[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 13, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8866]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 13, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[SGA No. DAA 94-005]
Employment and Training Administration

 

Job Training Partnership Act: Model Apprenticeship Instruction 
Program

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for grant 
application (SGA).

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA), under Title IV, part D, of the Job Training 
Partnership Act (JTPA) is soliciting proposals for the development of 
model training materials to assist high school students who may not 
attend college to learn about the carpentry trade and how to perform in 
it and, in so doing, to facilitate their entry into the work force.
    Funding for this solicitation will come from Title IV, part D of 
JTPA. DOL has set aside up to $300,000 for this competitive 
procurement. As a result of this solicitation, one (1) award will be 
made for a period of fifteen (15) months with the possibility of two 
(2) option years.

DATES: Application for grant awards will be accepted commencing April 
13, 1994. The closing date for receipt of applications shall be May 16, 
1994, at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time).

ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to the Division of Acquisition 
and Assistance, Attention: Willie E. Harris, Reference: SGA/DAA 94-005, 
Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, room 
S-4203, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Willie E. Harris, Division of Acquisition and Assistance. Telephone 
(202) 219-8702 (this is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This announcement consists of five parts: 
Part I--Background, Part II--Application Process, Part III--Statement 
of Work, Part IV--Evaluation Criteria, and Part V--Reporting 
Requirements.

Part I--Background

    Seventy-five percent of America's young people do not achieve a 
college degree. Many of these young people are not equipped with the 
basic academic and occupational skills needed in an increasingly 
complex labor market. It is well established that the low-skill, high-
paying manufacturing jobs that once provided decent employment for 
relatively unskilled Americans no longer exist.
    Therefore, many high school graduates do not find stable, career-
track jobs for five to ten years after graduation. In today's highly 
competitive global economy, business performance is determined in large 
part by the knowledge and skills of workers. The technological 
pressures make employers reluctant to take a chance on inexperienced 
high school graduates whose diplomas signal nothing about their skills, 
knowledge, and ability to perform increasingly difficult work.
    The lack of effective tools to aid high school students gain the 
necessary skills to enable them in making the transition from school to 
work successfully has also had a significant economic impact on those 
students. In the 1980s, the gap in earnings between high school 
graduates and college graduates doubled; for those without high school 
diplomas, the gap grew even wider.
    Congress took cognizance of this lack of a comprehensive and 
effective school-to-work transition system in report language 
accompanying the Department of Labor's Fiscal Year 1993 appropriation 
legislation in referring to programs that would benefit high school 
students who may not attend college. Such programs would ideally offer 
junior and senior year high school students the opportunity to begin 
learning a trade while still in school and, upon their graduation, they 
would have the opportunity to be placed in a full-time registered 
apprenticeship program.
    In addition, school-to-work programs assist students in making the 
transition from school to a good first job on a high skill, high wage 
career track. Combining learning at the worksite with learning in 
school, school-to-work programs establish a partnership between schools 
and employers and prepare students for either a high quality job 
requiring technical skills or further education and training.

Part II--Application Process

A. Eligible Applicants

    The award under this competition will be made to a non-profit 
organization.

B. Submission of Proposal

    An original and three (3) copies of the proposal shall be 
submitted. The proposal shall consist of two (2) separate and distinct 
parts:
    Part I shall contain the cost proposal, consisting of the following 
items: Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' 
and SF 424A, ``Budget'' (Appendix A). Also, the budget shall include on 
a separate page(s) a detailed cost analysis of each line item in the 
budget.
    Part II shall include a technical proposal that demonstrates the 
offeror's capabilities in accordance with its Statement of Work 
contained in this announcement. Applicants are strongly encouraged to 
submit a technical proposal of less than thirty (30) pages in length 
(exclusive of appendices) which sets forth the applicant's explanation 
of how it proposes to accomplish the elements described in the 
Statement of Work.
    No cost data or reference to price shall be included in the 
technical proposal. In order to assist applicants in the preparation of 
their proposals and to facilitate the expeditious evaluation by the 
review panel, proposals should be organized and presented in the same 
sequential order as the Evaluation Criteria in Part IV of this 
announcement.

C. Hand-Delivered Proposals

    Proposals must be mailed at least five (5) days prior to the 
closing date. However, if proposals are hand-delivered, they shall be 
received at the designated place by 2 p.m., Eastern Time by May 16, 
1994. All overnight mail will be considered to be hand-delivered and 
must be received at the designated place by the specified closing date. 
Telegraphed and/or faxed proposals will not be honored. Failure to 
adhere to the above instructions will be a basis for a determination of 
nonresponsiveness.

D. Late Proposals

    Any proposal received at the office designated in the solicitation 
after the exact time specified for receipt will not be considered 
unless it is received before award is made and it--

    (1) Was sent by U.S. Postal Service registered or certified mail 
not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for 
receipt of application (e.g., an offer submitted in response to a 
solicitation requiring receipt of applications by the 20th of the 
month must have been mailed by the 15th); or
    (2) Was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service--Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5 p.m. at the 
place of mailing two working day prior to the date specified for 
receipt of proposals. The term ``working days'' excludes weekends 
and U.S. Federal holidays.

    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late proposal sent either by U.S. Postal Service registered or 
certified mail is the U.S. postmark both on the envelope or wrapper and 
on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. Both postmarks 
must show a legible date or the proposal shall be processed as if 
mailed late. ``Postmark'' 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 and 
affixed by employees of the U.S. Postal Service on the date of mailing. 
Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place a 
legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' postmark on both the receipt 
and the envelope or wrapper.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late proposal sent by ``Express Mail Next Day Service--Post Office to 
Addressee'' is the date entered by the post office receiving clerk on 
the ``Express Mail Next Day Service--Post Office to Addressee'' label 
and the postmark on both the envelope or wrapper and on the original 
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. ``Postmark'' has the same meaning 
as defined above. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk 
to place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' on both the receipt 
and the envelope or wrapper.

E. Withdrawal of Proposals

    Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram (including 
mailgram) received at any time before award. Proposals may be withdrawn 
in person by an applicant or an authorized representative thereof, if 
the representative's identity is made known and the representative 
signs a receipt for the proposal before award.

F. Period of Performance

    The period of performance will be 15 months from the date of the 
grant award.

G. Funding

    DOL has set aside up to $300,000 for this competitive procurement.

H. Option To Extend

    Based on the availability of funds, effective program operation and 
the needs of DOL, the grant may be extended for up to two option years.

Part III--Statement of Work

    The primary focus of this grant will be to develop model materials, 
including interactive videos and slides, in carpentry aimed at 
facilitating the transition from school to a registered apprenticeship 
program appropriate for use by all high school juniors and seniors not 
planning to attend college. For purposes of this solicitation, a 
``registered apprenticeship program'' is defined as one registered by 
the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training in the Department of Labor or 
by a State apprenticeship agency recognized and approved as the 
appropriate body for State registration and approval of local 
apprenticeship programs and agreements for Federal purposes.

A. Deliverables

    The principal deliverable for this grant shall be a comprehensive 
curriculum for an instructional program in carpentry. The deliverable 
shall include:

    1. Phased sets of interactive video materials that will provide 
a substantial introduction to carpentry;
    2. Accompanying materials to include supplemental workbooks and 
testing materials to enable the student to progress on a self-paced 
basis and to evaluate his or her own progress in the course; and
    3. Certification testing materials including hands-on projects 
to enable an instructor to determine whether the student has gained 
enough knowledge to receive credit for that portion of the 
curriculum.

    While not mandatory, favorable consideration will be given to those 
proposals which include an additional certification process that also 
provides a student entry into a registered apprenticeship program after 
successfully completing the secondary school curriculum.
    In demonstrating various tasks associated with carpentry, the 
materials should take into account recent technical advances in the 
development of tools and materials and appropriate safety and health 
standards and procedures that are in consonance with the use of those 
tools and materials. Within budgetary and other relevant constrains, 
the materials developed should be state of the art, taking full 
advantage of modern audio-visual instructional technology.

Part IV--Evaluation Criteria

    Prospective offerors are advised that the selection of the grantee 
for the award is to be made after careful evaluation of proposals by an 
evaluation panel within DOL. Each panelist will evaluate the proposals 
based on the following factors:

A. Technical Approach (40 Points)

    The proposal shall describe in detail the curriculum to be 
established which is aimed at facilitating the transition from school 
to a registered apprenticeship program. In addition, if the proposal 
contains a certification process which provides that a student who 
successfully completes the secondary school curriculum will be afforded 
entry into a registered apprenticeship program, the process should be 
fully explained.

B. Coordination and Linkages (20 Points)

    The proposal should enumerate established or proposed linkages with 
existing registered apprenticeship programs and with regional and 
national associations representing secondary education.

C. Organizational Capacity (20 Points)

    The proposal must provide a background description of how the 
particular entity which will have responsibility for this project is 
organized and the types and quality of services it provides. Background 
in general areas related to training and apprenticeship such as labor-
management relations or in specific areas such as in-depth experience 
in apprenticeable crafts should be enumerated. Specific examples of 
projects similar to the one proposed for support that offeror has 
administered should be included.

D. Experience (20 Points)

    The proposal must identify proposed staff and provide a discussion 
of staff experience in the areas of apprenticeship programs and their 
capacity to develop model training materials, including interactive 
videos and slides. It should also enumerate the facilities needed to 
conduct the project. These resources should be adequate to the work 
described in the application. The staff would have the required skills 
and demonstrated ability to produce the expected outcomes. The staffing 
pattern must clearly link responsibilities to project tasks.
    Applicants are advised that discussions may be necessary in order 
to clarify any inconsistencies in their applications. The panel results 
are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The final 
decision on the award will be based on what is most advantageous to the 
Federal Government as determined by the ETA Grant Officer.

Part V--Reporting Requirements

    The grantee shall furnish the reports and documents listed below:

A. Quarterly Financial Reports

    The grantee shall submit to the project officer within 30 days 
following the end of each quarter, three copies of a quarterly 
Financial Status Report (SF 269) until such time as all funds have been 
expended or the period of availability has expired.

B. Quarterly Progress Reports

    The grantee shall submit to the project officer within 30 days 
following the end of each quarter, three copies of a quarterly progress 
report. Reports shall include the following in brief narrative form:

    (1) A description of overall progress of work activities 
accomplished during the reporting period.
    (2) An indication of current problems, if any, which may delay 
performance and proposed corrective action.
    (3) Program status and financial data/information relative to 
expenditure rate versus budget, anticipated staff changes, etc.

C. Final Report

    A draft final report which summarizes project activities and 
results of the project shall be submitted 60 days before the expiration 
date of the grant award. The final report shall be submitted in 3 
copies by the expiration of the grant.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 7th day of April.
Janice E. Perry,
Grant Officer, Division of Acquisition and Assistance.

Appendices

A. SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance
B. SF-424A, Budget

BILLING CODE 4510-10-M

TN13AP94.004


TN13AP94.005


[FR Doc. 94-8866 Filed 4-12-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-10-C