants that include a labor-
management organization will satisfy both this requirement and the 
requirement that they have a labor organization partner, noted below. A 
labor-management organization is a nonprofit entity, such as a training 
fund, training trust fund, or an education trust fund, with joint 
participation of one or more employers and one or more labor 
organizations on its executive board or comparable governing body. This 
entity must have a formalized agreement between the employer(s) and 
labor organization(s) to operate a joint labor-management training 
program(s) affiliated with the nonprofit entity.
iii. Labor Organizations (where applicable)
    Labor organizations may contribute to many aspects of grant 
activities, including identifying skills and competencies; developing 
new or modifying existing curricula; conducting occupation and skills 
training; and issuing industry-recognized credentials. This requirement 
applies only to applicants that propose to partner with employers that 
have a formal collective bargaining/employment agreement with a labor 
union or labor related-organization. As not all employers have a formal 
collective bargaining/employment agreement with a labor union or labor 
related-organization, applicants that do not propose partnerships with 
such employers are not subject to this requirement.
3. Other Partners
    In addition to the required partners listed in section III.C.2, we 
strongly encourage applicants to include other partners to further 
assist the project. Other partner organizations can offer additional 
resources and expertise such as on-the-job training activities that 
lead to permanent employment; development and implementation of 
Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs; 
contextualized learning; internship programs; basic skills training, 
such as adult basic education, English as a Second Language (ESL), and 
job readiness training; initial assessment of skill levels, aptitudes, 
abilities, competencies, and supportive service needs; career 
counseling; case management services; and comprehensive retention 
strategies.
    These organizations could include, but are not limited to:
    i. The education and training community, including secondary 
schools, other community and technical colleges, four-year colleges and 
universities, apprenticeship programs, adult education providers, 
technical and vocational training institutions, and other education and 
training entities;
    ii. Nonprofit organizations, such as community or faith-based 
organizations, or intermediaries, that have direct access to the target 
populations;
    iii. State Apprenticeship Agencies (SAAs) or the Department of 
Labor's Office of Apprenticeship (OA), in those States where OA is the 
registration agency for registered apprenticeship programs. Applicants 
who may have included apprenticeship as a partner should note that the 
DOL Office of Apprenticeship is the registration agency for 
apprenticeship programs in 25 States and is available to partner in 
States with any grantee who requests to do so;
    iv. Local veterans' agencies and local veterans service 
organizations;
    v. Economic Development organizations;
    vi. Industry employer associations that represent member companies 
within an industry or sector; and
    vii. Labor organizations, such as unions, for applicants for whom 
these organizations are not required partners.

D. Cost Sharing

    Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as a condition for 
application, but leveraged resources are strongly encouraged and may 
affect the applicant's score in section V.A.3 of the evaluation 
criteria.

E. Allowable Activities

    The intent of this Solicitation is to fund projects that train and 
prepare workers for employment in high growth and other emerging 
industries. Allowable education/training costs include, but are not 
limited to the following types of costs: Faculty/instructors, including 
salaries and fringe benefits; in-house training staff; support staff 
such as lab or teaching assistants; classroom space; and books, 
materials, and supplies used in the training course, including 
specialized equipment.
    Allowable activities under this SGA include:
     Classroom occupational training;
     On-the-job training activities that lead to permanent 
employment;
     Development and implementation of Registered 
Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs;
     Implementing and utilizing existing articulation 
agreements with universities and other educational partners;
     Training activities that help participants progress along 
career pathways;
     Contextualized learning;
     Distance learning;
     Internship programs;
     Customized training;
     Basic skills training, such as adult basic education, ESL, 
and job readiness training;
     Initial assessment of skill levels, aptitudes, abilities, 
competencies, and supportive service needs;
     Job search assistance, and career counseling;
     Job placement assistance;
     Case management services;
     Comprehensive retention strategies;
     Supportive services that will allow individuals to 
participate in grant activities; and
     Updating curriculum or replicating existing curriculum to 
support direct education/training provided through the grant. Grants 
funded under this SGA may produce tangible products and deliverables, 
such as updates to existing curriculum. Curriculum development is not 
encouraged and only appropriate if new curriculum is essential to 
support direct education/training activities provided through this 
grant and is necessary to achieve the training and employment outcomes 
proposed for the grant. As stated in section II.B Period of 
Performance, curriculum development should be completed within the 
first year of the grant, as it is the Department's intent that 
education and training activities begin no later than January 15, 2011.

[[Page 12278]]

    Activities that are not directly related to education/training are 
not allowable activities under this grant. These types of unallowable 
activities could include, but are not limited to, developing and 
disseminating career awareness information, and developing adequate 
numbers of qualified instructors, such as through train-the-trainer and 
professional development activities, if they are not directly related 
to grant-funded training. As with all costs charged to the grant, the 
costs of equipment must meet the standards in the applicable Federal 
cost principles, including that the costs are reasonable and necessary 
to achieve grant outcomes. While grant funds may be used to purchase 
equipment that is used for training and education activities provided 
through the proposed project, applicants are strongly encouraged to use 
leveraged resources to support these costs to maximize the use of their 
grant funds. For additional information on costs related to equipment 
purchases and curriculum development, please see section II.B.

F. Other Grant Specifications

1. Participants Eligible To Receive Training
    The intent of this SGA is to fund projects that provide education/
training services to low and medium skill and/or low and medium income 
individuals to help them pursue or advance in full-time employment 
within the grant period of performance.
    Applicants must propose projects that primarily focus on providing 
services to workers in one or more of the following three targeted 
categories: Unemployed workers, dislocated workers, and incumbent 
workers. Within these categories, grantees may serve a wide range of 
individuals, such as individuals receiving public assistance, high 
school dropouts, individuals with disabilities, veterans, Indian and 
Native Americans, and individuals with Limited English Proficiency. 
These three targeted categories of workers are defined as follows:
    i. Unemployed workers: For the purposes of this SGA, ETA defines 
``unemployed worker'' as an individual who is without a job and who 
wants and is available to work. This can include the long-term 
unemployed, such as individuals who have been unemployed for six months 
or more, and youth who have dropped out of school and are seeking their 
first full-time job.
    ii. Dislocated workers: For the purposes of this SGA, this term 
refers to individuals who were terminated or laid-off or have received 
a notice of termination or lay-off from employment; or were self-
employed but are now unemployed.
    iii. Incumbent workers: For the purposes of this SGA, this term 
refers to individuals who are employed but need training to secure 
full-time employment, advance in their careers, or retain their current 
occupations. This includes low-wage and medium-wage workers who need to 
upgrade their skills to retain employment or advance in their careers, 
and workers who are currently working part-time.
    Applicants may also propose projects that could include some 
services for individuals who do not fall into one of the three targeted 
categories listed above, as long as services for these individuals 
align with the primary intent and focus of the proposed project and 
support employment within the grant period of performance. While this 
is permissible, applicants should note that they may only provide 
services to a limited number of individuals who do not fall into one of 
the three targeted categories listed above, and that their project must 
still primarily focus on providing services to workers in one or more 
of those three targeted categories.
2. Veterans Priority
    The Jobs for Veterans Act (Pub. L. 107-288) requires priority of 
service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of 
employment, training, and placement services in any job training 
program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. The regulations 
implementing this priority of service can be found at 20 CFR part 1010. 
In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two 
qualified candidates for training, one of whom is a veteran or eligible 
spouse, the Veterans Priority of Service provisions require that the 
grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service 
by admitting him or her into the training program. To obtain priority 
of service a veteran or spouse must meet the program's eligibility 
requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans' 
priority. Employment and Training Administration (``ETA'') Training and 
Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) 
provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and 
eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole 
or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.
3. Grantee Training
    Grantees are required to participate in all ETA training activities 
related to orientation, financial management and reporting, performance 
reporting, product dissemination, and other technical assistance 
training as appropriate during the life of the grant. These trainings 
may occur via conference calls, through virtual events such as 
webinars, and in-person meetings.
4. CBJTGs Evaluation
    ETA is interested in determining if training provided through the 
CBJTGs impacts students' future labor force outcomes. To that end, ETA 
expects to select grantees awarded funds through this SGA to 
participate in an evaluation. Applicants must be prepared to share with 
the evaluation contractor individual information on demographics, 
participant characteristics, services received, and outcomes and must 
be prepared to provide access to program operating personnel and 
participants, including after the expiration date of the grant.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. How To Obtain an Application Package

    This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed 
to apply for grant funding.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

    The proposal will consist of three separate and distinct parts: (I) 
A cost proposal; (II) a technical proposal; and (III) attachments to 
the technical proposal. Applications must include the following or will 
be considered non-responsive and will not be considered: (1) The 
Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance;'' (2) The 
SF 424A Budget Information Form; (3) Data Universal Numbering System 
(D-U-N-S[supreg]) Number; (4) Budget Narrative; (5) Requests grant 
funds within the appropriate funding range noted in section II.A; and 
(6) Abstract. In addition, consortium applicants must include letters 
of commitment from each partner college within the consortium, 
identifying each institution's unique Federal Tax Identification 
Number. Applications that fail to adhere to the instructions in this 
section will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered. 
The applicant must ensure that the funding amount requested is 
consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application. If 
inconsistencies are

[[Page 12279]]

found, the funding amount included on the SF 424 ``Application for 
Federal Assistance'' will be considered the official funding amount 
requested.
    Part I. The Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal must include the 
following items:
     SF 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance'' (available 
at https://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp 
and https://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm). The SF 424 must 
clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with 
authority to enter into a grant agreement. Upon confirmation of an 
award, the individual signing the SF 424 on behalf of the applicant 
shall be considered the authorized representative of the applicant. 
Applicants must supply their D-U-N-S[supreg] Number on the SF 424. If 
submitting a hard copy application, the SF 424 must be signed by the 
authorized representative. All applicants for Federal grant and funding 
opportunities are required to have a D-U-N-S[supreg] Number. See Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) Notice of Final Policy Issuance, 68 FR 
38402, Jun. 27, 2003. The D-U-N-S[supreg] Number is a non-indicative, 
nine-digit number assigned to each business location in the Dun & 
Bradstreet (D&B) database having a unique, separate, and distinct 
operation, and is maintained solely by D&B. The D&B D-U-N-S[supreg] 
Number is used by industries and organizations around the world as a 
global standard for business identification and tracking. If you do not 
have a D-U-N-S[supreg] Number, you can get one for free through the D&B 
site: https://smallbusiness.dnb.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Glossary?fLink=glossary&footerflag=y&storeId=10001&indicator=7.
     The SF 424A Budget Information Form (available at https://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp and https://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm). In preparing the Budget 
Information Form, the applicant must provide a concise narrative 
explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.
     Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a 
description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It 
should also include a description of leveraged resources provided to 
support grant activities. In addition, the applicant should address 
precisely how the administrative costs support the project goals. The 
entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) should be 
included on both the SF 424 and SF 424A. No leveraged resources should 
be shown on the SF 424 and SF 424A.
    Applications that fail to provide an SF 424, SF 424A, a D-U-N-
S[supreg] Number, and a budget narrative will be considered non-
responsive and not reviewed.
     Applicants are also encouraged, but not required, to 
submit OMB Survey N. 1890-0014: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity 
for Applicants, which can be found under the Grants.gov, Tips and 
Resources From Grantors, Department of Labor section at https://www07.grants.gov/applicants/tips_resources_from_grantors.jsp#13 
(also referred to as Faith Based EEO Survey PDF Form).
    Part II. The Technical Proposal. The Technical Proposal 
demonstrates the applicant's capability to implement the grant project 
in accordance with the provisions of this solicitation. The guidelines 
for the content of the Technical Proposal are provided in section V.A 
of this SGA. The Technical Proposal is limited to 20 double-spaced 
single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with 12 point text font and 1 inch 
margins. Any materials beyond the 20-page limit will not be read. 
Further, any tables or charts contained in the Technical Proposal are 
included in the 20 page limit and should be single-spaced single-sided 
8.5 x 11 inch pages with 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. 
Applicants should number the Technical Proposal beginning with page 
number 1. Applications that do not include Part II, the Technical 
Proposal, will be considered non-responsive.
    Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the 
20-page Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit one letter of 
commitment that is co-signed by all required partners and other 
partners, as appropriate, that describes the roles and responsibilities 
of each partner. Electronic signatures are permissible in the letter of 
commitment. The exception to this is that in addition to the single 
letter of commitment from partners, consortium applicants are also 
required to include a letter of commitment from each partner college 
within the consortium partnership, indicating their support for the 
project, identifying the specific role they will play, and providing 
each institution's unique Federal Tax Identification Number.
    Applicants who may have included an apprenticeship program or State 
apprenticeship agency as a partner should note that the DOL Office of 
Apprenticeship is the registration agency for apprenticeship programs 
in 25 States. In the other 25 States, the District of Columbia, and 
U.S. Territories, the registration agency is a recognized State 
Apprenticeship Agency that has responsibility for registering 
apprenticeship programs and providing technical assistance for 
registered apprenticeship programs. In the 25 States where DOL's Office 
of Apprenticeship is the registration agency, a signature is not 
required in the letter of commitment from the DOL Office of 
Apprenticeship. A signature is required in the letter of commitment 
where the registration agency is a recognized State Apprenticeship 
Agency. Applicants should visit the DOL Office of Apprenticeship's Web 
site (https://www.doleta.gov/oa/stateoffices.cfm and https://www.doleta.gov/oa/stateagencies.cfm) to identify the appropriate State 
apprenticeship director representative.
    Applicants should not send letters of commitment separately to ETA, 
because letters received separately will be tracked through a different 
system and will not be attached to the application for review. ETA does 
not permit general letters of support submitted by organizations or 
individuals that are not partners in the proposed project and that do 
not directly identify the specific commitment or roles of the project 
partners. Support letters of this nature will not be included in the 
evaluation review process.
    Applicants that identify a project manager for their proposed 
project in the Technical Proposal should include a resume for that 
individual as an attachment.
    The applicant also must provide an Abstract, not to exceed two 
pages and must include the following sections: (1) Summary of the 
proposed project, including applicant name; (2) applicant type as 
referenced in section III.A, and identifying if the lead applicant has 
previously been funded through a CBJT SGA or has never received a grant 
funded through a CBJT SGA (if applying as a consortium, clearly 
designate that the lead applicant will serve as both the programmatic 
and fiscal agent for the grant in this section); (3) targeted industry 
and/or occupations; (4) project title; (5) key partners; (6) 
identification of the community or communities to be served, including 
whether the community(ies) are located in urban, suburban, or rural 
areas; (7) target populations to be served; (8) projected training and 
placement outcomes; and (9) funding level requested. Failure to provide 
this information in the Abstract may have an impact on selection as a 
grantee. These additional materials (commitment letter, resume for the 
project manager if applicable, and two-page abstract) do not count 
against the 20-page limit for the Technical

[[Page 12280]]

Proposal, but may not exceed 12 pages. Any additional materials beyond 
the 12-page limit will not be read. Applications that do not include 
the abstract will be considered non-responsive and will not be 
considered.
    Applications may be submitted electronically on Grants.gov or in 
hard copy by mail or hand delivery. These processes are described in 
further detail in section IV.C. Applicants submitting proposals in hard 
copy must submit an original signed application (including the SF 424) 
and one (1) ``copy-ready'' version free of bindings, staples or 
protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the proposal by DOL. 
Applicants submitting proposals in hard copy are also required to 
provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on compact disc 
(CD). If discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD copy are 
identified, the application on the CD will be considered the official 
applicant submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide 
identical applications in hardcopy and CD format may have an impact on 
the overall evaluation.

C. Submission Process, Date, Times, and Addresses

    The closing date for receipt of applications under this 
announcement is April 29, 2010. Applications must be received at the 
address below no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications sent by 
e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. If an 
application is submitted by both hard-copy and through https://www.grants.gov a letter must accompany the hard-copy application 
stating why two applications were submitted and the differences between 
the two submissions. If no letter accompanies the hard-copy, we will 
review the copy submitted through https://www.grants.gov. For multiple 
applications submitted through https://www.grants.gov, we will review 
the latest submittal. Applications that do not meet the conditions set 
forth in this notice will be considered non-responsive. No exceptions 
to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will 
be granted. Further, documents submitted separately from the 
application, before or after the deadline, will not be accepted.
    Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA, 
PY 09-07, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N4716, Washington, DC 
20210. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington area 
may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-delivered 
proposals will be received at the above address. All overnight mail 
will be considered to be hand-delivered and must be received at the 
designated place by the specified closing date and time.
    Applications that are submitted through Grants.gov must be 
successfully submitted at https://www.grants.gov no later than 4 p.m. 
Eastern Time on the closing date, and then subsequently validated by 
Grants.gov. The submission and validation process is described in more 
detail below. The process can be complicated and time-consuming. 
Applicants are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as 
possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if 
necessary.
    The Department strongly recommends that before the applicant begins 
to write the proposal, applicants should immediately initiate and 
complete the ``Get Registered'' registration steps at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. Applicants should read 
through the registration process carefully before registering. These 
steps may take as much as four weeks to complete, and this time should 
be factored into plans for electronic submission in order to avoid 
unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application. 
The site also contains registration checklists to help you walk through 
the process. The Department strongly recommends that applicants 
download the ``Organization Registration Checklist'' at https://www.grants.gov/assets/Organization_Steps_Complete_Registration.pdf 
and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration 
process. Reviewing and assembling required information before beginning 
the registration process will alleviate last minute searches for 
required information and save time.
    In addition to having a D-U-N-S[reg] Number, applicants applying 
electronically through Grants.gov must register with the Federal 
Central Contractor Registry (CCR). Step-by-step instructions for 
registering with CCR can be found at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step2.jsp. All applicants must register with CCR in order to apply 
online. Failure to register with the CCR will result in your 
application being rejected by Grants.gov during the submission process.
    The next step in the registration process is creating a username 
and password with Grants.gov to become an Authorized Organizational 
Representative (AOR). AORs will need to know the D-U-N-S[reg] Number of 
the organization for which they will be submitting applications to 
complete this process. To read more detailed instructions for creating 
a profile on Grants.gov visit: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step3.jsp.
    After creating a profile on Grants.gov, the E-Biz Point of Contact 
(E-Biz POC)--a representative from your organization who is the contact 
listed for CCR--will receive an e-mail to grant the AOR permission to 
submit applications on behalf of their organization. The E-Biz POC will 
then log in to Grants.gov and approve an applicant as the AOR, thereby 
giving him or her permission to submit applications. To learn more 
about AOR Authorization visit: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step5.jsp, or to track AOR status visit: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step6.jsp.
    An application submitted through Grants.gov constitutes a 
submission as an electronically signed application. The registration 
and account creation with Grants.gov, with E-Biz POC appro