[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36255-36269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17416]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; Notice of
Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for the
Health Care Sector and Other High Growth and Emerging Industries
Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation for Grant Applications.
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY 09-01.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.275.
Key Dates:
The closing date for receipt of applications under this
announcement is October 5, 2009. Applications must be received no later
than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. A pre-recorded Webinar will be on-line
(http://www.workforce3one.org) and accessible for viewing on August 12,
2009 by 3 p.m. Eastern Time, and will be available for viewing anytime
after that date. While a review of this webinar is encouraged it is not
mandatory that you view this recording.
ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department
of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, Division of Federal
Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY
09-01, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210.
For complete ``Application and Submission Information,'' please refer
to Section IV.
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department) announces the
availability of approximately $220 million in grant funds authorized by
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act)
for projects that provide training and placement services to help
workers pursue careers within the industries described in the
Background section, Part B of this SGA. The purpose of the high growth
and emerging industries grants funded through this SGA is to teach
workers the necessary skills for, and help them pursue careers in,
health care and other high growth and emerging industry sectors.
Eligible applicants include public entities and private nonprofit
organizations. Additional specific eligibility guidance is included in
Section III.A, ``Eligible Applicants and Required Partnerships.'' ETA
intends to fund 45-65 grants ranging from approximately $2 to $5
million.
Approximately $25 million of the total funds available through this
Solicitation will be reserved for projects serving communities impacted
by automotive-related restructuring, though the Department reserves the
right to change this amount depending on the quantity and quality of
applications submitted under this SGA. See Attachment I for a list of
communities impacted by automotive-related restructuring.
Background
A. Recovery Act: Competitive Grants for Worker Training and Placement
in High Growth and Emerging Industry Sectors
On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the
Recovery Act, through which Congress intended to preserve and create
jobs, promote the nation's economic recovery, and assist those most
impacted by the recession. Among other funding directed toward the
Department, the Recovery Act provides $750 million for a program of
competitive grants for worker training and placement in high growth and
emerging industries. Of the $750 million allotted for competitive
grants, the Recovery Act designates $500 million for projects that
prepare workers for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable
energy industries described in Section 171(e)(1)(B) of the Workforce
Investment Act (WIA). The Recovery Act further provided that in
awarding grants for the remaining $250 million, projects that prepare
workers for careers in the health care sector would receive priority.
DOL intends to use a portion of the $250 million for providing
technical assistance for this program of grants. DOL also intends to
use a portion of these resources to promote the creation of a virtual
tool that helps workers learn about and prepare for careers in health
care. These efforts will help participants find and retain employment,
while leveraging other Recovery Act investments intended to create jobs
and promote economic growth.
The following sub-sections provide background information on the
health care sector, as well as on the other sectors on which applicants
could focus.
[[Page 36256]]
B. Health Care and Other High Growth and Emerging Industries
1. Health Care Sector
As many industries experience lay-offs and job losses, the health
care industry remains a critical driver in regional economies across
the nation. In March 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
reported that the health care sector continued to grow, despite steep
job losses in nearly all major industries. Hospitals, long-term care
facilities, and other ambulatory care settings added 27,000 new jobs in
February 2009, the same month when 681,000 jobs were eliminated
nationwide.
Health care providers are large employers that contribute
significantly to the strength of regional economies. The BLS projects
that health care employers will generate 3 million new wage and salary
jobs between 2006 and 2016, with the education and health services
sector projected to grow by 18.8 percent, adding more jobs (nearly 5.5
million) than any other industry sector.
Employment growth in the health care sector will be driven by
significant increases in demand for health care and assistance because
of an aging population and longer life expectancies. In addition,
projected retirements for current health care workers will necessitate
a pipeline of skilled individuals ready to enter health care
occupations.
The absence of qualified workers in this diverse sector threatens
the quality and availability of medical care, and the economic
stability and growth potential of local communities in rural, urban,
and suburban areas. Moreover, the growing complexity of health care
delivery, including changing technologies and introduction of advanced
medical devices, will require both incumbent workers and new entrants
to continuously upgrade their skills. Although job opportunities exist
for workers without extensive specialized training, most health care
occupations require training leading to a vocational license,
certificate, or degree.
ETA will accept proposals targeting any of the industry's sub-
sectors, and is particularly interested in receiving applications that
focus on one or more of the following health care sub-sectors and
occupational categories:
i. Nursing
Recent trends in the delivery of health care services increasingly
rely on highly skilled nurses working with allied health professionals
in supporting clinical roles. Nursing roles range from primary patient
care to case management and directing complex health care systems.
Shortages of Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses
(LPNs), Vocational Nurses, and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)
threaten the provision of quality care. The BLS projects that
employment for RNs will grow faster than any other occupation through
2012. In response to the general increase in demand for health care
services, employment of LPNs is expected to grow 14 percent, faster
than the average for all occupations.
ETA is interested in projects that provide training and support
career progression along the nursing career pathway, as well as short-
term skills certification or credentialing that enables incumbent
workers to advance along a career ladder/lattice in health care. These
include licenses, certificates, and degrees from accredited nursing
programs that lead to the Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) or
vocational licensure for LPNs, and positions as CNAs. ETA is also
interested in academic strategies that help incumbent workers advance
from an ADN to the bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) since many RNs
with an ADN find it beneficial to enter bachelor's programs to prepare
for a broader scope of nursing practice.
Applicants that focus on nursing could foster transitions along
articulated career pathways for graduates of education and training
programs at a community college, vocational training program, or a
Registered Apprenticeship program that help them qualify for entry-
level and mid-level nursing positions such as a CNA, LPN, or RN.
ii. Allied Health
According to the Association of Schools of Allied Health
Professions (ASAHP), the term allied health is used to identify a
cluster of health professions that covers as many as 100 occupational
titles, exclusive of physicians, nurses, and a handful of others. Acute
workforce shortages and projected growth exist for allied health
occupations, such as medical assistants, respiratory therapists,
pharmacy technicians, diagnostic medical sonographers, paramedics, and
radiological and other technicians. The BLS projects that by 2016,
medical assistant occupations are expected to grow 35 percent,
paramedic occupations are expected to grow by 19 percent, and
radiological technicians by 15 percent. According to the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resource and Services
Administration, occupational growth for community health workers is
also projected as communities seek to build effective linkages with the
health care system to provide health education and information,
advocate for underserved individuals to receive appropriate services,
and build the capacity of the community in addressing health issues.
Particularly in hospitals and in medical laboratories away from
patient care settings, ETA is interested in investments that provide
talent development strategies that support recruitment, retention, and
career pathways in related allied health occupations.
iii. Long-Term Care
Workers in Long-Term Care settings assist older individuals and
others with disabilities and chronic diseases through employment as
CNAs, home health specialists, and other direct care occupations. The
demand for long-term health care services has begun to increase
dramatically as regions across the country have started to experience
significant demographic shifts. Currently, the American Health Care
Association estimates that long-term care occupations represent 4.5
million workers. By 2010, BLS projects that this workforce will expand
by 800,000 jobs for direct care workers alone in long-term care
settings. In 2008, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
(IOM) determined that between 2005 and 2030, the number of adults aged
65 and older is estimated to rise from 37,000,000 to over 70,000,000,
almost doubling the overall size of the population of older adults in
the United States. The IOM concluded that the health care workforce
lacked the capacity, in both size and ability, to meet the mounting
needs of the elderly.
ETA is interested in projects that provide training for and support
educational paths to careers in long-term care occupations, which
include CNAs, home health aides, home and personal care workers, direct
support professionals and RNs working in long-term care settings.
iv. Health Information Technology
Health Information Technology (HIT) refers to the juncture of
information management, medical practice, and the complex business of
health care delivery. HIT leverages information management training and
resources to improve quality and efficiency standards in the health
care industry. According to HHS, Office of the National Coordinator for
Health Information Technology (ONC), ensuring the secure use of
personal health information will improve the
[[Page 36257]]
coordination of care, as well as prevent medical errors through data
sharing.
The transition from traditional, paper-based medical files to
electronic health records (EHR) technologies will provide expanded
career pathways in health information management and technology. HIT
jobs will be created in hospitals, physicians' offices, home healthcare
and outpatient clinics, and residential care facilities. Further,
comprehensive reforms in health law and policy will require new and
updated skill sets for a range of clinical occupations (including
nursing and allied health professionals), medical record technicians,
coders, health information technicians, and other health information
technology professionals including but not limited to clinical
informaticists. The Health Care Information and Management Systems
Society estimates there are approximately 108,400 HIT jobs in hospital
settings currently and expects workforce needs to require an additional
40,800 HIT occupations by 2012.
ETA is interested in projects that design state-of-the-art training
and support progression in career pathways for the health information
workforce using a variety of learning strategies for individuals who
want to specialize in the management of health information, as well as
workers who must use HIT to perform the duties of their jobs.
2. Other High Growth and Emerging Industries
ETA also seeks to promote broad-based economic recovery by
supporting the workforce and training needs of workers and employers in
other high growth and emerging industries. ETA recognizes that in some
specific regions industries continue to grow, while in other regions
industries have been negatively impacted by the economic downturn but
are expected to experience job growth as the economy begins to recover.
Further, some industries are being transformed by technology and
innovation, requiring new skill sets for workers. Fields like
information technology, advanced manufacturing, wireless and broadband
deployment, transportation and warehousing, and biotechnology may be
high growth and emerging industries in specific regional economies,
offering jobs and solid career paths left vacant due to a lack of
qualified workers. For example, in advanced manufacturing sectors,
transformations in business processes and technologies are driving the
need for workers to have increasingly complex skills and competencies
provided through the use of effective training approaches, such as
mobile skills training.
ETA is soliciting grant applications that address current and
forecasted workforce shortages, and provide workers with paths to
career enhancing opportunities in high growth, high demand, and
economically vital sectors of the American economy. ETA will target
education and skills development resources toward helping workers gain
skills needed to build successful careers in these and other growing
industries.
ETA encourages applicants to define local high growth or emerging
industries in the context of their state or regional economy by showing
how the industry aligns with and fits into their state or regional
strategy. An industry targeted by applicants must meet 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; or (3) 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 projections;
industry data from trade or industry associations, labor organizations,
or direct information from the local employers or industry; information
on the local and 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
training and placement activities will be conducted.
C. Working With Other Recovery Act Programs
The Recovery Act made funds available to a number of other Federal
programs that will impact the creation and expansion of health care
occupations and other high growth and emerging industries. DOL is
partnering with other Federal agencies to support the creation of jobs
by developing a pipeline of skilled workers in the health care industry
and other high growth and emerging industries. Where possible, ETA
encourages applicants to connect their workforce development strategies
to other Recovery Act funded projects that create jobs or impact the
skill requirements of existing jobs. ETA recommends that applicants
review other parts of the Recovery Act. For example, there are specific
Recovery Act activities related to health care through the Department
of Education and HHS, Health Resource and Services Administration. For
other high growth and emerging industries, it may be appropriate to
review other Recovery Act programs from the Department of Energy,
Department of Transportation, etc. For links to federal agency Recovery
Act Web sites, please visit http://recovery.gov/?q=content/agencies.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Grants under this SGA will fund projects that provide workers with
training that will prepare them to enter and advance in the health care
sector, as well as other high growth and emerging industries, as
described in part B of the Background section of this SGA. Individuals
eligible to receive training include unemployed workers, dislocated
workers, and incumbent workers including low-wage workers. Within these
categories, grantees may serve a wide range of individuals, such as
individuals on public assistance, high school dropouts, individuals
with disabilities, veterans, and individuals with Limited English
Proficiency. A portion of the funds under this SGA will be reserved (as
described in Section II, Award Information) for projects serving
communities impacted by automotive-related restructuring.
Successful training programs funded through this SGA will prepare
participants for employment within the health care sector or other high
growth and emerging industries, and will: (1) Target skills and
competencies demanded by the industries described in part B of the
Background section of this SGA; (2) support career pathways, such as an
articulated career ladder or lattice; (3) result in an employer- or
industry-recognized certificate or degree (which can include a license,
as well as a Registered Apprenticeship certificate or degree); (4)
combine supportive services with training services to help participants
overcome barriers to employment, as necessary; and (5) provide training
services at times and locations that are easily accessible to targeted
populations.
To ensure quality training within a limited timeframe, applicants
are strongly encouraged to use existing curricula and strategies to
deliver training. Where appropriate, applicants may modify existing
curricula. Recognizing the long-term needs of workers, it is strongly
recommended that training lead to portable industry-recognized
certificates or degrees.
[[Page 36258]]
II. Award Information
A. Award Amount
Under this SGA, ETA intends to award approximately $220 million in
grant funds. To prioritize health care projects, ETA expects to allot
approximately $125 million of the designated funds for projects in the
health care sector. However, the Department reserves the right to
change this amount depending on the quantity and quality of
applications submitted under this SGA. The remaining balance of funds
will be allotted for projects in other high growth and emerging
industries. ETA intends to fund 45-65 grants ranging from approximately
$2 to $5 million. ETA does not expect to fund projects for less than $2
million. However, this does not preclude funding grants at a lower
amount based on the type and the number of quality submissions. ETA
will not fund projects for more than $5 million, and applications
requesting more than $5 million will be considered non-responsive.
Within the funding ranges specified above, applicants are encouraged to
submit proposals for quality projects at whatever funding level is
appropriate to the project.
Approximately $25 million of the total funds available through this
Solicitation will be reserved for projects serving communities impacted
by automotive-related restructuring, though the Department reserves the
right to change this amount depending on the quantity and quality of
applications submitted under this SGA. See Attachment I for a list of
counties impacted by automotive-related restructuring. The Center for
Automotive Research identified the attached list of 312 U.S. counties
that either have an automotive assembly plant or parts manufacturer
employing regional residents. Only communities that are included on The
Center for Automotive Research list will qualify for this status.
B. Period of Performance
The period of grant performance will be up to 36 months from the
date of execution of the grant documents. This performance period
includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities; the
completion of training activities and the award of employer- or
industry-recognized certificates or degrees; and participant follow-up.
The Department intends that all grantees implement the training and
placement programs funded under this SGA as soon as possible. Further,
applicants should plan to fully expend grant funds during the period of
performance, while ensuring full transparency and accountability for
all expenditures.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are public entities or private nonprofit
entities. Applicants must be legal entities and may include local
Workforce Investment Boards and their One Stop Systems, Tribal
organizations, education and training providers, labor organizations,
health care providers, and faith-based and community organizations. The
applicant must be the fiscal agent for the grant. An organization may
not submit multiple applications in response to this SGA. However, an
organization that submits an application for this SGA is not precluded
from participating as a partner in applications submitted by other
applicants in response to this SGA.
B. Strategic Partnerships
To be eligible for funding under this SGA, applicants must
demonstrate that the proposed project will be implemented by a robust
strategic partnership.
i. Required Partners
The strategic partnership must include at least one entity from
each of the following three categories:
The public workforce investment system, such as local
Workforce Investment Boards and their One Stop systems;
Public and private employers, such as health care
providers when appropriate, and industry-related organizations; and
The education and training community, which includes the
continuum of education from secondary schools to community and
technical colleges, four-year colleges and universities, apprenticeship
programs, technical and vocational training institutions, and other
education and training entities.
By including all of these types of organizations 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 training, overcome barriers to
employment, and obtain jobs and advance along career ladders. 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 role of the workforce investment
system must include identifying and referring candidates for training,
and may include assessing potential participants, connecting and
placing participants with employers that have existing job openings,
and providing supportive services to help participants overcome
barriers to training or employment. Employers and industry-related
organizations, such as Federally Qualified Health Centers and other
health care employers, 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 training (equipment,
instructors, funding, internships, or other work-based learning
activities or situations, etc.), and, where appropriate, hiring
qualified program participants. Education and training providers must
partner with employer and/or industry-related organizations to ensure
that education and training programs address the skills required for
the targeted industries, lead to employer- or industry-recognized
certificates or degrees, and ensure that the training strategies
reflect the needs of both workers and employers.
ii. Other Partners
In addition to the required partners listed in Section III.B.i,
applicants are strongly encouraged to include other partners that can
provide resources or expertise to the project. These organizations
could include, but are not limited to:
Nonprofit organizations, such as community or faith-based
organizations, that have direct access to the target populations;
Labor organizations, including but not limited to labor
unions and labor-management organizations that represent workers in the
health care sector or other high growth and emerging industries;
Organizations implementing projects funded by the Recovery
Act that will create or support jobs in the health care sector or other
high growth and emerging industries;
National, State, and local foundations, which focus on
assisting participants served through the project; and
State and local social service agencies that provide
supportive services to participants served through the project.
C. Cost Sharing
Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as a condition for
application, but leveraged resources are
[[Page 36259]]
strongly encouraged and may affect the applicant's score in section
V.A.3 of the evaluation criteria.
D. Other Eligibility Requirements
1. Proposed Activities
The purpose of this SGA is to fund projects providing training,
education, and job placement assistance to prepare workers to enter the
health care sector and other high growth and emerging industries
described in part B of the Background section of this SGA.
i. Characteristics of Training Activities
All projects must lead to employment for program participants, and
must incorporate training activities that:
Address skills and competencies demanded by the industries
targeted through this SGA and described in part B of the Background
section;
Support participants' advancement along a defined career
pathway, such as an articulated career ladder and/or career lattice, if
such a pathway exists in the targeted industry or industries;
Result in an employer- or industry-recognized certificate
or degree during the period of performance. Certificates or degrees can
include a license as well as a Registered Apprenticeship certificate or
degree (see definition in Section VI.B.2.ii) that indicates a level of
mastery and competence in a given field or function. The certificate or
degree awarded to participants should be based on the type of training
provided through the grant and the requirements of the targeted
occupation, and should be selected based on consultations with employer
and labor partners, as appropriate;
Take place at times and locations that are convenient and
easily accessible for the targeted populations;
Integrate occupational training with basic skills training
to ensure that participants have the foundational skills necessary to
attain and retain employment; and
Integrate training activities with supportive services to
ensure that participants have the necessary support to overcome
barriers to participate in training and employment.
Applicants may propose a wide range of activities in implementing
projects that meet the requirements outlined above. When designing the
proposed activities, DOL encourages applicants to use program models
with previous 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 for low-income young adults.
Applicants who are proposing to serve low-income young adults and high
school dropouts should consider program models that strongly link
opportunities to improve basic literacy and mathematics skills and
obtain a high school diploma or GED 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 including at-risk youth, veterans, older workers,
and the unemployed.
ii. Allowable Activities
Proposed projects must provide direct training and/or education,
placement, and related activities that prepare individuals for
employment in health care and other industries. Direct training and/or
education 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. 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 are used for training and
education activities provided through the proposed project, grantees
are encouraged to utilize leveraged resources to support these costs to
maximize the use of their grant funds.
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;
Contextualized learning;
Internship programs;
Customized training;
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;
Job search and placement assistance, and, where
appropriate, career counseling;
Case management services;
Comprehensive retention strategies;
Supportive services that will allow individuals to
participate in the training provided through the grant; and
Updating curriculum to support direct training provided
through the grant. Some grants funded under this SGA may produce
tangible products and deliverables, such as updates to existing
curriculum and outreach materials. Curriculum development is only
appropriate if this curriculum is used in direct training and/or
education activities provided through this grant and is necessary to
achieve the training and employment outcomes proposed for the grant.
(See Section IV.E.4 for information regarding intellectual property
rights.)
E. Other Grant Specifications
1. Participants Eligible To Receive Training
This SGA addresses the priorities of the Recovery Act by funding
projects that provide education and training, job placement, and
supportive services to unemployed workers, dislocated workers, and
incumbent workers which include:
i. Unemployed workers (For the purposes of this SGA, ETA defines
``unemployed individual'' as an individual who is without a job and who
wants and is available to work);
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 who need training to secure full-time
employment, advance in their careers, or retain their current
occupations. This includes low-wage workers, workers who need to
upgrade their skills to retain employment, and workers who are
currently working part-time.
Within these categories, grantees may serve a wide range of
individuals, such as individuals on public assistance, high school
dropouts, individuals with disabilities, veterans, Indians and Native
Americans, and individuals with Limited English Proficiency.
[[Page 36260]]
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 priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in
Department of Labor job training programs under the Jobs for Veterans
Act are found at 20 CFR part 1010. In circumstances where a grant
recipient must choose between two equally qualified candidates for
training, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the Jobs for
Veterans Act requires that the grant recipient give the veteran
priority of service by admitting him or her into the program. To obtain
priority of service a veteran must meet the program's eligibility
requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans'
priority. Currently, ETA Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL)
No. 5-03 (September 16, 2003) provides general guidance on the scope of
the Jobs for Veterans Act and its effect on current employment and
training programs. TEGL No. 5-03, along with additional guidance, is
available at the ``Jobs for Veterans Priority of Service'' Web site:
http://www.doleta.gov/programs/vets.
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 call, webinar, and in-person meetings.
Applicants should include costs for two staff members to attend two
trainings that are each two full days in Washington, DC during the
grant's period of performance.
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 that fail to adhere to the
instructions in this section will be considered non-responsive and will
not be considered. Please note that it is the applicant's
responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is
consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.
Part I. The Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal must include the
following items:
The Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application for Federal
Assistance'' (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp and http://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. All applicants for Federal grant and
funding opportunities are required to have a D-U-N-S[supreg] (Data
Universal Numbering System) 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 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 SBS site: http://smallbusiness.dnb.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Glossary?fLink=glossary&footerflag=y&storeId=10001&indicator=7.
The SF 424A Budget Information Form (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp and http://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 should be included on both the SF
424 and SF 424A (not just one year). No leveraged resources should be
shown on the SF 424 and SF 424A.
Please note that applications that fail to provide an SF 424, SF
424A, a D-U-N-S[supreg] Number, and a budget narrative will be non-
responsive.
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 http://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 Part V.A of
this SGA. The Technical Proposal is limited to 20 double-spaced single-
sided pages with 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. Any materials
beyond the 20-page limit will not be read. Applicants should number the
Technical Proposal beginning with page number 1. Applications that do
not include Part II, the Technical Proposal, will be non-responsive.
Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the
20-page Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit a letter or
letters of commitment signed by all required partners (preferably one
letter co-signed by all required partners) that describes the roles and
responsibilities of each required partner. Applicants should not send
letters of commitment separately to ETA because these letters will be
tracked through a different system and will not be attached to the
application for review. ETA does not encourage 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. The applicant also must
provide an Abstract, not to exceed one page, summarizing the proposed
project, including applicant name; targeted industry; project title;
identification of the community or communities to be served, including
whether the community(ies) are located in urban, suburban, or rural
areas; and the funding level requested. The abstract must also indicate
whether one or more of the counties served by the proposed project
appear on the attached list of counties impacted by automotive-related
restructuring, which is included
[[Page 36261]]
as Attachment I of this SGA. The applicant must indicate the total
amount of grant funds that will be used for activities in those
impacted counties.
These additional materials (commitment letters and one-page
abstract) do not count against the 20-page limit for the Technical
Proposal, but may not exceed 13 pages. Any additional materials beyond
the 13-page limit will not be read.
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
hardcopy 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 hardcopy are also required to
provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on compact disc
(CD).
C. Submission Process, Date, Times, and Addresses
The closing date for receipt of applications under this
announcement is October 5, 2009. 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. Applications
that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice will not be
considered. No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set
forth in this notice will be granted.
Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal
Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA,
PY 09-01, 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.
Applicants may apply online through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov); however, due to the expected increase in system
activity resulting from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009, applicants are encouraged to use an alternate method to submit
grant applications during this heightened period of demand. While not
mandatory, DOL encourages the submission of applications through
professional overnight delivery service.
Applications that are submitted through Grants.gov must be
successfully submitted at http://www.grants.gov no later than 4 p.m.
Eastern Time on October 5, 2009, 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 http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. These steps may take
multiple days or 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
Department strongly recommends that applicants use the ``Organization
Registration Checklist'' at http://www.grants.gov/assets/Organization_Steps_Complete_Registration.pdf to ensure the registration process is
complete.
Within two business days of application submission, Grants.gov will
send the applicant two email messages to provide the status of
application progress through the system. The first email, almost
immediate, will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The
second email will indicate the application has either been successfully
validated or has been rejected due to errors. Only applications that
have been successfully submitted and successfully validated will be
considered. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure a
timely submission; therefore, sufficient time should be allotted for
submission (two business days), and, if applicable, subsequent time to
address errors and receive validation upon resubmission (an additional
two business days for each ensuing submission). It is important to note
that if sufficient time is not allotted and a rejection notice is
received after the due date and time, the application will not be
considered.
To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be
saved as either .doc, .xls or .pdf files. If submitted in any other
format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues
will prevent our ability to consider the application. ETA will attempt
to open the document but will not take any additional measures in the
event of issues with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming
application will not be considered for funding.
Applicants are strongly advised to utilize the plethora of tools
and documents, including FAQs, that are available on the ``Applicant
Resources'' page at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp#faqs. To receive updated information about critical issues,
new tips for users and other time sensitive updates as information is
available, applicants may subscribe to ``Grants.gov Updates'' at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription_signup.jsp.
If applicants encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find
an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 to speak
to a Customer Support Representative or e-mail ``support@grants.gov''.
Late Applications: For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only
applications that have been successfully submitted no later than 4:00
p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated
will be considered. Applicants take a significant risk by waiting to
the last day to submit via Grants.gov.
Any application received after the exact date and time specified
for receipt at the office designated in this notice will not be
considered, unless it is received before awards are made, it was
properly addressed, and it was: (a) Sent by U.S. Postal Service mail,
postmarked not later than the fifth calendar day before the date
specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application required to
be received by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of
that month); or (b) sent by professional overnight delivery service to
the addressee not later than one working day prior to the date
specified for receipt of applications. ``Postmarked'' means a printed,
stamped or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter
machine impression) that is readily identifiable, without further
action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an
employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Therefore, applicants should
request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's
eye'' postmark on both the receipt and the package. Failure to adhere
to the above instructions will be a basis for a determination of non-
responsiveness. Evidence of timely submission by a professional
overnight delivery service must be demonstrated by equally reliable
evidence created by the delivery service provider indicating the time
and place of receipt.
[[Page 36262]]
D. Intergovernmental Review
This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
E. Funding Restrictions
Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with
the applicable Federal cost principles. Disallowed costs are those
charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative
determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal
cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant.
Successful and unsuccessful applicants will not be entitled to
reimbursement of pre-award costs.
1. Indirect Costs
As specified in OMB Circular Cost Principles, indirect costs are
those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot
be readily identified with a particular final cost objective. In order
to use grant funds for indirect costs incurred the applicant must
obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with its Federal cognizant
agency either before or shortly after grant award.
2. Administrative Costs
Under this SGA, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a
project or program may not use more than 10 percent of the amount of
the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or
project. Administrative costs could be direct or indirect costs, and
are defined at 20 CFR 667.220. Administrative costs do not need to be
identified separately from program costs on the SF 424A Budget
Information Form. However, they must be discussed in the budget
narrative and tracked through the grantee's accounting system. To claim
any administrative costs that are also indirect costs, the applicant
must obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement from its Federal cognizant
agency.
3. Salary and Bonus Limitations
Under Public Law 109-234 and Public Law 111-8, Section 111, none of
the funds appropriated in Public Law 111-5 or prior Acts under the
heading ``Employment and Training'' that are available for expenditure
on or after June 15, 2006, shall be used by a recipient or sub-
recipient of such funds to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual,
either as direct costs or indirect costs, at a rate in excess of
Executive Level II. These limitations also apply to grants funded under
this SGA. The salary and bonus limitation does not apply to vendors
providing goods and services as defined in OMB Circular A-133. See
Training and Employment Guidance Letter number 5-06 for further
clarification: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2262.
4. Intellectual Property Rights
The Federal Government reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive and
irrevocable license to reproduce, publish or otherwise use, and to
authorize others to use for Federal purposes: (i) the copyright in all
products developed under the grant, including a subgrant or contract
under the grant or subgrant; and (ii) any rights of copyright to which
the grantee, subgrantee or a contractor purchases ownership under an
award (including but not limited to curricula, training models,
technical assistance products, and any related materials). Such uses
include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute
such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise.
Federal funds may not be used to pay any royalty or licensing fee
associated with such copyrighted material, although they may be used to
pay costs for obtaining a copy which are limited to the developer/
seller costs of copying and shipping. If revenues are generated through
selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual
property, these revenues are program income. Program income is added to
the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities.
If applicable, grantees must include the following language on all
products developed in whole or in part with grant funds:
``This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the
U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration.
The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily
reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The
Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances
of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information,
including any information on linked sites and including, but not
limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness,
timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or
ownership. This solution is copyrighted by the institution that
created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by
an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other
uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.''
F. Use of Funds for Supportive Services
Supportive services for adults and dislocated workers are defined
at WIA sections 101(46) and 134(e)(2) and (3). They include services
such as transportation, child care, dependent care, and housing that
are necessary to enable an individual to participate in activities
funded through this grant. Further, supportive services can include
needs-related payments (NRPs) that are necessary to enable individuals
to participate in training activities funded through this grant.
Accordingly, grantees may only use grant funds to provide supportive
services to individuals who are participating in activities provided
through the grant (or in the case of NRPs, participating in training),
who are unable to obtain such services through other programs, and when
such services are necessary to enable individuals to participate in
activities. Grantees should ensure that their use of grant funds on
supportive services is consistent with their established written policy
regarding the provision of supportive services. Grantees may use no
more than 10% of their grant funds on these services. However, to
support the employment and training needs of the targeted populations,
ETA encourages grantees to leverage other sources of funding for
supportive services, including WIA Adult formula funds provided under
the Recovery Act. Further, ETA encourages grantees to leverage earnings
from part-time and full-time employment and unemployment compensation
that will enable individuals to participate in training, in addition to
utilizing grant funds for needs-related payments.
G. Other Submission Requirements
Withdrawal of Applications: Applications may be withdrawn by
written notice to the Grant Officer at any time before an award is
made.
V. Application Review Information
A. Evaluation Criteria
This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be
used to evaluate the grant proposals. These criteria and point values
are:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Criterion Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Statement of Need......................................... 15
2. Project Management and Organizational Capacity............ 15
3. Strategy and Project Work Plan............................ 50
4. Outcomes and Deliverables................................. 15
5. Suitability for Evaluation................................ 5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Statement of Need (15 points)
An applicant must fully demonstrate a clear and specific need for
the Federal investment in the proposed activities. An applicant must
submit data and provide evidence for proposed projects in the local
areas or communities where participants will be trained and
[[Page 36263]]
employed. Points for this section will be awarded based on a
comprehensive demonstration of each of the following factors:
i. Overview of Current Economy and Workforce (15 points)
The applicant clearly and fully demonstrates the need for training
and employment in the local area by describing the overall economy and
workforce needs. Given the rapidly changing economic conditions that
many States and regions are currently facing, applicants should use the
most current and relevant sources of labor market data available.
Points for this subsection will be awarded based on the following
factors:
The applicant fully describes the specific community(ies)
that the project will serve, and demonstrates the workforce needs in
the community, including the unemployment rate(s), poverty rate(s), the
needs of diverse populations within the community, a discussion of any
significant layoffs or industry restructuring in specific industries,
as well as estimates of the number of individuals in the community who
are: (a) unemployed workers; (b) dislocated workers; and (c) incumbent
workers including low-wage workers.
The applicant provides strong evidence of job seeker need
for training by identifying one or more of the populations listed above
(unemployed workers; dislocated workers; and/or incumbent workers) that
the project will target, providing a general description of the current
level of skills and educational attainment of those populations, and
identifying the specific training needs of those populations.
The applicant fully identifies other barriers to
employment faced by the targeted populations, such as lack of child
care or access to transportation.
Applicants may draw from a variety of resources for supporting
data, which include but are not limited to: traditional labor market
information, such as projections; industry data; data from trade
associations or direct information from the regional industry; and
information on the regional economy and other transactional data, such
as job vacancies, that are available.
2. Project Management and Organizational Capacity (15 points)
An applicant must fully describe the capacity of the applicant and
its required partners to effectively staff the proposed initiative. The
application must also fully describe the applicant's fiscal,
administrative, and performance management capacity to implement the
key components of this project, and the track record of the applicant
and its required partners in implementing projects of similar focus,
size, and scope.
Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which
applicants provide evidence of the following:
i. Staff Capacity (5 points)
An applicant must provide strong evidence that the applicant and
its required partners have the staff capacity to implement the proposed
initiative. Discussion should include:
The proposed staffing pattern for the project, including
program management and administrative staff and program staff, which
demonstrates that the role(s) and time commitment of the proposed staff
are sufficient to ensure proper direction, management, implementation,
and timely completion of each project.
The applicant must demonstrate that the qualifications and
level of experience of the proposed project manager are sufficient to
ensure proper management of the project, where such a project manager
has been identified. Where no project manager is identified, applicants
should discuss the minimum qualifications and level of experience that
will be required of the position.
ii. Fiscal, Administrative, and Performance Management Capacity (5
points)
The application must provide strong evidence that the applicant and
its required partners have the fiscal, administrative, and performance
management capacity to effectively administer this grant. Discussion
should include:
A full description of the applicant's capacity, including
its systems, processes, and administrative controls that will enable it
to comply with Federal rules and regulations related to the grant's
fiscal and administrative requirements.
A full description of the applicant's capacity, including
its systems and processes that will support the grant's performance
management requirements through effective tracking of performance
outcomes. Applicants must include an explanation of the applicant's
processes to collect and manage data in a way that allows for accurate
and timely reporting of performance outcomes. Applicants may cite
relationships with the public workforce system, as appropriate, to
assist with performance reporting, and should describe access to
specific data management software and/or resources for performance
reporting.
iii. Applicant's Experience (5 points)
The applicant must demonstrate its experience leading or
participating significantly in a comprehensive partnership, and the
demonstrated experience of the applicant and its partners in
implementing and operating training, education, and job placement
initiatives of similar focus, size and scope. The discussion must
include:
Specific examples of the applicant's experience in leading
or participating significantly in a partnership that included a wide
range of stakeholders, including a description of the programmatic
goals of the project, and a demonstration of the results achieved by
that project.
Specific examples of the applicant's track record
administering Federal, State, and/or other grants, including the
programmatic goals and results from these projects; and
A description of the experience of the applicant and its
required partners in Federal, State, and/or other projects providing
education, training, and placement services to the specific populations
noted in Section III.D. (unemployed workers; dislocated workers;
incumbent workers including low-wage workers), including the
programmatic goals and results of the projects.
3. Strategy and Project Work Plan (50 points)
The applicant must provide a complete, very clear explanation of
its proposed strategy and its implementation plans. The applicant must
describe the proposed workforce development strategy in full; explain
how the proposed training addresses the applicant's statement of need;
and demonstrate how the proposed project will expeditiously and
effectively deliver training. ETA is interested in applicants
describing any evidence-based research that they considered in
designing the strategy. The applicant must present a comprehensive work
plan for the project, following the format provided later in this
section. Points for this criterion will be awarded for the following
factors:
i. Addressing Conditions Described in the Statement of Need, and
Targeted Industries and Occupations (10 points)
The applicant summarizes the proposed strategy.
The applicant explains how the proposed project
comprehensively addresses the needs and challenges of the targeted
populations laid out in the Statement of Need.
The applicant provides a complete description of the
targeted industries
[[Page 36264]]
and occupations within those industries that the proposed project will
focus on, including: the specific industry(ies) targeted by the
project, and an explanation of how the targeted industry(ies) meet the
requirements identified in part B of the Background section of this
SGA; the specific occupation in the targeted industries for which
participants will be trained, including the work performed by that
occupation and its major tasks; and the specific knowledge, skills,
and/or abilities required by the occupation.
The applicant fully describes the employment needs of the
targeted industries and occupations in the designated community,
including: total current and projected employment in the industry;
total current and projected employment in the targeted occupations; and
the current hiring needs of specific employers and how job seekers
served through the project will be placed in those jobs.
ii. Roles and Level of Commitment of Project Partners (15 points)
Scoring on this section will be based on the extent to which the
applicant fully demonstrates the breadth and depth of their partners'
commitment to the proposed project, by addressing the following
factors:
The applicant fully describes the specific roles of each
of the project partners in the community, including training,
supportive services, expertise, and/or other activities that partners
will contribute to the project.
The applicant demonstrates a strong partnership by
providing a letter or letters of commitment signed by all required
partners (preferably one letter co-signed by all required partners)
that describes the roles, responsibilities, and resources committed by
each partner. (See Section IV.B for instructions on submitting letters
of commitment).
The applicant clearly and fully describes any funds and
other resources that will be leveraged to support grant activities and
how these funds and other resources will be used to contribute to the
proposed outcomes for the project, including any leveraged resources
related to the provision of supportive services for program
participants. This includes funds and other resources leveraged from
businesses, labor organizations, education and training providers, and/
or Federal, state, and local government programs. Applicants will be
scored based on the extent to which they fully demonstrate the
resources provided, including the type(s) of leveraged resources
provided, the strength of commitment to provide these resources (such
as in commitment letters), the breadth and depth of the resources
provided, and how well these resources support the proposed grant
activities.
iii. Proposed Recruitment, Training, Placement, and Retention
Strategies (10 points)
Recruitment: The applicant must provide a comprehensive
outreach and recruitment strategy that is inclusive of diverse
populations as defined in the statement of need, and that defines a
clear process for finding and referring workers to the training
programs. The applicant must clearly identify the populations that will
be targeted by the project, and explain how the proposed strategy will
enable the project to effectively recruit those populations.
Training: DOL encourages applicants to base their training
strategies on program models that have shown promising outcomes for
serving the populations targeted through this SGA. The applicant must
provide a detailed explanation of the proposed training activities that
describes how the project will comprehensively address the training
needs of the targeted populations, including a discussion of how the
design of the training activities will account for the current skill
and education level, age, language barriers, or level of work
experience of the targeted populations. The applicant must also
describe how the project will address barriers to employment by
combining training services with supportive services, such as child
care or transportation, as appropriate for each targeted population.
The applicant must demonstrate that the project will place participants
on a career pathway; that training will focus on the specific
industries and occupations it has proposed to target and focuses on
skills and competencies demanded by the selected industries and
occupations; that the project will integrate basic skills training
where appropriate; and that the training will lead to an appropriate
employer- or industry-recognized certificate or degree (which can
include a license, as well as a Registered Apprenticeship certificate
or degree) and to employment, and take place at times and locations
that are convenient and easily accessible for the target populations.
Placement: The applicant must provide a clear strategy for
placing individuals into employment. The applicant must describe the
methods for engaging employers, identifying specific job needs, and
referring participants to employers. Wherever possible, the applicant
should identify specific employers that indicate plans to hire project
participants that complete training. This strategy includes moving
incumbent workers along career pathways.
Retention: The applicant must provide a clear strategy for
job retention. This should include strategies for engaging employers,
as well as for identifying the barriers to retention that participants
face after placement and for providing them with supportive services to
address these barriers.
iv. Project Work Plan (15 points)
An applicant must provide a comprehensive project work plan.
Factors considered in evaluating the project work plan will include:
(1) The presentation of a coherent plan that demonstrates the
applicant's complete understanding of all the activities,
responsibilities, and costs required to implement each phase of the
project and achieve projected outcomes; (2) the demonstrated
feasibility and reasonableness of the timeline for accomplishing all
necessary implementation activities, including the ability to
expeditiously begin training; and (3) the extent to which the budget
aligns with the proposed work plan and is justified with respect to the
adequacy and reasonableness of resources requested. Applicants must
present this work plan in a table that includes the following
categories:
Project Phase: Lay out the timeline in five phases--
Startup, Recruitment, Training, Placement, and Retention.
Activities: Identify the major activities required to
implement each phase of the project. For each activity, include the
following information: (a) Start Date; (b) End Date; (c) Project
partner(s) that will be primarily responsible for performing each
activity; (d) Key tasks associated with each activity; (e) At key
project milestones, list the target dates and associated outcomes
projected for recruitment, training, placement, and retention
activities; and (f) As accurately as possible, list the sub-total
budget dollar amount associated with each activity.
4. Outcomes and Deliverables (15 points)
An applicant must demonstrate a results-oriented approach to
managing and operating its project by providing projections for all
applicable outcome categories relevant to measuring the success or
impact of the project, describing the products and deliverables that
will be produced as a result of the grant activities, and fully
demonstrating the appropriateness and feasibility of achieving these
results. The applicant must include projected outcomes,
[[Page 36265]]
which will be used as goals for the grant. The applicant must
comprehensively address each of the areas outlined below.
i. Projected Performance Outcomes (7 points)
The applicant must provide projections and track outcomes for each
of the following outcome categories for all participants served with
grant funds:
Total participants served;
Total number of participants beginning education/training
activities;
Total number of participants completing education/training
activities;
Total number of participants that complete education/
training activities that receive a degree/certificate;
Total number of participants that complete education/
training activities that are placed into unsubsidized employment;
Total number of participants that complete education/
training activities that are placed into training-related unsubsidized
employment; and
Total number of participants placed in unsubsidized
employment who retain an employed status in the first and second
quarters following initial placement.
An applicant will need to be prepared to collect participant-level
data on individuals who receive training and other services provided
through the grant. These data should be the basis for reporting against
the outcomes listed above, and may be required for reporting on other
employment-related outcomes in the future. ETA will provide appropriate
technical assistance to the grantees in collecting these data,
including the development of a participant tracking system for the
grantees. In some cases, the data requested below may require
appropriate partnerships with state and local workforce investment
system entities.
An applicant must be prepared to collect and report participant-
level data from the following categories:
Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics
Employment history
Services provided
Outcomes achieved
An applicant must describe their capacity to collect both
participant-level data and aggregate outcomes.
ii. Appropriateness and Feasibility, Degrees or Certificates Resulting
From Training, and Deliverables (8 points)
The applicant must fully demonstrate the appropriateness
and feasibility of its projections of the project outcomes by
addressing three factors: (1) the extent to which the expected project
outcomes are realistic and consistent with the objectives of the
project and the needs of the community; (2) the ability of the
applicant to achieve the stated outcomes and report results within the
timeframe of the grant; and (3) the appropriateness of the outcomes
with respect to the requested level of funding.
Project activities must lead to an employer- or industry-
recognized certificate or degree (which can include a license, as well
as a Registered Apprenticeship certificate or degree), and must
identify the degree or certificate that participants will earn as a
result of the proposed training, and the employer-, industry-, or
State-defined standards associated with the degree or certificate. If
the degree or certificate targeted by the training project is
performance-based, applicants should either: (a) Demonstrate employer
engagement in the curriculum development process, or (b) demonstrate
that the degree or certificate will translate into concrete job
opportunities with an employer.
If applicable, the applicant must provide a comprehensive
list of expected deliverables consistent with the project work plan
that includes a brief description of the deliverable (such as updated
curriculum and outreach materials), the anticipated completion date,
and an estimated timeframe and method for electronic delivery to ETA.
Electronic delivery may include email for smaller documents, DVDs or
other electronic media for transmission of larger files.
5. Suitability for Evaluation (5 points)
Under this Solicitation, DOL seeks to support programs that will
provide training that improves participants' employment outcomes. The
Department is committed to evaluating program results to assess whether
programs meet this goal and which models are most effective, providing
a basis for future program improvements and funding decisions. DOL
intends to select some portion of grantees to participate in a rigorous
evaluation. This section asks for evidence that applicants will be able
to participate productively in an evaluation. To receive points under
this section, applicants must describe their plans for meeting the
following criteria. Specifically, the project must:
Explain a recruitment plan that could yield a large number
of qualified applicants for the program, and potentially more
applicants than the number of participant slots available;
Be able to collect participant-level information on
individuals who apply to participate in the program;
Have project retention strategies to minimize client
attrition and help researchers track those who leave the program before
completion;
Work collaboratively with an outside evaluator selected by
DOL;
Be willing to work with academics who are independent
researchers qualified to conduct rigorous research; and
Provide additional information about why funding this
proposal will enhance knowledge about effective programs in a way that
has the potential to benefit individuals and communities not directly
served by the program.
B. Review and Selection Process
Applications for grants under this solicitation will be accepted
after the publication of this announcement and until the closing date.
A technical review panel will carefully evaluate applications against
the selection criteria. These criteria are based on the policy goals,
priorities, and emphases set forth in this SGA. Up to 100 points may be
awarded to an application, depending on the quality of the responses to
the required information described in Section V.A. The ranked scores
will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for
funding, in conjunction with other factors such as urban, rural, and
geographic balance; representation among health care and other high
growth and emerging industries targeted through this SGA;
representation among communities impacted by automotive industry
restructuring; the availability of funds; and which proposals are most
advantageous to the government. The panel results are advisory in
nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer may
consider any information that comes to his/her attention. The
government may elect to award the grant(s) with or without discussions
with the applicant. Should a grant be awarded without discussions, the
award will be based on the applicant's signature on the SF 424, which
constitutes a binding offer by the applicant including electronic
signature via E-Authentication on http://www.grants.gov.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted
directly before the grant's execution and non-
[[Page 36266]]
selected applicants will be notified by mail. Selection of an
organization as a grantee does not constitute approval of the grant
application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, ETA may
enter into negotiations about such items as program components,
staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to
support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a
mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to
terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the application.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
1. Administrative Program Requirements
All grantees will be subject to all applicable Federal laws,
regulations, and the applicable OMB Circulars. The grant(s) awarded
under this SGA will be subject to the following administrative
standards and provisions:
i. Non-Profit Organizations--OMB Circulars A-122 (Cost Principles)
and 29 CFR part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
ii. Educational Institutions--OMB Circulars A-21 (Cost Principles)
and 29 CFR part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
iii. State and Local Governments--OMB Circulars A-87 (Cost
Principles) and 29 CFR part 97 (Administrative Requirements).
iv. Profit Making Commercial Firms--Federal Acquisition Regulation
(FAR)--48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 29 CFR part 95
(Administrative Requirements).
v. All entities must comply with 29 CFR parts 93 (New Restrictions
on Lobbying) and 98 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension), and,
where applicable, 29 CFR parts 96 and 99 (Audit Requirements).
vi. 29 CFR part 2, subpart D--Equal Treatment in Department of
Labor Programs for Religious Organizations, Protection of Religious
Liberty of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and
Beneficiaries.
vii. 29 CFR part 31--Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted
Programs of the Department of Labor--Effectuation of Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964.
viii. 29 CFR part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in
Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal Financial
Assistance.
ix. 29 CFR part 33--Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis
of Handicap in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of
Labor.
x. 29 CFR part 35--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in
Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the
Department of Labor.
xi. 29 CFR part 36--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in
Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial
Assistance.
The following administrative standards and provisions may be
applicable:
i. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law
No. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115, Division A, Title VIII (February 17, 2009).
ii. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law No. 105-220,
112 Stat. 939 (codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) and 20
CFR part 667 (General Fiscal and Administrative Rules).
iii. 29 CFR part 29 and 30--Apprenticeship and Equal Employment
Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training; and
iv. 29 CFR part 37--Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and
Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA),
42 U.S.C. sec. 2000bb, applies to all Federal law and its
implementation. If your organization is a faith-based organization that
makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be
entitled to receive Federal financial assistance under Title I of the
Workforce Investment Act and maintain that hiring practice even though
Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act contains a general ban on
religious discrimination in employment. If you are awarded a grant, you
will be provided with information on how to request such an exemption.
vi. Under WIA Section 181(a)(4), health and safety standards
established under Federal and State law otherwise applicable to working
conditions of employees are equally applicable to working conditions of
participants engaged in training and other activities. Applicants that
are awarded grants through this SGA are reminded that these health and
safety standards apply to participants in these grants.
In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of
1995 (Pub. L. 104-65) (2 U.S.C. 1611) non-profit entities incorporated
under Internal Revenue Service Code section 501(c)(4) that engage in
lobbying activities are not eligible to receive Federal funds and
grants.
Except as specifically provided in this SGA, DOL's acceptance of a
proposal and an award of Federal funds to sponsor any programs(s) does
not provide a waiver of any grant requirements and/or procedures. For
example, the OMB Circulars require that an entity's procurement
procedures must ensure that all procurement transactions are conducted,
as much as practical, to provide open and free competition. If a
proposal identifies a specific entity to provide services, the DOL's
award does not provide the justification or basis to sole source the
procurement, i.e., avoid competition, unless the activity is regarded
as the primary work of an official partner to the application.
2. Special Program Requirements
i. Evaluation
To measure the impact of grants funded under this SGA, ETA intends
to fund one or more independent evaluations, which could include a
random assignment evaluation. By accepting funding, grantees must agree
to participate in such an evaluation, should their site(s) be selected
to participate. Grantees must agree to make records on participants,
employers, and funding available and to provide access to program
personnel and participants, as specified by the evaluator(s) under the
direction of ETA, including after the expiration date of the grant.
ii. Definition of Certificates
A certificate is awarded in recognition of an individual's
attainment of measurable technical or occupational skills necessary to
gain employment or advance within an occupation. These technical or
occupational skills are based on standards developed or endorsed by
employers. Certificates awarded by workforce investment boards are not
included in this definition. Work readiness certificates are also not
included in this definition. A certificate is awarded in recognition of
an individual's attainment of technical or occupational skills by:
A state educational agency or a state agency responsible
for administering vocational and technical education within a state;
An institution of higher education described in Section
102 of the Higher Education Act (20 USC 1002) that is qualified to
participate in the student financial assistance programs authorized by
Title IV of that Act. This includes community colleges, proprietary
schools, and all other institutions of higher education that are
eligible to participate in Federal student financial aid programs;
A professional, industry, or employer organization (e.g.,
National
[[Page 36267]]
Institute for Automotive Service Excellence certification, National
Institute for Metalworking Skills, Inc., Machining Level I credential)
or a product manufacturer or developer (e.g., Microsoft Certified
Database Administrator, Certified Novell Engineer, Sun Certified Java
Programmer) using a valid and reliable assessment of an individual's
knowledge, skills, and abilities;
A Registered Apprenticeship program;
A public regulatory agency, upon an individual's
fulfillment of educational, work experience, or skill requirements that
are legally necessary for an individual to use an occupational or
professional title or to practice an occupation or profession (e.g.,
FAA aviation mechanic certification, state certified asbestos
inspector);
A program that has been approved by the Department of
Veterans Affairs to offer education benefits to veterans and other
eligible persons;
Job Corps centers that issue certificates; or
Institutions of higher education which are formally
controlled, or have been formally sanctioned, or chartered, by the
governing body of an Indian tribe or tribes.
iii. Definitions of Populations and Other Key Terms
Veterans: For the purposes of this solicitation, ETA
follows the WIA definition of veteran under 29 U.S.C. Sec.
2801(49)(A), which defines the term ``veteran'' as ``an individual who
served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was
discharged or released from such service under conditions other than
dishonorable.'' Active military service includes full-time duty (other
than full-time duty for training purposes) in Reserve components
ordered to active duty, or in National Guard units called to Federal
Service by the President.
3. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5)
Provisions
Prospective applicants are advised that, if they receive an award,
they must comply with all requirements of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 [Pub. L. 111-5]. Applicants are advised to
review the Act and implementing OMB guidance in the development of
their proposals. Requirements include, but are not limited to:
Adherence to all grant clauses and conditions as they
relate to Recovery Act activity.
Prohibition on expenditure of funds for activities at any
casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course or
swimming pool.
Compliance with the requirements to obtain a D-U-N-S[reg]
Number and register with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). ETA
will issue additional guidance related to this requirement shortly.
Submission of required reports in accordance with Section
1512 of the Recovery Act. These reports will be due quarterly within 10
days of the end of the reporting period and are in addition to the ETA
required reports addressed in Section VI.C of this SGA. ETA will issue
additional guidance related to these reports and their submission
requirements shortly.
Implementing OMB guidance may be found at http://www.recovery.gov.
C. Reporting
Quarterly financial reports, quarterly progress reports, and MIS
data will be submitted by the grantee electronically. The grantee is
required to provide the reports and documents listed below:
1. Quarterly Financial Reports
A Quarterly Financial Status Report (ETA 9130) is required until
such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has
expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each
calendar year quarter. Grantees must use DOL's On-Line Electronic
Reporting System and information and instructions will be provided to
grantees.
2. Quarterly Performance Reports
The grantee must submit a quarterly progress report within 45 days
after the end of each calendar year quarter. In order to submit these
quarterly reports, the grantee will be expected to track participant-
level data on the individuals who are involved in training and other
services provided through the grant and report on participant status in
a variety of fields and outcome categories, as well as provide
narrative information on the status of the grant. The last quarterly
progress report that grantees submit will serve as the grant's Final
Performance Report. This report should provide both quarterly and
cumulative information on the grant's activities. It must summarize
project activities, employment outcomes and other deliverables, and
related results of the project, and should thoroughly document the
training or labor market information approaches utilized by the
grantee. DOL will provide grantees with formal guidance about the data
and other information that is required to be collected and reported on
either a regular basis or special request basis. Grantees must agree to
meet DOL reporting requirements.
3. Record Retention
Applicants must be prepared to follow Federal guidelines on record
retention, which require grantees to maintain all records pertaining to
grant activities for a period of not less than three years from the
time of final grant close-out.
VII. Agency Contacts
For further information regarding this SGA, please contact Ariam
Ferro, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, at
(202) 693-3968 (This is not a toll-free number). Applicants should e-
mail all technical questions to Ferro.Ariam@dol.gov and must
specifically reference SGA/DFA PY 09-01, and along with question(s),
include a contact name, fax and phone number. This announcement is
being made available on the ETA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/grants and at http://www.grants.gov.
VIII. Additional Resources of Interest to Applicants
A. Other Web-Based Resources
DOL maintains a number of web-based resources that may be of
assistance to applicants. For example, America's Service Locator
(http://www.servicelocator.org) provides a directory of our nation's
One Stop Career Centers.
B. Industry Competency Models
ETA supports an Industry Competency Model Initiative to promote an
understanding of the skill sets and competencies that are essential to
an educated and skilled workforce. A competency model is a collection
of competencies that, taken together, define successful performance in
a particular work setting. Competency models serve as a starting point
for the design and implementation of workforce and talent development
programs. To learn about the industry-validated models visit the
Competency Model Clearinghouse (CMC) at http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel. The CMC site also provides tools to build or customize
industry models, as well as tools to build career ladders and career
lattices.
C. Promising Training Approaches
ETA encourages applicants to research promising training approaches
in order to inform their proposals. The following list of Web sites
provides a starting place for this research, but by no means should be
considered a complete list:
[[Page 36268]]
ETA's home site (http://www.doleta.gov) and the ETA
Research Publication Database (http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm)
ETA's knowledge sharing site (http://www.workforce3one.org), including the ``workforce solutions'' section
that contains over 6,000 additional resources applicants may find
valuable in developing workforce strategies and solutions
The National Governors Association Center for Best
Practices (http://www.nga.org)
The National Association of State Workforce Agencies
(http://www.workforceatm.org)
The National Association of Workforce Boards (http://www.nawb.org)
IX. Other Information
OMB Information Collection No. 1225-0086
Expires September 30, 2009
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are
required to respond to a collection of information unless such
collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden
for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per
response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing
data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing
and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding
the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the OMB
Desk Officer for ETA, Department of Labor, in the Office of Management
and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN THE
COMPLETED APPLICATION TO THE OMB. SEND IT TO THE SPONSORING AGENCY AS
SPECIFIED IN THIS SOLICITATION.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a
grant. The information collected through this SGA will be used by DOL
to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicant best suited to
perform the functions of the grant. Submission of this information is
required in order for the applicant to be considered for award of this
grant. Unless otherwise specifically noted in this announcement,
information submitted in the respondent's application is not considered
to be confidential.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 17th day of July, 2009.
Donna Kelly,
Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration.
Attachment I--Counties Impacted by Automotive-Related Restructuring
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIPS County name State
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1013.................. Butler..................... AL.
1021.................. Chilton.................... AL.
1083.................. Limestone.................. AL.
1085.................. Lowndes.................... AL.
1089.................. Madison.................... AL.
1095.................. Marshall................... AL.
1101.................. Montgomery................. AL.
1121.................. Talladega.................. AL.
1125.................. Tuscaloosa................. AL.
5023.................. Cleburne................... AR.
5041.................. Desha...................... AR.
5055.................. Greene..................... AR.
5083.................. Logan...................... AR.
6001.................. Alameda.................... CA.
6037.................. Los Angeles................ CA.
10003................. New Castle................. DE.
13089................. DeKalb..................... GA.
13121................. Fulton..................... GA.
13139................. Hall....................... GA.
13143................. Haralson................... GA.
13167................. Johnson.................... GA.
13285................. Troup...................... GA.
19029................. Cass....................... IA.
19037................. Chickasaw.................. IA.
19071................. Fremont.................... IA.
19089................. Howard..................... IA.
19095................. Iowa....................... IA.
19115................. Louisa..................... IA.
19149................. Plymouth................... IA.
19157................. Poweshiek.................. IA.
19175................. Union...................... IA.
19197................. Wright..................... IA.
17007................. Boone...................... IL.
17025................. Clay....................... IL.
17031................. Cook....................... IL.
17047................. Edwards.................... IL.
17067................. Hancock.................... IL.
17121................. Marion..................... IL.
17113................. McLean..................... IL.
17155................. Putnam..................... IL.
17187................. Warren..................... IL.
17189................. Washington................. IL.
17191................. Wayne...................... IL.
18001................. Adams...................... IN.
18003................. Allen...................... IN.
18005................. Bartholomew................ IN.
18009................. Blackford.................. IN.
18015................. Carroll.................... IN.
18017................. Cass....................... IN.
18025................. Crawford................... IN.
18033................. De Kalb.................... IN.
18031................. Decatur.................... IN.
18035................. Delaware................... IN.
18037................. Dubois..................... IN.
18039................. Elkhart.................... IN.
18041................. Fayette.................... IN.
18045................. Fountain................... IN.
18047................. Franklin................... IN.
18051................. Gibson..................... IN.
18053................. Grant...................... IN.
18059................. Hancock.................... IN.
18061................. Harrison................... IN.
18065................. Henry...................... IN.
18067................. Howard..................... IN.
18071................. Jackson.................... IN.
18075................. Jay........................ IN.
18077................. Jefferson.................. IN.
18081................. Johnson.................... IN.
18087................. LaGrange................... IN.
18093................. Lawrence................... IN.
18097................. Marion..................... IN.
18103................. Miami...................... IN.
18107................. Montgomery................. IN.
18113................. Noble...................... IN.
18123................. Perry...................... IN.
18133................. Putnam..................... IN.
18135................. Randolph................... IN.
18143................. Scott...................... IN.
18147................. Spencer.................... IN.
18141................. St. Joseph................. IN.
18149................. Starke..................... IN.
18151................. Steuben.................... IN.
18153................. Sullivan................... IN.
18157................. Tippecanoe................. IN.
18159................. Tipton..................... IN.
18175................. Washington................. IN.
18179................. Wells...................... IN.
18183................. Whitley.................... IN.
20001................. Allen...................... KS.
20209................. Wyandotte.................. KS.
21003................. Allen...................... KY.
21009................. Barren..................... KY.
21017................. Bourbon.................... KY.
21023................. Bracken.................... KY.
21031................. Butler..................... KY.
21033................. Caldwell................... KY.
21041................. Carroll.................... KY.
21043................. Carter..................... KY.
21055................. Crittenden................. KY.
21057................. Cumberland................. KY.
21069................. Fleming.................... KY.
21073................. Franklin................... KY.
21075................. Fulton..................... KY.
21077................. Gallatin................... KY.
21081................. Grant...................... KY.
21093................. Hardin..................... KY.
21099................. Hart....................... KY.
21101................. Henderson.................. KY.
21103................. Henry...................... KY.
21107................. Hopkins.................... KY.
21111................. Jefferson.................. KY.
21113................. Jessamine.................. KY.
21121................. Knox....................... KY.
21123................. Larue...................... KY.
21137................. Lincoln.................... KY.
21151................. Madison.................... KY.
21155................. Marion..................... KY.
21167................. Mercer..................... KY.
21169................. Metcalfe................... KY.
21173................. Montgomery................. KY.
21179................. Nelson..................... KY.
21183................. Ohio....................... KY.
21191................. Pendleton.................. KY.
21199................. Pulaski.................... KY.
21207................. Russell.................... KY.
21209................. Scott...................... KY.
21211................. Shelby..................... KY.
21213................. Simpson.................... KY.
21221................. Trigg...................... KY.
21227................. Warren..................... KY.
21229................. Washington................. KY.
22017................. Caddo...................... LA.
24510................. Baltimore (city)........... MD.
[[Page 36269]]
24043................. Washington................. MD.
26009................. Antrim..................... MI.
26017................. Bay........................ MI.
26025................. Calhoun.................... MI.
26045................. Eaton...................... MI.
26049................. Genesee.................... MI.
26059................. Hillsdale.................. MI.
26063................. Huron...................... MI.
26065................. Ingham..................... MI.
26067................. Ionia...................... MI.
26069................. Iosco...................... MI.
26075................. Jackson.................... MI.
26079................. Kalkaska................... MI.
26081................. Kent....................... MI.
26087................. Lapeer..................... MI.
26091................. Lenawee.................... MI.
26093................. Livingston................. MI.
26099................. Macomb..................... MI.
26107................. Mecosta.................... MI.
26111................. Midland.................... MI.
26113................. Missaukee.................. MI.
26115................. Monroe..................... MI.
26125................. Oakland.................... MI.
26127................. Oceana..................... MI.
26133................. Osceola.................... MI.
26135................. Oscoda..................... MI.
26139................. Ottawa..................... MI.
26143................. Roscommon.................. MI.
26145................. Saginaw.................... MI.
26147................. St. Clair.................. MI.
26149................. St. Joseph................. MI.
26157................. Tuscola.................... MI.
26159................. Van Buren.................. MI.
26161................. Washtenaw.................. MI.
26163................. Wayne...................... MI.
26165................. Wexford.................... MI.
27029................. Clearwater................. MN.
27123................. Ramsey..................... MN.
29047................. Clay....................... MO.
29061................. Daviess.................... MO.
29079................. Grundy..................... MO.
29105................. Laclede.................... MO.
29113................. Lincoln.................... MO.
29147................. Nodaway.................... MO.
29175................. Randolph................... MO.
29183................. St. Charles................ MO.
29189................. St. Louis.................. MO.
29229................. Wright..................... MO.
28009................. Benton..................... MS.
28011................. Bolivar.................... MS.
28051................. Holmes..................... MS.
28089................. Madison.................... MS.
28119................. Quitman.................... MS.
28129................. Smith...................... MS.
28145................. Union...................... MS.
28161................. Yalobusha.................. MS.
37063................. Durham..................... NC.
37071................. Gaston..................... NC.
37089................. Henderson.................. NC.
37145................. Person..................... NC.
37165................. Scotland................... NC.
38051................. McIntosh................... ND.
31019................. Buffalo.................... NE.
31047................. Dawson..................... NE.
31051................. Dixon...................... NE.
31141................. Platte..................... NE.
31159................. Seward..................... NE.
34023................. Middlesex.................. NJ.
34039................. Union...................... NJ.
36029................. Erie....................... NY.
36063................. Niagara.................... NY.
36067................. Onondaga................... NY.
36089................. St. Lawrence............... NY.
39001................. Adams...................... OH.
39003................. Allen...................... OH.
39011................. Auglaize................... OH.
39019................. Carroll.................... OH.
39021................. Champaign.................. OH.
39025................. Clermont................... OH.
39027................. Clinton.................... OH.
39033................. Crawford................... OH.
39035................. Cuyahoga................... OH.
39039................. Defiance................... OH.
39043................. Erie....................... OH.
39051................. Fulton..................... OH.
39061................. Hamilton................... OH.
39063................. Hancock.................... OH.
39065................. Hardin..................... OH.
39069................. Henry...................... OH.
39071................. Highland................... OH.
39077................. Huron...................... OH.
39079................. Jackson.................... OH.
39083................. Knox....................... OH.
39091................. Logan...................... OH.
39093................. Lorain..................... OH.
39095................. Lucas...................... OH.
39097................. Madison.................... OH.
39113................. Montgomery................. OH.
39117................. Morrow..................... OH.
39121................. Noble...................... OH.
39125................. Paulding................... OH.
39131................. Pike....................... OH.
39135................. Preble..................... OH.
39137................. Putnam..................... OH.
39139................. Richland................... OH.
39141................. Ross....................... OH.
39143................. Sandusky................... OH.
39147................. Seneca..................... OH.
39149................. Shelby..................... OH.
39153................. Summit..................... OH.
39155................. Trumbull................... OH.
39159................. Union...................... OH.
39161................. Van Wert................... OH.
39169................. Wayne...................... OH.
39171................. Williams................... OH.
39173................. Wood....................... OH.
39175................. Wyandot.................... OH.
40095................. Marshall................... OK.
40109................. Oklahoma................... OK.
42003................. Allegheny.................. PA.
42117................. Tioga...................... PA.
45007................. Anderson................... SC.
45019................. Charleston................. SC.
45021................. Cherokee................... SC.
45035................. Dorchester................. SC.
45067................. Marion..................... SC.
45083................. Spartanburg................ SC.
47001................. Anderson................... TN.
47003................. Bedford.................... TN.
47007................. Bledsoe.................... TN.
47009................. Blount..................... TN.
47015................. Cannon..................... TN.
47031................. Coffee..................... TN.
47041................. DeKalb..................... TN.
47045................. Dyer....................... TN.
47051................. Franklin................... TN.
47053................. Gibson..................... TN.
47055................. Giles...................... TN.
47061................. Grundy..................... TN.
47063................. Hamblen.................... TN.
47065................. Hamilton................... TN.
47069................. Hardeman................... TN.
47073................. Hawkins.................... TN.
47077................. Henderson.................. TN.
47079................. Henry...................... TN.
47087................. Jackson.................... TN.
47097................. Lauderdale................. TN.
47099................. Lawrence................... TN.
47105................. Loudon..................... TN.
47113................. Madison.................... TN.
47117................. Marshall................... TN.
47119................. Maury...................... TN.
47107................. McMinn..................... TN.
47109................. McNairy.................... TN.
47121................. Meigs...................... TN.
47123................. Monroe..................... TN.
47131................. Obion...................... TN.
47133................. Overton.................... TN.
47135................. Perry...................... TN.
47141................. Putnam..................... TN.
47143................. Rhea....................... TN.
47147................. Robertson.................. TN.
47149................. Rutherford................. TN.
47151................. Scott...................... TN.
47159................. Smith...................... TN.
47177................. Warren..................... TN.
47185................. White...................... TN.
48029................. Bexar...................... TX.
48439................. Tarrant.................... TX.
49003................. Box Elder.................. UT.
51023................. Botetourt.................. VA.
51710................. Norfolk (city)............. VA.
51155................. Pulaski.................... VA.
51173................. Smyth...................... VA.
51177................. Spotsylvania............... VA.
55059................. Kenosha.................... WI.
55075................. Marinette.................. WI.
55105................. Rock....................... WI.
54079................. Putnam..................... WV.
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[FR Doc. E9-17416 Filed 7-21-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P