[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 48 (Friday, March 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12362-12367]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6108]



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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant 
Applications (SGA) for the Purpose of Training Child Care Providers

AGENCIES: Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor.

SUMMARY: This notice contains all of the necessary information and 
forms needed to apply for grant funding. The Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Bureau of Apprenticeship and 
Training (BAT), invites proposals for a minimum of ten (10) awards for 
the implementation of the Quality Child Care Initiative. It will assist 
with the initiation of building a national system for the education and 
training of professional child care providers and expand the National 
Apprenticeship System by incorporating diversification of occupational 
entities through development of new and innovative strategies for 
increasing the participation among the child care industry.

DATES: Applications will be accepted commencing (date of publication). 
The closing date for receipt of applications is May 11, 1999, at 4 
P.M., (Eastern Time ) at the address below.

ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to the U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Attention: B. Jai Johnson, Reference: SGA/DFA 99-006, 200 
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room S-4203, Washington, D.C. 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions should be faxed to B. Jai Johnson, 
Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, Fax (202) 
219-8739. This is not a toll-free number. All inquiries should include 
the SGA number (DFA 99-006) and a contact name, fax and phone number. 
This solicitation will also be published on the Internet on the 
Employment and Training Administration's Homepage at http://
www.doleta.gov. Award notifications will also be published on this 
Homepage.

QUALITY CHILD CARE INITIATIVE SOLICITATION

I. Purpose

    To invite proposals for providing a credentialed career path for 
development of professional child care providers through the 
utilization of the National Registered Apprenticeship System; which 
will reduce turnover, increase wages for providers, provide a more 
stable environment for children and lower the concern of parents.

II. Background

    The Child Care Industry is in trouble. A 1989 study by the National 
Center of Early Childhood Workforce found that the quality of services 
provided by most day care centers was rated as ``barely adequate,'' and 
a more recent four-State study by the University of Colorado at Denver 
found that only 14 percent of child care centers were rated as good 
quality. In addition, child care workers are faced with relatively low 
wages, inadequate benefit coverage, and high job turnover.
    On October 23, 1997, President and Mrs. Clinton hosted the White 
House Conference on child Care--to focus the Nation's attention on the 
importance of addressing the need for safe affordable, available, 
quality child care. Integral to providing the ``right'' care is the 
quality of the child care worker.
    Quality child care service goes hand in glove with having an 
adequate supply of competent, professional child care providers. This 
requires enhanced training opportunities and a redefinition of the 
basic concept of what constitutes a child care provider. A national 
focus on accreditation demands that practitioners have access to 
education and training that will promote professional development. As 
the field of early care and education becomes established as a 
profession, practitioners are required to master basic knowledge, 
skills and core competencies of early childhood development. As 
professionals, practitioners must develop practical knowledge that will 
enable them to apply new approaches and strategies for working 
effectively with young children.

III. Statement of Work

    As our society continues to evolve and demands are placed on 
parents to secure full time jobs/careers, the need for safe, 
affordable, available, quality child care has been brought to the 
forefront. Utilization of the National Apprenticeship System can 
provide needed training for early care and education practitioners. 
High quality training has the potential to change the culture of the 
child care industry from one dominated by low pay and high turnover to 
one of respected professional service. No longer would child care be 
equated to baby-sitting. The apprenticeship model validates the 
integral part that child care plays in the economy, as working families 
rely on dependable, accessible care for their children. As families 
move from welfare to work, additional sources of training child care 
providers are in demand.
    The major tasks of this project will be, but not limited, to the 
following:
     System and capacity building by incorporating in a 
collaborative spirit organizations, agencies, employers, associations 
and higher education to develop a vision for implementation of an 
individual statewide sustainable infrastructure built upon successful 
registered apprenticeship and best practice models;
     From the above activity, establishment of an oversight 
body to provide direction and guidance to the vision, utilizing the 
services of an Apprenticeship and Training Representative.
     Utilization of an established curriculum or development of 
a curriculum based on developmentally appropriate inclusive practices 
for young children and an interactive adult education teaching approach 
that is effective for adult learners.
     Adoption of or establishment of a train-the-trainer system 
that will ensure the availability of knowledge, experienced, skilled 
instructors for the related instruction course work;
     Development of a process to promote career lattice for 
those graduates of the registered apprenticeship system (i.e., 
articulation into an Associates Degree or higher);
     Ensuring the inclusion of those with other nationally 
recognized credentials such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) 
through previous credit for documented prior experience;
     Demonstration of in-kind support from institutions 
involved in the process (i.e., time spent to facilitate and foster the 
process and/or free facilities to conduct related instruction);
     Development and implementation of a strategy or strategies 
to ensure inclusion of practitioners representing diversity of culture, 
ethnicity, gender and ability;
     Development of policies, procedures and formulas to ensure 
the consistency and integrity of system implementation and beyond. The 
system will be sustainable and ownership established, if the process is 
followed throughout the state;

Priority will be given to those applicants who incorporate all relevant 
partnerships and establish a Statewide system, and that provide 
information relative to the projected number of participants (i.e., 
employers, apprentices and the diverse make-up of the participants).

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IV. Application Process

    Eligible Applicants: Those eligible to apply are as follows: States 
that have a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) , State Agencies 
designated by the Governor, Governor's Early Childhood Initiative, 
other State Agencies with responsibility for child care regulations or 
funding. Only one proposal will be accepted per State and for States 
without a SAA, a letter from the Governor designating the agency must 
accompany the proposal. Applications that fail to meet this requirement 
will not be considered.

V. Application Submittal

    Applicants must submit four (4) copies of their proposal, with 
original signatures. The applications shall be divided into two 
distinct parts: Part I--which contains Standard Form (SF) 424, 
``Application for Federal Assistance,'' (Appendix A) and ``Budget 
Information Sheet,'' (Appendix B). All copies of the (SF) 424 MUST have 
original signatures of the legal entity applying for grant funding. 
Applicants shall indicate on the (SF) 424 the organization's IRS 
Status, if applicable. According to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995, Section 18, an organization described in Section 501(c) 4 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which engages in lobbying activities 
shall not be eligible for the receipt of federal funds constituting an 
award, grant, or loan. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
number is 17.249. In addition, the budget shall include--on a separate 
page(s)--a detailed cost break-out of each line item on the Budget 
Information Sheet. Part II shall contain the program narrative that 
demonstrates the applicant's plan and capabilities in accordance with 
the evaluation criteria contained in this section. Applicants must 
describe their plan in light of each of the Evaluation Criteria. 
Applicants MUST limit the program narrative section to no more than 30 
double-spaced pages, on one side only. This includes any attachments. 
Applications that fail to meet the page limitation requirement will not 
be considered.

VI. Late Applications

    Any application received after the exact date and time specified 
for receipt at the office designated in this notice will not be 
considered, unless it is received before awards are made and it--(a) 
was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the fifth 
calendar day before the date specified for receipt of applications 
(e.g., an application submitted in response to a solicitation requiring 
receipt of applications by the 20th of the month must have been mailed/
post marked by the 15th of that month); or (b) was sent by the U.S. 
Postal Service Express Mail Next Day Service to addresses not later 
than 5:00 p.m. at the place of mailing two working days prior to the 
date specified for receipt of applications. The term ``working days'' 
excludes weekends and federal holidays. The term ``post marked'' 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 or affixed on the date of 
mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service.

VII. Hand Delivered Proposals

    It is preferred that applications be mailed at least five days 
prior to the closing date. To be considered for funding, Hand-delivered 
applications must be received by 4:00 p.m., (Eastern Time), on the 
closing date at the specified address.
    Telegraphed and/faxed applications will not be honored. Failure to 
adhere to the above instructions will be a basis for a determination of 
nonresponsiveness. Overnight express mail from carriers other than the 
U.S. Postal Service will be considered hand-delivered applications and 
must be received by the above specified date and time.

VIII. Funding Availability and Period of Performance

    The Department expects to make at least 10 awards with a maximum 
total investment for these projects of $3.5 million. The estimated 
range of awards is from a minimum of $175,000 to a maximum of $350,000. 
The period of performance will be 18 months from the date of execution.

IX. Review Process

    A careful evaluation of applications will be made by a technical 
review panel who will evaluate the applications against the criteria 
listed below. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding 
on the Grant Officer. The Government may elect to award the grant with 
or without discussions with the offeror. In situations without 
discussions, an award will be based on the offeror's signature on the 
(SF) 424, which constitutes a binding offer. Awards will be those in 
the best interest of the Government.

Evaluation Criteria

    A. System and Capacity Building--The extent to which the offeror 
has delineated collaboration strategies to develop a vision and 
implementation plan for a statewide infrastructure utilizing the 
registered apprenticeship system of training and forecast of 
implementation. (25 points)
    B. Sustainability--Plan for long term viability of the system after 
this funding ends. (15 points)
    C. Curriculum--Delineation of utilization or development of 
curriculum based on developmentally appropriate inclusive practices for 
young children and an interactive adult educational component for 
effective adult learners and a forecast of implementation. (15 points)
    D. Career Lattice--Describe the process for inclusion of 
participants with documented prior experience linked with substantial 
increases in compensation and next steps for apprenticeship graduates 
in the process (awarding of college credit and articulation with higher 
education). (20 points)
    E. Diversity--Outline the strategy or strategies developed to 
ensure inclusion of participants representing diversity of culture, 
ethnicity, gender and ability (i.e., projected number of employers and 
apprentices) and a forecast of implementation. (15 points)
    F. Consistency and Integrity--Delineation of the policies, 
procedures, and formulas developed to ensure consistency and integrity 
of the statewide system. (10 points)
    The grants will be awarded based on applicant response to the above 
mentioned criteria and what is otherwise most advantageous to the 
Department.

X. Reporting Requirements:

     Attendance to a post award orientation briefing (i.e., 
time and place TBA), where BAT will reiterate and delineate the overall 
desired outcomes of the project;
     Quarterly Status Reports within 30 days of quarters end;
     Final report on completed tasks, and specific 
recommendations for future grants for Child Care Initiatives, no later 
that 45 days following the end of the grant.

    Signed in Washington, DC, this 8th day of March, 1999.
Laura A. Cesario,
Grant Officer.

BILLING CODE 4510-30-u

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Appendix A: (SF) 424--Application Form
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Appendix B--Budget Information Form
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[FR Doc. 99-6108 Filed 3-11-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-C