OSHA Training Institute Education Center; Notice of Competition and Request for Applications, 22349-22355 [2012-8884]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 72 (Friday, April 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22349-22355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8884]



[[Page 22349]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration


OSHA Training Institute Education Center; Notice of Competition 
and Request for Applications

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of competition and request for applications for the OSHA 
Training Institute Education Centers Program.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the opportunity for interested non-
profit organizations, including qualifying trade associations, labor 
unions, and community-based and faith-based organizations that are not 
an agency of a state or local government to submit applications to 
become an OSHA Training Institute Education Center and deliver standard 
classroom instruction on a regional basis. State or local government-
supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. 
Eligible organizations can apply independently or in partnership with 
other eligible organizations, but in such a case, a lead organization 
must be identified along with a list of any consortium partners. 
Current OSHA-authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Centers must 
submit a new application in order to maintain their OSHA Training 
Institute Education Center status. Applications will only be accepted 
during the solicitation period and will be rated on a competitive 
basis. Complete application instructions are contained in this notice.
    Please note that all applicants selected to be OSHA Training 
Institute Education Centers must attend a mandatory orientation meeting 
at the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington 
Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102, at a time and date 
to be determined.
    This notice also contains information on a proposal conference 
designed to provide potential applicants with information about the 
OSHA Training Institute Education Centers Program. The conference will 
clarify OSHA expectations for OSHA Training Institute Education 
Centers, courses and methods of instruction, as well as administrative 
and program requirements for OSHA Training Institute Education Centers 
and the OSHA Outreach Training Program. Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to attend the proposal conference.
    OSHA will enter into five-year, non-financial cooperative 
agreements with successful applicants. These authorization agreements 
are intended solely to facilitate the ongoing monitoring and evaluation 
of safety training provided by authorized OSHA Training Institute 
Education Centers. These cooperative agreements will not constitute a 
grant or financial assistance instrument, and OSHA will provide no 
compensation to authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Centers.

DATES: Applications (three copies) must be received no later than 4:30 
p.m. Central Time on Friday, June 15, 2012. Requests for extension of 
this application deadline will not be granted.
    A proposal conference will be held on Wednesday, May 2, 2012, at 
the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington 
Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102. Attendees are 
required to pre-register for this conference. Specific details are 
discussed in the Proposal Conference section of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications (three copies) to the OSHA Directorate 
of Training and Education, Office of Training and Educational Programs, 
Attn: Kimberly Newell, 2020 South Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington 
Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
    Applicants selected to be OSHA Training Institute Education Centers 
must attend a mandatory orientation meeting to be held at the OSHA 
Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington Heights 
Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102 at a time and date to be 
determined.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any questions regarding this 
opportunity should be directed to Kimberly Newell, OSHA Training 
Institute Education Centers Program Manager, email address 
newell.kimberly@dol.gov, or James Barnes, Director, Office of Training 
and Educational Programs, OSHA Directorate of Training and Education, 
email address barnes.james@dol.gov. Both can be reached at (847) 759-
7700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The supplemental information contains 
details concerning the following:

 Background Information
    Overview of the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education (DTE)
    Overview of the OSHA Training Institute (OTI)
    Overview of the OTI Education Centers
    Overview of the OSHA Outreach Training Program
 Organizational Responsibilities
    OTI Education Centers Responsibilities
    OSHA DTE Responsibilities
 OSHA Jurisdiction
 Geographic Distribution
 Application Submission Requirements
 Selection Guidelines
 Selection Criteria
 Consortia and Partnerships
 Funding Provisions
 Cooperative Agreement Duration
 Proposal Conference
 Application Submission
 Application Deadline
 Application Evaluation and Selection Process
 Notification and Selection
 Freedom of Information Act
 Transparency
 Notification of Non-Selection
 Non-Selection Appeal
 Appendix A--Current List of Required, Elective, and 
Optional Courses

Background Information

Overview of the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education (DTE)

    DTE, located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, supports the Agency's 
mission and performance goals of securing safe and healthy workplaces 
and increasing workers' voice in the workplace through the development 
and delivery of training courses and educational programs. The 
Directorate has four distinct functional areas: the OSHA Training 
Institute (OTI), the Office of Training and Educational Programs, the 
Office of Training and Educational Development, and the Office of 
Administration and Training Information.
    The Directorate provides training for federal and state compliance 
officers and State consultants. The Directorate administers three 
distinct external training programs including the OTI Education Centers 
Program, the Outreach Training Program, and the Susan Harwood Training 
Grants Program. The Resource Center Loan Program supports safety and 
health training through the loan of educational materials to authorized 
borrowers. The Directorate also develops training and educational 
materials that support OTI courses and the Agency's compliance 
assistance initiatives.

Overview of the OSHA Training Institute (OTI)

    OTI, located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is OSHA's primary 
training provider. OTI conducts over 50 unique course offerings on an 
annual basis. Training includes job hazard recognition as well as OSHA 
standards, policies, and procedures for persons responsible for 
enforcing or directly supporting the Occupational Safety and Health Act 
of 1970. Courses include practical exercises that utilize the 
industrial hygiene, safety and construction laboratories in addition to 
field sites. The OTI's primary responsibility is to federal and state

[[Page 22350]]

compliance officers and state consultation program staff. Private 
sector personnel and federal personnel from agencies other than OSHA 
may receive training from OTI when space is available. However, the OTI 
Education Centers are the primary training providers for private sector 
personnel and federal personnel from agencies other than OSHA.

Overview of OTI Education Centers

    The OTI Education Centers are a national network of non-profit 
organizations authorized by OSHA to deliver occupational safety and 
health training to private sector workers, supervisors, and employers 
on behalf of OSHA. The OTI Education Centers Program was initiated in 
1992 when OSHA began partnering with other training and educational 
institutions to conduct OTI courses for private sector personnel, 
federal personnel from agencies other than OSHA, and state and 
municipal employees. The OTI Education Centers Program support OSHA's 
training and education mission through a variety of safety and health 
programs.
    OTI Education Center courses include OSHA standards and Outreach 
Training Program trainer and update courses. Additional course 
offerings include topics such as recordkeeping, machine guarding, 
confined space, electrical standards, and fall arrest systems. 
Information regarding the OTI Education Centers Program background, 
including a complete list of current organizations, course offerings, 
and descriptions can be found on the OSHA Web site at: https://www.osha.gov/dte/training/edcenters/.
    OTI Education Centers are selected through a national competitive 
process and receive no funding from OSHA; they support their OSHA 
training through their normal tuition and fee structures. OTI Education 
Centers are located in all OSHA Regions and work closely with OSHA 
Regional and Area offices to meet the needs of the regional 
constituency. OTI Education Centers are encouraged to conduct courses 
at host-sites other than their own facilities and in other states 
within their Region. Host-site organizations must be non-profit 
organizations. OTI Education Centers are also responsible for 
authorizing trainers, processing trainer card requests, and conducting 
monitoring activity for the OSHA Outreach Training Program.

Overview of the OSHA Outreach Training Program

    The OSHA Outreach Training Program was established during the early 
years of the Agency to provide an overview of OSHA and to rapidly 
disseminate basic occupational safety and health workplace hazard 
information to workers using independent authorized trainers. Courses 
are intended to provide information on worker rights, employer 
responsibilities, and how to file a complaint as well as focusing on 
work-related hazards. Outreach Training Program courses do not focus on 
or teach OSHA standards. Workers who complete the construction 
industry, general industry, maritime industry, or disaster site worker 
courses receive OSHA course completion cards from the authorized 
trainer who conducted the training. OSHA Outreach Trainers are 
authorized exclusively through the OTI Education Centers. OTI Education 
Centers are responsible for administering the Outreach Training 
Program, including issuing course completion cards to authorized 
Outreach trainers and conducting monitoring activity such as record 
audits and training observations.
    The Outreach Training Program is a voluntary program. OSHA 
recommends Outreach Training Program courses as an introduction to 
worker rights, employer responsibilities, how to file a complaint and 
occupational safety and health hazard recognition for workers. However, 
some states have enacted laws mandating the training. In addition, some 
employers, unions, organizations or other jurisdictions may also 
require this training. Please note that Outreach Training Program 
courses do not meet specific training requirements contained in OSHA 
standards. Employers are responsible for training their workers on 
specific hazards of their job, as noted in many OSHA standards. A list 
of standards requiring training is found in OSHA Publication 2254 
Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines located 
at: www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.athruz?pType=Types&pID=1.
    The OSHA Outreach Training Program requirements and procedures 
contain instructions and assistance information for Outreach Trainers. 
Among the issues addressed in the requirements and procedures are 
course topic requirements, minimum lengths for course topics, 
advertising restrictions, records retention, and reporting 
requirements. OSHA Outreach Training Program guidelines are located at: 
https://www.osha.gov/dte/outreach/.

Organizational Responsibilities

OTI Education Centers Responsibilities

    OTI Education Centers are responsible for the following:
    (1) Develop and update course curriculum to support learning 
objectives provided by the OSHA/DTE.
    (2) Ensure that instructors are qualified in the courses/subjects 
they will be teaching.
    (3) Meet annual program goals that include the following:
    (a) Conduct a minimum number of courses per month and achieve 
annual student training goals and objectives as established by OSHA/
DTE. Please note that program goals are revised on an annual basis.
    (b) Provide adequate coverage throughout the Region and target 
underserved areas identified by OSHA/DTE.
    (c) Conduct courses on a year-round basis with each required, 
elective, and optional course being offered in accordance with annual 
program goals. Required, elective, and optional courses are subject to 
change.
    (4) Publicize and promote the availability of courses to ensure 
attendance and the delivery of the scheduled courses.
    (5) Register students, provide course materials for students, and 
issue course completion certificates to students. This includes:
    (a) Ensuring that students have met all prerequisites prior to 
registration.
    (b) Collecting student registration and attendance records in 
accordance with OSHA/DTE guidelines.
    (6) Comply with reporting requirements as identified by OSHA/DTE. 
This includes:
    (a) Providing OSHA/DTE with training summary reports.
    (b) Collecting student surveys from students in accordance with 
OSHA procedures and providing that data to OSHA within established 
timelines.
    (7) Administer Outreach Training Program activities. This includes:
    (a) Distributing student cards to authorized Outreach Training 
Program trainers.
    (b) Monitoring OSHA Outreach trainers including record audits and 
training observations.
    (8) Attend the bi-annual OSHA Training Institute Education Centers 
Directors' Meetings.

OSHA DTE Responsibilities

    DTE is responsible for the following:
    (1) Develop program policy.
    (2) Provide answers and technical assistance on questions regarding 
OSHA policy and program requirements.

[[Page 22351]]

    (3) Provide OTI Education Centers with learning objectives for 
courses to be presented.
    (4) For select courses, provide curriculum and test questions.
    (5) Coordinate the development of new OTI Education Center courses.
    (6) Monitor the performance of the OTI Education Centers through 
on-site program visits, training observations and examination of course 
reports and attendance records.
    (7) Provide quarterly summaries of student evaluation results.
    (8) Coordinate the efforts of the Executive Committee.
    (9) Evaluate the effectiveness of the OTI Education Centers and 
provide each organization with an annual performance appraisal.

OSHA Jurisdiction

    OSHA is a federal agency within the United States. The Agency 
covers workers and employers in the 50 United States and certain 
territories and jurisdictions under federal authority. Those 
jurisdictions include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin 
Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Island, 
Johnston Island, the Panama Canal Zone, and the Outer Continental Shelf 
Lands as defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

Geographic Distribution

    There is currently at least one OTI Education Center in each OSHA 
Region. However, OSHA may elect to select more than one OTI Education 
Center in some or all OSHA Regions. The OSHA Regions contain the 
following states:

Region I: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, and Vermont.
Region II: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.
Region III: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia, and West Virginia.
Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Region V: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Region VI: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Region VII: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
Region VIII: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and 
Wyoming.
Region IX: American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, 
and Trust Territories of the Pacific.
Region X: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

    For this notice of competition, special consideration will be given 
to applicant organizations with physical locations in the following 
major metropolitan areas (the list is in alpha order, not order of 
preference):

    1. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH.
    2. Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC.
    3. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI.
    4. Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN.
    5. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH.
    6. Columbus, OH.
    7. Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI.
    8. Indianapolis, IN.
    9. Jacksonville, FL.
    10. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA.
    11. Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
    12. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL.
    13. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI.
    14. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
    15. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN.
    16. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA.
    17. New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA.
    18. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
    19. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ.
    20. Pittsburgh, PA.
    21. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA.
    22. Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA.
    23. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
    24. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
    25. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC.
    26. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MSA.

Application Submission Requirements

    Submissions that are not in accordance with the application 
submission requirements listed below will not be considered. The 
application must include the following.
    (1) Program Summary. The program summary is a one-to-two page 
double-spaced abstract that succinctly summarizes the applicant 
organization(s) and any consortium partners' background, experience and 
qualifications. The program summary must also provide:
    (a) Contact information including the following:
     The name, address, and phone number of the lead 
organization and all consortium partners. A post office box will not be 
accepted.
     The name, title, address, telephone number, and email 
address of the program director who can answer questions regarding the 
application.
    (b) Information on which OTI Education Center courses may be 
offered and any relevant language or target audience information.
    (2) Program Narrative. The program narrative must be numbered and 
not exceed 30 double-spaced pages. Attachments will not be included in 
the page count.
    (3) Applicant Eligibility. In order to be eligible, each 
organization must document the following. Organizations that do not 
address the following will not be given further consideration.
    (a) Non-Profit Status. Include evidence of non-profit status of the 
lead organization and each member organization if applying as a 
consortium. A letter from the Internal Revenue Service, State, or a 
statement included in a recent audit report is preferred. In the 
absence of either of these, a copy of the articles of incorporation 
showing the non-profit status will be accepted.
    (b) Authority to Apply. Provide a copy of the resolution by the 
Board of Directors, Board of Regents, company president, Chief 
Executive Officer or other governing body of the organization approving 
the submittal of an application to OSHA to become an OTI Education 
Center.
    (c) Occupational Safety and Health Training Experience. Demonstrate 
previous experience delivering occupational safety and health training 
to adults.
    (d) Status as a Training Organization. (This applies only to 
applicants that are not colleges or universities.) Document that 
training or education is a principal activity of the organization. 
Through audit reports, annual reports, or other documentation, the 
applicant must clearly demonstrate that for the last two years more 
than 50% of the organization's funds have been used for training and 
education activities and more than 50% of staff resources have also 
been used for this purpose.
    (e) Curriculum Development. Explain the organization's process for 
developing and updating occupational safety and health curriculum to 
learning objectives provided by OSHA.
    (f) Training Facilities. Provide detail regarding classrooms, 
laboratories, and testing facilities available; and organization's 
ability to provide standard classroom training across the OSHA Region 
in which the organization is physically located.
    (g) Nondiscrimination. Provide copies of the organization's 
nondiscrimination

[[Page 22352]]

policies covering staff and students. In the absence of a written 
policy, explain how the organization will ensure that staff and 
students are selected without regard to race, color, religion, national 
origin, sex, age, or disability.

Selection Guidelines

    OSHA does not have a predetermined number of organizations to be 
selected to act as authorized OTI Education Centers. The number of 
organizations selected will be determined by a competitive basis using 
the selection criteria contained in this announcement.

Selection Criteria

    Applications that meet the factors listed in the ``Applicant 
Eligibility'' section above will be reviewed by a technical panel based 
on the criteria listed below.
    (1) Organizational Experience and Qualifications (25 Points)
    (a) Experience delivering occupational safety and health training 
in construction and general industry.
    (b) Experience training adults.
    (c) Ability to deliver required, elective, and optional OTI 
Education Center courses; (See Appendix A for a current list of 
required, elective and optional OTI Education Center courses).
    (d) Provision for a systematic process for developing and updating 
occupational safety and health curriculum to support learning 
objectives provided by OSHA.
    (e) Resources for supporting a large-scale occupational safety and 
health training program, such as appropriate management, instructional 
staff, and administrative staff to fulfill all program requirements, 
including marketing, registration, handouts, instruction, reporting, 
and Outreach card administration.
    (f) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Describe experience delivering occupational safety and health 
training including the number of classes offered, number of trainees 
taught in each class, and number of trainee contact hours for each 
course during the last three years.
    (ii) Include copies of catalogs and other recruitment materials 
that provide descriptive material about the courses.
    (iii) Describe ability to deliver OTI Education Center courses 
including required, elective, and optional courses. Please note the 
required, elective and optional course offerings are subject to change. 
A current list of required, elective and optional courses may be found 
at Appendix A. The complete list of courses and descriptions are 
available online at https://www.osha.gov/dte/edcenters/course_description.html.
    (iv) Indicate the number of occupational safety and health courses 
for which your organization has developed curriculum, including the 
title and student contact hours for each course, within the last three 
years.
    (v) Indicate the number of occupational safety and health courses 
your organization has conducted live training, including title, student 
contact hours, and number of trainees within the last three years.
    (vi) Demonstrate that your organization is capable of providing 
training throughout the OSHA Region in which the lead organization and 
consortium partner(s) are physically located.
    (2) Staff Experience and Qualifications (15 Points).
    (a) Staff experience in delivering training courses for adults in 
occupational safety and health in construction and general industry.
    (b) Staff experience in occupational safety and health subjects 
with the application of OSHA standards to the recognition, avoidance, 
abatement, and prevention of workplace hazards.
    (c) Professional certifications related to occupational safety and 
health held by staff such as such as Certified Safety Professional, 
Professional Engineer, or Certified Industrial Hygienist.
    (d) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Include an organizational chart of the department responsible 
for training.
    (ii) Describe staff knowledge of and experience with OSHA standards 
and their application to hazard recognition and hazard abatement.
    (iii) For instructors responsible for conducting OSHA courses, 
include resumes for current staff and position descriptions for 
positions to be filled.
    (3) Location and Training Facilities (15 Points).
    (a) Ability to conduct standard classroom instruction training in 
multiple locations within the OSHA Region.
    (b) Classroom facilities available for presentation of the courses, 
including room capacity, availability of audiovisual equipment, and 
appropriate laboratories and other facilities available for hands-on 
exercises.
    (c) Availability of testing center or comparable facility.
    (d) Provisions for accessibility for persons with disabilities.
    (e) Accessibility of the training facility to population centers, 
including such factors as distance from a major airport, number of 
airlines serving the airport, transportation from the airport to 
hotels, and distance from the interstate system.
    (f) Availability and affordability of lodging and accommodations, 
food service and restaurants available both in the area in which the 
classes will be held and in the area where the hotels are located.
    (g) Availability and affordability of local transportation, 
including how students will be transported between the hotels and 
classes using hotel shuttles, public transportation, or other means.
    (h) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Describe the accessibility of the training facility for 
students within local commuting area.
    (ii) Clearly identify that your organization has classrooms, 
laboratories, and testing facilities available. Floor plans are 
encouraged and may be included as an attachment.
    (iii) Include such items as distance from a major airport, number 
of airlines serving the airport, transportation from the airport to 
hotels, and distance from the interstate system.
    (iv) Provide a representative listing of hotels available for 
student accommodation and give sample room rates. Explain how students 
will be transported between the hotels and classes. Describe the food 
service and restaurants available both in the area in which the classes 
will be held and in the area where the hotels are located.
    (v) Describe the organization's ability and plan to provide off-
site host-site training within their respective Region including 
procedures to assure that classroom facilities and accommodations are 
adequate. Off-site training includes the ability to conduct courses at 
sites other than your own facility and in other states within your OSHA 
region. Host-site training organizations must be non-profit 
organizations and proof of non-profit status is required.
    (4) Marketing and Recruitment (15 Points).
    (a) Experience in marketing training to adults.
    (b) Ability to effectively market occupational safety and health 
training programs.
    (c) Utilization of various media to support marketing efforts.
    (d) Ability to solicit and deliver training on a contract basis.
    (e) Resources sufficient to support participation in national 
industry conferences in order to market training programs.
    (f) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Explain the procedures for marketing your organization's 
training courses and recruiting trainees.

[[Page 22353]]

    (ii) Include examples of current course marketing materials such as 
catalogs, flyers, brochures, emails, Web site urls and screen shots, 
postcards, use of social media, and any other associated relevant 
materials.
    (iii) Explain how your organization will promote its status as an 
OTI Education Center.
    (iv) Describe your organization's experience in exhibiting at 
conferences and trade shows.
    (5) Administrative Capabilities (20 Points).
    (a) Ability to administer a large-scale occupational safety and 
health training program, including clerical and support staff, customer 
service capabilities, to fulfill all program requirements and meet 
customer needs.
    (b) Ability to administer the Outreach Training Program, including 
processing card requests for trainers and conducting monitoring 
activity such as record audits and training observations.
    (c) Ability to compile and submit reports and other training data.
    (d) Applicants must be capable of providing mandatory reports 
consistent with current OSHA guidelines, including the capability to 
submit reports in Excel format on a template provided by OSHA/DTE. 
Please note OSHA periodically revises reporting requirements.
    (e) Ability to respond to inquiries from OSHA and the public.
    (f) Ability to manage student records.
    (g) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Describe registration procedures including provisions for 
course cancellation, furnishing students with course materials, 
verifying course prerequisites are met in advance of registration, and 
tuition or fee collection.
    (ii) Describe capabilities to process and issue course completion 
documents to students and collect related fees.
    (iii) Describe personnel and resources available to conduct 
monitoring activity, including record audits and training observations.
    (iv) Include information about organization's record retention 
policy and ability to issue replacement course completion documents, 
and collect related fees. Please note OSHA requires records must be 
maintained for a minimum of five years. OTI Education Centers may 
establish a longer retention policy.
    (v) Explain what procedures will be put in place for reporting to 
OSHA/DTE.
    (vi) Provide specific details regarding the organization's full-
time customer service staff, capabilities, and/or planned approach for 
responding to questions from students; handling questions and concerns 
related to occupational safety and health; resolving problems 
associated with a course, whether receiving them via student 
satisfaction surveys or direct communication from a student; and 
issuing replacement course complete certificates in a timely manner 
including verification of student identity and training completion.
    (vii) Provide a copy of the organization's tuition and fee 
schedule; explain how tuition or fees will be computed for each OTI 
numbered course, referencing the organization's tuition and fee 
schedule; and describe tuition and fee procedures including provisions 
for the collection of tuition, cancellation fees, and issuing refunds.
    (6) Evaluation (10 Points).
    OSHA utilizes Kirkpatrick's Levels of Evaluation as described 
below. Each OTI Education Center is responsible for collecting and 
submitting student surveys.

Satisfaction Survey (Level I Evaluation) to Measure Reaction. Each 
student must receive a satisfaction survey to assess the students' 
reactions and perceptions of the quality of the training.
Testing (Level II Evaluation) to Measure Learning. Learning assessments 
measure the skills and knowledge that the trainee retains as a result 
of the training. Testing is mandatory at the end of some courses.
Follow-up Impact Survey (Level III Evaluation) to Measure Results. Each 
student must receive a follow-up impact survey to assess the 
effectiveness of the training after a 6-month period, using survey 
questions provided by OSHA.

    (a) Ability to administer student surveys in a classroom setting.
    (b) Ability to administer exams and ensure test integrity.
    (c) Ability to assess the effectiveness of the training after a 6-
month period using a follow-up impact survey.
    (d) Ability to summarize and report evaluation results.
    (e) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Describe the organization's experience in conducting evaluation 
of training programs.
    (ii) Describe organization's experience in administering student 
surveys.
    (iii) Describe organization's experience in administering classroom 
exams and its process for ensuring test integrity.
    (iv) Describe organization's experience conducting follow-up 
evaluations that measure behavior and/or results.

Consortia and Partnerships

    Applicants may join with one or more other non-profit organizations 
in their Region to apply as a consortium. A training or education 
institution may elect to apply for this program in partnership with a 
safety and health organization that is not primarily a training 
organization. For example, a university could enter into an agreement 
with a labor union that provides for the use of university classrooms 
and faculty supplemented by union safety and health professionals. All 
consortium partners must be physically located in the same OSHA region. 
Partners must designate a lead organization that will be responsible 
for program reporting and Outreach Training Program administration 
including Outreach card distribution.

Funding Provisions

    OSHA provides no funding to OTI Education Centers. OTI Education 
Centers Program participants are expected to support their training 
through their normal tuition and fee structures.

Cooperative Agreement Duration

    Selected applicants will sign five-year non-financial cooperative 
agreements with OSHA. With satisfactory performance by the OTI 
Education Center, agreements may be renewed without additional 
competition for an additional five years. The agency reserves the right 
to revoke the authorization of an OTI Education Center. Either party 
may terminate the cooperative agreement with advance written notice.

Proposal Conference

    A proposal conference will be held to provide potential applicants 
with information about the OTI Education Centers Program. The 
conference will also clarify OSHA expectations for OTI Education 
Centers, courses and methods of instruction, as well as administrative 
and program requirements for OTI Education Centers and the OSHA 
Outreach Training Program. Attendance at the proposal conference is not 
mandatory, but applicants are strongly encouraged to attend.
    The proposal conference is scheduled for Wednesday, May 2, 2012, at 
the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington 
Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005 4102.
    It is necessary for all attendees to register for this proposal 
conference. Applicants interested in attending this conference must 
contact Kimberly Newell, Program Manager,

[[Page 22354]]

(newell.kimberly@dol.gov), or Jim Barnes, (barnes.james@dol.gov), 
Director, Office of Training and Educational Programs, OSHA Directorate 
of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington 
Heights, Illinois 60005-4102; telephone (847) 759-7700. Required 
registration information includes:
    (1) Name and street address of the organization;
    (2) Name, title, telephone number, and email address of the 
attendees Registration information must be submitted no later than 
Friday, April 27, 2012.

Application Submission

    Applications must be submitted to the attention of Kimberly Newell, 
Program Manager, Office of Training and Educational Programs, OSHA 
Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Rd., 
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
    The submission is to consist of three copies of the application. 
Applications may be bound. The program narrative must not exceed 30 
double-spaced pages. Attachments will not be included in the page 
count. Applications must be double-spaced, in 12-point font, with all 
pages numbered including any attachments. Attachments must only include 
essential documents that are relevant to this program.

Application Deadline

    Applications must be received by the OSHA Directorate of Training 
and Education no later than 4:30 p.m., Central Time, on Friday, June 
15, 2012. Requests for extension to this application deadline will not 
be granted.

Application Evaluation and Selection Process

    Applications will be reviewed by technical panels comprised of OSHA 
staff. The technical panels will review applications based on criteria 
listed in this notice to determine which applicants best meet the 
stated requirements. As part of the evaluation and selection process, 
OSHA may request additional information from applicants. This may 
include written requests for clarification, phone or in-person 
interviews, access to existing programs, and on-site visits of 
applicant facilities. The panels' recommendations to the Assistant 
Secretary are advisory in nature. The final decision will be made by 
the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

Notification of Selection

    Applicants will be notified by a representative of the Assistant 
Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health if their 
organization is selected as an OSHA Training Institute Education 
Center. Applicants selected to be OSHA Training Institute Education 
Centers must attend a mandatory orientation meeting at the Directorate 
of Training and Education in Arlington Heights, Illinois at a time and 
date to be provided.
    An organization may not conduct OSHA Training Institute Education 
Center courses until the program has been authorized, the organization 
has signed a non-financial cooperative agreement with OSHA, and the 
organization has participated in the Orientation meeting.

Freedom of Information Act

    Information submitted in the respondent's application is not 
considered confidential. Organization applications data may be 
releasable under the Freedom of Information Act.

Transparency

    The Department of Labor is committed to conducting a transparent 
selection process and publicizing information about program outcomes. 
Applications or abstracts may be posted on public Web sites as a means 
of promoting and sharing innovative ideas.

Notification of Non-Selection

    Applicants will be notified in writing if their organization is not 
selected to be an OSHA Training Institute Education Center.

Non-Selection Appeal

    All decisions by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational 
Safety and Health are final. The Department of Labor does not provide 
an appeal procedure for applicants that are not selected.

Authority and Signature

    Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 
U.S.C. 670).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on April 9, 2012.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

Appendix A--Current List of Required, Elective and Optional Courses \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Subject to change based on Agency initiatives, yearly annual 
performance criteria and national emphasis programs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (1) Present OTI Courses:
    (a) FY 2012 rating criterion is 60 courses conducted annually 
with a minimum of five in-person courses per month.
    (b) Present all OTI Courses as follows:
    (i) OTI Education Centers are required to present the following 
eight courses:

(1) 500 Trainer Course for the Construction Industry
(2) 501 Trainer Course for General Industry
(3) 502 Update for Construction Industry Outreach Trainers
(4) 503 Update for General Industry Outreach Trainers
(5) 510 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for 
Construction
(6) 511 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for 
General Industry
(7) 7500 Introduction to Safety and Health Management
(8) 7845 Recordkeeping Rule Seminar

    (ii) OTI Education Centers are required to present at least five 
of the following elective courses:

(1) 521 OSHA Guide to Industrial Hygiene
(2) 2015 Hazardous Materials
(3) 2045 Machinery and Machine Guarding Standards
(4) 2225 Respiratory Protection
(5) 2250 Principles of Ergonomics
(6) 2264 Permit-Required Confined Space Entry
(7) 3095 Electrical Standards
(8) 3010 Excavation, Trenching, and Soil Mechanics
(9) 3110 Fall Arrest Systems
(10) 5400 Trainer Course for the Maritime Industry
(11) 5402 Update for Maritime Industry Trainers
(12) 5600 Disaster Site Worker Trainer Course
(13) 5602 Update for Disaster Site Worker Trainers
(14) 6000 Collateral Duty Course for Other Federal Agencies

    (iii) OTI Education Centers may present any of the following 
optional courses:

(1) 5109 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the 
Construction Industry including Cal/OSHA Requirements
(2) 5119 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for 
General Industry including Cal/OSHA Requirements
(3) 7000 OSHA Ergonomic Guidelines for Nursing Homes
(4) 7005 Public Warehousing and Storage
(5) 7100 Introduction to Machinery and Machine Safeguarding
(6) 7105 Evacuation and Emergency Preparedness
(7) 7110 Safe Bolting: Principles and Practices
(8) 7115 Lockout/Tagout
(9) 7120 Introduction to Combustible Dust Hazards (2 days)
(10) 7125 Seminar on Combustible Dust Hazards (1 day)
(11) 7200 Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control for 
Healthcare Facilities
(12) 7205 Health Hazard Awareness
(13) 7210 Pandemic Influenza Workplace Preparedness
(14) 7300 OSHA's Permit-Required Confined Space Standard

[[Page 22355]]

(15) 7400 Trainer Course in Construction Noise
(16) 7405 Fall Hazard Awareness for the Construction 
Industry
(17) 7410 Managing Excavation Hazards
(18) 7415 OSHA Construction Industry Requirements Awareness 
of Major Hazards and Prevention Strategies
(19) 7505 Introduction to Accident Investigation
(20) 7510 Introduction to OSHA for Small Business
(21) 7515 Writing Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

[FR Doc. 2012-8884 Filed 4-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P