[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 131 (Monday, July 10, 1995)] [Notices] [Pages 35564-35566] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-16831] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration Job Training Partnership Act: Technical Assistance for CET Job Training Model Replication The Department of Labor (DOL) is announcing the availability of technical assistance to Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) service providers. The Center for Employment Training (CET) is being funded by DOL to provide such technical assistance to replicate the CET Job Training Model which has been identified as particularly effective in training and placing hard-to-serve client populations. Eight service providers [[Page 35565]] will receive technical assistance from CET toward the development and implementation of programs using the CET Job Training Model for use within the JTPA system in their communities. An additional 16 service providers may receive technical assistance pending funding availability. Selected organizations would enter into agreement with the Center for Employment Training to receive the technical assistance required for the development and start-up of the local CET Job Training Model program. This is a non-monetary award to selected sites. A series of information seminars will be held at CET's headquarters in San Jose, California. Interested parties should contact CET to find out the dates of upcoming information seminars. Alternative arrangements can be made to schedule a seminar or visit suitable to an organization's own time frame. To be considered for receipt of technical assistance, an eligible organization must: (1) Attend an information seminar and (2) submit a complete application to DOL, see below. to arrange attendance at an information seminar: Arrangements to attend an information seminar shall be made through Max Martinez, CET Replication Project Training Director, Center for Employment Training, 701 Vine Street, San Jose, CA 95110. The telephone number is (408) 287- 7924. That is not a toll-free number. application dates: Applications will be accepted and reviewed on an open submission basis. Applications that meet program standards and eligibility criteria will be accepted on a first come basis. Consequently, it is in the interest of organizations to submit proposals on a timely basis. To allow time for applicants to attend an information seminar, applications will be accepted with postmarks starting August 1. Once 8 acceptable applications have been received, other acceptable applications may be placed on a waiting list for future technical assistance pending additional federal funding. application address: Applications for this technical assistance award shall be mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, to Janice Perry, Grant Officer, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-4203, Washington, DC 20210. The telephone number is (202) 219-8702. This is not a toll free number. for further information contact: Lisa Stuart, Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-4666, Washington, DC 20210. The telephone number is (202) 219-6825. This is not a toll-free number. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Center for Employment Training offers a unique program which challenges standard notions of training the disadvantaged. It provides a holistic approach to train the hard-to-serve through an integrated program of practical hands-on job skills training and in-context remediation including English-as-a-Second Language. CET focuses on technical skills training, but integrates basic education and related services in context with this core training. This method of learning was endorsed by the Secretary of Labor's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). CET's program is unique in that it is accessible to all, with no entry tests or screening out hard-to-serve clients. This represents the direction of the 1992 JTPA amendments, which stress targeting of services to those most in need and intensifying and improving the quality of services offered. The CET design, as implemented through this replication, will reflect key provisions of the new JTPA program design such as targeting the hard- to-serve, comprehensive one-stop services, integration of training and remediation, and focus on quality jobs enabling self-sufficiency. CET is widely recognized as one of the most effective job training programs in the country. CET's program serving minority single mothers was the only program to have a significant long-term impact in a comprehensive study, the Minority Female Single Parent Demonstration, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and conducted by Mathematica Policy Research. Additionally, recent research on dropout youth, known as the JOBSTART study, conducted by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), found that CET was the only program, of thirteen studied, that achieved significant impacts. These studies provide significant evidence of the effectiveness of CET's program model. Technical Assistance Technical assistance will be provided for up to 24 sites to replicate the CET Job Training Model. This technical assistance award will provide for training and technical assistance for local entities which are selected to operate CET Job Training Model programs. This award to CET is made as a modification to an existing DOL-CET agreement that previously provided for training and technical assistance for up to 14 sites. Selected organizations would enter into agreements with the Center for Employment Training to receive the technical assistance required for the development and start-up of the local CET Job Training Model program. This is a non-monetary award to selected sites. The technical assistance award includes the provision of local and CET on-site training to enable an organization to start its own CET Job Training Model program. Training would be provided during the period of agreement between CET and the selected site(s). The award covers the cost of services that will be required of CET in providing technical assistance. Start-up costs, including site development and preliminary staffing costs, will be the responsibility of the selected service providers. Operations costs of the selected CET model program also are not included and are expected to come from the organization's regular JTPA, JOBS, and other local, state and foundation funding. Eligibility This award is to provide services to the JTPA community. Eligible applicants are limited to service delivery area JTPA administrative entities who run their own training programs, consortiums of service providers, not-for-profit community-based organizations as defined under Section 4 of JTPA and local education organizations. Two types of applications will be accepted: (1) Applications from JTPA administrative entities, and (2) joint applications with one party being the JTPA administrative entity and the other being an organization listed above. Applications that do not include the local JTPA administrative entity will not be accepted. This process is to ensure that all service providers have coordinated with their JTPA funding stream and that the administrative entity has committed to funding the program the service provider is being trained to operate. JTPA administrative entities will have the opportunity, if desired, to sub-contract with CET directly to establish a CET administered job training center. This would be done through a sole source arrangement where local procurement processes allow for it. Information Seminars The three day information seminars are targeted to JTPA program administrators, community based training organizations, government [[Page 35566]] officials, foundation directors or other individuals that would be involved in funding or operating the model program. The principal decision makers for these entities are the desired participants. The seminars will provide participants with the opportunity to tour CET skill training centers and to directly observe the CET job training model in action. It will provide the opportunity to meet and interact with CET instructors and students. Distinguished researchers will present study results related to their research of the CET program design. Information will be provided about CET's technical assistance program, the process for applying for technical assistance and the requirements for selection of CET model development sites. Applicants are encouraged to attend an information seminar prior to submitting their applications. Applications Applications will be accepted on a first come first serve basis starting August 1, 1995 from eligible applicants that meet the standards below. To be considered, all applicants must meet the following standards: (1) Applicants must be or become a JTPA service provider. If the service provider is not the JTPA administrative entity, the application must be submitted jointly with the JTPA administrative entity. A joint application should elaborate on the relationship between the service provider and the administrative entity. This should include descriptions of previous services; JTPA, JOBS and other training contract funding levels; and the level of cooperation between the service provider and the administrative entity. (2) The proposed service provider must include a written commitment from their organization's board of directors. (3) Applicants must be able to show that there is solid JTPA or other funding sources available to the proposed service provider. The applicants must commit to or have a reasonable likelihood of receiving operating funds of at least $1,000,000 a year. A smaller amount may be acceptable for SDAs and other organizations operating in communities with limited funding resources. Any local procurement procedures that would be required prior to initiating the project, including those for a sole source award, if applicable, should be detailed. A timeline for the procurement process should be provided. (4) The applicants must show a substantial startup funding commitment. A minimum of $250,000 is expected although lesser amounts with an explanation of why that level of funding is sufficient may be acceptable. (5) The applicants must commit to sending staff for training throughout the technical assistance period. (6) The applicants must commit to follow all key aspects of the CET-model training design, as discussed at the information seminar, including open admission of hard-to-serve client groups. (7) The applicant must indicate its willingness to: (a) begin staff training within 3 months of notice of technical assistance award and, (b) open a new training site within 6 months of notice of technical assistance award. Those applicants who wish to schedule technical assistance after this period are encouraged to submit applications. Services to those applicants, however, will be contingent upon additional federal funding and may not be selected as part of this first come first serve request for proposals. (8) The applicants must stipulate which of the following replication site service provider option it wishes to pursue: a. An incorporated SDA with 501(c)(3) status operates the program; b. A non-SDA, nonprofit, community-based or local education organization operates the program; or c. The Center for Employment Training operates the program. (9) The applicants must state that they are willing to participate in evaluation studies. Applications will be reviewed against the above standards. All acceptable applications will be ranked based upon date received. The initial 8 sites will be provided with technical assistance under this agreement. Additional service providers, including those applicants who request assistance outside the current time frame, will be served contingent upon the availability of funds. Applications which do not meet the standard will be notified with an explanation. Signed at Washington, DC, this 30th day of June 1995. James M. Aaron, Director, Office of Employment and Training Programs. [FR Doc. 95-16831 Filed 7-7-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-30-M