[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 146 (Monday, July 30, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39337-39350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18940]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Innovative Demonstration Grants for Youth With Disabilities

AGENCY: Office of Disability Employment Policy, Labor.

[[Page 39338]]


ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for grant 
applications (SGA 01-07).

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or Department), Office of 
Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) announces the availability of $3.5 
million to award competitive grants to fund model demonstration 
programs designed to enhance the capacity of youth programs to serve 
youth with disabilities. Up to nine competitive grants will be awarded 
in the range of $350,000 to $500,000. These awards are for a two-year 
period of performance. All youth service applicants, other than 
501(c)(4) entities, will be eligible.
    Each grant must involve members of two specific groups in strategic 
planning and implementation activities: youth with disabilities and 
relevant experts in the field of young people with disabilities (such 
as disability organizations, researchers, policy makers, employers, 
family members and/or family organizations, independent living centers, 
or service providers). Each grant must also include a management and 
evaluation component. All forms necessary to prepare an application are 
included in this Solicitation for Grant Application (SGA.)

DATES: One (1) ink-signed original, complete grant application plus 
three (3) copies of the Technical Proposal and three (3) copies of the 
Cost Proposal must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, 
Procurement Services Center, Attention Grant Officer, Reference SGA 01-
07, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210, not 
later than 4:45 p.m. EST, August 29, 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 01-07, 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. 
EST, August 29, 2001, will not be considered unless it is received 
before the award is made and:
    1. It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the 
fifth calendar day before August 29, 2001;
    2. 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 p.m. at the place of 
mailing two (2) working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, 
prior to August 29, 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:   

I. Authority

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

II. Background

    The President's ``New Freedom Initiative'' is designed to increase 
the number of people with disabilities who enter, re-enter, and remain 
in the workforce. This initiative is dedicated to increasing investment 
in, and access to, assistive technologies; expanding educational 
opportunities; in order to increase the ability of individuals with 
disabilities to integrate into the workforce; and promoting increased 
access into the community.\1\
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    \1\ For more information about the New Freedom Initiative, go to 
the White House web page at www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative.
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    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 is to increase the participation of youth with 
disabilities into mainstream workforce development activities under 
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA).
    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.\2\ 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,

[[Page 39339]]

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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    \2\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center on Education 
Statistics, The Condition of Education 2000 in Brief, Jeanne H. 
Nathanson NCES 2001-045, Washington, DC; 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, DC, U.S. Government Printing Office, 2000.
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    The federal/state vocational rehabilitation system is neither large 
enough to, nor solely responsible for, serving all youth with 
disabilities who depart the school system. According to the U.S. 
Department of Education, each year approximately 500,000 young people 
with disabilities leave our nation's schools. Vocational rehabilitation 
programs are able to serve less than 40,000 of these young people with 
disabilities. A large portion of the remaining 460,000 youth with 
disabilities are potentially eligible for youth programs financially 
assisted under WIA. 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 such elements 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 provides a variety of work preparation programs that can assist 
youth with disabilities with their career ambitions. The potential is 
great for these programs to prepare eligible youth participants with 
disabilities for employment. Moreover, WIA-assisted youth programs must 
take up their responsibilities as vital partners in the broad spectrum 
of programs which prepare individuals for the workforce. These services 
need to be made available to young people with disabilities. 
Traditionally, however, they are not recruited to participate in these 
programs. WIA youth service providers may not be aware of the need to 
serve youth with disabilities in their communities and may lack the 
resources to develop strong partnerships and an equitable referral and 
assessment system.
    In addition, Vocational Rehabilitation agencies, Special Education 
agencies, and other agencies serving youth with disabilities may not be 
informed about the potential for coordinating resources with WIA-based 
programs, or for creating mechanisms for such programs to cooperate and 
support young people with disabilities.
    The U.S. Department of Labor has determined that youth programs 
need to be strengthened to better serve young people 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 
USCA 557(b). Recently, the Office on Disability Employment Policy 
(ODEP) was established within DOL (Pub. L. 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 youth programs, including WIA-assisted youth 
programs, and thereby increase the capacity of those programs to serve 
people with disabilities.
    In order to accomplish this goal, a two-pronged approach will be 
used. This approach includes:
    1. Awarding these grants which are designed to demonstrate and 
further develop the capacity of various youth programs to serve youth 
with disabilities; and,
    2. Establishment of a technical assistance program to support 
capacity building for various youth programs.
    In combination, these activities will substantially contribute to 
achieving the goals of the President's New Freedom Initiative.
    This SGA is designed to initiate the first of these activities. 
Establishment of the supporting national technical assistance program 
is being implemented simultaneously, under a separate SGA. The 
technical assistance program is expected to be in operation in time to 
help with the implementation of these demonstration grants.

III. Purpose

    This SGA supports model demonstration projects that develop, 
implement, evaluate, and disseminate new or improved approaches that 
generate knowledge, and promote best practices to the various youth 
programs, in order to increase participation and improve results in 
those programs for young people with disabilities.
    For the purposes of this SGA, a ``youth with disabilities'' is 
defined as a youth aged 14 to 21 years old to whom one or more of the 
following applies:
    a. Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 
one or more of his or her major life activities;
    b. Has a record of such an impairment; or,
    c. Is regarded as having such an impairment.\3\
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    \3\ This definition is consistent with the definition of 
``disability'' that applies under four Federal laws barring 
discrimination on the basis of disability, including section 504 of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 705(9) and 
705(20)); title I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
1990 (ADA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 12102(2)); and section 101(17) of 
the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801(17)), as well 
as the regulations implementing these laws.
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    The purpose of these demonstration projects is to help various 
youth programs develop their staff's capacity to serve youth with 
disabilities. This capacity building will allow these programs to 
develop and further demonstrate strategies and techniques to increase 
the participation of youth with disabilities; these strategies and 
techniques can, in turn, serve as models for similar various youth 
programs. These projects will target youth both in-and out-of-school. 
As a result of these demonstrations, and associated technical 
assistance efforts, ODEP anticipates that all various youth programs 
will learn from and follow these examples, resulting in a system wide 
increase in the successful participation of youth with disabilities in 
all various youth programs.
    Included in the objectives of these model demonstration projects is 
a goal of building upon and enhancing the integrated youth development 
approach envisioned under WIA, by incorporating knowledge of best 
practices developed through 15 years of research from the fields of 
rehabilitation, special education, maternal and child health, school-
to-work, and youth development as discussed in Section IV of this SGA.
    Projects are required to collaborate with the technical assistance 
program (described above in the Background section.

[[Page 39340]]

IV. Statement of Work

    Grantees must implement demonstration projects designed to develop 
their youth program's capacity to increase its services to youth with 
disabilities. This capacity building will allow these programs to 
develop and further demonstrate strategies and techniques to increase 
both the participation of and results for youth with disabilities.
    These grant funds are designed to enable various youth programs to 
support those needed efforts to achieve a greater level and quality of 
service to youth with disabilities in their existing programs. These 
grant funds are not intended as direct service payments for youth with 
disabilities. Rather, these funds are intended to be used in ways which 
create systems change or overall program improvements to enable various 
youth programs to be better able to successfully serve youth with 
disabilities.
    Under this grant, grantees must serve at least 40 youth with 
disabilities each year or, if the program has fewer than 200 
participants, at least 20% of them must be participants with 
disabilities.
    Grantees must develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate new or 
improved approaches to the youth programs that generate knowledge, and 
promote best practices, in order to increase participation and improve 
results in those programs for young people with disabilities. In 
addition, grantees must participate in technical assistance efforts 
designed to disseminate to other programs their successful strategies 
and techniques for serving greater numbers of youth with disabilities.
    All grantees must operate demonstration projects that integrate the 
four key themes discussed above with one or more of the following best 
practice features:
    1. Demonstrations focused on promoting effective structures, 
policies, and practices to improve results for youth with disabilities 
in WIA programs, in areas such as admission, enrollment, assessment, 
staff development, interagency coordination, etc.;
    2. Demonstrations of effective service interventions and approaches 
that help young people with disabilities to overcome barriers to 
positive education and employment outcomes;
    3. Demonstrations that focus on the link between academic and 
occupational skill standards; and on the integration of academic and 
applied learning in real work settings;
    4. Demonstrations that focus on supporting and accommodating young 
people with disabilities in integrated, inclusive work, and work-
preparation environments at all times, especially if their educational 
program has been delivered even partially in a segregated setting;
    5. Demonstrations that focus on youth-centered planning and 
development (e.g., assessment, choice, rights and responsibilities, 
life skills, drop out prevention strategies, paid and unpaid work 
experiences, leadership development, adult mentoring);
    6. Demonstrations that focus on promoting physical and mental 
health, and the link between health and positive educational and 
employment outcomes;
    7. Demonstrations that focus on increasing the type of involvement 
by business, labor, family, and community, that creates effective 
connections to intermediaries with strong links to the job market and 
to local and regional employers;
    8. Demonstrations which develop and leverage linkages with other 
state and local initiatives that provide services and supports for 
young people with significant disabilities (such initiatives may 
include, but are 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); and
    9. Demonstrations that research alternative methods of measuring 
WIA performance outcomes that consider the various characteristics of 
people with disabilities.
    Some examples of suggested resources for information about various 
youth program components and these best practice features can be 
located on the following web sites:
    1. Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Office of Youth 
Services web site: www.doleta.gov/youth_services
    2. National Transition Alliance for Youth with Disabilities: 
www.dssc.org/nta
    3. The Department of Health and Human Services, Maternal and Child 
Health, ``Healthy and Ready to Work'' website: www.mchbhrtw.org
    4. National Youth Employment Coalition, Program and Effective 
Practices Network (PEPNET) website: www.nyec.org
    5. National Center on Secondary Education and Transition website: 
www.ici.edu
    In addition, a model demonstration project must:
    1. Provide a detailed management plan for project goals, 
objectives, and activities;
    2. Use rigorous quantitative or qualitative evaluation methods and 
data;
    3. Evaluate the model by using multiple measures of results to 
determine the effectiveness of the model and its components or 
strategies for continuos program improvements;
    4. Produce detailed procedures and materials that would enable 
others to replicate the model;
    5. Communicate with appropriate audiences through means such as 
technical assistance providers and disseminators, publications, 
conference presentations, and/or a web site. (If the project maintains 
a web site, it must include relevant information and documents in an 
accessible form); and
    6. Collaborate with appropriate Federal and state agencies and 
programs, such as Maternal and Child Health/Children with Special 
Health Care Needs Program, Social Security Administration, Health Care 
Financing Administration, Department of Education, Vocational 
Rehabilitation, Developmental Disabilities.
    The Department will arrange for an independent evaluation of 
outcomes, impacts, and benefits of the demonstration projects. Grantees 
must make records available to evaluation personnel, as specified by 
the evaluator(s) under the direction of the Department.

V. Funding Availability

    The period of performance will be 24 months from the date of 
execution by the Government. Up to nine (9) competitive grants will be 
awarded in the range of $350,000 to $500,000. It is expected that the 
funds used for this SGA will support the costs associated with the 
development, implementation, and evaluation of a model demonstration 
project for a youth program to significantly increase the numbers of 
young people with disabilities participating and benefitting from 
program activities. Projects can use the available funds to conduct a 
variety of activities to support these models, such as outreach, 
recruitment, staff training, strategic planning, assessment, 
curriculum/materials development, career development, student-focused 
planning, program alignment, partnership building, reasonable 
accommodations, etc., youth programs are required to use existing 
funding to provide direct services to young people with disabilities.

[[Page 39341]]

VI. Eligible Applicants

    All youth service applicants, other than Section 501 (c)(4) 
entities, are eligible. Each grantee must involve members of two 
specific groups in strategic planning and implementation activities: 
Youth with disabilities, and relevant experts in the field of young 
people with disabilities (such as disability organizations, 
researchers, policy makers, employers, family members and/or family 
organizations, independent living centers, or service providers.)

Please note that Eligible Grant 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.

VII. Application Contents

    General Requirements--Three copies and an original of the proposal 
must be submitted, one of which must contain an original signature. 
Proposals must be submitted by the applicant only. There are three 
required sections of the application. Requirements for each section are 
provided in this application package.

Part I--Executive Summary

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

Part II--Project Narrative--(Appendices--Letters of Commitment/Support, 
Resumes, etc.)

    Applicants must include a narrative that addresses the Statement of 
Work in Part IV of the notice and the selection criteria that are used 
by reviewers in evaluating the application. You must limit Part II to 
the equivalent of no more than fifty (50) pages using the following 
standard. This page limit does not apply to Part I the Executive 
Summary; Part III the Project Financial Plan (Budget); and, the 
Appendices (the assurances and certifications, resumes, a bibliography 
or references, and the letters of support.) A page is 8.5" x 11" (on 
one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). All text 
in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, 
quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, 
figures, and graphs double-spaced (no more than three lines per 
vertical inch); and, 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.)
    Applicants must include in Part II of the proposal a narrative that 
addresses all of the Evaluation Criteria (section VIII below) that will 
be used by reviewers in evaluating individual proposals.
    Grantees must collaborate with other research institutes, centers, 
and studies and evaluations, that are supported by DOL and other 
relevant Federal agencies.

Part III--Project Financial Plan (Budget)

    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 Plan must contain the SF 424, Application 
for Federal Assistance, (Appendix A) and a 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 and be able to legally bind the 
responsible financial and administrative entity for a grant should that 
application result in an award. The applicant must also include the 
Assurances and Certifications Signature Page (Appendix C).

VIII. Evaluation Criteria/Selection

A. Evaluation Criteria

    The application must include appropriate information of the type 
described below.
1. Significance of the Proposed Project (15 points)
    In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Department considers the following factors:
    a. The potential contribution of the proposed project to increase 
knowledge or understanding of problems, issues, or effective strategies 
for youth programs in serving young people with disabilities;
    b. The extent to which the proposed project is likely to yield 
findings that may be used by other appropriate agencies and 
organizations;
    c. 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;
    d. The likely utility of the products (such as information, 
materials, processes, or techniques) that will result from the proposed 
project, including the potential for the products' being used 
effectively in a variety of other settings;
    e. The extent to which the promising practices of the proposed 
project are to be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use 
the information or strategies;
    f. The potential replicability (national significance) of the 
proposed project or strategies, including, as appropriate, the 
potential for implementation in a variety of settings; and
    g. The importance or magnitude of the results which are 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 considers 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 is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address the needs of the target 
population and other identified needs;
    c. The extent to which the design of the proposed project can 
measure methods for recruiting and serving youth with disabilities each 
year;
    d. The extent to which the proposal demonstration incorporates the 
four key themes identified in Part IV, Statement of Work;
    e. The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of this 
grant;
    f. The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
a review of disability related literature, up-to-date knowledge from 
research and effective practice of youth-centered planning and youth 
development principles and approaches, and the use of appropriate 
methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project 
objectives;
    g. The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources;
    h. The extent to which the applicant encourages involvement of 
young people with disabilities, relevant experts, and organizations in 
project activities; and,

[[Page 39342]]

    g. The extent to which performance feedback and continuous 
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.
3. Quality of Project Personnel (15 Points)
    The Project Narrative must describe the proposed staffing of the 
project and must identify and summarize the qualifications of the 
personnel who will carry it out. In evaluating the quality of project 
personnel, the Department considers the extent to which the applicant 
encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of 
groups that have traditionally been under represented based on race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, and disability.
    The projects funded under this notice must make positive efforts to 
employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with 
disabilities in project activities. In addition, the Department 
considers the qualifications, including relevant education, training 
and experience of key project personnel as well as the qualifications, 
including relevant training and experience of project consultants or 
subcontractors. Resumes must be included in the Appendices.
4. Adequacy of Resources (15 Points)
    In evaluating the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, 
the Department considers 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 each partner in the 
proposed project to the implementation and success of the project; and,
    c.The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project;
    d. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project; 
and
    e. The extent to which the applicant proposes to leverage other 
resources and funds, or to use these funds to leverage other funds.
    The applicant may include letters of commitment from proposed 
partners in the Appendix.
5. Quality of the Management Plan (15 Points)
    In evaluating the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project, the Department considers the following factors:
    a. The extent to which a high-quality management plan for project 
implementation is provided to achieve the objectives of the proposed 
project on time and within budget, including clearly defined staff 
responsibilities, and time allocated to project activities, time lines, 
milestones for accomplishing project tasks and project deliverables;
    b. The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project; and
    c. The extent to which the time commitments of the project director 
and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.
6. Quality of the Project Evaluation (15 Points)
    In evaluating the quality of the project's evaluation design, the 
Department considers the following factors:
    a. The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, context and 
outcomes of the proposed project the extent to which the methods of 
evaluation provide for examining the effectiveness of project 
implementation strategies;
    b. 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;
    c. The extent to which the evaluation will provide information to 
other youth programs about effective strategies suitable for 
replication or testing in other settings; and
    d. The extent to which the methods of evaluation measure in both 
quantitative and qualitative terms, program results and satisfaction of 
youth with disabilities.

B. Selection Criteria

    Acceptance of a proposal and an award of federal funds to sponsor 
any program(s) is not 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 
award does 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. Findings of the grant technical evaluation panel;
    2. Geographic distribution of the competitive applications;
    3. Assuring a variety of different program designs; and,
    4. The availability of funds.

IX. Reporting

    Grantees must submit on a quarterly basis by March 30, June 30, 
September 30, and December 31 financial and participation reports under 
this program as prescribe by OMB Circulars A-102 and A-110. It is 
estimated that the quarterly program report will take five (5) hours to 
complete.

1. Financial Reports
2. Quarterly and Final Program Results and Reports on the Satisfaction 
of Youth with Disabilities
3. Other Reporting (to Technical Assistance Service Providers, etc.), 
as prescribed by DOL

X. 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 as applicable:

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:


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State and Local Government--OMB Circular A-87
Nonprofit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122
Profit-making Commercial Firms--48 CFR Part 31

C. Grant Assurances

    The applicant must include the attached assurances and 
certifications.
    Profit will not be considered an allowable cost in any case.
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P

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    Signed at Washington, D.C. this 25th day of July, 2001
Lawrence J. Kuss,
Grant Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-18940 Filed 7-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-C