[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 110 (Thursday, June 7, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30754-30767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14488]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Young Offender Initiative: Reentry Grant Program; Demonstration 
Grant Program

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), 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 
forms needed to apply for grant funding. The Departments of Labor, 
Justice, and Health and Human Services are requesting applications for 
the Fiscal Year 2001 Young Offender Initiative: Demonstration Grant 
Program projects. Approximately $11.5 million is available to fund 
demonstration grants to provide services aimed at youth who are or have 
been under criminal justice supervision or involved in gangs. The 
Department of Labor (DOL) has worked with the Office of Juvenile 
Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the U.S. Department of Justice 
(DOJ) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
(SAMHSA) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in 
deciding to use these funds for an innovative model to serve young 
offenders, gang members, and at-risk youth. This model is called the 
One-Stop Youth Services Demonstration Model. Grants will be given in 
two categories: Category A: Large Areas and Category B: Small to 
Medium-Sized Areas. The model is based upon new research. Applicants 
can only apply under one of the two categories which must be clearly 
identified on the face sheet of the application.
    Local Workforce Investment Boards (Local Boards), other political 
subdivisions of the State, and private entities are eligible to receive 
grant funds under this announcement. Local workforce investment areas 
who were awarded grants to administer Youth Offender Demonstration 
Projects in 1999 (SGA/DAA 98-015, dated September 2, 1998) and 2001 
(SGA/DFA 01-101, dated December 11, 2000) are ineligible to apply under 
this Solicitation. However, first round (1999) grantees who were not 
awarded additional funds to continue their current programs through 
DOL's Letter of Competition, dated December 7, 2000, are eligible to 
apply.

DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday, October 
1, 2001. Applications must be received by 4 p.m. (Eastern Daylight 
Savings Time) at the address below. No exceptions to the mailing and 
hand-delivery conditions set forth in this notice will be granted. 
Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice 
will not be honored. Telefacsimile (FAX) applications will not be 
honored.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be mailed to: U.S. Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, 
Attention: B. Jai Johnson, Reference: SGA/DFA 01-109, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room S-4203, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions should be faxed to B. Jai 
Johnson at (202) 693-2879, (this is a not a toll-free number). All 
inquiries should include the SGA/DFA number 01-109, and a contact name, 
fax and phone numbers. This announcement 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: This solicitation is jointly issued by the 
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration 
(ETA); the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Corrections Program Office 
(CPO), Office of Justice Programs (OJP); and U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services (DHHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) 
and Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). Additional offices within 
DOJ's Office of Justice Programs helping to guide this effort include 
the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the National 
Institute of Justice, and the Executive Office of Weed and Seed.
    These grants make use of funds appropriated in the Fiscal Year (FY) 
2001 Federal budget, and are the third round of Young Offender 
Initiative: Demonstration Grant Program projects. Two prior rounds of 
such grants have been awarded based on appropriations in the FY 1998 
and FY 2000 budgets.
    This solicitation is one of two dealing with the overall Young 
Offender Initiative: Reentry Grant Program (Initiative). It is for a 
smaller number of experimental Young Offender Initiative: Demonstration 
Grant Program projects and published coincident with the larger Young 
Offender Initiative: Reentry Grant Program solicitation.

[[Page 30755]]

    Since 1998, at Congressional direction, DOL and DOJ have funded 
grants under the Youth Offender Demonstration Project to provide 
services focused on youth who are or have been under criminal justice 
supervision or involved in gangs or are at risk of this involvement. 
Based upon a recent interim report, Interim Report for Youth Offender 
Demonstration Project, Process Evaluation (Research and Evaluation 
Associates, Inc., March 2001), that assessed the Youth Offender 
demonstrations, there is solid evidence of a need to further test 
methods of effective delivery of services to the 14-24 year old target 
group in additional sites.
    Therefore, DOL is proposing to fund additional Young Offender 
Initiative: Demonstration Grant Program projects (using funds separate 
from those dedicated to the 25 grants proposed in the Initiative, OJP-
1320) in a small number of sites. Services will include youth 
development services and they will focus primarily on preparing young 
offenders, gang members, and at-risk youth ages 14 to 24 for positive 
engagement in pro-social activity and long-term employability and 
employment. The purpose of these additional DOL funds will be to 
further test a structured set of activities for subject target group, 
using a decisive organizational design grounded on research and PEPNet 
(Effective Practices) criteria.
    This demonstration provides a unique opportunity for local areas to 
address the needs of the young offenders and at-risk youth through an 
array of services offered at One-Stop centers. Models developed under 
this latest effort will enhance public safety by assisting communities 
to develop and sustain an infrastructure to reintegrate offenders. In 
addition, DOL, DOJ and DHHS will be able to evaluate the projects, 
identify effective practices, and disseminate these practices to other 
communities.
    This Notice describes the application submission requirements, the 
process that eligible entities must use to apply for funds covered by 
this solicitation, and how grantees will be selected. This announcement 
consists of four parts:
     Part I provides background, purpose, and goals of the 
Young Offender Initiative: Reentry Grant Program.
     Part II describes specific program, administrative and 
reporting requirements that will apply to all grant awards.
     Part III describes the application process.
     Part IV describes the review process and rating criteria 
that will be used to evaluate applications for funding.

Part I--Background and Purpose of the Reentry Program

A. Background

    The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 establishes 
comprehensive reform of existing Federal job training programs with 
amendments impacting service delivery under the Wagner Peyser Act, 
Adult Education and Literacy Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. WIA 
provides a framework for a national one-stop delivery system designed 
to meet both the needs of the nation's businesses and the needs of job 
seekers who want to further their careers. A number of other Federal 
programs are also identified as required partners under the One-Stop 
delivery system with the intention of providing comprehensive services 
for all Americans to access the information and resources available to 
them in the development and implementation of their career goals. The 
intent of the One-Stop delivery system is to establish programs and 
providers in co-located, coordinated and integrated settings that are 
coherent and accessible for individuals and businesses alike in over 
600 workforce investment areas which have been established throughout 
the nation.
    WIA establishes State and Local Boards focused on strategic 
planning, policy development, and oversight of the workforce system 
with significant authority for the Governor and chief elected officials 
to build on existing reforms in order to implement innovative and 
comprehensive One-Stop delivery systems. In addition, Youth Councils, 
subgroups of the Local Boards, assist in developing parts of the local 
plan relating to youth, recommending providers of youth services, and 
coordinating local youth programs and initiatives. With its 
requirements to form these interdisciplinary Youth Councils and to 
develop one comprehensive plan for youth services, WIA presents a 
unique opportunity to change the way workforce development programs 
(and other youth development programs as well) are organized and 
operated to serve youth. WIA and the Youth Councils offer local areas 
the chance to look at how both in-school and out-of-school youth 
services are blended and deployed. They provide the framework that 
local areas can build on in order to realign, enhance, and improve 
youth services so that they are more closely coordinated, better 
utilized, and more effective.
    In setting aside funds for this Solicitation, Congress noted ``the 
severe problems facing out-of-school youth in communities with high 
poverty and unemployment and the inter-relatedness of poverty, juvenile 
crime, child abuse and neglect, school failure, and teen pregnancy.'' 
This Notice provides a unique opportunity for selected workforce 
investment areas to address the needs of a special youth population--
young offenders, gang members, and at-risk youth ages 14 to 24--through 
a comprehensive WIA effort. In addition, the models developed under 
this solicitation will enhance public safety by assisting communities 
to develop and sustain an infrastructure to reintegrate offenders, and 
will allow DOL, DOJ and DHHS to evaluate the program, identify 
effective practices, and disseminate these practices to other 
communities.
    For this target population, unaddressed and untreated mental health 
problems often contribute to involvement in the juvenile justice 
system. Research indicates that between 50% to 80% of youth detained in 
juvenile facilities have mental health problems and that more than half 
of those with a psychological disorder also have a co-occurring 
substance abuse problem. Because untreated behavioral health problems 
can be severely debilitating, and because the prevalence of such 
disorders is significantly elevated for delinquent youth, it is 
critical that mental health and substance abuse services be 
incorporated into any comprehensive strategy that is designed to 
enhance youth functioning, decrease recidivism, and promote enduring 
workforce participation for this population.
    In the previous two rounds of the youth offender grants (FYs 1998 
and 2000), DOL in partnership with DOJ, had funded four demonstration 
projects under a separate model, the Education and Training for Youth 
Offenders Initiative. The grants under this model include projects in 
Columbus, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Tallahassee, FL; and a fourth site 
funded under SGA/DFA 01-101 to be announced by June 30, 2001. The first 
of these projects are in operation and provide comprehensive school-to-
work education and training curricula for young offenders in juvenile 
corrections facilities and aftercare/reentry services upon the youths' 
return to their communities, with an emphasis on job placement and 
retention. Both DOL and DOJ are extremely interested in lessons learned 
from these sites, and

[[Page 30756]]

will continue to evaluate the programs and services offered under this 
model.

B. Purpose and Goals of the Overall Young Offender Initiative: Reentry 
Grant Program

    The Demonstration Grant Program is part of the larger Young 
Offender Initiative: Reentry Grant Program (Initiative) developed 
collaboratively by DOL, DOJ and DHHS. The focus of the Initiative is to 
assist communities in planning and implementing comprehensive 
``reentry'' programs to address the full range of challenges involved 
in helping young offenders released from incarceration make a 
successful transition back to the community. The goal of the Initiative 
is to protect community safety through the successful reintegration of 
offenders returning to the community, by ensuring that offenders:
     Become productive, responsible, and law-abiding citizens;
     Are provided with positive opportunities to engage in pro-
social activities;
     Maintain long-term employment;
     Sustain a stable residence; and
     Successfully address their substance abuse issues and 
mental health needs.
    There are challenges in achieving this goal. These challenges 
involve assessing not only the needs of released offenders, but also 
the needs of the communities to which they return. Central to this 
effort is helping communities prepare for returning offenders by 
developing the infrastructure to more effectively integrate them--to 
ensure that communities have the resources to address offender 
accountability, supervision, and other public safety concerns, as well 
as offender long-term employment, health, mental health, substance 
abuse, and other critical needs. Addressing offender supervision, self-
sufficiency, public health and related issues promotes public safety.
    Addressing the community's wide-ranging needs requires creating 
broad public/private partnerships to tap the expertise and resources of 
key stakeholders to contribute to the effort. With this broad support, 
it is expected that highly collaborative reentry programs will be 
successful in meeting the goals of this Initiative by providing 
communities with the reentry assessment and support systems that both 
offenders and communities need to protect public safety and the health 
and overall well-being of its citizens. This Initiative seeks to 
promote innovative programs by providing applicants latitude in 
structuring their programmatic efforts.
    Both the larger Reentry Grant Program Initiative and the Young 
Offender Initiative: Demonstration Grant Program share several other 
goals as well, which are to:
     Create innovative models of collaboration among Governors' 
designated representatives; Federal, State, and local government 
agencies responsible for criminal justice, workforce development, 
mental health and substance abuse; CBOs, faith-based organizations, 
employers, offenders and their families;
     Support localities in their efforts to promote healthy 
youth development activities that will assist at-risk youth and young 
offenders to positively contribute to the life of their communities;
     Learn as much as possible about what works in offender 
reentry and programs through testing and evaluating promising 
approaches; and
     Develop information on best practices on young offender 
reentry and to share this information with the criminal justice, 
workforce development, mental health and substance abuse delivery 
systems.
    These goals, when realized, will provide beneficial results to DOL, 
DOJ, and DHHS in their effort to refine and learn from program 
experience with offenders. These will be in addition to the body of 
knowledge we already have on this younger population. Like the grants 
under the larger program, the Young Offender Initiative: Demonstration 
Grant Program is a demonstration effort, however, the target group is 
14-24 years old. DOL has already received interim results of its first 
evaluation of the program and they are reflected and incorporated into 
the new solicitation that is part of the larger collaborative effort.
    As these reentry programs are implemented, it will also be critical 
to document what works, by evaluating these efforts, identifying 
effective practices, and disseminating them to other communities.
    This Young Offender Initiative: Demonstration Grant Program's 
overarching goal is to protect community safety through the successful 
reintegration of offenders returning to the community by ensuring that 
these individuals are given the supports that will better enable them 
to be productive, responsible citizens who are crime-free, maintain 
long-term employment and a stable residence, and are engaged in 
substance abuse and mental health treatment as needed. The Young 
Offender Initiative: Demonstration Grant Program targets an age-related 
subset of the larger initiative's target population and expands the 
focus to include other at-risk or gang-involved youth but retains the 
same goal of providing job training and employment opportunities, 
education, substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation, mental health, 
aftercare, housing and family support services, and juvenile/criminal 
justice supervision.

C. Authority

    Sections 171 and 172 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Pub. 
L. 105-220, 112 Stat. 936, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 2801, et seq., 
authorizes use of funds for demonstration projects. DOL is authorized 
to award and administer this program by the Department of Labor 
Appropriations Act, 2001, Pub. L. No. 106-554, 114 Stat. 2763A-3 
(2000).

D. Funding Availability

    The Department expects to award 6 grants approximately $1.5 million 
each under category A (Large Areas) and 5 grants approximately $600,000 
each under category B (Small to Medium-Sized Areas) for a total of 
approximately $11.5 million.

Part II--Requirements

A. Eligible Participants

    Applicants are to target the youth population ages 14-24 focusing 
primarily on placing youth offenders, gang members, and at-risk youth 
into long term employment (part-time for ages 14-15).

B. Administrative Requirements

1. General
    Grantee organizations will be subject to: these guidelines; the 
terms and conditions of the grant and any subsequent modifications; 
applicable Federal laws (including provisions in appropriations law); 
and any applicable requirements listed below--
    a. Workforce Investment Boards--20 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Section 667.220, published in the Federal Register, August 11, 
2000 (65 Fed. Reg. 49294) (Administrative Costs).
    b. Non-Profit Organizations--Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circulars A-122 (Cost Principles) and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative 
Requirements).
    c. Educational Institutions--OMB Circulars A-21 (Cost Principles) 
and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
    d. State and Local Governments--OMB Circulars A-87 (Cost 
Principles) and 29 CFR Part 97 (Administrative Requirements).

[[Page 30757]]

    e. All entities must comply with 29 CFR Parts 93 and 98, and, where 
applicable, 29 CFR Parts 96 and 99.


    Note: Except as specifically provided, DOL/ETA acceptance of a 
proposal and an award of federal funds to sponsor any program(s) 
does not provide a waiver of any grant requirement and/or 
procedures. For example, the OMB circulars require an entity's 
procurement procedures must require that all procurement 
transactions must be conducted, as practical, to provide open and 
free competition. If a proposal identifies a specific entity to 
provide the services, the DOL/ETA's award does not provide the 
justification or basis to sole-source the procurement, i.e., avoid 
competition.

2. Subgrants/Contracts
    Subgrants and contracts must be awarded in accordance with 29 CFR 
95.40. In compliance with Executive Orders 12876, 12900, 12928 and 
13021, the grantee(s) are strongly encouraged to provide subgranting 
opportunities to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic 
Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities.
3. Incorporation of New Information
    Grantees must utilize any newly developed DOL/DOJ/SAMHSA research 
findings (which may become available after the grant awards) on how to 
run effective programs. Applicants therefore will be required to modify 
their demonstration program during the post-award planning process 
based upon any new information, as specified in the terms and 
conditions of the grant award. In order to assist with this effort, 
DOL, DOJ, and DHHS will design early technical assistance in the 
planning process to aid the grantees with the incorporation of program 
changes predicated on the new information.
4. Evaluation
    As a condition for award, all applicants must agree to participate 
in a separately-funded evaluation. Applicants will not set aside funds 
for evaluation activities. All applicants must provide assurances in 
their proposals that they will cooperate with the evaluators and 
provide access to the data necessary to the evaluations. Awardees of 
the grants further agree to make available upon request to DOL-
authorized evaluation contractor(s) data for a period not to exceed 24 
months beyond the demonstration period (which should not exceed 24 
months) through a no-cost extension of the grants. The availability of 
this data beyond the demonstration period will enable the contractor to 
perform follow-up analysis.

C. Reporting Requirements

    Applicants must clearly define their procedures for reporting 
progress on a quarterly basis (including data elements listed in Part 
II C.2 ) and for identifying and presenting the results of project 
interventions. Proposals should also describe in detail the specific 
reports and other deliverables to be provided to ETA as documentation 
of progress and results in terms of improved outcomes for the target 
population. An implementation plan to be submitted within 60 days of 
the grant execution and approved by DOL, DOJ, and DHHS quarterly 
reports, an annual report, and a final report summarizing progress are 
required for projects under this SGA. For financial reports, the 
grantee must consult its appropriate administrative regulations, 29 CFR 
Part 95 and 29 CFR 97.
1. Data Collection
    All demonstration sites must collect and maintain participant 
records and compile administrative data from these projects to document 
results and accomplishments, and provide a learning experience for the 
workforce development system, DOL, DOJ and DHHS. The data requirements 
must include the following information in two age ranges (14-17 and 18-
24):
    N. Number recruited;
    O. Number enrolled;
    P. Number who entered training;
    Q. Number who entered or reentered secondary school;
    R. Number who entered or reentered post-secondary school;
    S. Number who entered employment (total):
     Subsidized and
     Unsubsidized;
    T. Number ``served by aftercare'' programs;
    U. Number who entered the military;
    V. Number who entered national and community service;
    W. Number referred to other services such as dropout prevention, 
drug rehabilitation, mental health and substance abuse treatment 
services;
    X. Number who entered other job training programs;
    Y. Number referred to apprenticeship programs;
    Z. Number of in-school youth served; and
    AA. Number of out-of-school youth served.
    As a measure of progress, grantees also must collect data on 
factors which predict future employment of youth prior to youth's 
employment full-time, full-year. Therefore, applicants must identify 
what factors consider to be youth development indicators, e.g., 
dependability in participating in project activities; remaining free of 
further convictions; passing part or all of the GED examinations; being 
able to keep a part-time job; or making acceptable progress (credits 
earned) toward a diploma, etc. In addition, if applicable, data 
elements associated with WIA may be required (to be specified in the 
grantee's statement of work).

D. Acknowledgment of Federal Funding

    In all circumstances, the following must be displayed on printed 
materials:

    Preparation of this material/item was funded by the United 
States Department of Labor under Grant Agreement No. [insert the 
appropriate grant agreement number].

    When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, 
bid solicitations, and other documents describing projects or programs 
funded in whole or in part with Federal money, all grantees receiving 
Federal funds must clearly state:
    a. The percentage of the total costs of the program or project 
which will be financed with Federal money;
    b. The dollar amount of Federal funds for the project or program; 
and
    c. The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the 
project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.

Part III--Application Process

A. Eligible Applicants

    Under this Initiative, Youth Offender: Demonstration Grant Program, 
there will be two (2) categories of eligible applicants; Applicants may 
only apply under one category. They are:
1. Category A--Large Areas
    Local Boards other political subdivisions of the State, and 
eligible private entities which provided services located in high-crime 
communities with a population greater than 400,000 and a high youth 
crime rate and a significant youth gang problem are eligible to receive 
grant funds under this announcement; or
2. Category B--Small to Medium-Sized Areas
    Local Boards, other political subdivisions of the State, and 
private entities which are all situated within high-crime communities 
with a population of at least 100,000 and not greater than 400,000 and 
a high youth crime rate and a significant youth gang problem are 
eligible to receive grant funds under this announcement.
    All applicants in both categories are required to designate a 
specific area or

[[Page 30758]]

neighborhood (i.e., Empowerment Zones [EZs] and/or Economic Communities 
[ECs], etc.) to receive services under this demonstration.
    Private entities not eligible for funds under this Notice are for-
profit organizations, 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations, and 
individuals. According to Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995, an organization described in Section 501 (c) (4) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 that engages in lobbying activities will not be 
eligible for the receipt of federal funds constituting an award, grant, 
or loan.
    Eligible entities may include community development corporations, 
community action agencies, community-based and faith-based 
organizations, disability community organizations, health care 
organizations, children and family service agencies, public and private 
colleges and universities, and other qualified private organizations. 
Organizations or areas that operate the Department of Justice's Safe 
Futures or Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, 
Intervention, and Suppression demonstrations can also apply through 
their Local Boards. Applicants should provide documentation from their 
local law enforcement agency showing support for the existence or 
emerging gang problem and other serious youth crime problems.
    Entities other than a Local Board must submit an application for 
competitive grant funds in conjunction with the Local Board(s) the area 
in which the project is to operate. The term ``in conjunction with'' 
must mean that the application must include a signed certification by 
both the applicant and the appropriate Local Board (s) indicating that:
    1. The applicant has consulted with the appropriate Local Board 
(and its Youth Council) during the development of the application; and
    2. The activities proposed in the application are consistent with, 
and will be coordinated with, the One-Stop delivery system efforts of 
the Local Board(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 Local Board and its Youth Council and 
indicating that the Local Board was provided, during the proposal 
solicitation period, a sufficient opportunity to cooperate in the 
development of the project plan and to review and comment on the 
application before its submission to the Department of Labor. 
``Sufficient opportunity for Local Board review and comment'' must mean 
at least 30 calendar days. Failure to provide information describing 
the efforts which were undertaken to consult with Local Board(s) will 
disqualify applicants.
    The certification, or evidence of efforts to consult, must be with 
each Local Board in the service area in which the proposed project is 
to operate. These certifications must be included in the grant 
application, and will not count against the established page 
limitations. For the purposes of this portion of the application, 
evidence of efforts to consult with the Local Board must be 
demonstrated by written documentation, such as registered mail receipt, 
that attempts were made to share project applications with the Local 
Board in a timely manner. Local Board applicants and applicants that 
provide a signed certification by the applicant and the appropriate 
Local Board(s) will be given preference for award.

B. Submission of Applications

    Each application clearly must identify the category under the Youth 
Offender: Demonstration Grant Program, the applicant is applying for 
funds. This information must appear on the face sheet of the 
application.
1. The Application
    Applicants must submit one (1) original and three (3) copies of 
their proposal, with original signatures. There are three required 
sections of the application: Section I-Project Financial Plan; Section 
II-Executive Summary; and Section III-Project Narrative (including 
Appendices, not to exceed thirty pages). Applications that fail to meet 
these requirements will not be considered.
    Section I--Project Financial Plan. Section I of the application 
must include the following two required elements: (1) Standard Form 
(SF) 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' (Appendix A) and (2) 
``Budget Information Form,'' (Appendix B). All copies of the SF 424 
MUST have original signatures of the legal entity applying for grant 
funds. Applicants must indicate on the SF 424 the organization's IRS 
Status, if applicable. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
(CFDA) number is 17-261. Section I will not count against the 
application page limits.
    In preparing the Budget Information form, the Financial Plan must 
describe all costs associated with implementing the project that are to 
be covered with grant funds. In addition, Section I must include a 
budget narrative/justification which will detail the cost breakout of 
each line item on the Budget Information Form. This must provide 
sufficient information to support the reasonableness of the costs 
included in the budget in relation to the service strategy and planned 
outcomes. The budget must be for the full duration of the project but 
may not exceed 30 months. All costs must be necessary and reasonable 
according to the Federal guidelines set forth in the ``Uniform 
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to 
State and Local Governments'' (also known as the ``Common Rule''), 
codified at 29 CFR Part 97 (97.22) and ``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, (95.27).
    Section II--Executive Summary (format requirements limited to no 
more than two single-spaced, single-sided pages). Each application must 
provide a project synopsis which identifies the following:
     The applicant;
     The consortium partners and the type of organizations they 
represent;
     The project service area;
     Whether the service area is an entire local workforce 
investment area, more than one local area, and/or all local areas in a 
State;
     The specific areas of focus in the announcement which are 
addressed by the project;
     The planned period of performance;
     A summary of the comprehensive strategy (e.g., who will 
provide services, who will be accountable for the project, etc.) for 
providing seamless service delivery and for addressing the multi-
faceted barriers to training and employment which affect youth who are 
or who have been under criminal justice supervision or involved in 
gangs or who are at-risk of involvement;
     How counseling and other support needs will be addressed 
in the One-Stop delivery system;
     The actions already taken by the State or Local Workforce 
Investment Board to address the needs of at-risk youth in the One-Stop 
delivery system;
     The level of commitment the applicant (including all 
consortium members, if any) and other partners have to serving at-risk 
youth;
     The linkages between the project and the local WIA Youth 
Council through the One-Stop delivery system, as well as linkages with 
the business and education communities, mental health and substance 
abuse systems, and juvenile justice agencies; and

[[Page 30759]]

     A written confirmation that the applicant will cooperate 
with the evaluators.
    Section III--Project Narrative (format requirements limited to no 
more than thirty (30) double-spaced, single-sided, numbered pages). 
Section III of the application, the project narrative, must contain the 
technical proposal that demonstrates the applicant's plan and 
capabilities in accordance with the evaluation criteria contained in 
this notice. Applicants MUST limit the project narrative section to no 
more than thirty (30) double-spaced and single-sided pages, which 
include any attachments provided by the applicants. Letters of general 
support or recommendation for a proposal must NOT be submitted and will 
count against the page limit. However, letters of commitment are 
required from partner/consortia organizations and will not count 
against the page limit.
    The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, and on single-sided, 
numbered pages with the exception of format requirements for the 
Executive Summary. The Executive Summary must be limited to no more 
than two (2) single-spaced, single-sided pages. A font size of at least 
twelve (12) pitch is required throughout the application.
2. Youth Development Principles
    Strength-based programming that is designed to build upon a youth's 
assets and enhance functioning at the individual, family, and community 
levels will foster healthy development and further advance the goals of 
youth involvement in pro-social activity. DOL, DOJ and DHHS expect 
models developed under this solicitation to be consistent with the 
youth development principles that Gary Walker described in the Sar 
Levitan Institute's A Generation of Challenge: Pathways to Success for 
Urban Youth (1997):
     Each young person needs to feel that at least one adult 
has a strong stake in his labor market success.
     Programs must be connected to employers; placement with 
one of these employers is possible and initial placement is one step in 
a continuing long-term relationship with a program that will advance 
the young person's employment and earnings.
     Each young person must feel at each step the need to 
improve education and credentials.
     Program support will be there for a long time.
     Effective connections are maintained between the programs 
and providers of support services.
     The program emphasizes civic involvement and service.
    Age Issues: Also, critical to the new model is the distinction 
between two subpopulations within the solicitation target group: 
younger youth (ages 14 to 17) and older youth (ages 18 to 24). Younger 
youth require different sets of treatment and skills programming than 
those between the ages of 18 and 24, as they may have less exposure to 
the world of work and fewer of the necessary work-related skills or may 
not be able to enter into long-term, full-time work until they are 
older. Services intended for younger youth should, therefore, focus on 
pre-employment training, education, treatment and appropriate 
employment in preparation for long-term employment when they reach an 
appropriate age. Interventions for these youth that are the most 
effective are those that can make a positive impact upon both the youth 
and his or her family. The provision of strength-based family-centered 
therapy and supports designed to enhance family functioning and 
communication will thus facilitate the broader process of skill and 
competency development for the youth. For youth re-entering the 
community following institutional placement, it is particularly vital 
to offer therapeutic supports to aid the re-unification process. Older 
youth (18 to 24 year-olds) should focus on attaining their GEDs or 
diplomas, possibly pursuing higher education or additional vocational 
training, and obtaining unsubsidized full-time employment. The 
applicants must use the following structure:
One-Stop Youth Services Demonstration Model
    Demonstration projects under this model will operate in heavily 
impoverished communities in need of implementing comprehensive 
community-wide approaches to assist young offenders, gang members, and 
those at risk of becoming involved in gangs, all of whom may either be 
currently in school or out-of-school. These communities will have 
already built service capacity into their One-Stop delivery systems to 
expand the range and quality of services designed to prepare high-risk 
youth for high-quality employment with career development ladders and 
livable wages, but may not have fully implemented these activities. 
Grantees will be required to expand services in each of 3 areas: (1) 
gang prevention and suppression activities; (2) alternative sentencing 
for offenders; and (3) after-care and case management for incarcerated 
youth. In addition, grantees must provide education and mental health 
services, employment training, sports and recreation, youth development 
services, and community services projects in order to reduce recidivism 
and procure for the target population long-term employment at livable 
wage levels. The grantees must place particular emphasis on enhancing 
existing case management, treatment, youth development, family 
involvement and support, and job placement services for youth on 
probation or for those who are reentering the community from 
corrections facilities. These support services should be provided 
throughout the entire employment search continuum, i.e., from the 
beginning of the employment search until well after the procurement of 
employment. Projects need to include youth and families in project 
planning and activities. The projects also will maintain records of the 
number of contacts made after placement and the type of support 
services provided.
    The projects also will implement an intensive and comprehensive 
aftercare system to reduce juvenile recidivism. Aftercare systems 
should be implemented while youth are still incarcerated to establish 
community links with faith-based organizations, parents or guardians, 
mental health and substance abuse treatment systems, schools, training 
and educational opportunities, parole systems, social contacts and 
activities, and mentors. The aftercare services planned for those 
individuals incarcerated must involve the staff and administrators of 
the juvenile corrections facilities where the youth are 
institutionalized.
    Structured Model Requirements: New structured requirements for the 
model which all applicants must use are based, in part, on PEPNet 
effective practices criteria and the Interim Report for Youth Offender 
Demonstration Project, Process Evaluation (March 2001) for the first 
round of Young Offender Grants, which may be found at the Employment 
and Training Administration's website, http://www.doleta.gov. 
Applicants' proposals are required to demonstrate the following, which 
will be rated in the rating criteria:
    (1) Well Conceived Plan:
     Program has a clear and focused vision and mission.
     Program goals and objectives are realistic and measurable.
     Stakeholders, including community partners, family member 
representatives, and front-line staff, are involved during program 
development and implementation.
    (2) Established Partnership with the Juvenile Justice and Health 
Care Systems:

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     Grantee is experienced in working with the Juvenile 
Justice and Health Care Systems.
    (3) Collecting and Maintaining Data:
     A system for collecting and reporting program information 
is available and utilized.
    (4) Community Support/Network:
     Program is supported by youth and family serving agencies 
including CBOs, faith-based organizations, and public service agencies.
     Projects need to include youth and families in project 
planning and activities.
    (5) Grantee Involvement:
     Grantee is the lead agency, actively providing direction 
and coordination for the project.
     Grantee involvement and support is continuous.
    (6) Connections with Workforce Development, Juvenile Justice and 
Health Care Systems:
     Grantee coordinates with and utilizes resources available 
through the Workforce Development, Juvenile Justice, and Health Care 
Systems.
    (7) Leveraging Resources through Collaboration and Partnerships:
     Project effectively identifies and utilizes other 
resources and funding streams to support project goals.
    (8) Continuous Improvement:
     Project conducts self-assessment and actively seeks and 
accepts available technical assistance.
    (9) Shared Leadership and Information Sharing:
     Decision making and information is shared with 
stakeholders.
3. Program Components
    The grant awards must be used to enhance and augment presently 
existing strategies which serve young offenders, out-of-school youth, 
and gang members or those at-risk of becoming gang-involved. Efforts 
should be made to integrate youth into a full range of educational, 
treatment, and alternative programs when appropriate. In addition to 
intensifying current systems, the projects also will link with and 
build upon available community resources such as educational (including 
special education), support, workforce development (engaging Local 
Boards/Youth Councils), health care, child care, and transportation 
services. The projects will use these community resources to accomplish 
the successful transition of youth to independent living within the 
community, a reduction in recidivism, and the accomplishment of 
employment, training, and education goals. In order to address 
specifically the distinct needs and problems of young offenders, gang 
members, and those at-risk of becoming gang-involved who are living in 
high-poverty localities, the overarching strategy for the model 
community projects should encompass the following:
    Purpose/Need: Applicants must describe the need in the target 
neighborhood as demonstrated by issues such as severity of gang 
problems, the number of young offenders residing in the target 
community, gaps in availability of adolescent mental health and 
substance abuse treatment for at-risk youth, and the inability for 
existing services to address the needs of young offenders and gang 
members. Applicants should also relate the need to the overall purpose 
of the planned program components.
    Alternative sentencing/education: Grantees must describe their 
plans for expanding alternative sentencing, including enhanced 
education services for young offenders. Project case managers and other 
staff must prepare the target population for sustainable high-quality 
employment by providing assistance to remain in school, return to 
school, enroll in GED and high school equivalency classes, or 
participate in additional alternative education such as long-distance 
learning programs or on-line courses. Applicants must describe the 
educational services that will be offered by the project, with 
particular attention given to the utilization of existing educational 
system services and the involvement of the schools in the area. Youth 
with emotional and behavioral disorders will benefit from evidence-
based, culturally competent treatment interventions. Applicants must 
describe the process for providing assessment and treatment planning, 
as well as the options for individual and family therapy that will be 
made available. In addition, applicants must describe the overall use 
of project case managers and other staff in the planned program 
components that will provide educational services.
    Career preparation services: The One-Stop Youth Services 
Demonstration Model must provide for employment preparation, youth 
development services, job placement, and linkages with the workforce 
development system. The model must focus on programs that train 
individuals for employment in fields in which technology skills are 
critical aspects of the jobs emerging in the regional labor market. The 
training model may also include basic skills and pre-apprenticeship 
training as appropriate, particularly for younger youth, e.g. ages 14-
17. Applicants must address the various strategies that their models 
will employ to actively recruit the target population, and must discuss 
the projected length of time necessary to determine the efficacy of 
their models' technical assistance.
    Case management/support services: Project case managers must 
prepare the target population for sustainable high-quality employment 
by utilizing intensive training and support services, including drug 
and alcohol treatment, mentoring and tutoring, child care, counseling, 
and other case management services. The framework for the model must 
provide for (as applicable): individual needs assessment; individual 
service strategies; long-term follow-up services; and linkages with 
human services, housing, health care, education, and transportation 
services; and gender-specific services (e.g., treatment for trauma 
associated with sexual abuse, and domestic violence prevention 
initiatives). Other strategies may include ``soft skills'' training 
(e.g., individual competency development efforts), like job behavior 
and life skills training, social skills and self-determination, 
conflict resolution, parenting classes, exposure to post-secondary 
education opportunities, and military service/national and community 
service projects. Service strategies must also focus on providing 
assistance to engage in job training, secure employment, fulfill legal 
restitution obligations, or establish successful independent living. 
Special-needs youth, including those with physical, psychiatric, and/or 
developmental disabilities must be provided with enhanced case 
management that will allow them to access a comprehensive system of 
care, including treatment, education, and individual and family support 
services.
    Because this wide range of services should be provided by the 
proposed or existing partnerships of community organizations, 
applicants must submit memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the local 
WIA partners and other critical agencies specifying the role of each 
party in the project. Applicants must describe the intensive training 
and support services identified above that will be offered as part of 
the planned program components, and must detail the role of project 
case managers in the provision of these training and support services. 
In addition, applicants must detail their capacity to sustain these 
activities for 2 years after funding under this solicitation is no 
longer available.
    Young Offender and Gang Prevention Advisory Board: In order to 
institute a holistic approach to assisting the target population, 
family member representatives, employment, education, mental health, 
child welfare, substance

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abuse, criminal justice, and community-based youth programs must be 
incorporated into the projects. In developing this interrelated system, 
grant funds must be used to create a young offender and gang prevention 
advisory board that participates in the coordination of all activities 
and provides input and community support to the project's leadership. 
The advisory board should be comprised of public and private sector 
representation, parents, youth members, and graduates of other young 
offender programs and will link with the local Youth Council to provide 
seamless delivery of services and maximize use of available resources. 
Applicants must describe the planned composition of the advisory board, 
with particular emphasis upon the process for selecting and seating the 
representation of the board. The applicant must describe the functions 
of the board and the process planned to utilize the board in designing 
the holistic delivery expected under the project. Grantees must also 
describe their plans for expanding gang prevention and suppression 
efforts in the target community, including expanded efforts by local 
law enforcement agencies.
    Aftercare: Grant funds must link with existing resources to provide 
intensive aftercare services for young offenders transitioning from 
secure confinement in a juvenile corrections facility to the community. 
Projects must strategically coordinate community-wide efforts and 
resources to address reentry issues such as surveillance, supervision, 
graduated sanctions and incentives, linkages to community support 
systems (families, peers, schools, employers), transitional housing, 
and job training and placement activities. Applicants must describe 
clearly, detailed reentry plans for young offenders scheduled for 
release to their communities and their capacity to sustain their 
activities for 2 years after funding is no longer available. Strategies 
for effective case management services in aftercare programming 
include:
     Use of a reliable and validated risk assessment and 
classification instrument for establishing eligibility of the targeted 
population;
     Individual case planning that incorporates a family and 
community perspective;
     Provision of mental health and substance abuse assessment 
and referral to appropriate treatment services
     A mix of intensive surveillance and enhanced service 
delivery;
     Comprehensive, interagency transition planning that 
involves all critical stakeholders;
     A balance of incentives and graduated consequences coupled 
with the imposition of realistic, enforceable conditions;
     Work-related or work-oriented activities such as exposure 
to the workplace, on-the-job training, work experience, job shadowing, 
etc.;
     Coordination of resources of juvenile correctional 
agencies, juvenile courts, juvenile parole agencies, law enforcement 
agencies, social service providers, and local Workforce Investment 
Boards; and
     ``Soft skills'' training, e.g., individual competency 
development efforts, job behavior and life skills training; self 
determination and social skills training; conflict resolution and anger 
management; parenting classes; exposure to post-secondary education 
opportunities; and community service learning projects.
    Partnerships/Linkages: In addition to enhancing already existing 
services and programs, projects must center any newly developed and 
implemented activities upon the needs of youth involved, or at risk of 
becoming involved, with the juvenile justice system and gangs. In order 
to accomplish this, applicants should use partnerships both (1) to 
enhance the young offender programs funded under this grant and (2) to 
provide complementary programs so as to link services within the target 
community and provide a diversity of options for all young offenders 
within the target area. These partnerships must agree to:
     Implement an education and employment program for young 
offenders, gang members, and at-risk youth in the target area, 
including coordination with the private sector to develop a specified 
number of career-track jobs for target area young offenders;
     Establish alternative sentencing and community service 
options for young offenders, gang members, and at-risk youth in the 
target area;
     Connect youth and their families to appropriate 
therapeutic and supportive services designed to enhance individual and 
family functioning;
     Expand gang suppression activities in the target area;
     Provide work-related or work-oriented activities such as 
exposure to the workplace, on-the-job training, youth development 
services, work experience, job shadowing, etc.; and
     Build connections to local workforce investment systems 
such as linkages with Local Boards while demonstrating approaches that 
ensure that high-risk youth are provided with quality workforce 
development services.
    Applicants must outline how they will involve residents, youth, and 
others of the community in planning and involvement in the effort. 
Proposals must describe the efforts within the project to utilize 
existing services and programs, particularly those offered through the 
WIA One-Stop delivery system, the juvenile justice system, and health 
care system. Applicants must describe the efforts to be undertaken to 
coordinate services with private sector entities, including commitments 
for private sector jobs. Proposals must describe newly developed and 
implemented services and how these will enhance and augment presently 
existing strategies in the community.
    In addition, proposals must specify the linkages between the One-
Stop Youth Services Model, local One-Stop delivery systems and the 
Youth Council (which is part of the Workforce Investment Board) to 
ensure coordination of workforce development services. These linkages 
must include both existing and proposed strategies.
4. Cost Sharing/Leveraging Funds
    Applicants also should discuss their plans to leverage and align 
with other funds or resources in order to build permanent partnerships 
for the continuation of services, and should provide some discussion of 
the nature of these leveraged resources, i.e., Federal, non-Federal, 
cash or in-kind, State and county, foundation, capital equipment, and 
other funds. Also, the Federal Bonding Program and the Work Opportunity 
Tax Credit (WOTC) should be considered as potential tools to assist 
with young offender employment placements. Information about these 
programs may be found on ETA's website at http://www.doleta.gov.

C. Delivery of Applications

1. Hand Delivered Proposals
    Mailed applications must be mailed in time to be received at the 
address identified above by 4 P.M. (Eastern Daylight Savings Time), on 
Monday, October 1, 2001. We prefer 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 
Daylight Savings Time), on Monday, October 1, 2001 at the address 
identified above. All overnight mail will be considered to be hand 
delivered and must be received at the designated place by the specified 
closing date and time.

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2. Telegraphed and/or 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.
3. 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:
     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 the month); or
     Was sent by the U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service, Post Office to Addressee, not later than 4:00 P.M. at the 
place of mailing two working days prior to the dateline date specified 
for receipt of proposals in this SGA. The term ``working days'' 
excludes weekends and federal holidays.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of an 
application received after the deadline date for the receipt of 
proposals sent by the U.S. Postal Service and on the original receipt 
from the U.S. Postal Service. 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.
4. Withdrawals
    Applications may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram 
(including a mail gram) received at any time before an award is made. 
Applications may be withdrawn in person by the applicant or by an 
authorized representative thereof, if the representative's identity is 
made known and the representative signs a receipt for the proposal.

D. Performance Period

    The period of performance for all grants awarded under this 
competition, will be for 30 months from the date the grant is awarded. 
The first 24 months must be devoted to providing program services to 
eligible youth as defined in this notice. The final six months will be 
solely for organizing participant case files, providing the files to 
the demonstration's evaluator within two months after grant-funded 
services terminate, and participating in a final site visit interview 
with the evaluators. The budget submitted for the period of performance 
must cover the full 30 months.

Part IV--Review Process and Rating Criteria

    The technical panel which will be composed of peer reviewers and 
the three agencies personnel, will make a careful evaluation of 
applications against the criteria established in this Notice. The panel 
will review grant applicants against the criteria listed below on the 
basis of 100 points with an additional 5 points available for non-
federal or leveraged resources. Final funding decisions will be based 
on the rating of applications as a result of the review process, and 
other factors such as geographic balance, availability of funds, and 
what is most advantageous to the Government. The panel results are 
advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Government 
may elect to award the grant(s) with or without the discussions with 
the offeror(s). In situations without discussions, an award will be 
based on the offeror's signature on the SF 424, which constitutes a 
binding offer.

Model Rating Criteria

    Each application under this category will be evaluated against the 
following rating criteria:
     Establishment of and adherence to model structure 
requirements (15 points), see Part III.B.2; planned or committed 
linkages between the One-Stop Youth Services Demonstration Model, the 
One-Stop delivery system (WIA local board and youth council) and the 
juvenile justice and health care systems (20 points) = (35 total 
points):
     Plan to enhance and augment alternative sentencing, 
including educational, youth development, mental health, substance 
abuse, and supportive services and case management (7 points); role of 
project case managers in these delivery strategies (4 points); plan for 
linking with schools for co-enrollment, etc. (4 points) = (15 total 
points);
     Plan and capacity for conducting intensive comprehensive 
aftercare for enhancing positive youth development and preventing 
recidivism (15 points);
     Level of planned or committed participation of educational 
agencies/schools, health care agencies (5 points); and other public 
sector, WIA, and private sector partners (5 points); employment-related 
connections with the business community (5 points) = (15 total points);
     Plan for enhancing gang prevention and suppression 
efforts, and use of a young offender and gang prevention advisory board 
to achieve coordination (6 points); establishment of creative 
partnerships with local community grassroots organizations which 
provide services to the target population (4 points) = (10 total 
points);
     Need in target neighborhood, as demonstrated by severity 
of gang problem, the number of young offenders residing in the target 
community, and the barriers facing existing services to reach young 
offenders and gang members, such as gaps in availability of mental 
health and substance abuse treatment = (5 points); and
     Plan to fulfill reporting requirements; and confirmation 
of cooperation with DOL evaluators (5 points).
     Leveraging of Funding (5 additional points).
    We will give up to five (5) additional rating points to proposals 
which include non-Federal resources that expand the dollar amount, size 
and scope of the proposal. The applicant may include any leveraging or 
co-funding anticipated. To be eligible for the additional points in the 
criterion, the applicant must list the source(s) of funds, the nature, 
and activities anticipated with these funds under this cooperative 
agreement and any partnerships, linkages or coordination of activities, 
cooperative funding.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 5th day of June, 2001.
Laura A. Cesario,
Grants Officer.
Appendix A: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
Appendix B: Budget Information Form
Appendix C: Cover Sheet

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