[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 93 (Friday, May 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26440-26451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12225]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Welfare-to-Work Census 2000 Employment Project

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), DOL.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds; solicitation for grant 
applications.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) announces a special round of competition under the 
Welfare-to-Work (WtW) grant program to facilitate the employment of WtW 
program participants as Census 2000 enumerators in local areas across 
the country. The Department of Labor, in partnership with the 
Department of Commerce, seeks a single private organization with a 
nationwide network of community-based local providers or affiliates to 
serve as an intermediary between local Census Bureau offices across the 
country and the WtW local level formula and competitive grantees. The 
WtW program assists States and local communities to provide the 
transitional employment assistance needed to move hard-to-employ 
recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and 
certain noncustodial parents, who have experienced or have 
characteristics associated with long-term welfare dependence, into 
lasting unsubsidized jobs. This announcement describes the special 
conditions under which applications will be received for the WtW Census 
2000 Employment Project and the criteria DOL/ETA will use to select 
which application it will fund. This announcement includes all of the 
information and forms needed to apply for this WtW grant opportunity.

DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this 
announcement is Friday, July 16, 1999. For the funding cycle covered by 
this announcement, complete applications must be received at the 
address below no later than 2 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time). Except 
as provided below, grant applications received after this date and time 
will not be considered.


[[Page 26441]]


ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training 
Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Mr. Willie 
E. Harris, SGA/DFA 99-013, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S4203, 
Washington, D.C. 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions should be faxed to Mr. 
Willie E. Harris, Grant Management Specialist, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Fax: (202) 219-8739. This is not a toll-free number. 
Questions may also be sent via electronic mail to ``disgu-
[email protected].'' All inquiries sent via fax or e-mail should include 
the SGA number (DFA 99-013) and a contact name and phone number. This 
announcement is also being published on the Internet on the Employment 
and Training Administration's Welfare-to-Work Home Page at http://
wtw.doleta.gov. Commonly asked questions and answers with regard to the 
WtW competitive grants and the WtW program in general, and copies of 
the Interim Final Rule governing the Welfare-to-Work program, including 
activities conducted under the competitive grants, are also available 
on the WtW Home Page. Award notification will be also published on the 
WtW Home Page.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Authority

    Section 403(a)(5)(B) of Title IV of the Social Security Act. 
Regulations governing the WtW program are at 20 CFR Part 645, published 
at 62 FR 61588 (November 18, 1997).

II. Submission of Applications

    One original plus two copies of the application must be submitted. 
Proposals must be submitted by the applicant only. All applications 
must be single-spaced, and on single-sided, numbered pages. A font size 
of at least 12 pitch is required.
    Section I of the application must include the following required 
elements: (A) Project Financial Plan, including the SF-424, and a line-
item budget with justification, (B) Executive Summary, and (C) Evidence 
of State and local consultation. Section I will not count against the 
application page limits. Failure to include all elements required in 
this section will result in disqualification of the application. 
Applications will not be reviewed if a list of all appropriate State 
and PIC/political subdivision certifications received and held by the 
applicant (or evidence of efforts to consult, as described in Section 
IV below) is not included. No additional information or materials will 
be accepted by the Department of Labor after the closing date, unless 
such additional material is specifically requested by the Grant 
Officer.
    Section II of the application, the project narrative, shall not 
exceed fifteen (15) pages for the Government Requirement/Statement of 
Work section, as described below in the ``Required Content for the WtW 
Census 2000 Employment Project,'' plus up to an additional ten (10) 
pages for attachments, to include no information that is critical to 
the review of the proposal. Letters of support for a proposal should 
NOT be submitted and will count against the page limits.

Acceptable Methods of Submission

    Applications may be hand-delivered or mailed. Hand-delivered 
applications must be received at the address identified above by the 
date and time specified. Overnight mail deliveries will be treated as 
hand-deliveries. Mailed applications that arrive after the closing date 
will be accepted if they are post-marked at least five (5) days prior 
to the closing date. Applications submitted via overnight mail that 
arrive after the closing date will be accepted if they are post-marked 
at least two (2) days prior to the closing date. Otherwise, late 
applications will not be accepted. Telegraphed and/or faxed 
applications will not be accepted.
    Applications may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram 
(including mailgram), or in person if the representative's identity is 
made known, and the representative signs a receipt for the application.

OMB Approval of Paperwork Burden

    According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are 
required to respond to a collection of information unless such 
collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control 
number for this information collection is 1205-0402. The time required 
to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 
hours for the preparation of the application proposal, including the 
time to review the instructions, search existing data resources, gather 
data needed, and complete and review the information, plus up to an 
additional 80 hours to meet the consultation requirements. Comments 
concerning this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection 
of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the 
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Job Training Programs, Room N4459, 
Washington, DC 20210 (Paperwork Reduction Project 1205-0402). Comments 
may be reflected in the development of future solicitations.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    The Welfare-to-Work program is listed in the Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance at No. 17.253, ``Employment and Training 
Assistance--Welfare-to-Work Grants to States & Local Entities for Hard-
to-Employ Welfare Recipient Programs.''

III. Program Scope and Funding

    The WtW Census 2000 Employment Project will be expected to achieve 
the purpose of all WtW grants:
    To provide transitional assistance which moves welfare recipients 
into unsubsidized employment providing good career potential for 
achieving economic self-sufficiency.
    This transitional assistance is to be provided through a ``work 
first'' service strategy in which recipients are engaged in employment-
based activities. Grant funds may be used to provide needed basic and/
or vocational skills training as a post-employment service in 
conjunction with either subsidized or unsubsidized employment. This 
flexibility, established in the Regulations, reflects the basic ``work 
first'' philosophy of the WtW legislation, and recognizes the critical 
importance of continuous skills acquisition and lifelong learning to 
achieving economic self-sufficiency.
    The primary goals specific to the WtW Census 2000 Employment 
Project are to ensure that (1) WtW participants, who are successfully 
identified and recruited by the grantee, are part of a viable pool from 
which Census recruiters can hire and train Census 2000 enumerators; and 
(2) WtW Census hires receive the intensive community-based support they 
need to remain in the workforce after their Census 2000 jobs end.
    The Department of Commerce's (DOC) Bureau of the Census has as its 
mission to provide an accurate national count for Census 2000. In 
various pre-Census operations leading up to next year's Decennial 
Census, the Bureau has recruited, trained and hired over 4,700 welfare 
recipients. These workers were based in urban, suburban and rural areas 
throughout the nation. They have shown themselves to be well-suited to 
assist the Bureau's strategic and principal goal of providing an 
accurate population count in every locale.
    Census 2000 offers a unique opportunity for individuals who are 
currently receiving welfare, as well as noncustodial parents of 
children on welfare, to establish a work history with a credible 
employer. Temporary jobs as

[[Page 26442]]

Census enumerators have flexible hours, do not require that individuals 
leave their own community, and offer low-skilled individuals wages of 
$8.25 to $18.50 an hour, depending on the locality. The jobs are 
expected to last approximately eight to twelve weeks.
    In preparing for Census 2000, the Census Bureau is aware of the 
obstacles to hiring the enormous number of enumerators necessary to get 
an accurate count of the population, particularly in low-income and 
high-crime neighborhoods. In the past, the Census Bureau has hired 
residents of census tracts to assist in the enumeration of the 
residents who live there.
    DOC is currently operating pilot programs in Maryland and Virginia, 
called the Chesapeake Initiative, which serve as test sites for 
implementation of WtW Census 2000 Employment Project nationwide next 
year. In this pilot project, a statewide non-profit organization in 
each State is responsible for identifying and recruiting welfare 
recipients, providing basic job readiness and supportive services 
during Census employment, including child care, transportation, etc., 
and placing the individuals in permanent employment once Census 
employment has ended.
    For the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project, the Departments of 
Labor and Commerce hope to expand on and profit from the knowledge 
gained through the pilot project underway in Maryland and Virginia. 
Through the competitive application process, DOL and DOC will select a 
national organization that has an established delivery system of well-
networked local affiliates throughout all States. This organization 
would be responsible for (1) identifying large numbers of eligible WtW 
participants qualified for Census employment, through coordination with 
WtW formula and competitive grants, and through networks of community-
based service providers developed by the applicant and local Census 
offices; (2) provide a comprehensive array of supportive services to 
participants before, during and after employment as Census enumerators, 
building on or linking with existing resources wherever possible; (3) 
place participants in permanent employment following their employment 
with Census 2000, and (4) set up local arrangements so that ongoing job 
retention and supportive services will be available to participants 
either through the grant or through other local WtW programs.

    Note: It is assumed that job retention and supportive services 
provided through the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project grant will 
be of relatively short duration after placement of a participant in 
a post-Census job. Applicants are encouraged to describe in detail 
what arrangements they have made with other WtW grantees at the 
local level to provide longer-term supportive services and follow-up 
for WtW Census Employment Project participants.

    For the most part, the Census jobs targeted for WtW participants 
will be temporary positions as Census enumerators. A Census enumerator 
is responsible for locating households, listing addresses, as well as 
conducting interviews with respondents. Enumerators usually work in 
their own neighborhoods or communities. In order to find people at 
home, enumerators need to be able to work evenings and weekends. Census 
enumerators receive paid training on how to locate and list addresses, 
explain the purpose of the Census to residents, ask questions as worded 
on Census forms, and record data on Census forms. Potential enumerators 
must take a written test to be considered for employment. The test 
consists of 28 multiple choice questions designed to measure the skills 
and abilities required to perform a variety of Census jobs, like 
reading, math, following instructions, and map reading skills. 
Applicants for Census jobs are given 30 minutes to complete the test. 
Applicants who score high on the employment test stand a better chance 
of being hired. Applicants may re-take the test if they like, though 
the majority of applicants (4 of every 5) pass the test on their first 
try.
    All applications for the WtW Census 2000 Employemnt Project will be 
reviewed under the criteria set forth in Part VII of this announcement.

Funding Availability

    Up to $20 million will be available for a single grant to implement 
the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project. This amount will come out of 
the $240 million available for Round Three of the WtW Competitive 
Grants (SGA number DFA 99-003, published in the Federal Register on 
January 26, 1999). It is expected the project will serve approximately 
7,500 to 10,000 participants nationwide.

    Note: This does not constitute a new goal of welfare hires for 
the Department of Commerce or the Census Bureau.

Award Period

    The planned performance period for the WtW Census 2000 Employment 
Project will be approximately 18 months. This time frame will allow 
four months for planning, start-up and setting up relationships at the 
local level; ten months of program operations; and four months of 
close-out and follow-up activities. Note that for most Census 
enumerators, employment will begin in mid-April 2000, and last 
approximately eight to twelve weeks. No obligation or commitment of 
funds will be allowed beyond the grant period of performance. Any 
unspent grant funds must be returned to the Federal government.

IV. Eligible Grant Applicants

    For the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project, eligible applicants are 
private organizations that have an established nationwide delivery 
system of community-based local affiliates throughout all States to 
serve as an intermediary between local Census Bureau offices and the 
WtW local level formula and competitive grantees. As established in the 
WtW Regulations (20 CFR Part 645.500), private entities seeking WtW 
competitive grant funding are required to apply in conjunction with the 
PIC(s) or political subdivision(s) for the areas in which the project 
is to operate. The term ``in conjunction with'' shall mean that the 
application must include a signed certification by both the applicant 
and either the appropriate PIC(s) or political subdivision(s) 
indicating that:
    1. The applicant has consulted with the appropriate PIC(s)/
political subdivision(s) during the development of the application; and
    2. The activities proposed in the application are consistent with, 
and will be coordinated with, the WtW efforts of the PIC(s)/political 
subdivision(s).
    If the applicant is unable to obtain the certification, it will be 
required to include information describing the efforts which were 
undertaken to consult with the PIC(s)/political subdivision(s) and 
indicating that the PIC(s)/political subdivision(s) were provided a 
sufficient opportunity to cooperate in the development of the project 
plan and to review and comment on the application prior to its 
submission to the Department of Labor. ``Sufficient opportunity for 
PIC/political subdivision review and comment'' shall mean at least 30 
calendar days.
    The certification, or evidence of efforts to consult, must be with 
either each PIC or each political subdivision in the service area in 
which the proposed project is to operate. For the purposes of this 
portion of the application, applicants must demonstrate, through 
written documentation such as registered mail receipt, that project 
proposals were shared with the PIC/political subdivision in a timely 
manner.

    Note: Electronic mail messages may be acceptable as evidence of 
consultation. In

[[Page 26443]]

addition, a sample format for State and local certifications can be 
found in Appendix C that applicants may choose to use. All 
certifications must be dated prior to July 16, 1999.

    Applicants must submit a list of all local entities from whom they 
have obtained certification of coordination. Applicants will maintain 
copies of all certifications in their own files. Although an important 
part of their application, certifications need not be submitted to DOL. 
For those applicants that are deemed to be competitive, DOL will verify 
that certifications are on file and that they are dated prior to the 
closing date of the SGA.
    The Department of Labor intends to facilitate the consultation 
process for all potential applicants. DOL/ETA will release a Training 
and Employment Information Notice informing the WtW employment and 
training system about the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project and the 
potential role of local Private Industry Council in the consultation 
process. The names and addresses of State WtW Coordinators and all WtW 
Competitive grantees can be found on the WtW website (http://
wtw.doleta.gov). In addition, a complete listing of WtW local service 
delivery areas, as well as State Welfare contacts, can be found at 
http://www.ttrc.doleta.gov/common/directories/.
    Applicants should be aware that six States (Idaho, Mississippi, 
Ohio, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) do not have WtW State formula 
programs. In these States, applicants are encouraged to consult with 
WtW Competitive grants, State and local TANF agencies, State and local 
Census agencies and/or appropriate tribal entities to promote 
coordination of program activities in these areas. However, applicants 
will not be disqualified if they have not applied in conjunction with 
local areas within these six States.

State-Level Consultation

    All applicants must submit their applications to the Governors of 
all States in which the project will operate, or, at the discretion of 
the Governor, to the designated State administrative entity for the WtW 
program, for review and comment prior to submission of the application 
to the Department of Labor.
    When submitted to DOL, the application must include any comments 
from the Governor or his/her designee or must include information 
indicating that the Governor was provided a sufficient opportunity for 
review and comment prior to submission to the Department. ``Sufficient 
opportunity for State review and comment'' shall mean at least 15 
calendar days. For the purposes of this portion of the application, 
information indicating that the Governor was provided opportunity for 
review must be demonstrated by written documentation, such as 
registered mail receipt, that project applications were submitted to 
the Governor or his/her designee in a timely manner. A sample format 
for State and local certifications can be found in Appendix C that 
applicants may choose to use. All certifications must be dated prior to 
July 16, 1999.
    Applicants must submit a list of all Governors from whom they have 
obtained certification of consultation. Applicants will maintain copies 
of all certifications in their own files. Although an important part of 
their application, certifications need not be submitted to DOL. For 
those applicants that are deemed to be competitive, DOL will verify 
that certifications are on file and that they are dated prior to the 
closing date of the SGA.

Coordination With Tribal Grantees

    Although consultation with Indian and Native American (INA) 
entities is not required for the WtW Census Employment Project, 
applicants are encouraged to coordinate with tribal entities and 
corresponding local Census Offices to achieve maximum geographic 
saturation in this project.
    Applicants are encouraged to coordinate with Indian and Native 
American Welfare-to-Work grantees, grantees operating an Indian JTPA/
WIA program and other Indian and Native American tribes/organizations 
that have experience in operating employment and training programs 
within the Native American communities. A listing of the INA WtW 
grantees can be found at http://www.wdsc.org/dinap/dinapw2w/index.html. 
In addition, INA JTPA grantees listing can be found at http://
www.wdsc.org/dinap. Projects may coordinate either directly with 
appropriate tribal entities or may choose to use competitive 
subcontracts/grants with tribal or other entities that have experience 
in planning and coordination activities in the Native American 
communities.

Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995

    Entities described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue 
Code that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive 
funds under this announcement. The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 2 
U.S.C. 1601 et seq., prohibits the award of Federal funds to these 
entities if they engage in lobbying activities.

V. Program and Administrative Requirements

Participant Eligibility and Funding Expenditures

    The WTW Census 2000 Employment Project will be required to meet the 
targeting provisions described at 20 CFR Parts 645.211-645.213.

    Note: The WtW Regulations are available at the WtW Internet web 
site at http://wtw.doleta.gov.

    These provisions dictate that a minimum of 70 percent of the funds 
in each WtW competitive grant must be used to serve hard-to-employ 
individuals as described in Sec. 645.212. Furthermore, no more than 30 
percent of the funds in each grant may be used to serve individuals 
with characteristics predictive of long-term welfare dependence, as 
described in Sec. 645.213.

Allowable Uses of Funds

    Competitive grant funds shall be spent only for those allowable 
activities identified in the WtW Regulations, at 20 CFR Part 645.220 
and set forth below; for appropriate administrative costs; and for 
information technology costs in accordance with 20 CFR 645.235(c)(3).
    WtW allowable activities are:
    (a) Job readiness activities financed through job vouchers or 
through contracts with public or private providers.
    (b) Employment activities which consist of any of the following: 
(1) Community service programs; (2) Work experience programs; (3) Job 
creation through public or private sector employment wage subsidies; 
and (4) On-the-job training.
    (c) Job placement services financed through job vouchers or through 
contracts with public or private providers subject to the payment 
requirements at Sec. 645.230(a)(3).
    (d) Post-employment services financed through job vouchers or 
through contracts with public or private providers, which are provided 
after an individual is placed in one of the employment activities 
listed in paragraph (b) above, or in any other subsidized or 
unsubsidized job. Post-employment services include, but are not limited 
to, such services as: (1) Basic educational skills training; (2) 
Occupational skills training; (3) English as a second language 
training; and (4) Mentoring.
    (e) Job retention services and support services which are provided 
after an individual is placed in a job readiness activity, as specified 
in paragraph (a) above, in one of the employment

[[Page 26444]]

activities, as specified in paragraph (b) above, or in any other 
subsidized or unsubsidized job. These services can be provided with WtW 
funds only if they are not otherwise available to the participant. Job 
retention and support services include, but are not limited to, such 
services as: (1) Transportation assistance; (2) Substance abuse 
treatment (except that WtW funds may not be used to provide medical 
treatment); (3) Child care assistance; (4) Emergency or short-term 
housing assistance; and (5) Other supportive services.
    (f) Individual development accounts which are established in 
accordance with section 404(h) of the Act.
    (g) Intake, assessment, eligibility determination, development of 
an individualized service strategy, and case management may be 
incorporated in the design of any of the allowable activities listed in 
paragraphs (a) through (f) above.
    It is expected that in the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project, the 
majority of services will fall under the job readiness, job placement, 
post-employment services and job retention and supportive services 
categories.

Administrative Costs

    Requirements concerning allowable costs and the 15 percent 
limitation on administrative costs for WtW competitive grants will 
apply to the WTW Census 2000 Employment Project and are defined in the 
WtW Regulations at 20 CFR Part 645.235. All proposed costs must be 
reflected as either a direct charge to specific budget line items, or 
as an indirect cost. Indirect costs and direct administrative costs are 
allowable, but combined, these costs cannot exceed 15 percent of the 
total grant. The administrative costs negotiated in the final grant 
document may be below fifteen percent.
    Only costs which result from applying a federally-approved indirect 
cost rate may be entered on the ``indirect cost'' line item of the 
budget. If an indirect cost rate is used, the applicant must include 
documentation from the cognizant Federal agency which includes the 
approved rate, the cost base against which it is applied, and the 
approval date.
    All applicants will be expected to justify proposed costs (see 
Project Financial Plan, in the ``Required Content for the WtW Census 
2000 Employment Project''). Profits are not an allowable use of grant 
funds.

Use of Federal Funds

    Federal funds cannot be used to support activities which would be 
provided in the absence of those funds. Grant funds may cover only 
those costs which are appropriate and reasonable. Federal grant funds 
may only be used to acquire equipment which is necessary for the 
operation of the grant. The grantee must receive prior approval from 
the DOL/ETA Grant Officer for the purchase and/or lease of any property 
and/or equipment with a per unit acquisition cost of $5,000 or more, 
and a useful life of more than one year as defined in ``Grants and 
Agreements with Institutes of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other 
Non-Profit Organizations,'' codified at 29 CFR Part 95 (also known as 
OMB Circular A-110). This restriction includes the purchase of 
Automated Data Processing (ADP) equipment. A request for such prior 
approval may be included in the grant application or submitted after 
the grant award. Requests submitted after the grant award must be 
directed through the Grant Officer Technical Representative (GOTR) and 
must include a detailed description and cost of the items to be 
acquired.
    Grant funds also may not be used to cover any project-related costs 
incurred prior to the effective date of the grant award. In making a 
grant award, DOL/ETA has no obligation to provide any future additional 
funding in connection with the grant award.
    Pursuant to 20 CFR Part 645.235(c)(3), the costs of information 
technology--computer hardware and software--needed for tracking or 
monitoring under a WtW grant shall not be subject to the fifteen 
percent limitation on administrative costs.

Year 2000 Compliance

    Any information technology purchased in whole or in part with WtW 
funds, which is used for a period of time that goes beyond December 31, 
1999, must be ``year 2000 compliant.'' This means that such information 
technology shall accurately process date/time data (including, but not 
limited to, calculating, comparing and sequencing) from, into and 
between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the years 1999 and 
2000, and leap year calculations. Furthermore, ``year 2000 compliant'' 
information technology, when used in combination with other information 
technology, shall accurately process date/time data if the other 
information technology properly exchanges date/time with it.

Assurances and Certifications

    The following assurances and certifications must be included as 
part of each grant application: Debarment & Suspension Certification.
    Other assurances and certifications will be required as part of 
each executed grant agreement, but do not need to be submitted as part 
of a WtW Competitive grant application: Assurances/Non-Construction 
Programs; Certification Regarding Lobbying; Drug Free Workplace 
Certification; Certification of Non-delinquency; and Non-discrimination 
and Equal Opportunity Requirements.

Departmental Oversight

    The Department reserves the right to conduct oversight and both 
programmatic and financial monitoring activities for all competitive 
grants awarded under the WtW grants program, including the WTW Census 
2000 Employment Project.

VI. Monitoring and Reporting

Monitoring

    The Department shall be responsible for ensuring effective 
implementation of each competitive grant, including the WTW Census 2000 
Employment Project, in accordance with the Act, the Regulations, the 
provisions of this announcement and the negotiated grant agreement. 
Applicants should assume that at least one on-site project review will 
be conducted by Department staff, or their designees, at approximately 
the midpoint of the project performance period. This review will focus 
on the project's progress in meeting the grant's programmatic goals and 
participant outcomes, complying with the targeting requirements 
regarding recipients who are served, expenditure of grant funds on 
allowable activities, integration with other resources and service 
providers in the local area, and methods for assessment of the 
responsiveness and effectiveness of the services being provided. The 
grantee may be subject to other additional reviews at the discretion of 
the Department.

Reporting

    Applicants selected as grantees will be required to provide the 
following reports:
    1. Financial Reporting: The Department of Labor (DOL) issued 
financial reporting instructions for competitive grantees on June 24, 
1998. Financial reports will be submitted electronically directly to 
DOL.
    2. Participant Reporting: Participant reporting instructions will 
be issued shortly covering the WtW competitive grant program. 
Participant reports for each competitive grant will be submitted in 
accordance with reporting instructions at a later date.
    3. Other Reporting: The Department of Labor may negotiate 
additional

[[Page 26445]]

reporting requirements with individual grantees, where necessary, for 
grant management and/or knowledge development purposes, including 
quarterly narrative reports.
    In addition to required quarterly financial and participant 
reporting, some grantees may be asked to provide information to the 
appropriate ETA Grant Officer Technical Representative during the early 
implementation phase of the project for the purpose of project 
oversight. This information may include project enrollment levels, 
participant characteristics, and emerging implementation issues.

VII. Review and Selection of Applications for Grant Award Review 
Process

    The Department will screen all applications to determine whether 
all required elements are present and clearly identifiable. These 
elements are described below in the ``Required Content for the WtW 
Census 2000 Employment Project.'' Failure to include all required 
elements in Section I of the grant application will result in rejection 
of the application.
    Each complete application will be objectively rated against the 
criteria described in this announcement by a panel of Department of 
Labor and Department of Commerce staff. Applicants are advised that the 
panel recommendations to the Grant Officer are advisory in nature. The 
Grant Officer may elect to award the grant either with or without 
discussion with the applicant. In situations where no discussions 
occur, an award will be based on the applicant's signature on the SF-
424 form (See Appendix B), which constitutes a binding offer.
    The Grant Officer will make final award decisions based on what is 
most advantageous to the Government, considering factors such as: Panel 
findings; geographic saturation; and the availability of funds.

Criteria

    The criteria, and the weights assigned to each, which will apply to 
the review of applications submitted in response to this announcement 
are:
    1. ``Local Collaboration and Integration'' [25 points] which shall 
consider the extent to which the applicant can demonstrate that its 
local affiliates have strong relationships with WtW and TANF agencies, 
including tribal entities and WtW Competitive grants, as well as local 
Census Offices, in local areas across the country (up to 15 points); 
and the extent and quality of local community partnerships that are 
involved in the project (up to 10 points).
    2. ``Demonstrated Capability'' [40 points] which shall consider the 
extent to which the applicant and its affiliates demonstrate a history 
of success in managing a project of the scope and complexity described 
herein (up to 15 points); the extent to which the applicant and its 
affiliates have experience in brokering services for a comparable 
target group (up to 12 points); and the extent to which the applicant 
demonstrates the ability to effectively execute grant management 
responsibilities, including tracking of participants in the 70/30% 
categories of eligibility (up to 13 points).
    3. ``Outcomes'' [35 points] which shall consider the quality of the 
proposed strategy for attaining employment and earnings outcomes (up to 
10 points); the extent to which the proposed plan of services responds 
to the barriers faced by proposed participants, and provides 
flexibility to respond to local conditions (up to 7 points); the 
reasonableness of the level of investment in relation to the proposed 
outcomes (up to 8 points); and the extent to which the applicant has a 
strategy for developing relationships with other Welfare-to-Work 
programs and with private employers to ensure long-term placements of 
participants (up 10 points).

    Signed at Washington, D.C., this 11th day of May, 1999.
Janice E. Perry,
Chief, Division of Federal Assistance.

Required Content for WtW Census 2000 Employment Project

    Each application must contain the information and follow the format 
outlined in this Part. In preparing your project narrative, keep in 
mind the selection criteria outlined above.

I. Project Summary

A. Project Financial Plan
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Outcomes'' criteria.
    The financial plan shall describe all costs associated with 
implementing the project that are to be covered with grant funds. All 
costs should be necessary and reasonable according to the Federal 
guidelines set forth in the ``Grants and Agreements with Institutes of 
Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-Profit Organizations'' (also 
known as OMB Circular A-110), codified at 29 CFR Part 95.
    The financial plan must contain the following parts:
    * ``Application for Federal Assistance'' and ``Budget Information 
Sheet'' by line item for all costs required to implement the project 
design effectively. Submission of these two completed forms is 
required. (See Appendix B for these required forms.)

    Note: Although there is no matching requirement for this grant, 
the Department strongly encourages the leveraging of financial and 
other resources in the implementation of WtW competitive grant 
projects. These resources will not, however, be recorded on the 
Budget Information Sheet (Appendix B).

    * Budget narrative/justification which provides sufficient 
information to support the reasonableness of the costs included in the 
budget in relation to the service strategy and planned outcomes.
B. Executive Summary
    Each application must provide a two-page executive summary of the 
grant proposal, describing the nature of the services typically 
provided by applicant's local affiliates, the proposed service 
strategy, the qualifications of the applicant to implement a nationwide 
project, other significant service organizations involved in the 
delivery of services, and the most innovative elements of the proposal. 
This section must be no more than two single-spaced, single-sided 
pages.
C. Evidence of Required Local and State Consultation
    It is the expectation of the Department that, to the extent 
possible, all applications will be developed in consultation with a 
substantial majority of PICs/political subdivisions and Governors 
across the country. The WtW Census 2000 Employment Project should 
complement the WtW formula and competitive grant activity at a local 
level, rather than exist independent of, or in conflict with, those 
programs.
    Each application must include the signed certification of the 
required consultation with the Governor, or of evidence of efforts to 
consult, as described in this announcement. Applications must also 
include the signed certification from each PIC(s) or political 
subdivision(s) or other evidence indicating the efforts undertaken to 
obtain the required consultation as described in this announcement. In 
areas where an entity other than the PIC has been designated by the 
Governor and approved by the Secretary to administer the WtW formula 
grant, the applicant should also include evidence of consultation and/
or support from that entity. All certifications or comments provided as 
part of this requirement must be included in this section of the grant 
application and will not be counted against the established page 
limits. A

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sample format for State and local certifications can be found in 
Appendix C that applicants may choose to use. All certifications must 
be dated prior to July 16, 1999.
    Applicants must submit a list of all State and local entities from 
whom they have obtained certification of coordination. Applicants will 
maintain copies of all certifications in their own files. Although an 
important part of their application, certifications need not be 
submitted to DOL. For those applicants that are deemed to be 
competitive, DOL will verify that certifications are on file and that 
they are dated prior to the closing date of the SGA.

II. Government Requirement/Statement of Work--Project Narrative

    This section of the application should not exceed 15 single-spaced, 
numbered pages. The application should include information of the type 
described below, as appropriate.
Description of Applicant's Service Delivery System
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Demonstrated Capability'' criteria.
--Describe the nature of programs operated, services provided and 
outcomes obtained by local affiliates nationwide. In addition, please 
provide a map indicating which State and local areas are served by 
local affiliates.
--Identify with what types of organizations local affiliates typically 
coordinate activities and services.
--Describe organizational experience in serving welfare recipients, 
including hard-to-employ recipients and noncustodial parents, and 
implementing welfare reform programs. In addition, please describe any 
specific Welfare-to-Work programs that your organization or local 
affiliates are operating or where you are providing services through a 
contract or subgrant.
--Describe your experience in working with Private Industry Councils or 
providing employment and training programs. Explain any situations in 
which your organization provided services for individuals who were 
simultaneously enrolled in more than one Federal program (e.g. AFDC/
TANF and JTPA).
Recruitment and Intake of Target Group
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Local Collaboration and Integration'' and 
``Outcomes'' criteria.
--Describe your organization's experience in assessing individual 
barriers to employment, and the population typically served by your 
organization and its affiliates, including the barriers that your 
programs and services address.
--Describe how your organization normally recruits individuals to 
participate in your program, including other specific organizations or 
types of organizations and agencies (such as housing authorities, 
welfare agencies, workforce development agencies, child support 
enforcement agencies, etc.) that might assist you with referrals.
Employer Recruitment Strategies
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Outcomes'' criteria.
--Describe the types of relationships that your organization has 
maintained with employers both at a national level and at a local level 
(e.g. associations that you work with at the national level, as well as 
types of organizations that local affiliates tend to work with 
regularly).
--Identify the types of occupations in the local area which are likely 
to be targeted as appropriate employment opportunities for the target 
group of this project following their temporary employment with Census 
2000. Include a brief justification for the selection of the 
occupations in terms of their availability and demand and the adequacy 
of expected placement wage and post-placement earnings potential to 
achieve self-sufficiency.
--Describe the specific responsibilities and approaches for developing 
relationships with and support of employers to generate a sufficient 
number of unsubsidized employment opportunities for the target group. 
Specifically describe how employers will be encouraged to customize 
employment opportunities to meet work-related needs (e.g., child care, 
flexible work schedules) of recipients.
Service Strategy
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Local Collaboration and Integration'' and 
``Outcomes'' criteria.

--Identify the specific job readiness, placement (in both subsidized 
and unsubsidized employment), post-employment, job retention and/or 
support services to be provided with WtW Census 2000 Employment Project 
grant funds as well as resources and services to be leveraged from 
other sources.
--Describe the rationale for planned activities in terms of the timing 
of Census 2000 employment, employment barriers faced by participants, 
and likely occupations described above.
--Describe what individual support services, such as mentoring and case 
management, will be used to maintain participants in the employment 
once placed in their post-Census job.
--Describe what services will be provided or referrals made for 
eligible WtW participants who are not hired by Census.
--Describe how longer-term supportive services and follow-up services 
will be provided after the end of the grant.

    Note: It is assumed that job retention and supportive services 
provided through the WtW Census Employment Project grant will be of 
relatively short duration. Applicants are encouraged to describe in 
detail what arrangements they have made with other WtW grantees at 
the local level to provide longer-term supportive services and 
follow-up for WtW Census Employment Project participants.
Service Process
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Local Collaboration and Integration'' and 
``Outcomes'' criteria.

--Describe the comprehensive service process that will be available to 
participants, and identify the organizations which will be involved in 
providing specific services/activities. [A process flowchart and/or 
service matrix may be used to provide this description.] The 
description should specify what elements of the service strategy are 
already available in the community, as well as the elements or services 
that will be funded through the WtW competitive grant award. At a 
minimum, describe the coordination and contributions of WtW formula and 
competitive grants (including tribal entities), JTPA service providers, 
TANF providers, child support enforcement agencies and housing 
authorities.
--Describe the specific methods which will be used by the grantee and 
the local TANF agency to coordinate and work jointly in providing the 
following services: Outreach, recruitment, and referral of appropriate 
recipients for assistance through the project; assessment of skills and 
identification of specific employment barriers; counseling and case 
management; and support services.
--Describe what mechanism(s) the project will use to ensure that long 
term job retention and supportive

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services are made available to participants after the end of the WtW 
Census 2000 Employment Project grant.
Planned Outcomes
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Outcomes'' criteria.
--Identify and justify planned performance for the comprehensive 
service strategy on the following measures: Number of participants to 
be placed into unsubsidized employment; average earnings at placement 
in post-Census unsubsidized employment; expected average earnings one 
year after placement in unsubsidized employment; and cost per placement 
in unsubsidized employment. In addition, describe specific process or 
outcome objectives for those services.

    The application may include other measures and planned performance 
levels as deemed appropriate by the applicant, such as measures of the 
quality of post-Census project job placements, including employee 
benefits and advancement opportunities. If these are included, the 
applicant should briefly describe their relevance to the project.
Implementation Plan
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Outcomes'' criteria.

--Identify the critical activities, time frames and responsibilities 
for effectively implementing the project within the first 90 days after 
the award of the grant. Note that project should plan to start on 
October 1, 1999 and that Census employment should begin in mid-April, 
2000.
--Include an implementation schedule showing the number of 
participants, enrollments in Census jobs and other allowable 
activities, placements in unsubsidized employment and terminations.
Project Management Plan
    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominantly under the ``Demonstrated Capability'' criteria.
    Applicants must be able to document that they have systems capable 
of satisfying the administrative and grant management requirements for 
WtW grants as defined in 20 CFR Part 645.

--Include a project organizational chart which identifies the staff 
with key management responsibilities and the specific responsibilities 
of each. Also describe the relationship between the national 
organization and the local affiliates and mechanisms used for 
communication and technical assistance.
--Describe the specific experience of the applicant in managing a 
project of this geographical scope and limited time frame. The 
information should include at a minimum specific projects or grants, a 
comparison of the characteristics of individuals served to the target 
group for this project, and the outcomes which were achieved. In 
addition, applicants should provide the names and addresses of their 
last three grantors, public and/or private, from which applicants 
received funding. The Department of Labor reserves the right to contact 
any or all of these funding organizations or to request additional 
information from the applicant regarding past performance as part of a 
responsibility review process, or if the Department is concerned about 
the applicants' financial responsibility or capability to manage grant 
funds.
--Describe how current or former welfare recipients will be used to in 
the provision of services.

Appendix A: Definitions of Key Terms

    Private Entity--Any organization, public or private, which is 
neither a PIC nor a political subdivision of a State.
    Private Industry Council (PIC)--from Sec. 645.120 of the WtW 
Regulations--A Private Industry Council established under Section 
102 of the Job Training Partnership Act, which performs the 
functions authorized at Section 103 of the JTPA, including their 
successor entities under the Workforce Investment Act.
    Political Subdivision--A unit of general purpose local 
government, as provided for in State laws and/or Constitution, which 
has the power to levy taxes and spend funds and which also has 
general corporate and police powers.

Appendix B: Required Forms

    (1) Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424).
    (2) Budget Information Sheet.

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[FR Doc. 99-12225 Filed 5-13-99; 8:45 am]
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