[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43906-43916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20985]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Caribbean Labor Market Information System Project
AGENCY: Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for
cooperative agreement applications (SGA 01-10).
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This Notice Contains All of the Necessary Information and Forms
Needed To Apply for Cooperative Agreement Funding.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor
Affairs (ILAB), will award funds through a cooperative agreement to one
organization to support the development and implementation of a labor
market information system in the English-speaking Caribbean and
Suriname. The countries include Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados,
the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines,
Suriname, Guyana, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and the
Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis. ILAB is seeking applications
from qualified organizations to facilitate the development of more
effective employment and labor market policies in the region by
generating reliable, timely, and internationally comparable labor
market information. This is the second phase of an existing project
begun in April 2000.
DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications is September 12,
2001. Applications must be received by 4:45 p.m. (Eastern Daylight
Savings Time) at the address below. No exceptions to the mailing and
hand-delivery conditions set forth in this notice will be granted.
Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice
will not be honored. Telefacsimile (FAX) applications will not be
accepted.
ADDRESSES: Application forms will not be mailed. They are published in
the Federal Register, which may be obtained from your nearest U.S.
Government office or many public libraries. Applications must be hand-
delivered or submitted by mail to: U.S. Department of Labor,
Procurement Services Center, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N5416,
Attention:
[[Page 43907]]
Lisa Harvey, Reference: SGA 01-10, Washington, D.C. 20210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning this solicitation
may be sent to Lisa Harvey at the following e-mail address: [email protected]. All inquires should reference SGA 01-10.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ILAB, U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL,
Department, or Grantor), announces the availability of funds to be
granted through a cooperative agreement to one qualifying organization
for the purpose of achieving more reliable labor market information in
the English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname in support of developing
more effective employment and labor market policies in the region. The
cooperative agreement is to be actively managed by the Office of
Foreign Relations (OFR), ILAB, to assure achievement of the stated
goal. Applicants are encouraged to be creative in proposing cost-
effective interventions that will have a demonstrable impact on
improving the labor market information systems in the English-speaking
Caribbean and Suriname.
Definitions: (a) Social statistics include areas such as education,
poverty, health and labor. (b) Social partners are government, trade
unions and employer organizations. (c) Working culture refers to the
development of an environment within an organization that supports the
belief that labor market information is essential to policy
formulation.
I. Background and Program Scope
A. USDOL Technical Assistance
The OFR carries out a worldwide international technical assistance
program to improve the welfare of workers through expanding economic
opportunity and income security for workers, protecting the basic
rights of workers, and reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS through
workplace education. This SGA seeks one qualified organization to
develop and implement a labor market information system project in the
English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname in support of expanding
economic opportunity and income security for workers.
B. Labor Market Information System--Phase One
In phase one of the labor market information system project in the
English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname, USDOL dedicated much of its
efforts to help build and enhance the capacity for the production and
use of labor market information at the national and regional levels.
USDOL has successfully implemented intensive activities of technical
support and training. This technical assistance consisted of training
to enhance the institutional framework of Ministries of Labor and
Central Statistical Offices in the English-speaking Caribbean and
Suriname to support labor market information through an improved human
resource base. Specific training activities included:
1. Direct Technical Assistance
The Bureau of Labor Statistics provided current senior employees
and recommended recent retirees to serve as technical experts in the
areas of sample design and labor force data collection and analysis.
They worked in the countries for one week periods of time providing
direct technical assistance to Ministries of Labor and Central
Statistical Offices to develop labor force surveys. The experts also
attempted to facilitate a better level of communication between the
Ministries of Labor and Central Statistical Offices in the countries.
2. Seminar on Linking Labor Market Information to Labor Market Policy
The purpose of the meeting was to illustrate the link between labor
market information and the needs of policymakers in government, trade
unions, and employer organizations. The meeting was attended by high-
level officials from the Ministries of Labor, Central Statistical
Offices, trade unions, and employer organizations throughout the
region.
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics Seminar on Sampling and Data Processing
The objective of the two-week training was to develop participants'
capability to create sample frames for statistical surveys and process
the survey data collected by utilizing statistical computing systems.
The training was attended by labor market information staff from
Ministries of Labor and Central Statistical Offices within the region.
4. Seminar on Labor Market Analysis
The objective of the two-week training was to enhance the ability
of the countries to use labor market information to analyze employment
and labor market issues and formulate policies in response to the
challenges of globalization facing the region. The training was
attended by labor market information staff from the Ministries of Labor
and Central Statistical Offices in the region and the social partners.
The tripartite character of the training reinforced social dialogue and
a better understanding from all parties on the importance of labor
market information.
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics Seminars
Technical staff from Ministries of Labor and Central Statistical
Offices in the region attended USDOL's Bureau of Labor Statistics
Seminars on Employment and Unemployment and Labor Market Information.
During the implementation of phase one, ILAB partnered with various
agencies within USDOL as well as international and regional
organizations and experts to ensure that the necessary skills and
knowledge were disseminated within a national and regional context.
Applicants may review Phase One background information at the following
website: http://www.dol.gov/dol/ilab/public/programs/ofr/procurement/main.htm
C. Regional Challenges
National development strategies and programs in the Caribbean have
increasingly stressed the role of employment policies and the need to
strengthen the capability in the region to design and monitor such
policies. Human resources are central to the development process of the
Caribbean. With their small, but well-educated populations, human
capital is considered the key to successful economic development.
Highly skilled and semi-skilled human resources in the region however,
are becoming increasingly mobile in the current international
environment. The developments in the new global financial order and
more open international trade regimes under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) rules have further placed these small vulnerable
economies and their labor markets under formidable pressure to adjust.
The main challenge of these countries is to create new institutional
capacities to deal with a rapidly changing environment. Due to this,
there has been a growing need for social statistics, in particular
labor statistics. As a result, labor market information has been
identified as an essential tool to improve the functions of the labor
market in the region.
Furthermore, there is a need for comparability of labor statistics
among countries in the Western Hemisphere. This need will become more
urgent with the expansion of a free trade area throughout the
Hemisphere.
The Caribbean has made great efforts in the last decade to
establish and sustain a capability for producing labor market
statistics. The level of labor market information system development
however, varies widely across the
[[Page 43908]]
region. The larger countries have created some of the basic building
blocks to develop a concrete labor market information system and in
some cases attempted to automate their systems, while the smaller
countries have yet to establish the most basic elements of a labor
market information system. Still, all the countries are faced with
obstacles such as scarcity of funds, weakness of analysis and
projections, and unavailability of consistent data collected from the
field in their systems.
All actors involved in the process of regionalization and
globalization need credible and timely labor market information to
successfully respond to the aforementioned issues. Labor market
information systems in the region however, are relatively weak and
therefore are unable to play this critical policy role.
II. Authority
ILAB is authorized to award and administer this project by the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Pub. L. No. 106-554, 114 Stat.
2763A-10 (2000).
III. Application Process
A. Eligible Applicants
Any organization capable of successfully developing and
implementing a labor market information system project in the English-
speaking Caribbean and Suriname in order to facilitate the development
of more effective employment and labor market policies in the region is
eligible to apply for this cooperative agreement award. The capability
of an applicant to perform necessary aspects of this solicitation will
be determined under Section V(B) Rating Criteria.
Please Note That Eligible Cooperative Agreement Applicants Must Not
Be Classified Under The Internal Revenue Code As A Section 501(c)(4)
Entity. See 26 U.S.C. 506(c)(4). According to Section 18 of the
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. 1611 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.
B. Submission of Applications
One (1) ink-signed original, complete application plus two (2)
copies, must be received by the U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement
Services Center, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5416, Washington,
D.C. 20210, no later than 4:45 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2001.
The application must consist of two (2) separate parts. Part I of
the application must contain the Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application
for Federal Assistance'' (Appendix A) (The entry on SF 424 for the
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA) is 17.700) and
sections A-F of the Budget Information Form SF 424A (Appendix B). Part
II must contain a technical proposal that demonstrates capabilities in
accordance with the Statement of Work and the selection criteria. The
applicant is advised that the Proposal must be based on the example
listed in the Review Criteria.
To be considered responsive to this solicitation, the application
must consist of the above-mentioned separate sections not to exceed 70
single-sided (8\1/2\" x 11"), double-spaced, 10 to 12 pitch typed
pages. Any Proposals That Do Not Conform to These Standards May Be
Deemed Non-Responsive to This Solicitation and May Not Be Evaluated.
Standard forms and attachments are not included in page limit.
The individual signing the SF 424 on behalf of the applicant must
be authorized to bind the applicant.
Each proposal must include a table of contents and an abstract
summarizing the proposal in not more than two (2) pages. The table of
contents and abstract do not count against the page limitation of the
technical proposal.
C. Acceptable Methods of Submission
Applications may be hand-delivered or mailed. Hand-delivered
applications must be received by the Procurement Services Center by the
date and time specified. Any application received at the Procurement
Services Center after 4:45 p.m. September 12, 2001 will not be
considered unless it is received before an award is made and:
a. It was sent by registered or certified mail no later than the
fifth calendar day before September 12, 2001.
b. 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 above address; or
c. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day
Service-Post Office to Addressee, no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT at the
place of mailing two working days, excluding weekends and Federal
holidays, before September 12, 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 on
the envelope or wrapper, an application received after the above
closing time and date will not be considered. ``Postmark'' means a
printed, stamped, or otherwise placed 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 must request that
the postal clerk place legible hand cancellation bull's-eye postmark on
both the receipt and the wrapper or envelope.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a
late application sent by the U.S. Postal Service 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 must 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 of a
hand-delivered application 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 of receipt maintained by that
office.
Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or telefacsimile (FAX) will
not be accepted.
D. Funding Levels
Approximately $1 million is available for this project, to fund
activities in thirteen (13) countries of the English-speaking Caribbean
and Suriname.
E. Length of Grant Period
The performance period for the cooperative agreement awarded under
this SGA is three (3) years. Each applicant must reflect in its
application the intention to begin operation no later than September
30, 2001.
IV. Requirements
A. Statement of Work
Applicants must propose work in all of the following areas in the
English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname:
1. Participate in design missions to develop a strategy for project
implementation;
2. Develop an institutional framework/plan by evaluating national
classifications, labor force surveys,
[[Page 43909]]
productivity data, and occupational wages;
3. Develop a program that aims to achieve more effective employment
and training programs that are responsive to the new challenges of
regional and hemispheric integration and globalization by generating
reliable, timely and internationally comparable labor market
information. To accomplish this, the following must be provided:
a. A standard research methodology and set of critical labor market
indicators that are consistent with international occupational
classification system norms accepted by members of Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) and utilized in phase one, as well as supportive of the
current efforts within the Caribbean to adopt a set of acceptable
indicators for the region. International, regional, and national
specialists should be used in the development of the methodology and
indicators to ensure a connection between international standards and
regional and national standards;
b. Based on the establishment of labor market indicators, a
computerized data base utilizing the international and regional
recognized occupational classification system is created to house,
access, and analyze the labor market data in order to make labor market
information more timely and accessible; and
c. A labor market information database within six (6) countries
that is linked to regional and global labor market databases and
utilizing the international and regional recognized occupational
classification system. This would include the development and
implementation of software in each country, design the database
avoiding duplication of previous international efforts, and input the
data in the required format into the system.
4. Conduct extensive training using regional experts and the
expertise of the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics on the national and regional level to
enhance the ability to utilize labor market information in support of
labor market policy development, to adopt a set of standards and
guidelines for labor market information, to provide technical
assistance, and to engage the social partners in understanding the
relevance of labor market information;
5. Facilitate sustainability of the project;
a. Develop a working culture within the government and the social
partners to foster the belief that accurate and timely labor market
information is fundamental to sound policy and workforce development;
b. Ensure the labor market information professionals are trained in
the proper techniques and given the necessary tools to collect,
analyze, and disseminate labor market information to all partners; and
c. Draw employers, trade unions, educational and training
institutions and policy markers more closely into the production, use,
and dissemination of labor market information by showing that it has a
direct impact on their actions.
6. Monitoring, reporting, and self-evaluation: regularly monitoring
project outcomes and reporting to ILAB on project performance and
conducting mid-term and final evaluations to ensure that the project
objectives are met.
B. Deliverables
Unless otherwise indicated, the applicant must submit copies of all
required reports to ILAB by the specified due dates. Other documents,
such as project designs, are to be submitted by mutually agreed-upon
deadlines.
1. A project workplan, budget, project logical framework, and key
personnel organizational chart is submitted to ILAB;
2. A sustainability plan that illustrates how intended project
outputs will continue beyond the scope of the project is submitted to
ILAB;
3. A labor market information institutional framework is submitted
to ILAB;
4. An evaluation of existing national occupational classifications,
labor force surveys, productivity data, and occupational wages
conducted in all countries is submitted to ILAB;
5. A standard research methodology is created;
6. A set of labor market indicators comparable with regional and
international standards is designed;
7. A computerized database is designed and implemented;
8. A labor force survey is created and conducted and a survey
report is produced;
9. Software is developed and implemented to support the
computerized database;
10. Regional seminars with the Ministries of Labor, Central
Statistical Offices, and social partners are conducted to adopt a set
of core regional standards for labor statistics;
11. A regional seminar is conducted for high level policy makers in
the Ministries of Labor and Central Statistical Offices to illustrate
the importance of labor market information to labor market policy;
12. National seminars are conducted to implement labor market
information institutional framework;
13. National seminars are conducted on the results of the labor
force surveys;
14. Ministry of Labor and Central Statistical Office staff are
trained in labor market information database and software;
15. A network of individuals is established and trained in the area
of labor market analysis so that they can disseminate this information
to the relevant partners within their respective countries;
16. A project director living full time in Port of Spain, Trinidad;
17. An office in Port of Spain, Trinidad is established within
three months of grant award and maintained. The project manager and
project office need to be based in Port of Spain, Trinidad for the
following reasons: First, the umbrella trade union group, the Caribbean
Congress of Labour, and the umbrella employers' group, the Caribbean
Employers' Confederation, are located in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Open
lines of communication and easy access to them will be essential to the
development of the tripartite partnership necessary for this project.
Second, Port of Spain, Trinidad offers daily non stop and connecting
flights to the participating countries as well as the daily flights to
the United States. The ability to travel easily will enable the project
manager to be accessible to the participants of the project in case
issues arises with implementation. Finally, Port of Spain, Trinidad is
more technologically advanced than the other cities in the region. The
internet is widely utilized in the country and is less expensive than
in the other countries. This will allow better communication with USDOL
regarding project implementation.
18. Periodic visits to countries to evaluate project progress are
conducted and corrective actions are taken where necessary aftering
consulting with ILAB;
19. Trip Reports. Within ten (10) days of the conclusion of any
trip, a two-page trip report (exclusive of contact information) is
submitted to ILAB, including purpose of trip, places and dates, list of
meetings, site visits, problems encountered, accomplishments, next
steps, and an annex of names and contact information of persons met;
20. Project Designs. The standard project document format
established by ILAB will be used, and will include a background/
justification section, project strategy (objectives, outputs,
activities,
[[Page 43910]]
indicators), institutional framework, project implementation timetable,
project management organizational chart, project budget, and project
logical framework. The document will also include sections which cover
coordination strategies, project management, and sustainability of
project improvements involving government, employers' and workers'
organizations, as well as other non-governmental organizations as
appropriate;
21. Technical Progress Reports. The grantee must furnish a typed
technical report to ILAB on a quarterly basis by 30 March, 30 June, 30
September, and 31 December of each year. The grantee must also furnish
a separate financial report to ILAB on the same quarterly basis. The
format for the technical progress report will be the standard format
developed by ILAB and must contain the following information:
a. For each project objective, an accurate account of activities
carried out under that objective during the reporting period;
b. An accounting of staff and any subcontractor hours expended;
c. An accounting of travel performed under the cooperative
agreement during the reporting period, including purpose of trip,
persons or organizations contacted, and benefits derived;
d. A description of current problems that may impede performance,
and proposed corrective action;
e. For each project objective, a discussion of the work to be
performed during the balance of the cooperative agreement; and
f. Aggregate amount of costs incurred during the reporting period.
22. Evaluation Plan. An evaluation plan for all projects, to be
developed in collaboration with ILAB, including beginning and ending
dates for projects, planned and actual dates for mid-term reviews, and
final end of project evaluations;
23. Evaluation Reports. The grantee and the Grant Officer's
Technical Representative (GOTR) will determine on a case-by-case basis
whether mid-term evaluations will be conducted by an internal or
external evaluation team. All final evaluations will be external in
nature. The GOTR must approve the mid-term evaluation before further
work is done. The grantee will respond to any comments and
recommendation resulting from the review of the mid-term report; and
24. Final Report. A detailed final report with executive summary on
project activities and outcomes is delivered and accepted by ILAB. The
format of this report will be determined by ILAB and it will be
delivered in both electronic and hard copy media.
C. Production of Deliverables
1. Material Prepared and Purchased Under the Cooperative Agreement
The grantee must submit to ILAB all media-related and educational
materials developed under this grant for use in this project before
they are reproduced, published, or used. The grantee must consult with
ILAB to ensure that materials are compatible with ILAB materials
relating to the program, i.e. public relations materials such as videos
and a website. ILAB considers brochures, pamphlets, videotapes, slide-
tape shows, curricula, and any other training materials used in the
program, education materials. ILAB will review materials for technical
accuracy. ILAB will also review training curricula and purchased
training materials for accuracy before they are used. The grantee must
obtain prior approval from the Grant Officer for all materials
developed or purchased under this grant.
Provide ILAB material that you publish, print or reproduce. All
material produced by the grantee must be provided to ILAB in a digital
format for possible publication on the Internet by ILAB.
2. Printing and Duplication
The grantee must comply with all duplicating and printing
regulations issues by the Joint Commission on Printing under authority
of 44 U.S.C. 103, 501, and 502. The term ``duplicating'' as used means
material produced on single unit duplicating equipment not larger than
11 by 17 inches and which have a maximum image of 10\3/4\ x 14\1/4\
inches using direct image plates not requiring the use of negatives.
The term ``printing'' as used must be constructed to include and apply
to the processes of composition, platemaking, presswork, binding, and
microform.
Under this grant, the grantee may duplicate up to a maximum of
5,000 copies of one page or 25,000 copies in the aggregate of multiple
pages.
The grantee must not use funds under this grant to provide
duplicating in excess of the quantities stated above nor provide
printing without the written authorization of the Joint Committee on
Printing. Such authorization must be requested and obtained from the
Grant Officer through the Department Printing Officer. Nothing in this
clause precludes the procurement of writing, editing, preparation of
manuscript copy, or preparation of related illustrative materials.
3. Acknowledgement of USDOL Funding
In all circumstances, the following must be displayed on printed
materials:
``Preparation of this item was funded by the United States
Department of Labor under Cooperative Agreement No. (insert the
appropriate grant number).''
When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals,
bid solicitations, and other documents describing projects or programs
funded in whole or in part with Federal money, all grantees receiving
Federal funds must clearly state:
a. The percentage of the total costs of the program or project
which will be financed with Federal money;
b. The dollar amount of Federal funds for the project or program;
and
c. The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the
project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
In consultation with ILAB, identification of USDOL's role will be
determined to be one of the following:
a. The USDOL logo may be applied to USDOL-funded material prepared
for world-wide distribution, including posters, videos, pamphlets,
research documents, national survey results, impact evaluations, best
practices reports, and other publications of global interest. The
grantee will consult with USDOL on whether the logo should be used on
any such items prior to final draft or final preparation for
distribution. In no event will the USDOL logo be placed on any item
until USDOL has given the grantee written permission to use the logo,
after obtaining appropriate internal USDOL approval for use of the logo
on the item.
b. If the ILAB determines the logo is not appropriate and does not
give written permission, the following notice must appear on the
document:
``This document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names,
commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S.
Government.''
D. Administrative Requirements
1. General
Grantee organizations will be subject to applicable Federal laws
(including provisions of appropriation law) and the applicable Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars. Determination of allowable
costs will be made in accordance with applicable Federal cost
principles. The grant awarded under
[[Page 43911]]
this SGA will be subject to the following administrative standards and
provisions, if applicable:
29 CFR part 95--Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and
Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other
Non-Profit Organizations, and with Commercial Organizations, Foreign
Governments, Organizations Under the Jurisdiction of Foreign
Governments and International Organizations.
29 CFR part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded
Grants, Contracts and Agreement.
2. Subgrants/Contracts
Subgrants and contracts must be awarded in accordance with 29 CFR
95.40.
3. Key Personnel
The applicant must list the individuals(s) who have been designated
by the grantee as having primary responsibility for the conduct and
completion of all work in the project it proposes. The grantee agrees
to inform the GOTR whenever it appears impossible for these
individual(s) to continue work on the project as planned. The grantee
may nominate substitute personnel for approval of the GOTR; however,
the grantee must obtain prior approval from the Grant Officer for all
key personnel. If the Grant Officer determines not to approve the
personnel change, he/she reserves the right to terminate the
cooperative agreement.
4. Encumbrance of Cooperative Agreement Funds
Cooperative agreement funds may not be encumbered/obligated by the
grantee before or after the grant period of performance. Encumbrances/
obligations outstanding as of the end of the cooperative agreement
period may be liquidated (paid out) after the end of the cooperative
agreement period. Such encumbrances/obligations may involve only
commitments for which a need existed during the cooperative agreement
period and which are supported by approved contracts, purchase orders,
requisitions, invoices, bills, or other evidence of liability
consistent with the grantee's purchasing procedures and incurred within
the grant period. All encumbrances/obligations incurred during the
grant period must be liquidated within 90 days after the end of the
grant period, if practicable.
5. Site Visits
The grantor, through its authorized representatives, has the right,
at all reasonable times, to make site visits to review project
accomplishments and management control systems and to provide such
technical assistance as may be required. If the grantor makes any site
visit on the premises of the grantee or a subgrantee/contractor under
this grant, the grantee must provide and must require its subgrantees/
contractors to provide all reasonable facilities and assistance for the
safety and convenience of the Government representatives in the
performance of their duties. All site visits and evaluations must be
performed in such a manner as will not unduly delay the work.
V. Review and Selection of Applications for Grant Award
A. The Review Process
USDOL will screen all applications to determine whether all
required elements are present and clearly identifiable. Each complete
application will be objectively rated by a technical panel against the
criteria described in this announcement. The panel recommendations to
the Grant Officer are advisory in nature. The Grant Office may elect to
select a grantee on the basis of the initial proposal submission; or,
the Grant Officer may establish a competitive or technically acceptable
range for the purpose of selecting qualified applicants. If deemed
appropriate, following the Grant Officer's call for the preparation and
receipt of final revisions of proposals, the evaluation process
described above will be repeated to consider such revisions. The Grant
Officer will make a final selection determination based on what is most
advantageous to the Government, considering factors such as: panel
findings, geographic presence of the applicants, and the availability
of funds. The Grant Officer's determination for award under this SGA is
final.
Note: Identification of an organization as a cooperative
agreement recipient does not constitute approval of the grant
application submitted. Before the actual cooperative agreement is
awarded, the Grant Officer may enter into negotiations concerning
such items as program components, funding levels, and administrative
systems. If the negotiations do not result in an acceptable
submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the
negotiation and decline to fund the proposal.
B. Rating Criteria and Selection
The technical panel will review grant applicants against the
criteria listed below on the basis of 100 points with up to an
additional 5 points available for non-federal or leveraged resources.
The criteria are presented in the order of emphasis that they will
receive.
1. Approach, Understanding of the Issue, and Budget Plan (40 Points)
a. Overview. This section of the proposal must explain:
(1) The applicant's proposed method for performing all the specific
work requirements presented in this solicitation;
(2) The expected outcomes over the period of performance for each
of the tasks; and
(3) The applicant's approach for producing all required
deliverables.
The applicant must describe in detail the proposed approach to
address each requirement, including all methods to be utilized, and
scheduling of personnel and staff. The applicant must also explain the
rationale for using the particular approach proposed. In addition, this
section of the proposal must demonstrate the applicant's thorough
knowledge and understanding of labor market information systems and
policies in the English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname and work that
has been done in this area by various organizations based upon their
previous experience working on these issues in the region.
b. Workplan. The applicant must submit a workplan for the project
that lists the immediate objectives, activities, and outputs during the
life of the project, starting with the execution of the cooperative
agreement and ending with the final report.
c. Technical Sample. The applicant must create a regional workplan
and thirteen national workplans. The applicant must address the
following points in the regional and national workplans:
(1) Describe the use of existing or potential infrastructure and
the use of qualified personnel, including qualified local nationals to
implement the project. The applicant must also include a project
organization chart, demonstrating management structure, key personnel
positions, and indicating proposed links with Government, business
leaders, and trade unions. Applicants will not receive any points for
actual communications with any person(s) or entities in the Caribbean
region or for the creation of an infrastructure in the Caribbean region
for this competitive grant process.
(2) Develop a list of activities and explain how each relates to
the overall objective of achieving more reliable and timely labor
market information systems in the English-speaking Caribbean and
Suriname and increasing their policy relevance.
[[Page 43912]]
(3) Explain how appropriate information, education, and
communication materials will be developed.
(4) Demonstrate how it would systematically report on project
performance to measure the achievement of the project objective(s).
(5) Demonstrate how it would build local capacity to ensure that
project efforts to improve the labor market information systems are
sustained after completion of the project.
(6) Develop a budget for the project. NOTE: Applicants will not be
evaluated on the size of the budget, but on the efficient allocation of
resources and the priorities the applicant assigns to various
expenditures.
d. Budget Plan. This section of the proposal must contain the
applicant's budget plan for the project proposal explaining the costs
for performing all of the requirements presented in this solicitation
and for producing all required reports and other deliverables presented
in this solicitation. Costs must include labor, equipment, travel, and
other related costs.
e. Management Plan. This section also must include a management and
staff loading plan. The management plan must include the following:
(1) A project organization chart and accompanying narrative which
differentiates between elements of the applicant's staff and
subcontractors or consultants who will be retained;
(2) A description of the functional relationship between elements
of the project's organization; and
(3) The identity of the individual responsible for project
management and the lines of authority between this individual and other
elements of the project.
f. Staff Loading Plan. The staff loading plan must identify all key
tasks and the person-days required to complete each task. Labor
estimates for each task must be broken down by individuals assigned to
the task, including subcontractors and consultants. All key tasks must
be charted to show time required to perform them by months and weeks.
(1) Information provided on the experience and education background
of personnel must indicate the following:
(a) The educational background and experience of all staff to be
assigned to the project.
(b) The identity of key staff assigned to the project. ``Key
staff'' are personnel who are essential to the successful operation of
the project and completion of the proposed work and, therefore, may not
be replaced or have their hours reduced without the approval of the
Grant Officer.
(c) The special capabilities of staff that demonstrate prior
experience in organizing, managing, and performing similar efforts.
(d) The current employment status of staff and availability for
this project. The applicant must also indicate whether the proposed
work will be performed by persons currently employed or is work
dependent upon planned recruitment or subcontracting.
This section will be evaluated in accordance with applicable
Federal laws and regulations. The budget must comply with Federal cost
principles (which can be found in the applicable OMB Circulars).
2. Experience and Qualifications of the Organization (35 Points)
a. The organization applying for the award must have experience in
working directly with government Ministries, specifically the
Ministries of Labor and Ministries of Finance, employers'
organizations, and trade unionists in each of the countries of the
English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname.
1. The capability of the organization may be demonstrated by one or
more staff members assigned to oversee the project with experience in
labor market information systems.
b. The organization applying for the award must have an
understanding and working knowledge of global initiatives to develop
and apply a set of internationally recognized labor market indicators.
c. The organization applying for the award must have an established
office or must show that it is able to establish an office within three
months of award as mentioned in deliverable number 17 in Port of Spain,
Trinidad to facilitate project implementation.
d. The organization applying for the award must have unrestricted
access to a network of labor market information technical experts based
in the Caribbean region and worldwide.
e. The organization applying for the award must have an
understanding of USDOL's previous efforts to strengthen the labor
market information systems of the countries of the region.
f. The proposal must include information regarding its previous
grants, contract, or cooperative agreements. This information must
include:
(1) The organization for whom work was done;
(2) A contact person in that organization with his/her current
phone number;
(3) The dollar value of the grant, contract or cooperative
agreement for the project(s);
(4) The time frame and professional effort involved in the
project(s);
(5) A brief summary of the work performed; and
(6) A brief summary of accomplishments.
3. Experience and Qualifications of Key Personnel (25 Points)
This section of the proposal must include sufficient information
for judging the quality and the competence of key staff proposed to be
assigned to the project proposed to assure that they meet the required
qualifications. Successful performance of the proposed work depends
heavily on the qualifications of the individuals committed to the
project. Accordingly, in our evaluation of the applicant's proposal, we
will place considerable emphasis on the applicant's commitment of key
personnel qualified for the work involved in accomplishing the assigned
tasks.
The following information must be furnished:
a. The applicant must designate a Program Director to oversee the
project and other key personnel to perform the requirements for the
program. The Program Director must have a minimum of three (3) years of
professional and technical experience with the development of labor
market information systems and labor market policy in the English-
speaking Caribbean region. The Program Director must also have an
established relationship with employers' organizations and trade unions
in the region. The Program Director will be required to live full time
in Port of Spain, Trinidad to implement the program.
b. An organizational chart showing the applicant's proposed
organizational structure for performing task requirements for the
project proposed, along with a description of the roles and
responsibilities of all key personnel proposed for the project.
c. A resume for each key personnel to be assigned to the program.
At a minimum, each resume must include: the individual's current
employment status and previous work experience, including position
title, duties performed, dates in position, employing organizations and
educational background. Duties must be clearly defined in terms of role
performed, i.e. manager, team leader, consultant, etc. Resumes must be
included as attachments and will not be counted again in the page
limitation.
d. The current employment status of key personnel proposed for work
under the cooperative agreement, i.e., whether
[[Page 43913]]
personnel are currently employed by the organization or whether their
employment depends upon planned recruitment or subcontracting. Note
that the key management and professional technical staff members
comprising the applicant's proposed team must be individuals who have
prior experience with organizations working in similar efforts, and
must be fully qualified to perform work specified in the Statement of
Work. Where subcontractors or outside assistance is proposed,
organizational control must be clearly delineated to ensure
responsiveness to the needs of the USDOL.
4. Leveraging of Federal Funding (5 Points)
We will give up to five (5) additional rating points to proposals
which include non-Federal resources that expand the dollar amount, size
and scope of the proposal. The applicant may include any leveraging or
co-funding anticipated. To be eligible for additional points in the
criterion, the applicant must list the source(s) of funds, the nature
and activities anticipated with these funds under this cooperative
agreement, and any partnerships, linkages or coordination of
activities, or cooperative funding.
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 15th day of August, 2001.
Lawrence J. Kuss,
Grant Officer.
BILLING CODE 4510-28-P
[[Page 43914]]
Appendix A: SF 424--Application Form
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN21AU01.000
[[Page 43915]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN21AU01.001
[[Page 43916]]
Appendix B: SF 424A--Budget Information Form
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN21AU01.002
[FR Doc. 01-20985 Filed 8-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-28-C