[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31151-31163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15318]



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[[Page 31152]]


DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D, Demonstration 
Program: Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations

AGENCY: Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant 
Applications (SGA 96-05).

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SUMMARY: All information required to submit a proposal is contained in 
this announcement. All applicants for grant funds should read this 
notice in its entirety and respond to its specificity. The U.S. 
Department of Labor (DOL), Women's Bureau (WB) announces its 
Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) first authorized under the 
Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act by 
its competitive technical assistance grant program for community-based 
organizations (CBOs). The WANTO competitive grant program is funded 
through Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D demonstration 
program. WANTO is co-administered by the Women's Bureau (WB) and the 
Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (BAT), Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA), with the WB having responsibility for 
implementing the competitive technical assistance program grants. The 
Department expects to award up to five (5) grants to Community-Based 
Organizations (CBOs) to provide technical assistance to private sector 
employers and labor organizations to encourage the employment of women 
in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in private sector 
employment.
    With this year's competition, the Department will give priority 
consideration to applications where proposals are:
    (1) LARGE PROJECT SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance 
program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific 
experience) is designed to assist private sector employers and labor 
organizations (with large project contracts) to increase women's 
employment on large employment projects (multi-year and $multi-million) 
in private and/or public economic development (including building) 
projects in construction, transportation, utilities and 
telecommunications industries. Such technical assistance activities 
include strategies for developing and implementing changes in workplace 
policy and work practices to support the employment of women, 
particularly in entering and completing registered apprenticeship 
employment programs.
    (2) COMPUTER-BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK: The proposed program 
(submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is 
designed to provide for the maintenance and development of regional and 
national computer-based telecommunications networks to provide 
customized off-site technical assistance to small and medium size 
private sector employers and labor organizations in their development 
and implementation of strategies to make workplace policy and work 
practice changes to support the recruitment, training, and retention of 
women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in individual 
private sector workplaces. Such technical assistance activities should 
promote the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations.
    (3) GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance program 
(submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is 
designed to implement activities to strengthen technical assistance to 
private-sector employers and labor organizations in the Southeast and 
Southwest regions of the United States who want assistance in the 
development and implementation of strategies that provide for workplace 
changes in policies and work practices to support women in 
apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations, particularly as cited in 
(1) and (2) above. Such technical assistance activities should promote 
the employment of minority women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations.
    MOREOVER, the Department will give up to twenty-five (25) bonus 
rating points to proposals reflecting the above criteria when the 
proposal includes (1) established partnership with the employers and 
labor organizations that expands the dollar amount, size and scope of 
the proposal; and (2) specific and written commitment with timeline for 
the employment of women in registered apprenticeship and/or 
nontraditional employment.
    This notice describes the background, the application process, 
statement of work, evaluation criteria, and reporting requirements for 
Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA 96-05). WB anticipates that a 
total amount of $610,000 will be available for the support of all 
grants using demonstration funding. The WB will provide the technical 
and policy leadership with this project.

DATES: One (1) ink-signed original, complete grant application (plus 
five (5) copies of the Technical Proposal and two (2) copies of the 
Cost Proposal) shall be submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, 
Office of Procurement Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, 200 
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, not later than 4:45 
p.m. EST, July 31, 1996. All applications must be received by the 
Office of Procurement Services by that time.

ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to the U.S. Department of 
Labor, Office of Procurement Services, Attention: Lisa Harvey, 
Reference SGA 96-05, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This announcement consists of five parts: 
Part I describes the background of this WANTO grant program and 
identifies its policy and topics. Part II describes the application 
process, providing detailed guidelines for use in applying for 
demonstration grants. Part III includes the Statement of Work and Key 
Features of the demonstration program. Part IV identifies and defines 
the evaluation criteria to be used in reviewing and evaluating 
applications. Part V describes the deliverables and reporting 
requirements.

Part I. Background

    Improving women's employment opportunities and other employment 
related equity and social issues to promote women in the work force has 
been the driving force of the Women's Bureau since its inception in 
1920. Within the Department of Labor, the Director serves as the policy 
advisor on women's issues to the Secretary and other DOL agencies 
charged with improving the economic and workplace life of American 
workers.
    The Women's Bureau has a history of encouraging women to consider 
the wide array of apprenticeable and other occupations nontraditional 
to women. These jobs include the traditional skilled trades such as 
carpenter, plumber, electrician, sheetmetal worker, or welder in the 
construction industry, as well as jobs in the electronics industries, 
other technical jobs that require computer-based skills to customize, 
service, build and repair precision machinery in manufacturing, and 
other technical computer-based jobs in the service sector industries 
such as health care, finance, utilities, telecommunications and 
transportation. In fulfilling their responsibilities to promote 
profitable employment opportunities for women, the Bureau of 
Apprenticeship and Training and the Women's Bureau have come together 
to

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jointly administer the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional 
Occupations (WANTO) Act and its technical assistance demonstration 
program grants.
    The Women's Bureau co-administers WANTO with the Bureau of 
Apprenticeship and Training (BAT), formerly the Apprentice-Training 
Service. BAT was established in 1937 as the national administrative 
agency in the Department of Labor to carry out the objectives of the 
National Apprenticeship Law, guided by the recommendations of the 
Federal Committee on Apprenticeship. BAT has the objective to stimulate 
and assist industry in the development, expansion, and improvement of 
apprenticeship and training programs designed to provide the skilled 
workers required by the American economy.
    Definitions. Nontraditional Occupations are those where women 
account for less than 25 percent of the persons employed in a single 
occupational group. Generally speaking, Apprenticeship includes a 
formal paid training-work agreement where labor and management work 
together to promote learning on the job; to support the ``hands on'' 
learning, there must be related theoretical instruction (often 
classroom). After completing the program standards successfully--
usually 3 to 5 years--the apprentice is awarded a certificate of 
completion by either the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or the 
State Apprenticeship Committee Agency.

A. Authorities

    The technical assistance grants were first authorized under the 
Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act, 
Public Law 102-530, approved October 27, 1992. Funded through the Job 
Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D, the Bureau of 
Apprenticeship (BAT/ETA) and the Women's Bureau have a Intra-agency 
Agreement to co-administer WANTO. The WB has responsibility for 
implementing the Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) process for 
the Technical Assistance (TA) grants to Community-Based Organizations 
(CBOs).

B. Purpose of the Demonstration

    The purpose of the WANTO demonstration program is to provide 
technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to encourage 
the increased employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations.
    Further, in accordance with the directives of the Women in 
Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act, the Women's 
Bureau is continuing to develop a data bank of (1) employers and labor 
organizations seeking technical assistance and (2) organizations with 
experience working to promote the employment of women in apprenticeship 
and nontraditional employment. The Bureau will update and expand its 
directory of apprenticeship and nontraditional training and employment 
programs serving women to function as a catalyst in developing a 
listing of employers and labor organizations and experienced NTO 
community-based organizations (CBOs) into a data base referred to as 
the ``WANTO Referral Network.'' To list your preapprenticeship, 
apprenticeship, or nontraditional occupational training or placement 
program with the Bureau's ``WANTO Referral Network,'' please provide 
the following information:
    (1) Program Name:
    (2) Administrative Agency:
    (3) Address:
    (4) Executive Director:
    (5) Contact Person:
    (6) Contact Telephone Number:
    (7) Brief Description of Services:
    Please send your response to: Women's Bureau, Office of the 
Secretary, WANTO Network, Room S-3317, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. (Telephone (202) 
219-8913 x114)

Part II. Application Process

A. Eligible Applicants

    1. Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are eligible applicants to 
receive technical assistance grants. The term ``community-based 
organization'' as defined in section 4(5) of the Job Training 
Partnership Act (29 U.S.C 1501(5)), means private nonprofit 
organizations which are representative of communities or significant 
segments of communities and which provide job training services. For 
this solicitation communities or significant segments of communities 
are the private nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated 
experience administering programs that recruit, select, train, place, 
retain, and otherwise prepare women for employment in apprenticeship 
and other nontraditional occupations (NTO).
    2. Employers and Labor Organizations are eligible to receive 
technical assistance provided by community-based organizations 
receiving WANTO grants. To be selected to receive technical assistance, 
employers, and labor organizations must submit a technical assistance 
request either (1) directly to the Department of Labor, OASAM, Office 
of Procurement Services, Attention: Lisa Harvey, Washington, D.C. 20210 
or (2) the request may be included with the CBOs with whom there is an 
agreement to partnership in preparing the response to SGA 96-05.

B. Contents

    To be considered responsive to the Solicitation for Grant 
Applications (SGA), each application must consist of and follow the 
order of the sections listed in Part III of this solicitation. The 
applicant must also include information which the applicant believes 
will address the selection criteria identified in Part IV. Technical 
proposals shall not exceed 20 single sided, double spaced, 10 to 12 
pitch typed pages (not including attachments). ANY PROPOSALS THAT DO 
NOT CONFORM TO THESE STANDARDS SHALL BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE TO THIS 
SGA AND WILL NOT BE EVALUATED.
1. Technical Proposal
    Each proposal shall include (a) a two (2) page abstract which 
summarizes the proposal and (b) a full description of the CBO's program 
for technical assistance, including information required in Part III 
and IV. No cost data or reference to price shall be included in the 
technical proposal.
2. Cost Proposal
    The cost (business) proposal must be separate from the technical 
proposal. The transmittal letter and the grant assurances and 
certifications form (Appendix A) shall be attached to the business 
proposal, which shall consist of the following:
    a. Standard Form 424 ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' 
(Appendix B) signed by an official from the applicant organization who 
is authorized to enter the organization into a grant agreement with the 
Department of Labor. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 
(CFDA) is 17.700;
    b. Standard Budget Form 424A ``Budget Information Form,'' (Appendix 
C); and
    c. Budget Narrative: Provide a narrative explanation of the budget 
which describes all proposed costs and indicates how they are related 
to the operation of the project. Provide this information separately 
for the amount of requested Federal funding and the amount of proposed 
Non-Federal contribution. In those applications which propose to fund 
staff positions, the budget narrative must provide information which 
describes the

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number of proposed positions by title and by the amount of staff time 
and salary charged to Federal and Non-Federal funding resources. The 
Budget Narrative provides the detailed description of the costs 
reflected on the SF 424A.

C. Funding Levels

    The Department expects to have $610,000 to be disbursed through 
WANTO grants. The Department expects to make up to five (5) awards to 
Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). The Women's Bureau expects awards 
to range from approximately $75,000 to $150,000.

D. Length of Grant and Grant Awards

    The initial performance period for the grants awarded under this 
SGA shall be for eighteen (18) months of program performance, with the 
option to extend for up to three months as a no cost extension to 
complete final reports. Each applicant shall reflect in their 
application the intention to begin operation no later than September 
30, 1996.

E. Submission

    One (1) ink-signed original, complete grant application (plus five 
(5) copies of the Technical Proposal and two (2) copies of the Cost 
Proposal must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of 
Procurement Services, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20210, not later than 4:45 pm EST, July 31, 1996. All 
applications must be received by the Office of Procurement Services by 
that time. Applications sent by telegram or facsimile (FAX) will not be 
accepted.
    Any application received at the Office of Procurement Services 
after 4:45 pm EST will not be considered unless it is received before 
award is made and:
    1. It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the 
fifth calendar day before July 31, 1996 (i.e., not later than July 26, 
1996);
    2. It is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due 
solely to mishandling by the Government after receipt at the U.S. 
Department of Labor at the above address; or
    3. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5:00 pm at the place 
of mailing two working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, 
prior to July 31, 1996 (i.e., not later than 5:00 pm July 29, 1996).
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late application sent by registered or certified mail is the U.S. 
Postal Service postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on the original 
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. If the postmark is not legible, 
an application received after the above closing time and date shall be 
processed as if mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a printed, stamped or 
otherwise placed impression (not a postage meter machine impression) 
that is readily identifiable without further action as having been 
applied and affixed by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service on the 
date of mailing. Therefore, applicants shall request that the postal 
clerk place a legible hand cancellation bull's-eye postmark on both the 
receipt and the wrapper or envelope. The only acceptable evidence to 
establish the date of mailing of a late application sent by U.S. Postal 
Service 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 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 shall request that the postal clerk 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 time of receipt at 
the U.S. Department of Labor is the date/time stamp of the Office of 
Procurement Services on the application wrapper or other documentary 
evidence of receipt maintained by that office.

Part III. Statement of Work--Key Features

A. Introduction

    The Women's Bureau (Washington, D.C.) announces the Solicitation 
for Grant Applications (SGA) for competitive grant awards first funded 
under the technical assistance program authorized by the Women in 
Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act and funded 
through JTPA Title IV-D. Since then, the Employment and Training 
Administration, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (ETA/BAT) has 
continued to fund the program through JTPA Title IV-D and transfer 
funds to the WB to continue the technical assistance program authorized 
under the WANTO Act. The WB anticipates a transfer of funds amounting 
to $610,000 for Fiscal Year 1996 and expects to make up to five (5) 
grants to CBOs that will provide direct technical assistance to change 
the workplaces of private sector job creators--employers and labor 
organizations--to make private sector workplaces more supportive to 
increasing the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations (NTO).
    1. CBOs may solicit employers and labor organizations that request 
technical assistance in preparing their workplace to promote women in 
apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations (NTOs) and include such 
agreements in their proposal in response to SGA 96-05. Priority will be 
given to proposals that include specific provisions to providing 
technical assistance to employers and labor organizations with (1) 
contracts for work on large employment projects; (2) regional and 
national computer-based telecommunications networks; and (3) emphasis 
on geographic areas of the Southeast and Southwest.
    2. At the same time, the Department will continue to build an 
inventory (as directed by the WANTO legislation) of workplace technical 
assistance requests from employers and labor organizations to promote 
the increase in employment of women in apprenticeship and 
nontraditional occupations sent directly to the Office of Procurement 
Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, U.S. Department of Labor, 
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, Attention: Lisa 
Harvey.
    3. Technical assistance requests from both CBOs (as a part of the 
technical proposal) and requests sent directly to the Department of 
Labor by employers and labor organizations should be in writing.
    4. The Department will award only one grant per CBO, with or 
without multiple service providers or subcontractors. The total amount 
of each grant will depend upon the total amount of direct technical 
assistance to be provided. Applicants should provide estimated cost 
(hourly or fixed rates) for specific technical assistance services they 
are prepared to perform in the cost proposal.
    5. Since the thrust of this SGA is technical assistance to 
employers and labor organizations to attain workplace change responsive 
to the increase in women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations, the program of this SGA is designed to be employer-
workplace driven. Allowable grant activities do not include CBO 
capacity building services, or the operation of CBO ongoing training 
activities unless they are directly related to the provision of 
technical assistance to make job creators' workplaces--employers and 
labor organizations--more responsive to increased employment and 
support for

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women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.
B. Program Requirements
    The Department, through this competition, is seeking Community- 
Based Organization grantees with a record of accomplishment, with 
overall organizational experience and facilities, and with staff who 
can demonstrate the necessary technical knowledge and experience that 
can ensure successful completion of provision of technical assistance 
to employers and labor organizations.
    In the grant application process, Community-Based Organization 
grant applicants should include a specific program for providing 
technical assistance to mega project contractors and others, including 
the name and address of projects that they have developed working 
relationships with for this round of WANTO activities. CBOs are also 
required to present evidence of their experience, qualifications, 
technical knowledge of programs to assist job creators to recruit, 
select, train, place and retain women in apprenticeship and 
nontraditional occupations.
1. Provide Technical Assistance
    Community-Based Organization (CBO) Eligibility: Definition. The 
term ``community-based organization'' as defined in section 4(5) of the 
Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C 1501(5)), means private 
nonprofit organizations which are representative of communities or 
significant segments of communities that provide job training services.
    a. For this solicitation, the significant segment of communities 
are organizations that have demonstrated and documented experience in 
providing and administering programs that prepare women for employment 
in apprenticeable occupations or other nontraditional occupations.
    b. Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), for this competition, do 
not include for profit or public entities such as, the Job Training 
Partnership System, hospitals, educational institutions--schools, 
colleges and universities.
2. Community-Based Organizations: Scope of Work
    The Women's Bureau, is seeking Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) 
with a record of accomplishment in the areas related to increasing the 
employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.
    a. CBOs will provide Technical Assistance (TA) to employers and 
labor organizations to assist them in preparing their workplaces to 
increase the employment of women in apprenticeship training and 
nontraditional occupations.
    Each proposal for funding should include a direct and specific 
statement on how the proposed activities will increase the employment 
of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional employment in private 
sector workplaces, increasing self-sufficiency for them and their 
families. . . . Each proposal for funding should include (1) a specific 
feasibility study/examination to produce a proposed ``plan of action'' 
for providing technical assistance to employers and labor organizations 
included with the proposal; (2) plan for assessing and evaluating the 
technical assistance activities provided during the grant period, in 
addition to the grant's final report; (3) plan for a ``how-to-do-it'' 
technical assistance manual as a result of the grant activities.
3. Scope of CBO Technical Assistance Activities--Key Features
    CBOs' technical assistance tasks include employer or labor 
organization requests that will promote the increased employment of 
women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in the 
requester's workplace. These technical assistance activities include 
strategies to implement policy and work practices changes which may 
include a wide variety of technical assistance to prepare, recruit, 
promote and retain women in apprentice and nontraditional employment.
    While WANTO proposals can be submitted for any employer and/or 
labor organization technical assistance program that is designed to 
increase the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations, the Department will give priority consideration to 
applications where proposals focus on:
    (1) LARGE PROJECT SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance 
program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific 
experience) is designed to assist private sector employers and labor 
organizations (with large project contracts) to increase women's 
employment on large (multi-year and $multi-million) in private and/or 
public economic development (including building) projects in 
construction, transportation, utilities and telecommunications 
industries. Such technical assistance activities include strategies for 
developing and implementing changes in workplace policy and work 
practices to support the employment of women, particularly in entering 
and completing registered apprenticeship employment programs.
    (2) COMPUTER-BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK: The proposed program 
(submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is 
designed to provide for the maintenance and development of regional and 
national computer-based telecommunications networks to provide 
customized off-site technical assistance to small and medium size 
private-sector employers and labor organizations in their development 
and implementation of strategies to make workplace policy and work 
practice changes to support the recruitment, training, and retention of 
women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in individual 
private-sector workplaces. Such technical assistance activities should 
promote the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations.
    (3) GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance program 
(submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is 
designed to implement activities to strengthen technical assistance to 
private-sector employers and labor organizations in the Southeast and 
Southwest regions of the United States who want assistance in the 
development and implementation of strategies that provide for workplace 
changes in policies and work practices to support women in 
apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations, particularly as cited in 
(1) and (2) above. Such technical assistance activities should promote 
the employment of minority women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations.
    MOREOVER, the Department will award twenty-five (25) bonus rating 
points to proposals reflecting the above criteria when the proposal 
includes (1) established partnership with the employers and labor 
organizations that expands the dollar amount, size and scope of the 
proposal; and (2) specific and written commitment with timeline for the 
employment of women in registered apprenticeship and/or nontraditional 
employment.
4. Capabilities and Qualifications of CBO and Staff
    Applicant CBOs are asked to provide information on organizational 
capacity, organizational management and staffing charts, and technical 
assistance experience with employers and labor organization, 
qualifications of the principal investigator(s) and staff who will 
provide both the ``hands on'' services and related written products 
that describe the project activities in a professional manner in the 
management and staff loading plans. In addition,

[[Page 31156]]

applicant CBOs shall provide responses to items a-e and their subparts 
listed below:
    a. Briefly describe and
    * * * Provide complete resumes that describe the qualifications of 
persons to provide technical assistance in the area of increasing 
employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. 
Include both education and work experience.
    * * * Provide work references, to support principal investigator 
and support staff qualifications to provide technical assistance in the 
area of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.
    * * * Briefly describe physical resource facilities that support 
your organization's human resources delivery of the technical 
assistance--book and video library, conference rooms, computer hardware 
and software, etc.
    b. Briefly describe your organization's experience in preparing 
women to gain employment in apprenticeable occupations or other 
nontraditional occupations;
    * * * Briefly describe your organization's current services.
    * * * State your organization's current funding level and sources 
of funds.
    * * * Describe your organization's experience and success in the 
provision of services to women in preparing them for gainful employment 
in apprenticeable and other nontraditional occupations.
    * * * Describe what your organization would consider as its most 
outstanding success over the last two years?
    * * * Provide customer references that specifically support your 
organization's experience and qualifications to provide technical 
assistance in the area of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations.
    c. Briefly describe your organization's experience in delivering 
technical assistance.
    * * * Briefly describe the geographic location of your 
organization's technical assistance services and any experience in 
policy and/or written technical publications, including ``how-to.''
    * * * Include (in the appendix) copies of publications, such as, 
policy papers/studies, manuals or ``how-tos'' and feasibility studies 
related to women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations that 
your organization has developed.
    * * * Briefly describe target groups of women to which your 
organization has provided recruitment, training, placement, retention 
and promotion services; for what types of occupations and industries.
    * * * Briefly describe your organization's relationship with the 
Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or the State Apprenticeship 
Committee.
    d. Briefly describe your organization's experience working with the 
business community to prepare business to place women in apprenticeable 
occupations or other nontraditional occupations;
    * * * Briefly describe your organization's relationship and 
experience with employers and labor unions who offer apprenticeable and 
nontraditional occupations.
    * * * Briefly describe the type(s) of technical assistance to 
employers provided previously by your organization. What were the 
results of these services.
    * * * Provide business references to support your work with the 
business community to prepare business to place women in apprenticeship 
and nontraditional occupations.
    * * * Briefly list the employer and labor unions for which your 
organization has provided technical assistance.
    e. List the tradeswomen or women in nontraditional occupations as 
active members of your organization, as either employed staff or board 
members.
    * * * List name, trade, and organizational position of tradeswomen 
and other women in nontraditional occupations on staff or on your 
organization's Board of Directors.
    * * * Include the dates when tradeswomen served in active paid or 
unpaid positions in your organization.
    In addition, all applications must also include a management and 
staff loading plan. The management plan is to include a project 
organization chart and accompanying narrative which differentiates 
between elements of the applicant's staff and subcontractors or 
consultants who will be retained.
    The staff loading plan must identify all key tasks and the person-
days required to complete each task. Labor estimates for each task must 
be broken down by individuals assigned to the task, including 
subcontractors and consultants. All key tasks must be charted to show 
time required to perform them by months or weeks.
5. Use of Funds
    The Technical Proposal of CBO applicants shall describe both known 
and anticipated expenditures that may arise in the conduct of providing 
technical assistance to and on employers and labor organizations 
relevant to workplace change for women in apprenticeship and 
nontraditional occupations. The Department is also seeking proposals 
with leverage or other partnership activities that will enlarge the 
dollar amount, size, and scope of the proposed WANTO financial 
application.
    a. List activities on which grant funds will be expended but not 
the dollar cost.
    b. List any leverage of funds activities taken or anticipated with 
this grant--any partnerships, linkages or coordination of activities, 
cooperative funding, etc.
    c. List specific activities on which grant funds will be expended 
by subgrantees (if applicable) but not the dollar cost.
6. Continuation of Activities
    The Technical Proposal of CBO applicants shall describe any 
anticipated strategies proposed by them to encourage and promote the 
continuation or expansion of grant activities beyond the grant's period 
of program performance.
    a. Briefly describe your organization's approach and activities to 
support and encourage employers and labor organizations in your/their 
efforts to continue activities that support women employed in 
apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in their workplaces after 
they are in the workplace and after the completion of this project.
    b. Briefly describe how your organization will approach employers 
and organizations to incorporate technical assistance into labor/
management agreements and/or employer policy and work practice changes 
as a result of this WANTO technical assistance funding.
    c. To what extend will the changed policy and work practices be 
made a part of supervisory and employee employment handbooks?

G. Technical Assistance Requests

    1. The Department is seeking technical assistance requests from 
private-sector employers and labor organizations who want to receive 
technical assistance provided by the community-based organizations with 
WANTO grant funds to provide such assistance. Requesting employers and 
labor organizations should submit technical assistance requests to the 
Department of Labor, Attention: Lisa Harvey, Office of Procurement 
Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.
    2. Employers and Labor Organizations may also choose to submit 
their technical assistance requests to community-based organizations 
they have established a partnership with in

[[Page 31157]]

the CBO's application to the Department of Labor for grant award. A 
description of the technical assistance request, name and address of 
the requester shall be attached to the end of the Technical Proposal.

Part IV. Evaluation Criteria and Selection

    Applicants are advised that selection for a grant award is to be 
made after careful evaluation of technical applications by a panel. 
Each panelist will evaluate applications against the various criteria 
on the basis of 100 points and a maximum additional 25 points for the 
bonus category.
    The scores will then serve as the primary basis to select 
applications for potential award. Clarification may be requested of 
grant applicants if the situation so warrants. Please see Part III., 
Section B. for additional information on the elements against which 
proposal will be reviewed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Points  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          1. Technical Criteria                         
                                                                        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. Capabilities and Qualifications of CBO and Staff........           50
b. Use of Funds............................................           25
c. Continuation of Activities..............................             
                                                                      25
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             2. Bonus Points                            
                                                                        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(See Part III, B-3, Scope of CBOs' Technical Assistance                 
 Activities--Key Features)                                              
      Total................................................           25
a. Proposal Focus on Large Project; Telecommunications                  
 Network or Southeast/Southwest Geographic Area combined                
 with......................................................            5
b. Established Partnership.................................           10
c. Written Commitment......................................           10
------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Cost Criteria

    Proposals will be scored, based on their costs in relation to other 
proposals submitted in response to this SGA. Specifically, the lowest 
priced proposal will receive 25 points, based on the following formula: 
(lowest priced proposal/proposal cost)  x 25
    All other proposals will receive points using the above formula. 
For example, if the lowest priced proposal had a total Federal budget 
of $5,000, it would receive a cost score of 25. If another proposal had 
a total Federal budget of $10,000, it would receive a score of 12.5 
(i.e. $5,000/$10,000)  x 25).

4. Total Score

    Using the above example, if the proposal requesting $5,000 of 
Federal funding received a technical score of 50, the Total Score would 
be 75 points (50 + 25 = 75); if the proposal requesting $10,000 of 
Federal funding received a technical score of 75, the Total Score would 
be 87.5.
    Proposals received will be evaluated by a review panel based on the 
criteria immediately following. The panel's recommendations will be 
advisory, and final awards will be made based on the best interests of 
the Government, including but not limited to such factors as technical 
quality, geographic balance.
    The Department wishes to make it clear that it is not simply the 
best-written proposals that will be chosen, but rather those which 
demonstrate the greatest experience and commitment to assisting 
business to successfully recruit, train, and retain women in 
apprenticeable occupations and nontraditional occupations and to expand 
the employment and self-sufficiency options of women.
    During the technical panel evaluation of all proposals and 
requests, the Department will bring together CBO qualifications and 
capabilities with employers/labor unions and other nonunion labor 
organizations requests to develop final grant activities. In addition, 
the Department will also consider geographic coverage and occupational/
industrial impact in the final TA grant awards, as well as broadening 
coverage of different CBO service providers.
    Allowable Costs: Determinations of allowable costs shall be made in 
accordance with the following applicable Federal cost principles:

State and Local Governments--OMB Circular A-87
Educational Institutions--OMB Circular A-21
Non-Profit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122
Profit Making Commercial Firms--FAR 31.2
    Profit will not be considered an allowable cost in any case.
    Administrative Provisions: The grant awarded under this SGA shall 
be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions:

29 CFR Part 97--Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments; for all others 
29 CFR Part 95.
29 CFR Part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded Grants, 
Contracts and Agreements.

Part V.

A. Deliverables

    (This section is provided only so that grantees may more accurately 
estimate the staffing budgetary requirements when preparing their 
proposal. Applicants are to exclude from their cost proposal the cost 
of any requested travel to Washington, D.C.)
    1. No later than four (4) weeks after award, the grantee shall meet 
with the Women's Bureau and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training 
to discuss technical assistance activities, timelines, and technical 
assistance outcomes assessment for comment and final approval. At that 
time the grantee's final technical assistance requests and CBOs will be 
matched. The CBO and the Department will discuss and make decisions on 
the following program activities:
    a. The number of employers and labor organizations to be served.
    b. The methodology to be used to change management and employee 
attitudes about women in non- traditional occupations.
    c. The types of systemic change anticipated by technical assistance 
strategies anticipated to be incorporated into employer ongoing 
recruitment, hiring, training and promotion of women in apprenticeship 
and apprenticeable nontraditional occupations.

[[Page 31158]]

    d. The occupational, industrial and geographical impact 
anticipated.
    e. The supportive services to be provided to employers and women 
after successful placement into apprenticeship or apprenticeable 
nontraditional occupations.
    f. The plan for the development and maintenance of a relationship 
with the State level of the Federal Bureau of Apprenticeship and 
Training.
    The Women's Bureau and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training 
will provide input orally and in writing, if necessary, within ten (10) 
working days after the Post-Award Meeting.
    2. No later than ten (10) weeks after award, the grantee and the 
Women's Bureau will confirm the employers and labor organizations to be 
served with WANTO grant funds in a final ``plan of action'' that can be 
added to as requests increase. Such a plan will reflect the grantee's 
study/examination workplace via an on-site visit and review of the 
feasibility of the TA request by the employer.
    3. No later than twelve (12) weeks after award, the grantee shall 
begin the program of technical assistance to employers and labor 
organizations to recruit, promote and retain women in apprenticeable 
occupations and other nontraditional training for women, characterized 
by employment growth and above average earnings.
    4. No later than sixteen (16) weeks after award, the first 
quarterly progress report of work done under this grant will be due. 
Thereafter, quarterly reports will be due ten (10) working days after 
the end of each of the three remaining quarters.
    Quarterly progress reports should include:
    a. A description of overall progress on work performed during the 
reporting period, including (1) number, name, address, size of the 
workplace, including proportion of women with brief profiles of 
employers and labor organizations provided technical assistance during 
the period; (2) systemic workplace and policy changes--actual or in 
process, including the hiring and promotion of women already in the 
workplace, career ladders or other training activities; (3) public 
presentations; (4) media articles or appearances; (5) publications 
disseminated and (6) publications developed.
    b. An indication of any current problems which may impede 
performance and the proposed corrective action.
    c. A discussion of work to be performed during the next reporting 
period.
    Between scheduled reporting dates the grantee shall also 
immediately inform the Grant Officer's Technical Representative of 
significant developments affecting the grantee's ability to accomplish 
the work.
    5. No later than sixty (64) weeks after award, the grantee shall 
submit, three (3) copies of the draft final report, an integrated draft 
report of the process and results of the technical assistance 
activities during the year. The Women's Bureau and the Bureau of 
Apprenticeship and Training will provide written comments on the draft 
report within twenty (20) working days if substantive problems are 
identified. The grantee's response to these comments shall be 
incorporated into the final report.
    6. No later than seventy-four (74) weeks after award, the grantee 
shall submit one (1) DOL customer-ready camera ready copy and four (4) 
copies of the final report; one (1) diskette (IBM compatible, 
WordPerfect 5.1) of the Final Report. The report shall cover findings, 
final performance data, outcome results and assessment, and employer or 
labor organization plans for follow-up of participants. Copies of 
technical assistance curricula shall be included, as well as any plans 
for replication and dissemination of information. An Executive Summary 
of the findings and recommendations, shall either be included in the 
report or accompany the report.

    Signed at Washington, D.C. June 7, 1996.

Lawrence J. Kuss,
Grant Officer.
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Appendices
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[FR Doc. 96-15318 Filed 6-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-C