[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 11, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36313-36328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17410]



[[Page 36313]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


WIA Disability Technical Assistance Consortia for Adults and 
Youth

AGENCY: Office of Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for grant 
applications (SGA 01-04).

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)/or Department/, Office of 
Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), announces the availability of up 
to a total of $2.65 million to award two (2) competitive grants \1\. 
These grants are designed to fund two (2) related, but distinct, 
activities. The purpose of this Solicitation for Grant Applications 
(SGA) is to invite proposals from eligible candidates for each of the 
initiatives. Eligible candidates may bid on one of the two initiatives 
or may submit separate bids for each initiative. The Government 
reserves the right to award both grants to the same grantee, based on 
the best interests of the Government. Grants will be awarded for a one-
year period and may be renewed (individually or in combination) with 
additional optional one-year grants for each of up to four (4) years.
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    \1\ The term ``grants'' in this SGA refers to grants/cooperative 
agreements.
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    Both grants are to provide assistance to states and local area 
programs under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) in order to 
enable them to better serve people with disabilities.
    The first of these two WIA Disability Technical Assistance grants, 
which focuses on adults with disabilities, is designed to deliver 
technical assistance support to WIA One-Stop Career Centers, State and 
Local Workforce Investment Boards and other key leaders that oversee 
and operate these adult oriented programs, to enable them to increase 
employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
    The second WIA Disability Technical Assistance grant is designed 
primarily to deliver technical assistance to build the capacity of 
emerging and existing WIA-assisted youth programs to provide 
comprehensive services to young people with disabilities. Target 
audiences for this technical assistance will be State and Local Boards, 
Youth Councils and WIA grant recipients. In addition, this youth 
technical assistance effort will help to bridge the gap remaining 
between the broader workforce development system and other disability 
specific programs and services. Another objective of this youth 
technical assistance effort will be to provide program support to 
ODEP's High School/High Tech (HS/HT) program.
    In addition, these two technical assistance efforts are expected to 
provide technical assistance services to four other (DOL/ODEP) grant 
programs. Grants for these programs are planned for release during this 
fiscal year. These are:
    1. Customized Employment Grants for One-Stop Career Centers 
designed to demonstrate enhanced services for adults with disabilities;
    2. Innovative Grants to WIA Youth Programs that are designed to 
demonstrate enhanced services to youth with disabilities;
    3. High School/High Tech Realignment Grants to assist existing 
programs in entering into WIA partnerships; and
    4. High School/High Tech Start-up Grants to assist localities in 
starting programs at new locations, in partnership with WIA activities.

DATES: A bidder's conference will be held on July 18, 2001. The purpose 
of this conference is to provide interested parties the opportunity to 
ask questions concerning these grants. Transcripts of the conference 
will be made available. Requests may be sent to (see For Further 
Information Contact) or write to the address below.
    One (1) ink-signed original, complete grant application plus three 
(3) copies of the Technical Proposal and three (3) copies of the Cost 
Proposal shall be submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, 
Procurement Services Center, Attention Grant Officer, Reference SGA 01-
04, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, 
not later than 4:45 p.m. ET, August 10, 2001. Hand-delivered 
applications must be received by the Procurement Services Center by 
that time.

ADDRESSES: Grant applications must be hand delivered or mailed to U.S. 
Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, Attention: Grant 
Officer, Reference SGA 01-04, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20210. Applicants must verify delivery to this 
office directly through their delivery service and as soon as possible.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Applications will not be mailed. The 
Federal Register may be obtained from your nearest government office or 
library. Questions concerning this solicitation may be sent to 
Cassandra Willis, at the following Internet address: [email protected].
    Late Proposals: The grant application package must be received at 
the designated place by the date and time specified or it will not be 
considered. Any application received at the Procurement Services Center 
after 4:45 p.m. ET, August 10, 2001, will not be considered unless it 
is received before the award is made and:
    3. It was sent by registered or certifed mail not later than the 
fifth calendar day before August 10, 2001.
    4. It is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due 
solely to mishandling by the Government after receipt at the U.S. 
Department of Labor at the address indicated; or
    3. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5:00 p.m. at the place 
of mailing two (2) working days, excluding weekends and Federal 
holidays, prior to August 10, 2001.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late application sent by registered or certified mail is the U.S. 
Postal Service postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on the original 
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. If the postmark is not legible, 
an application received after the above closing time and date shall be 
processed as if mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a printed, stamped or 
otherwise place impression (not a postage meter machine impression) 
that is readily identifiable without further action as having been 
applied and affixed by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service on the 
date of mailing. Therefore applicants should request the postal clerk 
place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's-eye'' postmark on both the 
receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late application sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service-Post Office to Addressee is the date entered by the Post Office 
receiving clerk on the ``Express Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to 
Addressee'' label and the postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on 
the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. ``Postmark'' has the 
same meaning as defined above. Therefore, applicants should request 
that the postal clerk place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's-eye'' 
postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at 
the U.S. Department of Labor is the date/time stamp of the Procurement 
Services Center on the application wrapper or other documentary 
evidence or receipt maintained by that office. Applications sent by 
telegram or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 36314]]

I. Authority

    Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-554, 114 STAT 
2763A-10, 29 USC 557(b).

II. Background

    This SGA supports the President's New Freedom Initiative which is 
designed to increase the number of people with disabilities, both youth 
and adults, who enter, re-enter, and remain in the workforce. The New 
Freedom Initiative \2\ is dedicated to increasing investment in and 
access to assistive technologies, a quality education, and increasing 
the integration of Americans with disabilities into the workforce and 
into community life. This initiative heightens the importance of 
similar DOL initiatives designed to increase the employment rate of 
people with disabilities.
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    \2\ For more information about the New Freedom Initiative, go to 
the White House web page at www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiatve.
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    There are approximately 54 million Americans with disabilities, 30 
million of whom are of working age. Only 26% of working age adults with 
disabilities have a job or a business compared to 82% of those without 
disabilities (U.S. Bureau of the Census, Survey of Income and Program 
Participation, 1997). The Department of Labor report, Futureworks 
(2000) points out that while educational attainment made some 
difference in the rate of unemployment for people with disabilities, 
the employment figures for workers with significant disabilities are in 
sharp contrast to those for workers without disabilities. Among workers 
with college degrees, only 52% of those with severe disabilities 
reported labor market activity, compared to 90% of those with no 
disability (a gap of 38 percentage points.)
    Title IV of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-
220), which amends the Rehabilitation Act, included several findings 
relating to ethnic and racial minorities as traditionally under-served 
populations in the vocational rehabilitation system (29 U.S.C. 718). 
Ethnic and racial minorities tend to have disabling conditions at a 
disproportionately high rate. The rate of work-related disability for 
Native Americans is about one and one-half times that of the general 
population. African-Americans are also one and one-half times more 
likely to be disabled than whites and twice as likely to be 
significantly disabled. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 1994-1995 
data approximately 85.5% of African-Americans with severe disabilities 
and 75.4% of Hispanics with severe disabilities are not working. 
Individuals with disabilities who are members of other minority groups 
are also disproportionately represented among the unemployed. Among the 
reasons for the disproportionately high rate of unemployment are 
disparities in the rehabilitation services provided to minorities with 
disabilities, fewer educational opportunities, poor outreach to 
minority communities, and inadequate transportation and housing.
    As the workforce investment system evolves to become a point of 
streamlined entry to employment, it is critical that this system have 
the capacity to provide meaningful and effective opportunity to people 
with disabilities to secure employment. The system must develop 
critical expertise and linkages with other essential programs in order 
to provide a competent array of programs and services that create 
choices for people with disabilities to successfully become employed.
    In addition, a key to increasing the employment of people with 
disabilities is to ensure that young people with disabilities are 
provided resources and assistance to move from school to work, as 
opposed to becoming dependent on welfare or other benefits programs. 
One way of accomplishing this goal is to increase the participation of 
youths with disabilities in mainstream workforce investment activities 
under WIA.
    Youths with disabilities spend a significant portion of their time 
in poverty, dependent upon public assistance programs and relegated to 
the margins of society. They may encounter unfriendly work preparation 
programs that are reluctant to serve them. The educational and 
employment achievements of youth with disabilities are too low. 
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the national high school 
graduation rates (e.g., diplomas, GED, alternative certificates) for 
students with disabilities are below that of youth without 
disabilities. According to the National Center on Education Statistics 
(2001) 88% of students without disabilities graduate; according to the 
Office of Special Education Programs (2000) 62% of youth with 
disabilities graduate.\3\ Students with disabilities experience a 
school drop out rate of 31% compared to 11% of non-disabled youth. 
Youth with emotional disabilities experience an even higher drop out 
rate of 54%. It is estimated that only one-third of young people with 
disabilities who need job training receive it. Young people with 
disabilities also have significantly lower rates of participation in 
post-secondary education. Finally, the Social Security Administration 
has found that many young people with disabilities who enter the 
Supplementary Security Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability 
Insurance (SSDI) rolls are likely to remain on the program rolls for 
their entire life.
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    \3\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center on Education 
Statistics, The Condition of Education 2000 in Brief, Jeanne H. 
Nathanson NCES 2001-045, Washington, D.C.; U.S. Government Printing 
Office, 2001.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and 
Rehabilitation Services, Twenty-second Annual Report to Congress on 
the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, 
Washington, D.C.; U.S. Government Printing Office, 2000.
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    One of the most significant reforms under WIA section 129 (c) [29 
U.S.C. 2854(c)], is the consolidation of the year-round youth program 
and the summer youth program into a single formula-based funding 
stream. Under WIA, each local workforce investment area must have a 
year round youth services strategy that incorporates summer youth 
employment opportunities as one of ten required program elements [WIA 
section 129 (c) (2) (C.), 29 U.S.C. 2854 (c)(2). The ten program 
elements reflect successful youth development approaches and focus on 
the following four key themes:
    1. Improving educational achievement (including elements such as 
tutoring, study skills training, and instruction leading to secondary 
school completion; drop out prevention strategies, and alternative 
secondary school offerings);
    2. Preparing for and succeeding in employment (including summer 
employment opportunities, paid and unpaid work experience, and 
occupational skills training);
    3. Supporting youth (including supportive services needs, providing 
adult mentoring, follow-up services, and comprehensive guidance and 
counseling); and
    4. Offering services intended to develop the potential of young 
people as citizens and leaders (including leadership development 
opportunities).
    WIA, therefore, provides a variety of workforce investment programs 
that can assist both youth and adults with disabilities in attaining 
their career ambitions. The potential for these programs to prepare 
eligible participants with disabilities for employment is great. 
Moreover, WIA-funded programs must take up their responsibilities as 
vital partners in the broad spectrum of preparing individuals for the 
workforce. These services need to be made available to people with 
disabilities. Traditionally, however, people with disabilities are not 
recruited to participate in these programs. WIA

[[Page 36315]]

service providers may not be aware of the need to serve youth and 
adults with disabilities in their communities and may lack the 
resources to develop strong partnerships and equitable referral and 
assessment system.
    The U.S. Department of Labor has determined that there is an 
appreciable need for a sustained and coordinated initiative to build 
the capacity of WIA-assisted programs and their workforce partners, 
including providers, employers, people with disabilities, family 
members, and others, to better serve youth and adults with 
disabilities. This need has been highlighted as a critical priority in 
the FY 2001 budget appropriation for the Department through the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-554, 114 STAT 
2763A-10, 29 U.S.C. 557(b).
    Recently, the Office on Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was 
established within DOL (Public Law 106-554) to provide policy direction 
for serving all individuals with disabilities. Key among ODEP's 
responsibilities is to provide technical assistance and support 
designed to assist various DOL programs, and to thereby increase the 
capacity of those programs to serve people with disabilities.
    In order to fulfill its mission, ODEP is implementing a multiple-
prong approach.
    This approach includes:
    1. Under this SGA, the establishment of provider(s) of technical 
assistance service to support the workforce investment system in 
building capacity to increase employment for people with disabilities, 
and to provide critical implementation and analysis to ODEP to assist 
in its responsibilities for providing recommendations for policy 
direction;
    2. Under a separate SGA, the award of Customized Employment Grants, 
designed to develop models and to demonstrate to all One-Stop Career 
Centers and their partners, strategies for maximizing their capacity 
for serving people with disabilities; and,
    3. Under a separate SGA, the award of Innovative WIA Youth 
Demonstration Grants which are designed to demonstrate to all WIA Youth 
programs systems change strategies for maximizing their capacity to 
serve youths with disabilities.
    In combination, these activities will substantially contribute to 
achieving the goals of the President's New Freedom Initiative.
    There are other programs which relate to, but are not directly 
affected by, the technical assistance activities under this SGA. Some 
examples include DOL's Work Incentive Grants (WIG's) which are designed 
to enhance service delivery to people with disabilities accessing One-
Stop Centers and their programs, by establishing linkages to and among 
existing state, local and private non-profit entities in order to 
facilitate seamless service access for these individuals.
    In addition, DOL has entered into an interagency agreement with the 
National Institute on Disability Research and Rehabilitation (NIDRR) 
and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to provide 
technical assistance to One-Stop Centers through their network of 
Disability Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTAC's) and 
Rehabilitation Community Education Programs (RCEP's). The Ticket-to-
Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act provides increased 
opportunities for people with disabilities who are SSI/SSDI 
beneficiaries by addressing some of the major barriers encountered by 
these individuals as they attempt to gain employment. The Department of 
Education's Office of Special Education Programs recently funded a new 
National Center on Secondary Education and Transition and the National 
Youth Leadership Network to increase opportunities for young people 
with disabilities. The Department of Health and Human Services, through 
the Health Resources Services Administration's Maternal and Child 
Health Bureau funds a program to promote the transition and employment 
of youths with special health care needs called Healthy and Ready to 
Work. While these efforts are distinct from the consortia supported by 
this SGA, they are complementary and should work in close cooperation 
with both the WIA Disability Technical Assistance Consortium for Adults 
and the Consortium for Youth.

III. Purpose

    The purpose of this SGA is to implement two disability technical 
assistance efforts (adults and youth) in order to support the capacity 
building for WIA-funded programs and partners and provide policy 
analysis and information to ODEP about employment and disability. 
Technical assistance services must seek to form strong linkages with 
essential programs and experts, including but not limited to:
    1. Disability programs and programs with a general audience which 
can serve adults and youth with disabilities, such as the workforce 
investment system, vocational rehabilitation, special education, 
general, adult and vocational education, postsecondary education, small 
business, health care, social security, housing, and transportation 
programs and services;
    2. Disability and family organizations;
    3. Employers in the workforce investment system; and
    4. National program and policy experts.
    These grantees will also develop partnerships with other 
researchers, technical assistance providers, dissemination centers, and 
other essential programs, to assist in organizing and providing 
technical assistance and disseminating information.
    In addition, the project(s) funded under these grants must provide 
technical assistance to four categories of grantees planned for funding 
during this fiscal year. These are:
    1. Customized Employment Grants for One-Stop Career Centers.
    2. Innovative Grants to WIA Youth Programs.
    3. High School/High Tech Realignment Grants.
    4. High School/High Tech Start-up Grants.
    These four other grant programs are required to participate in the 
technical assistance efforts sponsored under this SGA. These grants 
will also provide policy implementation research and analysis to the 
Office of Disability Employment Policy.
    Finally, these technical assistance efforts will serve as a 
repository of the materials, approaches, and results of the other four 
grant programs and will be charged with including successful approaches 
in their overall technical assistance work with states and with local 
WIA-funded programs and partners.

IV. Statement of Work--Option 1; WIA Disability Technical 
Assistance Consortium for Adults

    This initiative will fund a WIA Disability Technical Assistance 
Consortium for Adults. The overall purpose of this adult technical 
assistance consortium is to:
    1. provide support to grantees awarded under the ODEP Customized 
Employment SGA, including coordinating strategic planning, technical 
assistance and capacity building efforts for increasing customized 
employment and wages of people with disabilities through One-Stop 
Centers;
    2. Collect and analyze employment policy-related information for 
ongoing feedback to the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) 
and otherwise support ODEP as requested in its efforts to increase 
employment, choice and wages for persons with

[[Page 36316]]

disabilities through the workforce investment system, including 
conducting policy analysis and research on policies and practices used 
in states as they develop capacity in this area;
    3. Coordinate and provide training and technical assistance to DOL 
regional staff, and State and Local Boards on employment for people 
with disabilities, including assistance in developing model policies 
and guidance; and
    4. Act as a central locus of information and expertise on 
employment and disability for WIA partner systems and agencies and 
others involved in provision of employment and related supports for 
people with disabilities.
    The adult technical assistance consortium must form strong linkages 
with:
    1. Disability programs and generic programs and experts which can 
serve adults with disabilities, such as the workforce development 
system, vocational rehabilitation, special education, general, adult 
and vocational education, postsecondary education, small business, 
developmental disability, health care, social security, housing, and 
transportation programs and services;
    2. Disability and family organizations;
    3. Employers to the workforce development system; and
    4. National program and policy experts.
    This consortium shall develop partnerships with other researchers, 
national experts, technical assistance providers, and dissemination 
centers in organizing and providing technical assistance and 
disseminating information.
    The WIA Technical Assistance Consortium for Adults must provide 
technical assistance services and materials which include the 
following:
    1. Provide and coordinate strategic planning, technical assistance 
and capacity building efforts for increasing customized employment and 
wages of people with disabilities through One-Stops Centers, including 
information on policies and practices used in states as they develop 
capacity, including the following:
    a. Provide technical assistance, training and information 
assistance to each of the grantees under the Customized Employment 
Grants funded by ODEP, including providing consultation, training, 
materials development, dissemination, linkages to experts and exemplary 
practices; and otherwise connect stakeholder groups with successful 
practices in their respective areas in order to increase their 
capabilities and performance in securing customized employment for 
people with disabilities.
    b. Develop linkages and collaborate with other national federal 
initiatives providing services and supports for people with targeted 
disabilities (including but not limited to systems change efforts 
promoting enduring systems improvement and comprehensive coordination; 
health care; housing; transportation; education; supported employment; 
benefits planning and assistance; small business development; 
technology related assistance; etc.), and other national initiatives as 
appropriate.
    c. Provide technical assistance, training, and information that 
integrates validated best practices and promising practices for 
improving choice in employment and increasing wages for people with 
disabilities into the workforce investment system, including 
implementation activities to ensure that people with disabilities have 
access to appropriate supports for employment, including 
transportation, personal assistance, assistive technology and housing.
    2. Provide training and technical assistance to DOL regional staff, 
and State and Local Boards, and others at the request of ODEP, on 
employment for people with disabilities, in order to increase 
professional expertise and provide assistance in developing model 
policies and guidance, including the following:
    a. Provide training and technical assistance to the national and 
regional staff of DOL's Wage and Hour Division, and others involved in 
implementation of section 14-(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 
U.S.C. 214 (c.), including providers, to increase their knowledge and 
capacity about increasing wages for people with disabilities through 
customized employment.
    b. Develop, implement and maintain an assessment of the needs of 
individual State Boards and ODEP grantees to determine the array, type, 
and intensity of technical assistance, training, and information to be 
provided.
    c. Coordinate and conduct technical assistance and capacity 
building activities based on an assessment of needs as well as requests 
for assistance from DOL regional staff and State and Local Boards.
    d. Provide technical assistance, training, and information to 
increase understanding by systems of disability related employment 
issues such as health care, transportation, work incentive provisions, 
benefits planning, housing, etc.
    3. Act as a central locus of information and expertise on 
employment and disability for WIA partner systems and agencies and 
others involved in providing employment and related supports for people 
with disabilities, including the following:
    a. Provide coordination and information sharing among multiple DOL 
grantees and initiatives of other agencies related to people with 
disabilities (such as projects of the Rehabilitation Services 
Administration (RSA), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Care Finance 
Administration (HCFA), Social Security Administration (SSA), Small 
Business Administration (SBA), National Institute on Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), including coordinating with other 
national initiatives.)
    b. Provide national linkages to information, experts and activities 
on exemplary and promising practices in a range of areas related to 
disability.
    c. Provide information and conduct initiatives to educate 
employers, and the general public about the abilities of people with 
disabilities to work in a wide variety of occupations and contribute to 
the workforce.
    d. Provide information to educate state and local policymakers, 
systems personnel, and people with disabilities and their families, 
providers, including educators, and other leaders as appropriate, about 
changes in policy and practice that facilitate an increase in 
employment and wages for people with disabilities.
    e. Develop and disseminate materials to supplement technical 
assistance and training. All materials must be made available through 
an accessible internet web site.
    f. Serve as a repository and dissemination center for the 
information and materials of ODEP grantees and include successful 
approaches from the grantees in the overall technical assistance, 
training, and information services approach.
    4. Conduct policy studies and otherwise collect and analyze 
employment policy-related information for ongoing feedback to the 
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and otherwise support 
ODEP, as requested, in its efforts to increase employment, choice and 
wages for persons with disabilities through the workforce investment 
system, including the following.
    a. Research, collect and disseminate information from States about 
effective and meaningful participation of people with disabilities in 
One-Stop Centers

[[Page 36317]]

and the workforce investment system. Work with ODEP in identifying 
areas for policy research, and provide ongoing feedback using new 
research and research from aggregated experiences of Customized 
Employment grantees (funded by ODEP under separate solicitation.) 
Collaborate with other federal technical assistance projects that 
provide information and/or technical assistance about increasing 
employment and needed supports for people with disabilities in 
conducting policy studies, as appropriate.
    b. Conduct studies and analysis about employment characteristics 
and conditions of people with disabilities currently in segregated 
settings such as institutions, nursing homes and facility-based 
settings, and collaborate with ODEP in developing a range of strategies 
to respond to identified needs.
    c. Conduct studies and otherwise respond to requests for 
information, analysis and other assistance from ODEP on national 
employment policy as it impacts people with disabilities and the 
workforce investment system.

Other Requirements

    All applicants for the WIA Disability Technical Assistance 
Consortium for Adults must submit a Management Plan. The Plan will 
identify the overall organizational design including its functional 
structure. The Plan must identify key staff members of the Technical 
Assistance Consortium (including subcontractors) and indicate time 
commitments for each. Consultants should be identified and resumes 
included in the Appendix. The Management Plan should also include a 
system that provides for evaluation and feedback. This system should 
include the methodology by which information will be gathered and 
continuous improvements achieved. The Management Plan should also 
document any ``ramping-up'' of project activities over the project 
implementation period and provide planned time lines for project 
activities.
    DOL will arrange for an independent evaluation of outcomes, 
impacts, and benefits of the grants. Grantees must make records 
available to evaluation personnel, as specified by the Department. 
Grantees funded under this SGA must make positive efforts to employ and 
advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities within 
project activities.
    Applicants and grant recipients funded under this SGA must involve 
members of four specific groups in implementation of the grant(s):
    1. Youth and adults with disabilities;
    2. relevant experts in the field of disability (such as disability 
organizations, researchers, family members and organizations, 
independent living centers, or service providers and national experts 
in relevant areas);
    3. employers; and,
    4. experts in disability policy.
    Throughout the course of the project, grantees must collaborate 
with other research institutes, centers, and studies and evaluations, 
that are supported by DOL and other relevant Federal agencies. 
Applicant (and all consortia partners) shall document their 
organization's commitment to the objectives of the project.

V. Statement of Work--Option 2; WIA Disability Technical Assistance 
Consortium for Youth

A. WIA-Assisted Youth Programs

    This initiative will fund a WIA Disability Technical Assistance 
Consortium for Youth. The primary purpose of this grant is to enhance 
the capacity of WIA-assisted youth programs to increase participation 
and improve results for youth with disabilities. Under WIA, DOL has 
established a ``Vision for Youth'' that states that all youth, 
particularly out-of-school youth, will acquire the necessary skills and 
work experience to successfully transition into adulthood, careers and 
further education and training. There are four themes for the youth 
services delivery system developed under WIA:
    1. Improvement in educational achievement;
    2. Preparation for and success in employment;
    3. Supports for youth; and
    4. Services to help youth develop as citizens and leaders.
    WIA also establishes requirements for the youth activities for 
providing year round services; follow-up services, summer employment 
activities, and services to out-of-school youth.
    A significant aspect to the WIA-assisted youth programs is the 
establishment of Youth Councils, as a subgroup of the Local Board. With 
the approval of the Local Board each Council could develop a 
coordinated youth policy; strengthen linkages between existing local 
youth services; draw upon expertise of all related community/employer 
groups; and bring a youth perspective to the WIA programs. Eligible 
participants targeted for WIA youth programs include both in-and out-
of-school youth, with a large share of resources going towards out-of-
school youth; and youth ages 14 to 21. Currently, DOL is investing $2.5 
billion across seven WIA and other youth programs: formula-funded youth 
programs; Job Corps; Apprenticeships; Indian Youth Programs; Migrant 
Youth Programs; School-to-Work; and the Youth Opportunity Grants 
Program.
    WIA-assisted youth programs hold a tremendous potential to assist 
youths with disabilities in meeting their employment, postsecondary, 
and independent living goals. This technical assistance effort is 
designed to help establish acceptance within the WIA-funded youth 
programs that both during and after the mandatory secondary school 
years, WIA-assisted youth services can represent a key pathway to 
employment for youths with disabilities and should be considered a 
vital possibility alongside vocational rehabilitation, and 
postsecondary education. The goal of this technical assistance effort 
is to deliver the knowledge and understanding needed to enable State 
and Local Boards, Youth Councils, and WIA-assisted youth program 
operators to confidently and aggressively recruit, admit, and 
successfully serve young people with disabilities. The overall purposes 
of this grant are to:
    1. Strategically leverage and build the capacity of WIA-funded 
youth programs and ensure increasing levels of participation by youths 
with disabilities;
    2. Aid and assist the implementation of ODEP funded Innovative 
Demonstration Grants to Workforce Investment Act Youth Programs; and
    3. Generally support the ODEP leadership in its efforts to advance 
employment policy for youths with disabilities.
    The youth technical assistance consortium shall form strong 
linkages with:
    1. Disability programs and programs with a general audience which 
can serve youth with disabilities, such as the workforce development 
system, vocational rehabilitation, special education, general, adult 
and vocational education, postsecondary education, developmental 
disability, health care, social security, housing, and transportation 
programs and services;
    2. Disability and family organizations; and
    3. Employers to the workforce development system.
    This consortium shall develop partnerships and tap into the 
expertise of other researchers, technical assistance providers, and 
dissemination centers in organizing and providing technical assistance 
and disseminating information.

[[Page 36318]]

    The Technical Assistance Consortium for Young People with 
Disabilities must perform all of the following:
    1. Provide technical assistance, training, and information to 
assist State and Local Boards, Youth Councils, and WIA-assisted youth 
programs in the areas of governance, service delivery, performance 
assessment, technology accessibility, and reasonable accommodations 
that will result in an increase in the number of youths with 
disabilities who receive youth services.
    2. Provide technical assistance, training, and information to 
increase understanding by WIA-assisted youth service providers about 
disability related employment issues such as health care, 
transportation, work incentive provisions, benefits planning, housing, 
etc.
    3. Provide information to educate relevant stakeholders, including 
state and local policymakers and systems personnel, including 
educators, as well as families, and youth about needed changes in 
policy and practice in order to increase employment and wages for young 
people with disabilities.
    4. Provide information to educate employers and the general public 
about the abilities of youths with disabilities to work in a wide 
variety of occupations.
    5. Provide technical assistance, training, and information that 
integrates validated best practices for improving transition results 
for young people with disabilities into the WIA-assisted youth program 
elements, including:
    a. Promote effective structures, policies, and practices to improve 
results for youths with disabilities in WIA-assisted programs in core 
youth program themes and elements;
    b. Promote effective service interventions and approaches that help 
young people with disabilities to overcome barriers to positive 
education and employment outcomes;
    c. Promote the link between academic and occupational skill 
standards; and on the integration of academic and applied learning in 
real work settings;
    d. Promote youth-centered planning and development (e.g., 
assessment, choice, rights and responsibilities, life skills, etc.);
    e. Promote physical and mental health resources and the link to 
positive educational and employment outcomes; and
    f. Promote strategies for increased business, labor, family, and 
community involvement.
    6. Develop and leverage linkages with other state and local 
initiatives providing services and supports for young people with 
disabilities (including but not limited to systems change efforts 
promoting enduring systems improvement and comprehensive coordination; 
health care; housing; transportation; education; supported employment; 
small business development; technology related assistance; private 
foundations; faith-based initiatives).
    7. Provide technical assistance, training, and information 
(including program evaluation technical assistance) to the ODEP-
assisted Innovative Demonstration Grants to Workforce Investment Act 
Youth Programs.
    8. Serve as a repository and dissemination center for the materials 
developed by ODEP grantees and include successful approaches from the 
grantees in the overall technical assistance, training, and information 
services approach.
    9. Collaborate with other Federal technical assistance projects 
that provide information about transition, postsecondary education, 
employment, and independent living issues for young people with 
disabilities.
    10. Implement and maintain an assessment of the needs of individual 
State and Local Boards, Youth Councils, WIA-funded youth programs, and 
ODEP grantees of the overall needs of these audiences to determine the 
array, type, and intensity of technical assistance, training, and 
information to be provided.
    11. Develop and disseminate materials to supplement technical 
assistance and training. All materials must be made available through 
an accessible Internet web site.

B. High School/High Tech/Program Support

    Additionally, the WIA Disability Technical Assistance Consortium 
for Youth grant must provide technical assistance support to ODEP's 
High School/High Tech program. ODEP's High School/High Tech (HS/HT) 
program is designed to provide young people with disabilities with an 
opportunity to explore their interest in pursuing further education 
leading to a technology related career.\4\ It serves either in-school 
or out-of-school youths with disabilities in a year long program of 
corporate site visits, mentoring, job shadowing, guest speakers, after 
school activities and paid summer internships. The HS/HT program 
responds to all four of WIA's youth programming themes (employment 
preparation, educational achievement, support, and leadership). It 
includes eight of the ten WIA required youth programming elements:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ For more information on the High School/High Tech program 
visit: http://www50.pcepd.gov/pcepd/pubs/hsht00/toc.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    1. Summer employment opportunities;
    2. Work experience;
    3. Occupational skills training;
    4. Tutoring;
    5. Support services;
    6. Adult mentoring;
    7. Comprehensive guidance; and
    8. Leadership development.
    Currently, 60 High School/High Tech (HS/HT) programs are in 
operation in 18 states. These HS/HT programs began under the national 
leadership of the former President's Committee on Employment of People 
with Disabilities (PCEPD). With the beginning of the current federal 
fiscal year (FY '01), the PCEPD ceased to exist. All its assets, 
projects and staff were transferred into a newly created Office of 
Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor.
    The High School/High Tech Program Support component of this grant 
will provide the following:
    1. Conduct research for all manner of appropriate funding 
resources/possibilities (e.g., businesses, foundations, local, state, 
and federal government sources, especially WIA-assisted programs); 
maintain a data base on the results of this research; and disseminate 
information to current and prospective HS/HT program sites (e.g., 
periodic fact sheets, web based listings).
    2. Review current HS/HT programs for successful funding strategies 
and document and disseminate them; work with a minimum of 25-30 HS/HT 
sites during the grant year to identify potential grant funding 
services that are appropriate to each programs circumstances, with an 
emphasis on WIA funding possibilities; and develop 10-12 profiles of 
successful HS/HT fund raising activities;
    3. Deliver technical assistance support on the HS/HT program to 
current and prospective sites and sponsors, including information on 
the program's goals, core values, start-up strategies, program 
components, materials, etc. These sites will be identified to the 
grantee by the HS/HT program manager;
    4. Deliver technical assistance which helps create a partnership 
between HS/HT program sites and with local WIA programs;
    5. Prepare and maintain existing annual monitoring and reporting of 
the HS/HT programs nationwide; and,
    6. Advise HS/HT grantees on the type of project data they need to 
collect in order to assess the effectiveness of their project.

[[Page 36319]]

Other Requirements

    All applicants for the WIA Disability Technical Assistance 
Consortium for Youth are required to submit a Management Plan. The Plan 
must identify the overall organizational design including its 
functional structure. The Plan must identify key staff members of the 
Technical Assistance Consortium (including subcontractors) and indicate 
time commitments for each. Consultants must be identified and resumes 
included in the Appendix. The Management Plan shall also include a 
system that provides for evaluation and feedback. This system shall 
include the methodology by which information will be gathered and 
continuous improvements achieved. The Management Plan must also 
document any ``ramping-up'' of project activities over the project 
implementation period and provide planned time lines for project 
activities.
    DOL will arrange for an independent evaluation of outcomes, 
impacts, and benefits of the grants. Grantees must make records 
available to evaluation personnel, as specified by the Department. 
Grantees funded under this SGA must make positive efforts to employ and 
advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities within 
project activities.
    Applicants and grant recipients funded under this SGA shall involve 
members of four specific groups in implementation of the grant(s):
    1. Youth and adults with disabilities;
    2. Relevant experts in the field of disability (such as disability 
organizations, researchers, family members and organizations, 
independent living centers, or service providers);
    3. Employers; and
    4. Policymakers.
    Throughout the course of the project, grantees must collaborate 
with other research institutes, centers, and studies and evaluations, 
that are supported by DOL and other relevant Federal agencies. 
Applicant (and all consortia partners) shall document their 
organization's commitment to the objectives of the project.

VI. Funding Availability

    The initial period of performance will be 12 months from the date 
of execution by the Government. Based on availability of funds, project 
performance, and needs, the Department may elect to exercise its option 
to extend these grants for up to four additional option years for a 
total not to exceed 60 months. With the agreement of the grantee, the 
Department also may elect to change, modify and/or supplement these 
grants during this period based on Department's needs. The funding for 
these grants is as follows:

Technical Assistance Consortium for Adults with Disabilities: up to 
$1,200,000
Technical Assistance Consortium for Youth with Disabilities: up to 
$1,450,000

with $450,000 of the total Youth funding allocated for High School/High 
Tech Program Management Support outlined above.

VII. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants may be a public/private non-profit or for-
profit organization or consortia, including faith-based organizations 
with demonstrated appropriate experience and expertise. If the proposal 
includes multiple consortia members, there must be a prime or lead 
member who is the responsible fiscal agent.
    All applications must clearly identify the lead grant recipient and 
fiscal agent, as well as all other members of the Consortium applying 
for the grant. In addition, the application must identify the 
relationship between all of the members of the consortia. The 
application must identify who the grant/lead recipient (and/or fiscal 
agent) is and both identify and describe its capacity to administer 
this project.
    PLEASE NOTE THAT ELIGIBLE GRANT/COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT APPLICANTS 
MUST NOT BE CLASSIFIED UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE AS A 501(c)(4) 
ENTITY. See 26 U.S.C. 506(c)(4). According to Section 18 of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization, as 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.

VIII. Application Contents

    There are four required sections of the application. Requirements 
for each section are provided in this application package. Applicants 
must submit a signed original and three copies of the application. Be 
sure to indicate on the title page whether your organization is 
applying for the WIA Disability Technical Assistance Consortium for 
Adults (Section IV, Option 1, above); or, the WIA Disability Technical 
Assistance Consortium for Youth (Section V, Option 2, above).

1. Project Narrative

    Applicants shall include a narrative that addresses the evaluation 
criteria in Section IX that will be used by the Technical Evaluation 
Committee in evaluating individual proposals.
    The Project Narrative must be double-space (no more than three 
lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, 
including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, and captions, as 
well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs is limited to 
no more than 70 pages. A page is 8.5"  x  11" (on one side only) with 
one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). If using a proportional 
computer font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average 
character density no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a 
non-proportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12 
characters per inch.

2. Executive Summary

    The Executive summary should be no more than 2 single spaced pages 
in length giving a clear summary of the project narrative.

3. Management Plan

    The Management Plan should be no more than 10 double spaced pages 
in length and formatted as required in the Project Narrative.

4. Project Financial Plan

    To be considered. applications must include a detailed financial 
plan which identifies by line item the budget plan designed to achieve 
the goals of this grant. The Financial Proposal must contain the SF-
424, Application for Federal Assistance, (Appendix A) and Budget 
Information Sheet SF-424A (Appendix B).
    In addition, the budget must include on a separate page a detailed 
cost analysis of each line item. Justification for administrative costs 
must be provided. Approval of a budget by DOL is not the same as the 
approval of actual costs. The individual signing the SF-424 on behalf 
of the applicant must represent the responsible financial and 
administrative entity for a grant should that application result in an 
award.

IX. Evaluation Criteria/Selection

A. Evaluation Criteria

    The Project Narrative and the Management Plan in Part VIII must 
address the following evaluation criteria.

[[Page 36320]]

1. Significance of the Proposed Project (15 Points)
    In evaluating the significance of the proposed project, the 
Department will consider the following factors:
    a. The national significance of the proposed project;
    b. The proposed project's potential contribution of to increase 
knowledge or understanding of problems, issues, or effective strategies 
for WIA programs in serving the target population, including 
identification of various policy strategies for furthering employment 
of people with disabilities through the workforce investment system;
    c. The extent to which the proposed project is likely to yield 
findings that may be used by other appropriate agencies and 
organizations;
    d. The extent to which the proposed project involves the 
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, 
or are alternatives to, existing strategies;
    e. The likely utility of the information, materials, processes, or 
techniques that will result from the proposed project, including the 
potential for their effective use in a variety of other settings;
    f. The extent to which the results of the proposed project are to 
be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information 
or strategies; and
    g. The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to 
be attained by the proposed project.
2. Quality of the Project Design (25 Points)
    In evaluating the quality of the proposed project design, the 
Department will consider the following factors:
    a. The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
    b. The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes 
a high-quality review of the relevant literature, a high-quality plan 
for project implementation, and the use of appropriate methodological 
tools to ensure successful achievement of project objectives;
    c. The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date policy and program knowledge from research and effective 
practice for technical assistance, training, policy analysis, and 
information;
    d. The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related Federal technical assistance, research, 
training, and information efforts;
    e. The extent to which the proposed project encourages involvement 
of people with disabilities, relevant experts, and organizations; and
    f. The extent to which performance feedback and continuous 
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.
3. Quality of Project Personnel (20 Points)
    In evaluating the quality of project personnel, the Department will 
consider the applicants plan to encourage applications for employment 
from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been 
under represented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, 
or disability.
    In addition, the Department will consider the following factors:
    a. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel; and,
    b. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of project consultants or subcontractors.
4. Quality of the Project Evaluation (20 Points)
    In evaluating the quality of project evaluation, the Department 
considers the following factors:
    a. The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project;
    b. The extent to which the methods of evaluation are appropriate to 
the context within which the project operates;
    c. The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies;
    d. The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of 
objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended 
outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative 
data to the extent possible;
    e. The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about 
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other 
settings; and
    f. Methods for measuring, in both quantitative and qualitative 
terms, program results and satisfaction of recipients of technical 
assistance, training, information, or program management support 
services.
5. Quality of the Management Plan (10 Points)
    In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project, the Department will consider the following factors:
    a. The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of 
the SGA, including clearly defined responsibilities for accomplishing 
project tasks and time lines;
    b. The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project;
    c. The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality materials 
and services from the proposed project;
    d. The extent to which the time commitments of the project director 
and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet 
the objectives of the proposed project; and
    e. The method by which the applicant will ensure that a diversity 
of perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed 
project, including those of adults and/or youths with disabilities, 
families, workforce development professionals, the business community, 
a variety of academic and professional fields, recipients or 
beneficiaries of services, or others, as appropriate.
6. Adequacy of Resources (10 Points)
    In evaluating the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, 
the Department will consider the following factors:
    a. The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization;
    b. The relevance and demonstrated commitment of the lead 
applicant's organization (and all consortia partners) to the 
implementation and success of the project;
    c. The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project; and,
    d. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

B. Selection Criteria

    Except as specifically provided, DOL/ODEP 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. Grantees 
must comply with all applicable Federal statutes, regulations, 
administrative requirements and OMB Circulars. For example, the OMB 
circulars require, and an entity's procurement procedures must require 
that all procurement transaction shall be conducted, as practical, to 
provide open and free competition. If a proposal identifies a specific 
entity to provide the services, the DOL/ODEP's award does

[[Page 36321]]

not provide the justification or basis to sole-source the procurement, 
i.e., avoid competition.
    A panel will objectively rate each complete application against the 
criteria described in this SGA. The panel recommendations to the Grant 
Officer are advisory in nature. The Grant Officer may elect to award 
grants either with or without discussion with the applicant. In 
situations where no discussion occurs, an award will be based on the 
signed SF 424 form (see Appendix A), which constitutes a binding offer. 
The Grant Officer may consider the availability of funds and any 
information that is available and will make final award decisions based 
on what is most advantageous to the Government, considering factors 
such as:
    1. Any efficiencies or economies of scale caused by awarding both 
the adult and the youth grants to one bidder or consortia;
    2. Findings of the grant technical evaluation panel;
    3. Geographic distribution of the competitive applications; and,
    4. The Project's Financial Plan.

X. Reporting

    The grantee must furnish a typed technical report to ODEP on a 
quarterly basis by March 30, June 30, September 30, and December 31. It 
is estimated that the quarterly technical report will take 24 hours to 
complete. The grantee must also furnish a separate financial report to 
ODEP on the quarterly basis mentioned above. The format for the 
technical progress report must contain the following information on 
program activities:
    1. Technical assistance, training, and information efforts to One-
Stop Centers and others including grant programs.
    2. Policy studies and analysis.
    3. Information/expertise gathered and documented.
    4. Linkages developed, partnerships formed, with other 
organizations and groups.
    5. Customer satisfaction feedback on services provided.
    6. HS/HT support provided (youth grant only).

XI. Administration Provisions

A. Administrative Standards and Provisions

    Grantees are strongly encouraged to read these regulations before 
submitting a proposal. The grant awarded under this SGA shall be 
subject to the following:
    29 CFR Part 95--Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, etc.
    29 CFR Part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded 
Grants, Contracts, and Agreements.
    29 CFR Part 97--Uniform Administrative Requirement for Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.

B. Allowable Cost

    Determinations of allowable costs shall be made in accordance with 
the following applicable Federal cost principles:

State and Local Government--OMB Circular A-87
Nonprofit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122
Profit-making Commercial Firms--48 CFR Part 31
    Profit will not be considered an allowable cost in any case.

C. Grant Assurances

    The applicant must include the attached assurances and 
certifications.

D. OMB Clearances

    Offerers awarded a grant/cooperative agreement under this 
solicitation will be required to provide the supporting documentation 
needed to clear data collection instruments within the U.S. Department 
of Labor and the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act, as amended, if data collection activities under the 
grant/cooperative agreement require response from ten (10) or more 
members of the public. In this regard, the narrative for all projects 
should indicate the scope of planned data collection activity.

    Signed at Washington, DC this 6th day of July, 2001.
Lawrence J. Kuss,
Grant Officer.
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P

[[Page 36322]]

Appendix A. Application for Federal Assistance, Form SF 424
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[[Page 36323]]


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[[Page 36324]]



Appendix B. Budget Information Sheet, Form SF 424A
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[[Page 36325]]


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[[Page 36326]]


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[[Page 36327]]


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[[Page 36328]]



Appendix C. Assurances and Certifications Signature Page
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN11JY01.021

[FR Doc. 01-17410 Filed 7-10-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-C