[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3975-3982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1770]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Project Title: Local Job Vacancy Survey

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

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

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SUMMARY: This Notice contains all of the necessary information and 
required forms to apply for grant funding. The U.S. Department of Labor 
(DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), announces the 
availability of funds for Service Delivery Areas (SDAs) and/or 
organizations that represent them (e.g., States, One-Stop Centers, 
partners) to participate in enhancing the One-Stop Career System. The 
demonstration program will be funded by the Wagner-Peyser Act. This 
notice provides information on the process that eligible entities must 
use to apply for demonstration funds, how grantees are selected, and 
the responsibilities of grantees.

DATES: The closing date for receipt of proposals is March 31, 1999, at 
4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

ADDRESSES: Applications must be mailed to: U.S. Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Division of Acquisition and 
Assistance, Attention: Reda Harrison, Grants Management Specialist, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S-4203, Washington, DC 20210, Reference: 
SGA/DAA 99-004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions should be faxed to Reda 
Harrison, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Acquisition and 
Assistance, Fax (202) 219-8739. This is not a toll-free number. All 
inquiries should include the SGA number (SGA/DAA 99-004) and a contact 
name and phone number. This solicitation will also be published on the 
Internet, on the Employment and Training Administration's Home Page at 
http://www.doleta.gov. Award notifications will also be published on 
the Home Page.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The One-Stop/Labor Market Information (LMI)

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Initiative is soliciting proposals, on a competitive basis, from 
Service Delivery Areas (SDAs) to fund the collection of localized job 
vacancy surveys. Applicants selected for award will be those who best 
delineate their innovative approaches to conduct the surveys. Proposals 
must demonstrate methods of how SDAs will cooperatively work with State 
and local One-Stops to produce localized job vacancy surveys that will 
be useful to One-Stop Career Centers. The announcement consists of four 
parts. Part I describes the application process for eligible applicants 
who wish to apply for grants funds. Part II provides the Government's 
Required Statement of Work. Part III describes the selection criteria 
for award. Part IV provides information regarding reporting 
requirements.

Part I. Application Process

    A. Eligibility. Eligible applicants are JTPA Service Delivery Areas 
(SDAs) and/or organizations that represent them, e.g., stakeholders, 
Human Resource Councils, PICs, local Workforce Investment Boards, and 
other local entities, or State Workforce Development Councils. 
Applicants must demonstrate how they will develop a good working 
relationship with the state Labor Market Information (LMI) or Research 
and Analysis (R&A) offices and the local One-Stop Center. Finally, 
applicants must have fiscal agents familiar with Department of Labor 
practices AND must be able to sustain the survey two years after ETA 
seed money expires.
    B. Period of Performance. The Period of Performance will be for a 
12-month period.
    C. Funding. The Department anticipates awarding six (6) grants not 
to exceed $75,000 each for a total of $450,000. Applications that 
exceed $75,000 will not be considered. Awards will be made on a 
competitive basis.
    D. Page Limitation. Applicant's technical proposal shall be limited 
to 20 double-spaced, single-sided pages with 1-inch margins. Text type 
shall be at least 10 pitch or larger. Applications that do not meet 
these requirements will not be considered.
    E. Submission of Proposal. An original and three copies must be 
received. Your proposal must be organized in the following manner:
    Section I--Financial and Summary Information. (This section does 
not count against the page limitation.)
    (1) Standard Form (SF)-424: ``Application for Federal Assistance'' 
(Appendix A). The Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog number 17.246.
    (2) A one page summary of your proposed project which shall include 
information on the number of welfare recipients in the State and 
proposed target area.
    (3) ``Budget Information'', (Appendix B). Also include, on separate 
pages, a detailed breakout of each proposed budget line item.
    Section II--Technical Proposal. (limited to 20 pages.)
    Your technical proposal must demonstrate the grant applicant's 
capabilities in accordance with the Statement of Work in Part II of 
this solicitation. No cost data or reference to costs shall be included 
in the Technical Proposal. Applicants must also include resumes of 
proposed staff and an organizational chart. (This does not count 
against the page limitation).
    F. Hand Delivered Proposals. Proposals should be mailed at least 
five (5) days prior to the closing date. However if proposals are hand-
delivered, they must be received at the designated place by 4:00 p.m., 
Eastern Time, March 31, 1999. All overnight mail will be considered to 
be hand-delivered and must be received at the designated place by the 
specified time on the closing date. Telegraphed, electronic mail, or 
faxed proposals will not be honored. Failure to adhere to these 
instructions will be a basis for determination of nonresponsiveness.
    G. Late Proposals. A 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 the award is made and was 
either:
    (1) Sent by the U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day Service--
Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5:00 p.m. at the place of 
mailing two working days prior to the date specified for receipt of the 
proposals. The term ``working days'' excludes weekends and the U.S. 
Federal holidays.
    (2) 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 be 
mailed by the 15th). 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. Post-mark 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 an employee of the U.S. Postal 
Service on the date of mailing. Therefore, offerors should request the 
postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' 
postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper. Both 
postmarks must show a legible date, or the application shall be 
processed as though it had been mailed late. 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, offerors should request the postal clerk 
to place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' postmark on both 
the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
    H. Withdrawal of Proposals. A grant application may be withdrawn by 
written notice or telegram (including mailgram) received at any time 
before the awarding of a grant. An application may be withdrawn in 
person by the grant applicant, or by an authorized representative of 
the grant applicant if the representative's identity is made known and 
the representative signs a receipt for the proposal.

Part II. Background and Purpose

A. Background

    In the past thirty years, the Federal Government has conducted 
three different experimental survey programs designed to measure job 
openings in the labor market. In the period 1969-1973, the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics (BLS) began the JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover 
Survey) program which collected data primarily in the manufacturing 
sector. Then in 1979-80, the BLS Job Openings Pilot Program (JOPP) 
conducted a series of pilot programs to assess the feasibility of 
collecting data nationally. Finally in 1990 and 1991, the BLS once 
again embarked on another similar pilot project which concluded that 
such data could be collected but was expensive to obtain. According to 
BLS officials, it is doubtful that any national effort to collect local 
job vacancy data will occur

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in the near future. Throughout the 1970s, Wisconsin policymakers 
continued to collect job vacancy data despite the lack of federal funds 
in support of the program. From 1975 through 1981, the Wisconsin 
Department of Industry, Labor and Human Resources (DILHR) expanded 
coverage to all industries from the initial manufacturing emphasis; 
but, eventually shut down the program in December 1981 when federal 
funds were withdrawn.
    In the mid-1960s, when unemployment rates were very low and job 
vacancies may have equaled the number of unemployed, the common view 
among academics and policymakers was that vacancies beyond normal 
turnover were the result of the unemployed not knowing how to find 
available jobs and that jobseekers mainly needed mechanisms to link up 
with the companies looking to fill vacancies (Abraham, 1983). More 
recently, the Employee Turnover Job Openings (ETJO) experiment 
reflected an interest in identifying occupational labor shortages to 
determine where hard to fill openings were occurring (BLS, 1991). 
Others have stressed the importance of collecting vacancy survey data 
and analyzing it in comparison to the unemployed and underemployed, 
noting that the supply of workers dramatically exceeds demand (Abraham, 
1983: Reimer, 1988); (Levitan and Gallo, 1989). The combination of 
demand information available through establishment surveys combined 
with supply data from a CPS type of household survey can provide policy 
makers, employers and educators with an analysis more suited to solving 
the employment needs of those seeking work and of the non-working 
population which policymakers argue should be seeking employment.
    During the 1970s and up until December 1981, the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics and the Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor and Human 
Relations, regularly surveyed manufacturing establishment to obtain 
data on long- and short-term job openings, new hires and separation 
rates. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) was 
established by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and administered locally. 
It was sent out monthly to a statewide sample of 7,200 businesses in 
covered establishments, mostly in the manufacturing sector. The survey 
did not collect data on full-time/part-time status, wages or benefits, 
but provided valuable survey indicators to gauge local labor market 
trends. However, funding for this joint federal and state effort was 
discontinued by the Federal Government. Since the JOLTS survey was last 
administered in December 1981, no other establishment data has been 
collected on either openings or separations. More recently, the U.S. 
Department of Labor has piloted a survey which examines job vacancies 
and which was considered for introduction at the federal and state 
levels. This survey requests occupational and industry data and wage 
data, but not part-time/full-time status or fringe benefits.

B. Purpose

    The primary purpose of this award is to institute six pilot sites 
where local job vacancy data can be produced at a level of quality that 
will fulfill the needs of local One-Stop Centers as they serve a 
variety of customers, including welfare-to-work recipients. Innovation, 
coordination and partnerships, non-duplication of existing services, 
and leveraging of scarce resources are also important factors. DOL is 
interested in SDAs, or their representatives, who can use leverage 
funds from other sources to maintain the survey two years after the 
initial one year DOL funding expires.

Part III. Statement of Work

    With the tremendous growth in the economy over the past several 
years coupled with the growing needs for better labor market 
information as a result of the Welfare-to-Work legislation, localities 
need to know where local job vacancies exist. Information on new hires 
is particularly important because many firms use entry-level positions 
as steps for promotions within companies. Location of employment is 
essential not only for the value it may have for descriptive purposes 
but because companies often have sub-units throughout the state or 
region for which hiring and wage reporting is included, and 
metropolitan employment trends on administrative office locations may 
be skewed to overestimate openings.
    To that end the major tasks of this procurement are, but not 
limited to, the following:
     To conduct local job vacancy surveys using the methodology 
designed by John Pawasarat at the Employment and Training Institute at 
the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
     SDAs will have to develop a good working relationship with 
the state LMI or R&A offices in order to obtain the ES-202 file or the 
Employer Database file to design the survey instrument. Close 
coordination between SDAs and the State LMI office is strongly 
encouraged and is a necessity if the state is to share confidential 
employer files with the SDAs.
     Applicants must be willing and able to get a 75% response 
rate to any proposed survey or else submit an explanatory note why they 
were unable to do so.
     Applicants should also have a good working relationship 
with the local One-Stop Center and design a survey instrument which 
produces information helpful to the local One-Stop in supplying clients 
with job vacancy information.
     Applicants must be familiar with DOL practices and be able 
to sustain the survey two years after ETA seed money expires.
     Applicants must include a detailed work plan that 
delineates a schedule of proposed activities and milestones for 
implementing the tasks indicated above within the 12-month award 
period.
     Finally, selected applicants will be required to work with 
the Department of Labor to ensure that the survey instrument complies 
with all legal requirements that affect the Department, such as the 
Paperwork Reduction Act.

Part IV. Selection/Evaluation Criteria

    Selection of grantees will be made after formal review of grant 
applications by a technical review panel. Each panelist will review the 
proposals for acceptability based upon overall responsiveness to the 
Statement of Work, with emphasis on the rating criteria listed below. 
The panels' recommendations are advisory in nature to help establish 
the competitive range. The Grant Officer will make final awards based 
on overall quality and what is in the best interests of the government. 
The Grant Officer may consider any or all available information. 
Applicants are advised that awards may be made without further 
discussions.
    A. Technical Approach (20 points) --Applicants should develop a 
technical approach that includes, but is not limited to: (1) A detailed 
questionnaire design, (2) definition of terms, (3) sample design 
(including address correction issues), and (4) how to handle 
nonresponses. The technical approach must match or exceed the 
``cookbook'' developed by the Employment and Training Institute at the 
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee which is available on their website: 
http://www.uwm.edu:80/Dept/ETI/.
    B. Grantee's Past Performance (15 points)--Applicants should 
document prior experience with conducting job vacancy surveys or such 
experience of anyone who might be sub-contracted to

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do the same (i.e., a State LMI or R&A office).
    C. Understanding (15 points)--Applicants should describe in their 
own words why they believe local job vacancy surveys are needed and by 
whom. Understanding should be couched in the realm of One-Stop Career 
Centers' delivery system philosophy.
    D. Coordination with Other State Agencies (25 points)--Applicants 
must prove a close working relationship with the State Labor Market 
Information or Research and Analysis Office. This relationship is 
necessary because the SDA, or its representative, must use confidential 
ES-202 Employer or other Employer files which exist in the LMI offices 
in order to draw a sample from which to survey.
    E. Coordination with local One-Stop Centers (25 points)--It is 
imperative that survey results are useful to the local One-Stop 
affiliated with the SDA; therefore, points will be awarded to those 
applicants who are able to show that the results of their job vacancy 
survey can be used in conjunction with other America's Labor Market 
Information System (ALMIS)-related products; specifically, but not 
limited to, America's Job Bank (AJB), America's Talent Bank (ATB), and 
America's Career InfoNet (ACINet).

Part V. Reporting Requirements

    Applicants selected as grantees will be required to provide the 
following information in timely fashion:
    A. Quarterly Financial Status Reports (i.e., Standard Form (SF) 
269);
    B. Monthly progress against the work plan (i.e., status) reports 
with narrative summaries:
    C. Draft Final Project Report on desired outcomes within 30 days 
prior to grant expiration date. Specific format to be determined.

    Signed on this 19th day of January 1999.
Janice E. Perry,
Grant Officer, Department of Labor/ETA.
Appendices
Appendix A--Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form (SF)-424)
Appendix B--Budget Information

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[FR Doc. 99-1770 Filed 1-25-99; 8:45 am]
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