[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 136 (Friday, July 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41531-41538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17395]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants
AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Solicitation for Grant Applications.
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Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: SGA 10-3BS.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.603.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA), is making $500,000 available in grant funds for
educational and training programs to help identify, avoid, and prevent
unsafe working conditions in and around mines. The focus of these
grants for the fiscal year (FY) 2010 will be on training and training
materials for mine emergency preparedness and mine emergency prevention
for all underground mines. Applicants for the grants may be States and
nonprofit (private or public) entities. MSHA could award as many as 10
separate grants with a 12-month period of performance. The amount of
each individual grant will be at least $50,000.00. This notice contains
all of the necessary information needed to apply for grant funding.
DATES: The closing date for applications will be August 18, 2010 (no
later than 11:59 p.m. EDT). MSHA will award grants on or before
September 30, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Applications for grants submitted under this competition
must be submitted electronically using the Government-wide site at
http://www.grants.gov. If applying online poses a hardship to any
applicant, the MSHA Directorate of Educational Policy and Development
will provide assistance to help applicants submit online. MSHA's Web
page at http://www.msha.gov is a valuable source of background for this
initiative.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any questions regarding this
solicitation for grant applications (SGA 10-3BS) should be directed to
Robert Glatter at glatter.robert@dol.gov or at 202-693-9570 (this is
not a toll-free number) or the Grant Officer, Darrell A. Cooper at
cooper.darrell@dol.gov or at 202-693-9831 (this is not a toll-free
number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This solicitation provides background
information and the critical elements required of projects funded under
the solicitation. It also describes the application submission
requirements, the process that eligible applicants must use to apply
for funds covered by this solicitation, and how grantees will be
selected. Further information regarding submitting the grant
application electronically is listed in Section IV.C., Submission Date,
Times, and Addresses. This solicitation consists of eight parts:
Part I provides background information on the Brookwood-
Sago grants.
Part II describes the size and nature of the anticipated
awards.
Part III describes the qualifications of an eligible
applicant.
Part IV provides information on the application and
submission process.
Part V explains the review process and rating criteria
that will be used to evaluate applications.
Part VI provides award administration information.
Part VII contains MSHA contact information.
Part VIII addresses Office of Management and Budget
information collection requirements.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Overview of the Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grant Program
Responding to several coal mine disasters, Congress enacted the
Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act).
Section 14 of the MINER Act requires the Secretary of Labor (Secretary)
to establish a discretionary competitive grant program called the
Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants (Brookwood-Sago grants). This program
provides funding to educate and train miners to better identify, avoid,
and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines. This program
will use grant funds to establish and implement education and training
programs or to create training materials and programs. The MINER Act
requires the Secretary to give priority to mine safety demonstrations
and pilot projects with broad applicability. It also mandates that the
Secretary emphasize programs
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and materials that target miners in smaller mines, to include training
on new MSHA standards, high-risk activities, and other identified
health and safety priorities.
B. Educational and Training Program Priorities
MSHA priorities for the FY 2010 funding of the Brookwood-Sago
grants will focus on training and training materials for mine emergency
preparedness and mine emergency prevention for all underground mines.
MSHA expects Brookwood-Sago grantees to develop training materials or
to develop and provide mine safety and health training and/or
educational programs, recruit miners and mine operators for the
training, and conduct and evaluate the training on one of the MSHA-
selected priorities. Grantees are also expected to conduct follow-up
evaluations with people trained by their program. The evaluation will
focus on determining how effective their training was in either
reducing hazards or improving skills for the selected training topics
and in improving the conditions in mines. Grantees must also cooperate
fully with MSHA evaluations of the program. If the Brookwood-Sago
applicant is not the entity operating the MSHA-approved State training
grant, MSHA expects the applicant to contact the State grantee and
coordinate any proposed training or educational program with the
applicable State in order not to duplicate any training or educational
program offered. An applicant's proposed area for the grant may cover
more than one State.
II. Award Information
A. Award Amount for FY 2010
MSHA is providing $500,000 total for the FY 2010 Brookwood-Sago
grant program, which could be divided into as many as 10 separate
grants. The amount of each individual grant will be at least
$50,000.00. Applicants requesting less than $50,000 or more than
$500,000 will not be considered for funding.
B. Period of Performance
The period of performance will be 12 months from the date of
execution of the grant documents. This performance period must include
all necessary implementation and start-up activities as well as follow-
up for performance outcomes. A timeline clearly detailing these
required grant activities and their expected completion dates must be
included in the grant application. MSHA may approve a request for a no-
cost extension to grantees for an additional period of time based on
the success of the project and other relevant factors.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Applicants for the grants may be States and nonprofit (private or
public) entities. Eligible entities may apply for funding independently
or in partnership with other eligible organizations. For partnerships,
a lead organization must be identified.
Applicants other than States and State-supported or local
government-supported institutions of higher education will be required
to submit evidence of nonprofit status, preferably from the Internal
Revenue Service. A nonprofit entity as described in 26 U.S.C.
501(c)(4), which engages in lobbying activities, is not eligible for a
grant award. See 2 U.S.C. 1611.
B. Cost-Sharing or Matching
Cost-sharing or matching of funds is not required for eligibility.
The leveraging of public and/or private resources to achieve project
sustainability, however, is highly encouraged and may be awarded up to
10 application evaluation points.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
1. Dun and Bradstreet Number (DUNS)
Since October 1, 2003, every applicant for a Federal grant funding
opportunity is required to include a DUNS number with its application.
An applicant's DUNS number is to be entered into Block 8 of Standard
Form (SF) 424. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number
that identifies business entities uniquely. There is no charge for
obtaining a DUNS number. To obtain a DUNS number, call 1-866-705-5711
or access the following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayhomepage.do.
After receiving a DUNS number, all grant applicants must also
register as a vendor with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR)
through the Web site http://www.ccr.gov. Grant applicants must create a
user account and then complete and submit the online registration. The
CCR site advises that this process takes about 1 hour to complete. Once
you have completed the registration, it will take 3 to 5 business days
to process. The applicant will receive an e-mail notice that the
registration is active.
2. Legal Rules Pertaining to Inherently Religious Activities by
Organizations That Receive Federal Financial Assistance
The government generally is prohibited from providing direct
Federal financial assistance for inherently religious activities. See
29 CFR part 2, subpart D. Grants under this solicitation may not be
used for religious instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing, or
other inherently religious activities. Neutral, non-religious criteria
that neither favor nor disfavor religion will be employed in the
selection of grant recipients and must be employed by grantees in the
selection of contractors and subcontractors.
3. Non-Compliant Applications
Applications that are lacking any of the required elements or do
not follow the format prescribed in IV.B will not be reviewed.
4. Late Applications
Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed
unless it is determined to be in the best interest of the Government.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Application Forms
This announcement includes all information and links needed to
apply for this funding opportunity. The full application is available
through the Grants.gov Web site, http://www.grants.gov/, under ``Apply
for Grants''. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number
needed to locate the appropriate application for this opportunity is
17.603. If an applicant has problems downloading the application
package from Grants.gov \SM\, contact Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-
800-518-4726 or by e-mail at support@grants.gov.
B. Content and Form of the Application
Each grant application must address mine emergency preparedness or
mine emergency prevention for underground mines. Applicants must submit
a separate application for each topic. The application must consist of
three separate and distinct sections. The three required sections are:
Section 1--Project Financial Plan and Forms (No page
limit).
Section 2--Project Summary (Not to exceed 2 pages).
Section 3--Technical Proposal (Not to exceed 10 pages).
Illustrative material can be submitted as an attachment.
The following are mandatory requirements for each section.
[[Page 41533]]
1. Project Financial Plan and Forms
This section contains the forms and budget section of the
application. The Project Financial Plan will not count against the
application page limits. A person with authority to bind the applicant
must sign the application and forms. Applications submitted
electronically through Grants.gov do not need to be signed manually;
the form will automatically affix an electronic signature for the
authorized person identified.
(a) Completed SF 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.'' This
form is part of the application package on Grants.gov and also is
available at http://www.msha.gov. The SF 424 must identify the
applicant clearly and 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 representative of the applicant.
(b) Completed SF 424A, ``Budget Information--Non-Construction
Programs.'' This form is part of the application package on Grants.gov
and also is available at http://www.msha.gov. The project budget should
demonstrate clearly that the total amount and distribution of funds is
sufficient to cover the cost of all major project activities identified
by the applicant in its proposal, and must comply with the Federal cost
principles and the administrative requirements set forth in this
solicitation for grant applications (SGA). (Copies of all regulations
that are referenced in this SGA are available online at http://www.msha.gov. Select ``Education & Training,'' click on ``Courses and
Programs,'' then select ``Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants.'')
(c) Budget Narrative. The applicant must provide a concise
narrative explaining the request for funds. The budget narrative should
separately attribute the Federal funds and leveraged resources to each
of the activities specified in the technical proposal and it should
discuss precisely how any administrative costs support the project
goals. Indirect cost charges, which are considered administrative
costs, must be supported with a copy of an approved Indirect Cost Rate
Agreement. Indirect Costs are those costs that are not readily
identifiable with a particular cost objective but nevertheless are
necessary to the general operation of an organization, e.g., personnel
working in Accounting. Administrative costs may not exceed 15% of the
total grant budget.
If applicable, the applicant must provide a statement about its
program income. Program income is gross income earned by the grantee
directly generated by a supported activity, or earned as a result of
the award.
Any leveraged resources should not be listed on the SF 424 or SF
424A Budget Information Form, but must be described in the budget
narrative and in the technical proposal of the application (as
described in Part IV.B.3(d) of this SGA). The amount of Federal funding
requested for the entire period of performance must be shown on the SF
424 and SF 424A Budget Information Form. Note: Grantees will be
responsible for obtaining any beverage resources proposed in their
applications. Failure to do so may result in the disallowance and
required return of funds in the amount of the proposed beverage.
(d) Completed SF 424B, ``Assurances, Non-Construction Programs.''
Each applicant for these grants must certify compliance with a list of
assurances. This form is part of the application package on
www.Grants.gov and also is available at http://www.msha.gov.
(e) Supplemental Certification Regarding Lobbying Activities Form.
If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for
influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the making of a
grant or cooperative agreement, the applicant shall complete and submit
SF-LLL, ``Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,'' in accordance with its
instructions. This form is part of the application package on http://
www.Grants.gov and also is available at www.msha.gov. Select
``Education & Training,'' click on ``Courses and Programs,'' then
select ``Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants.''
(f) Non-profit status. Applicants must provide evidence of non-
profit status, preferably from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), if
applicable. (This requirement does not apply to State and local
government-supported institutions of higher education.)
(g) Accounting System Certification. An organization that receives
less than $1 million annually in Federal grants must attach a
certification stating that the organization (directly or through a
designated qualified entity) has a functioning accounting system that
meets the criteria below. The certification should attest that the
organization's accounting system provides for the following:
(1) Accurate, current and complete disclosure of the financial
results of each federally sponsored project.
(2) Records that identify adequately the source and application of
funds for federally sponsored activities.
(3) Effective control over and accountability for all funds,
property and other assets.
(4) Comparison of outlays with budget amounts.
(5) Written procedures to minimize the time elapsing between
transfers of funds.
(6) Written procedures for determining the reasonableness,
allocability, and allowability of cost.
(7) Accounting records, including cost accounting records that are
supported by source documentation.
(h) Attachments. The application may include attachments such as
resumes of key personnel or position descriptions, exhibits,
information on prior government grants, and signed letters of
commitment to the project.
2. Project Summary
The project summary is a short one-to-two page abstract that
succinctly summarizes the proposed project and provides information
about the applicant organization. The project summary must include the
following information:
(a) Applicant. Provide the organization's full legal name and
address.
(b) Project Director. The project director is the person who will
be responsible for the day-to-day operation and administration of the
program. Provide the name, title, street address and mailing address
(if it is different from the organization's street address), telephone
and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the project director.
(c) Certifying Representative. The certifying representative is the
official in the organization who is authorized to enter into grant
agreements. Provide the name, title, street address and mailing address
if it is different from the organization's street address, telephone
and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the certifying representative.
(d) Funding requested. List how much Federal funding is being
requested. If the organization is contributing non-Federal resources,
also list the amount of non-Federal resources and the source of the
funds.
(e) Grant Topic. List the grant topic and the location and number
of miners that the organization has selected to train or describe the
training materials to be created with these funds.
(f) Summary of the Proposed Project. Write a brief program summary
of the
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proposed project. This summary must identify the key points of the
proposal including an introduction describing the project activities
and the expected outcomes.
(g) Applicant Background. Describe the applicant, including its
mission, and a description of its membership, if any. Provide an
organizational chart (the chart may be included as a separate page
which will not count toward the page limit).
3. Technical Proposal
The technical proposal must demonstrate the applicant's
capabilities to plan and implement a project or create educational
materials to meet the objectives of this solicitation. MSHA's focus for
this SGA is on training miners and developing training materials for
mine emergency preparedness and mine emergency prevention for
underground mines. MSHA has two program goals that will be considered
indicators of the success of the program as a whole. The following
table explains the types of data grantees must provide and their
relationship with the Agency's program goals and performance measures
for the Brookwood-Sago grants.
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Program goals Performance measures Data grantee provides
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1. Agency creates more effective Increase overall number of Number of training events during the
training and improves safety. trainers trained. period.
Increase overall number of Number of trainers trained.
miners trained.
Provide quality training with Number of miners trained during the
clearly stated goals and current reporting period.
objectives for improving
safety.
Conduct and report pre-test and post-
test results of trainees.
Course evaluations of trainer and
training materials.
The extent to which others replicate
(i.e., adopt or adapt) or
institutionalize and continue the
projects after grant funding ends.
2. Agency creates training materials Increase number of quality Conduct and report pre-test and post-
and improves safety. educational materials test results of the training materials.
developed.
Provide quality training Evaluation of training materials to
materials with clearly stated include the target audience, statement
goals and objectives for of goals and objectives,learning level,
improving safety. instructions for using, additional
Develop training materials material requirements, secondary
that are reproducible. purposes, adult learning principles and
usability in the mine training
environment.
The extent to which others replicate
(i.e., adopt or adapt) the funded
projects.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The technical proposal narrative is not to exceed 10 single-sided
pages, double spaced, 12-point font, and must contain the following
sections: Program Design, Overall Qualifications of the Applicant,
Impact or Outcomes and Evaluation, and Leveraging of Funds. Any pages
over the 10-page limit will not be reviewed. Major sections and sub-
sections of the proposal should be divided and clearly identified. MSHA
will review and rate the technical proposal in accordance with the
selection criteria specified in Part V.
(a) Program Design.
(1) Problem Statement/Need for Funds. Applicants must provide a
clear and specific need for proposed activities. They must identify
whether they are providing a training program or creating training
materials or both. Applicants also must identify the number of
individuals that will benefit from their training and education
program; this should include identifying the type of underground mines,
the geographic locations, and the number of miners and employers.
Applicants must also identify other Federal funds they receive for
similar activities.
(2) Quality of the Project Design. MSHA requires that each
applicant include a 12-month workplan that correlates with the grant
project period that will begin September 30, 2010, and end September
29, 2011. An outline of specific items required in the workplan
follows.
(i) Plan Overview. Describe the plan for grant activities and the
anticipated outcomes. The overall plan will describe such things as the
development of training materials, the training content, recruiting of
trainees, where or how training will take place, and the anticipated
benefits to miners and employers receiving the training.
(ii) Activities. Break the overall plan down into activities or
tasks. For each activity, explain what will be done, who will do it,
when it will be done, and anticipated results of the activity. For
training, discuss the subjects to be taught, the length of the training
sessions, and training locations (classroom/worksites). Describe how
the applicant will recruit miners and/or employers for the training.
Note: Any commercially-developed training materials the
applicant proposes to use in its training must undergo an MSHA
review before being used.
(iii) Quarterly Projections. For training and other quantifiable
activities, estimate the quantities involved. For example, estimate how
many classes will be conducted and miners and employers will be trained
each quarter of the grant (grant quarters match calendar quarters,
i.e., January to March, April to June) and also provide the training
number totals for the full year. Quarterly projections are used to
measure the actual performance against the plan. Applicants planning to
conduct a train-the-trainer program should estimate the number of
individuals to be trained during the grant period by those who received
the train-the-trainer training. These second tier training numbers
should be included only if the organization is planning to follow up
with the trainers to obtain this data during the grant period.
(iv) Materials. Describe each educational material to be produced
under the grant. Provide a timetable for developing and producing the
material. The timetable must include provisions for an MSHA review of
draft and camera-ready products. MSHA must review and approve training
materials for technical accuracy and suitability of content before
materials may be used in the grant program. Whether or not an
applicant's project is to develop training materials only, the
applicant should
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provide an overall plan that includes time for MSHA to review any
materials produced.
(b) Overall Qualifications of the Applicant.
(1) Administrative and Program Capability. Briefly describe the
organization's functions and activities, i.e., the applicant's
management and internal controls. Relate this description of functions
to the organizational chart. If the applicant has received within the
last five years any other government (Federal, State or local) grant
funding, the application must have, as an attachment (which will not
count towards the page limit), information regarding these previous
grants. This information must include the organization for which the
work was done and the dollar value of the grant. If the applicant does
not have previous grant experience, it may partner with an organization
that has grant experience to manage the grant. If the organization uses
this approach, the management organization must be identified and its
grant program experience discussed.
Lack of past experience with Federal grants is not a determining
factor, but an applicant should show a successful experience relevant
to the opportunity offered in the application. Such experience could
include staff members' experience with other organizations.
(2) Program Experience. Describe the organization's experience
conducting the proposed mine training program or the type of program.
Include program specifics such as program title, numbers trained, and
duration of training. If creating training materials, include the title
of other materials developed. Nonprofit organizations, including
community-based and faith-based organizations that do not have prior
experience in mine safety and health may partner with an established
mine safety and health organization to acquire safety and health
expertise.
(3) Staff Experience. Describe the qualifications of the
professional staff you will assign to the program. Include resumes of
staff already employed as an attachment (which will not count towards
the page limit). If some positions are vacant, include position
descriptions and minimum hiring qualifications instead of resumes.
Staff should have, at a minimum, mine safety and health experience,
training experience, or experience working with the mining community.
(c) Impact or Outcomes and Evaluations.
There are three types of evaluations that must be conducted. First,
describe plans to evaluate the training sessions and/or training
materials. Second, describe plans to evaluate the applicant's progress
in accomplishing the grant work activities listed in the application.
This includes comparing planned and actual accomplishments. Discuss who
is responsible for taking corrective action if plans are not being met.
Third, describe plans to assess the effectiveness of the training the
applicant is conducting or the training materials. This will involve
following up with an evaluation, or on-site review, if feasible, of
people who attended the training to find out what changes were made to
abate hazards and improve workplace conditions, or to incorporate the
training in the workplace. For training materials, an evaluation of
individuals on the clarity of the presentation, organization, and the
information on the subject matter and whether they would use training
materials is required. Include timetables for follow-up and for
submitting a summary of the assessment results to MSHA.
(d) Leveraging of Funds.
Leveraged resources are cash or in-kind contributions obtained from
sources other than the Federal government devoted to advancing the
strategies described in the applicant's proposal. Applicants must
include a description of any non-Federal contribution or commitments,
including the source of funds and the estimated amount.
C. Submission Date, Times, and Addresses
The closing date for receipt of applications under this
announcement is August 18, 2010 (no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT). Grant
applications must be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov
Web site. The Grants.gov site provides all the information about
submitting an application electronically through the site as well as
the hours of operation. Interested parties can locate the downloadable
application package by the CFDA number 17.603.
Applications received by Grants.gov are electronically date and
time stamped. An application must be fully uploaded and submitted (and
must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system) before the
application deadline date. Once an interested party has submitted an
application, Grants.gov will notify the interested party with an
automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking
number. This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not
receipt by MSHA. MSHA then will retrieve the application from
Grants.gov and send a second notification to the interested party by e-
mail.
D. Intergovernmental Review
The Brookwood-Sago grants are not subject to Executive Order 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' MSHA, however,
reminds applicants that if they are not operating MSHA-approved State
training grants, contact the State grantees and coordinate any training
or educational program in order not to duplicate any training or
educational program offered. Information about each state grant and the
entity operating the state grant is provided online at: http://www.msha.gov/PROGRAMS/EPD4.HTM.
E. Funding Restrictions
MSHA will determine whether costs are allowable under the
applicable Federal cost principles and other conditions contained in
the grant award.
1. Allowable Costs
Grant funds may be spent on conducting training, conducting
outreach and recruiting activities to increase the number of miners and
employers participating in the program, developing educational
materials, and on necessary expenses to support these activities.
Allowable costs are determined by the applicable federal costs
principles identified in Part VI.B. Program income earned during the
award period shall be retained by the recipient, added to funds
committed to the award, and used for the purposes and under the
conditions applicable to the use of the grant funds.
2. Unallowable Costs
Grant funds may not be used for the following activities under this
grant program:
(a) Any activity inconsistent with the goals and objectives of this
SGA.
(b) Training on topics that are not targeted under this SGA;
(c) Duplicating training or services offered by MSHA or any MSHA
State grant under section 503 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act
of 1977;
(d) Purchasing any equipment unless pre-approved and in writing by
the MSHA grant officer;
(e) Administrative costs that exceed 15% of the total grant budget;
and
(f) Any pre-award costs.
Unallowable costs also include any cost determined by MSHA as not
allowed according to the applicable cost principles or other conditions
in the grant.
[[Page 41536]]
V. Application Review Information
A. Evaluation Criteria
MSHA will screen all applications to determine whether all required
proposal elements are present and clearly identifiable. Those that do
not comply with mandatory requirements will not be evaluated. The
technical panels will review grant applications against the criteria
listed below on the basis of 100 maximum points. Up to 10 additional
points may be given for leveraging non-Federal resources.
1. Program Design--40 Points Total
(a) Problem Statement/Need for Funds. (3 points)
The proposed training and education program or training materials
must address the recognition and prevention of safety and health
hazards for mine emergency preparedness and safety for mines.
(b) Quality of the Project Design. (25 points)
(1) The proposal to train miners and/or employers clearly estimates
the number to be trained and clearly identifies the types of miners and
employers to be trained.
(2) If the proposal contains a train-the-trainer program, the
following information must be provided:
What ongoing support the grantee will provide to new
trainers;
The number of individuals to be trained as trainers;
The estimated number of courses to be conducted by the new
trainers;
The estimated number of students to be trained by these
new trainers and a description of how the grantee will obtain data from
the new trainers documenting their classes and student numbers if
conducted during the grant period.
(3) The work plan activities and training are described.
The planned activities and training are tailored to the
needs and levels of the miners and employers to be trained. Any special
constituency to be served through the grant program is described, e.g.,
smaller mines, limited English proficiency miners. Organizations
proposing to develop materials in languages other than English also
will be required to provide an English version of the materials.
If the proposal includes developing training materials,
the work plan must include time during development for MSHA to review
the educational materials for technical accuracy and suitability of
content. If commercially-developed training products will be used for a
training program, applicants also should plan for MSHA to review the
materials before using the products in their grant programs.
The utility of the educational materials is described.
The outreach or process to find miners or trainees to
receive the training is described.
(c) Replication. The extent a project will be replicated and the
potential for the project to serve a variety of miners or mine sites.
(4 points)
(d) Innovativeness. The originality and uniqueness of the approach
used. (3 points)
(e) MSHA's Performance Goals. The extent the proposed project will
contribute to MSHA's performance goals. (5 points)
2. Budget--20 Points Total
(a) The budget presentation is clear and detailed. (15 points)
The budgeted costs are reasonable.
No more than 15% of the total budget is for administrative
cost.
The budget complies with Federal cost principles (which
can be found in the applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Circulars and with MSHA budget requirements contained in the grant
application instructions).
(b) The application demonstrates that the applicant has strong
financial management and internal control systems. (5 points)
3. Overall Qualifications of the Applicant--25 Points Total
(a) The applicant has administered, or will work with an
organization that has administered, a number of different Federal and/
or State grants in the past five years. The applicant may demonstrate
this experience by having project staff that has experience
administering Federal and/or State grants in the past five years. (6
points)
(b) The applicant applying for the grant demonstrates experience
with mine safety and health teaching or providing mine safety and
health educational programs.
Applicants that do not have prior experience in providing mine
safety and health training to miners or employers may partner with an
established mine safety and health organization to acquire mine safety
and health expertise. (13 points)
Project staff has experience in mine safety and health,
the specific topic chosen, and/or in training miners.
Project staff has experience in recruiting, training and
working with the population the organization proposes to serve.
Applicant has experience in designing and developing
training materials for a mining program.
Applicant has experience in managing educational programs.
(c) Applicant demonstrates internal control and management
oversight of the project. (6 points)
4. Impacts/Outcomes and Evaluations--15 Points Total
The proposal should include provisions for evaluating the
organization's progress in accomplishing the grant work activities and
accomplishments, evaluating training sessions, and evaluating the
program's effectiveness and impact to determine if the safety and
health training and services provided resulted in workplace change and
improved workplace conditions. The proposal should include a plan to
follow up with trainees to determine the impact the program has had in
abating hazards and reducing miner injuries and illnesses.
5. Leveraged Resources--10 Points Total
MSHA will award up to 10 additional rating points to applications
that include non-Federal resources that expand the size and scope of
project-related activities. To be eligible for the additional points,
the applicant must list the resources, the nature of programmatic
activities anticipated and any partnerships, linkages, or coordination
of activities, cooperative funding, etc., including the monetary value
of such contributions.
B. Review and Selection Process
A technical panel will rate each complete application against the
criteria described in this SGA. One or more applicants may be selected
as grantees on the basis of the initial application submission, or a
minimally acceptable number of points may be established. MSHA may
request final revisions to the applications, and then evaluate the
revised applications. MSHA may consider any information that comes to
its attention in evaluating the applications.
The panel recommendations are advisory in nature. The Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health (Deputy
Assistant Secretary) will make a final selection determination based on
what is most advantageous to the Government, considering factors such
as panel findings, geographic presence of the applicants or the areas
to be served, Agency priorities, and the best value to the government,
cost and other factors. The Deputy Assistant Secretary's determination
for award under this SGA is final.
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C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Announcement of these awards is expected to occur by September 17,
2010. The grant agreement will be signed no later than September 30,
2010.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Process
Organizations selected as potential grant recipients will be
notified by a representative of the Deputy Assistant Secretary, usually
the Grant Officer or his staff. An applicant whose proposal is not
selected will be notified in writing. The fact that an organization has
been selected as a potential grant recipient does not necessarily
constitute approval of the grant application as submitted (revisions
may be required).
Before the actual grant award, MSHA may enter into negotiations
with the potential grant recipient concerning such matters as program
components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems. If
the negotiations do not result in an acceptable submittal, the
Assistant Secretary reserves the right to terminate the negotiations
and decline to fund the proposal.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All grantees will be subject to applicable Federal laws and
regulations (including provisions of appropriations law) and applicable
OMB Circulars. The grants awarded under this competitive grant program
will be subject to the following administrative standards and
provisions, if applicable:
29 CFR part 2, subpart D, Equal Treatment for Religious
Organizations.
29 CFR parts 31, 32, 35 and 36, Nondiscrimination.
29 CFR part 93, Restrictions on Lobbying.
29 CFR part 94, Drug-free Workplace.
29 CFR part 95, Uniform Grant Requirements for Nonprofit
Organizations.
29 CFR parts 96 and 99, Audits.
29 CFR part 97, Uniform Grant Requirements for States.
29 CFR part 98, Debarment and Suspension.
2 CFR part 175, Award Term for Trafficking in Persons.
2 CFR part 220, Cost Principles for Educational
Institutions.
2 CFR part 225, Cost Principles for State and Local
Governments.
2 CFR part 230, Cost Principles for Other Nonprofit
Organizations.
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 31.2, Cost
Principles for Commercial Organizations. (Codified at 48 CFR 31.2).
Administrative costs for these grants may not exceed 15%. Except as
specifically provided, MSHA's acceptance of a proposal or MSHA's award
of Federal funds to sponsor any programs does not constitute a waiver
of any grant requirement or procedure. For example, if an application
identifies a specific sub-contractor to provide certain services, the
MSHA award does not provide a basis to sole-source the procurement (to
avoid competition).
C. Special Program Requirements
1. MSHA Review of Educational Materials
MSHA will review all grantee-produced educational and training
materials for technical accuracy and suitability of content during
development and before final publication. MSHA also will review
training curricula and purchased training materials for technical
accuracy and suitability of content before the materials are used.
Grantees developing training materials must follow all copyright laws
and provide written certification that their materials are free from
copyright infringements.
When grantees produce training materials, they must provide copies
of completed materials to MSHA before the end of the grant period.
Completed materials should be submitted to MSHA in hard copy and in
digital format (CD-ROM/DVD) for publication on the MSHA Web site. Two
copies of the materials must be provided to MSHA. Acceptable formats
for training materials include Microsoft XP Word, PDF, PowerPoint, and
any other format agreed upon by MSHA.
2. License
As listed in 29 CFR 95.36, the Department of Labor reserves a
royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce,
publish, or otherwise use for Federal purposes any work produced under
a grant, and to authorize others to do so. Grantees must agree to
provide the Department of Labor a paid-up, nonexclusive, and
irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use for Federal
purposes all products developed, or for which ownership was purchased,
under an award. Such products include, but are 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,
electronic, or otherwise.
3. Acknowledgement on Printed Materials
All approved grant-funded materials developed by a grantee shall
contain the following disclaimer: ``This material was produced under
grant number XXXXX from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or
policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade
names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the
U.S. Government.''
When issuing statements, press releases, request for proposals, bid
solicitations, and other documents describing projects or programs
funded in whole or in part with Federal money, all grantees receiving
Federal funds must clearly state:
(a) The percentage of the total costs of the program or project
that will be financed with Federal money;
(b) The dollar amount of federal financial assistance for the
project or program; and
(c) The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the
project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
4. Use of U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) and MSHA Logos
The USDOL or the MSHA logo may be applied to the grant-funded
material including posters, videos, pamphlets, research documents,
national survey results, impact evaluations, best practice reports, and
other publications. The grantees must consult with MSHA on whether the
logo may be used on any such items prior to final draft or final
preparation for distribution. In no event shall the USDOL or the MSHA
logo be placed on any item until MSHA has given the grantee written
permission to use either logo on the item.
5. Reporting
Grantees are required by Departmental regulations to submit
financial and project reports, as described below, each calendar
quarter. All reports are due no later than 30 days after the end of the
calendar quarter and shall be submitted to MSHA. Grantees also are
required to submit final reports 90 days after the end of the grant
period.
(a) Financial Reports. The grantee shall submit financial reports
on a quarterly basis.
(b) Technical Project Reports. After signing the agreement, the
grantee shall submit technical project reports to MSHA at the end of
each calendar quarter. Technical project reports provide both
quantitative and
[[Page 41538]]
qualitative information and a narrative assessment of performance for
the preceding three-month period.
Between reporting dates, the grantee shall immediately inform MSHA
of significant developments and/or problems affecting the
organization's ability to accomplish work.
(c) Final Reports. At the end of the grant period, each grantee
must provide a final financial report, a summary of its technical
project reports, and an evaluation report.
H. Freedom of Information
Any information submitted in response to this SGA will be subject
to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, as appropriate.
VII. Agency Contacts
Any questions regarding this solicitation for grant applications
(SGA 10-3BS) should be directed to Robert Glatter at
glatter.robert@dol.gov or at 202-693-9570 (this is not a toll-free
number) or the Grant Officer, Darrell A. Cooper at
cooper.darrell@dol.gov or at 202-693-9831 (this is not a toll-free
number). MSHA's Web page at http://www.msha.gov is a valuable source of
background for this initiative.
VIII. Office of Management and Budget Information Collection
Requirements
This SGA requests information from applicants. This collection of
information is approved under OMB Control No. 1225-0086 (expires
September 30, 2010).
In accordance with 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 the grant application is estimated to average 20 hours per
response, for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources,
gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing
the collection of information. Each recipient who receives a grant
award notice will be required to submit nine progress reports to MSHA.
Each report will take approximately five hours to prepare.
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 MSHA, Office of Management and
Budget Room 10235, Washington DC 20503 and MSHA, electronically to
Robert Glatter at glatter.robert@dol.gov or the Grant Officer, Darrell
A. Cooper at cooper.darrell@dol.gov or by mail to Robert Glatter, Room
2102, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22209.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a
grant. The information collected through this ``Solicitation for Grant
Applications'' will be used by the Department of Labor 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.
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 965.
Robert L. Phillips,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations, Mine Safety and
Health.
[FR Doc. 2010-17395 Filed 7-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P