[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36024-36028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-12851]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration


Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, FY 2002 Budget

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

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

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SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 
awards funds to nonprofit organizations to conduct safety and health 
training and education in the workplace. This notice announces grant 
availability for two different categories of Susan Harwood Training 
Grants. The Targeted Topic grants will support training in occupational 
safety and health on topics selected by OSHA. The Institutional 
Competency Building grants will assist organizations in expanding their 
occupational safety and health training, education and related 
assistance capacity. The two categories of grants are described below.

1. Targeted Topic Grants

    Two topics have been selected for the Targeted Topic grants.
    The training topics are:
    z Ergonomic hazards
    z Homeland security.
    Targeted Topic category grants will be awarded for 12 months. There 
is approximately $1.2 million available for this grant category. The 
average award will be $150,000.

2. Institutional Competency Building Grants

    Grants are available to nonprofit organizations to assist them in 
expanding their safety and health training, education and related 
assistance capacity. To be eligible to apply for this grant category, 
organizations must serve clients nationally or in multi-state areas, 
and provide safety and health training, education and services to their 
clients.
    Organizations will be expected to institutionalize safety and 
health training, education, and related assistance in their 
organization in order to assist workers and employers on an ongoing 
basis.
    Institutional Competency Building grants will be awarded for 12 
months. There is approximately $5.4 million available for this grant 
category and an average Federal award will be $250,000.
    This notice describes the scope of the grant program and provides 
information about how to get detailed grant application instructions. 
All applicants must obtain the detailed grant application instructions 
mentioned later in the notice before submitting an application.
    Separate grant applications must be submitted by organizations 
interested in applying under more than one grant category or for more 
than one training topic.
    The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related 
Agencies Appropriation Act, Pub. L. 107-116, authorize this program.

DUE DATE: Grant applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. central 
time, Friday, June 21, 2002.

ADDRESS FOR MAILING APPLICATIONS: Submit one signed original and three 
copies of each grant application to the attention of Grants Officer, 
U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA Office of Training and Education, 
Division of Training and Educational Programs, 1555 Times Drive, Des 
Plaines, Illinois 60018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ernest Thompson, Chief, Division of 
Training and Educational Programs, or Cynthia Bencheck, Program 
Analyst, OSHA Office of Training and Education, 1555 Times Drive, Des 
Plaines, Illinois 60018, telephone (847) 297-4810. This is not a toll-
free number. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

What Is the Purpose of the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program?

    Susan Harwood Training Grants provide funds to train workers and 
employers to recognize, avoid, and prevent safety and health hazards in 
their workplaces. The program emphasizes three areas.
    z Educating workers and employers in small businesses. A small 
business has 250 or fewer workers.
    z Training workers and employers about new OSHA standards.
    z Training workers and employers about high risk activities or 
hazards identified by OSHA through its Strategic Plan, or as part of an 
OSHA special emphasis program.
    Grantees are expected to provide occupational safety and health 
training programs, develop safety and health training and/or 
educational programs, recruit workers and employers for the training, 
and conduct the training. Grantees are also expected to follow up with 
people trained by their program to determine what, if any, changes were 
made to reduce hazards in their workplaces as a result of the training.

What Are the Two Grant Categories Being Announced This Year?

    1. Targeted Topic grants.
    2. Institutional Competency Building grants.

What Are the Training Topics for the Targeted Topic Grants?

    Two training topics were chosen for this grant announcement. 
Applicants wishing to apply for more than one grant topic must submit a 
separate grant application for each topic. Each grant application must 
address one of the following training topics.
    1. Ergonomics. Programs that train workers and employers in the 
recognition and prevention of workplace ergonomic risk factors in 
industries that have a high incidence rate for ergonomic injuries. The 
training program should follow established best practices or follow a 
combination of effective practices for addressing the ergonomic risk 
factors for the industry being targeted to receive this training. The 
applicant must demonstrate in the grant application that the industry 
being targeted for the ergonomics training has

[[Page 36025]]

a high incidence rate for ergonomic injuries.
    2. Homeland Security (emergency preparedness and response). 
Programs that train workers and employers on preparing to respond to 
emergency situations at their workplaces. Applicants may propose 
training programs that address emergency preparedness for any industry 
covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
    Training programs should include information on developing and 
maintaining comprehensive emergency action plans and focus on 
occupational safety and health requirements such as egress, evacuation 
policies and procedures, and fire safety protection plans. Other 
relevant workplace emergency preparedness topics that can be included 
or proposed under this topic include biological hazards, chemical 
hazards, and workplace violence.

What Is the Purpose of the Institutional Competency Building Grants?

    These grants are intended to assist nonprofit organizations in 
expanding their safety and health training, education, and related 
assistance capacity. To be eligible to apply for this grant program 
category, organizations must be nonprofit, serve clients nationally or 
in multi-state areas, and provide safety and health training, education 
and services to their clients.
    Organizations will be expected to institutionalize safety and 
health training, education, and related assistance in their 
organization in order to assist workers on an ongoing basis.

Who Is Eligible To Apply for a Grant?

    Any nonprofit organization is eligible to apply. Private nonprofit 
community-based organizations, which may be faith-based, are also 
eligible to apply. State or local government supported institutions of 
higher education are eligible to apply in accordance with 29 CFR 
97.4(a)(1).
    Applicants other than State or local government supported 
institutions of higher education will be required to submit evidence of 
nonprofit status, preferably from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

What Can Grant Funds Be Spent on?

    Grant funds can be spent on the following:
    z Conducting training.
    z Conducting other activities that reach and inform workers and 
employers about occupational safety and health hazards and hazard 
abatement.
    z Developing educational materials for use in the training.

Are There Restrictions on How Grant Funds Can Be Spent?

    Grant funds may not be used for the following activities.
    1. Any activity that is inconsistent with the goals and objectives 
of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
    2. Training involving workplaces that are not covered by the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act. Examples include State and local 
government workers in non-State Plan States and workers covered by 
section 4(b)(1) of the Act.
    3. Production, publication, reproduction or use of training and 
educational materials, including newsletters and instructional programs 
that have not been reviewed by OSHA for technical accuracy.
    4. Activities that address issues other than recognition, 
avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthy working conditions. 
Examples include workers' compensation, first aid, and publication of 
materials prejudicial to labor or management.
    5. Activities that provide assistance to workers or employers in 
arbitration cases or other actions against employers, or that provide 
assistance to employers and workers in the prosecution of claims 
against Federal, State or local governments.
    6. Activities that directly duplicate services offered by OSHA, a 
State under an OSHA-approved State Plan, or consultation programs 
provided by State designated agencies under section 21(d) of the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act.

What Other Grant Requirements Are There?

    1. OSHA review of educational materials. OSHA will review all 
educational materials produced by the grantee for technical accuracy 
during development and before final publication. OSHA will also review 
training curricula and purchased training materials for accuracy before 
they are used. Grantees developing training materials must follow all 
copyright laws and document that their materials are free from 
copyright infringements.
    When grant recipients produce training materials, they must provide 
copies of completed materials to OSHA before the end of the grant 
period. OSHA has a lending program that circulates grant-produced 
audiovisual materials. Audiovisual materials produced by the grantee as 
a part of its grant program will be included in this lending program. 
In addition, all materials produced by grantees must be provided to 
OSHA in hard copy as well as in a digital format (CD Rom) for possible 
publication on the Internet by OSHA. Three copies of the materials must 
be provided to OSHA. Acceptable formats for training materials include 
Microsoft Word 2000 and Microsoft PowerPoint 2000.
    2. OMB and regulatory requirements. Grantees are required to comply 
with the following documents.
    z 29 CFR part 95, which covers grant requirements for nonprofit 
organizations, including universities and hospitals. These are the 
Department of Labor regulations implementing OMB Circular A-110.
    z OMB Circular A-21, which describes allowable and unallowable 
costs for educational institutions.
    z OMB Circular A-122, which describes allowable and unallowable 
costs for other nonprofit organizations.
    z OMB Circular A-133, 29 CFR parts 96 and 99, which provide 
information about audit requirements.
    z 29 CFR parts 31 and 36 as applicable.
    3. Certifications. All applicants are required to certify to a 
drug-free workplace in accordance with 29 CFR part 98, to comply with 
the New Restrictions on Lobbying published at 29 CFR part 93, to make a 
certification regarding the debarment rules at 29 CFR part 98, and to 
complete a special lobbying certification.
    4. Students. The training program must serve multiple employers and 
their employees.
    5. Other. In compliance with the President's Executive Orders 12876 
as amended, 12928, 13230, and 13021 as amended, the grantee is strongly 
encouraged to provide subgranting opportunities to Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribal 
Colleges and Universities.
    6. The restrictions on expenditures of Federal funds in 
appropriations acts, Pub. L. 107-67 and 107-117, to the extent those 
restrictions are pertinent to the award.
    7. Acknowledgment of Federal Funds. 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 included in 
the Act, (Pub. L. 107-117), including but not limited to State and 
local governments and recipients of Federal research grants, shall 
clearly state: (1) The percentage of the total costs of the

[[Page 36026]]

program or project that will be financed with Federal money; (2) the 
dollar amount of Federal funds for the project or program; and (3) 
percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or 
program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.

What Information Must My Application Contain?

    To be considered for a Harwood grant, an application must include 
all of the information listed in this notice. In addition, all 
applicants should obtain and review the grant application package 
before preparing and submitting their grant application. A complete 
application will contain the following forms and narrative.
    1. Application for Federal Assistance form (SF 424).
    2. Program Summary. The program summary is a short one-to-two page 
abstract that summarizes the proposed project and provides information 
about the applicant organization.
    3. Budget Information forms (SF 424A).
    4. Detailed Budget Backup.
    5. Program Narrative, not to exceed 30 pages in length, which 
includes: Problem Statement/Need for Funds; Managerial Experience; 
Program Experience; Workplan.
    6. Assurances form (SF 424B).
    7. Certifications form (OSHA 189).
    8. Supplemental Certification Regarding Lobbying Activities form.
    9. Organization Chart.
    10. Evidence of Non-Profit Status, if applicable.
    11. Accounting System Certification, if applicable.

How Are Applications for the Targeted Topic Grants Reviewed and Rated?

    OSHA staff will review grant applications and present the results 
to the Assistant Secretary who will make the selection of organizations 
to be awarded grants.
    The following factors will be considered in evaluating grant 
applications.

1. Program Design

    a. The proposed training and education program addresses one of the 
two selected training topics. Please refer back to the What are the 
training topics for the Targeted Topic grants? section for details on 
the selected training topics.
    i. Ergonomics. Programs that train workers and employers in the 
recognition and prevention of workplace ergonomic risk factors in 
industries that have a high incident rate for ergonomic injuries. The 
programs should follow established best practices or follow a 
combination of effective practices for addressing these ergonomic risk 
factors for the industry being targeted to receive this training.
    ii. Homeland Security (emergency preparedness and response). 
Programs that train workers and employers on preparing to respond to 
emergency situations at their workplaces.
    OSHA will give preference to applications that:
    z Train managers or supervisors in addition to workers.
    z Contribute a non-Federal matching share towards the grant. While 
applicants are not required to do so, preference will be given to 
organizations that contribute a non-Federal share.
    b. The proposal plans to train workers and/or employers and clearly 
estimates the numbers to be trained, and clearly identifies the types 
of workers and employers to be trained. The training will reach workers 
and employers from multiple employers.
    c. If the proposal contains a train-the-trainer program, the 
following information must be provided:
    z What ongoing support the grantee will provide to new trainers;
    z The number of individuals to be trained as trainers;
    z The outline of the course curriculum that will be used by the new 
trainers to teach their students;
    z The estimated number of courses to be conducted by the new 
trainers;
    z The estimated number of students to be trained by these new 
trainers; and
    z A description of how the new trainers will report back to the 
grantee about their classes and student numbers.
    d. The planned activities and training are tailored to the needs 
and levels of the workers and employers to be trained.
    e. There is a plan to recruit trainees for the program.
    f. If the proposal includes developing educational materials, there 
is a plan for OSHA to review the materials during development.
    g. There is a plan to evaluate the program's effectiveness and 
impact to determine if the safety and health services provided resulted 
in workplace change. This includes a description of the evaluation plan 
to follow up with trainees to determine the impact the program has had 
in abating hazards and reducing worker injuries.
    h. There is a description of the target population, the hazards 
that will be addressed, the barriers that have prevented adequate 
training for the target population, why the program cannot be completed 
without Federal funds, and why funding sources currently available 
cannot be used for this purpose.

2. Program Experience

    a. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience 
with occupational safety and health. Nonprofit community-based 
organizations, which may be faith-based, must partner with an 
established safety and health organization or must demonstrate that 
their organization has prior experience in providing safety and health 
training to workers or employers.
    b. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience 
in training adults in work-related subjects or in providing services to 
its target audience.
    c. The staff to be assigned to the project has experience in 
occupational safety and health, the specific topic chosen, and training 
adults.
    d. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience 
in recruiting, training, and working with the population it proposes to 
serve under the grant.

3. Administrative Capability

    a. The applicant organization demonstrates experience managing a 
variety of programs.
    b. The applicant organization has administered, or will work with 
an organization that has administered, a number of different Federal 
and/or State grants over the past five years.
    c. The application is complete, including forms, budget detail, 
narrative and workplan, and required attachments.

4. Budget

    a. The budgeted costs are reasonable.
    b. The budget complies with Federal cost principles (which can be 
found in applicable OMB Circulars) and with OSHA budget requirements 
contained in the grant application instructions.
    c. The cost per trainee is less than $500 and the cost per training 
hour is reasonable.
    In addition to the factors listed above, the Assistant Secretary 
will take other items into consideration, such as the geographical 
distribution of the grant programs and the coverage of populations at 
risk.

How Are Applications for the Institutional Competency Building Grants 
Reviewed and Rated?

    OSHA staff will review grant applications and present the results 
to the Assistant Secretary who will make the selection of organizations 
to be awarded grants.

[[Page 36027]]

    The following factors will be considered in evaluating grant 
applications.

1. Program Design

    a. The proposed competency building program will provide ongoing 
safety and health training, education and services.
    OSHA will give preference to applications that:
    z Train managers or supervisors in addition to workers.
    z Contribute a non-Federal matching share towards the grant. While 
applicants are not required to do so, preference will be given to 
organizations that contribute a non-Federal share.
    z Propose to reach and serve one or more categories of workers 
within the target audience. The target audience includes non-English 
speaking workers, small business employers and employees, and workers 
who are employed in high hazard industries and industries with high 
fatality rates.
    z Propose to develop, validate, and evaluate occupational safety 
and health training materials for use by employers in traditional 
classroom settings or workplace settings. OSHA will make these 
materials available to the public.
    z Organizations that plan to institutionalize safety and health 
training, education, and related assistance in their organization in 
order to assist workers and employers on an ongoing basis.
    b. The proposal plans to train workers and/or employers and clearly 
estimates the numbers to be trained, and clearly identifies the types 
of workers and employers to be trained. The training will reach workers 
and employers from multiple employers.
    c. If the proposal contains a train-the-trainer program, the 
following information must be provided:
    z What ongoing support the grantee will provide to new trainers;
    z The number of individuals to be trained as trainers;
    z The content outline of the course curriculum that will be used by 
the new trainers to teach their students;
    z The estimated number of courses to be conducted by the new 
trainers;
    z The estimated number of students to be trained by these new 
trainers; and
    z A description of how the new trainers will report back to the 
grantee about their classes and student numbers.
    d. The planned activities and training are tailored to the needs 
and levels of the workers and employers to be trained.
    e. There is a plan to recruit trainees for the program.
    f. If the proposal includes developing educational materials, there 
is a plan for OSHA to review the materials during development.
    g. There is a plan to validate and evaluate the program's 
effectiveness and impact to determine if the safety and health services 
provided resulted in workplace change. This includes a description of 
the evaluation plan to follow up with trainees to determine the impact 
the program has had in abating hazards and reducing worker injuries.
    h. There is a description of the target population, the hazards 
that will be addressed, the barriers that have prevented adequate 
training for the target population, why the program cannot be completed 
without Federal funds, and why funding sources currently available 
cannot be used for this purpose.

2. Program Experience

    a. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience 
with occupational safety and health. Nonprofit community-based 
organizations, which may be faith-based, must partner with an 
established safety and health organization or must demonstrate that 
their organization has prior experience in providing safety and health 
training to workers.
    b. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience 
in training adults in work-related subjects or in providing services to 
its target audience.
    c. The staff to be assigned to the project has experience in 
occupational safety and health, the specific topic chosen, and training 
adults.
    d. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience 
in recruiting, training, and working with the population it proposes to 
serve under the grant.

3. Administrative Capability

    a. The applicant organization demonstrates experience managing a 
variety of programs.
    b. The applicant organization has administered, or will work with 
an organization that has administered, a number of different Federal or 
State grants over the past five years.
    c. The application is complete, including forms, budget detail, 
narrative and workplan, and required attachments.

4. Budget

    a. The budgeted costs are reasonable.
    b. The budget complies with Federal cost principles (which can be 
found in applicable OMB Circulars) and with OSHA budget requirements 
contained in the grant application instructions.
    c. The cost per trainee and the cost per training hour are 
reasonable.
    In addition to the factors listed above, the Assistant Secretary 
will take other items into consideration, such as the geographical 
distribution of the grant programs and the coverage of populations at 
risk.

How Much Money Is Available for Grants?

    Targeted Topic grants. There is approximately $1.2 million 
available for these grants. The Federal award will average $150,000.
    Institutional Competency Building grants. There is approximately 
$5.4 million available for these grants. The Federal award will average 
$250,000.

How Long Are Grants Awarded for?

    Grants are awarded for a twelve-month period. The period of 
performance begins September 30, 2002, and ends September 30, 2003. The 
grant applicant's workplan should coincide with these dates.

How Do I Get a Grant Application Package?

    Grant application instructions may be obtained from the OSHA Office 
of Training and Education, Division of Training and Educational 
Programs, 1555 Times Drive, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018. The 
application instructions are also available at http://www.osha.gov/fso/ote/training/sharwood/sharwood.html.

When and Where Are Applications To Be Sent?

    The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. central time, Friday, June 
21, 2002.
    Submit one signed original and three copies of each application to 
Grants Officer, U. S. Department of Labor, OSHA Office of Training and 
Education, Division of Training and Educational Programs, 1555 Times 
Drive, Des Plaines, IL 60018.

How Will I Be Told if My Application Was Selected?

    Organizations selected as grant recipients will be notified by a 
representative of the Assistant Secretary, usually from an OSHA 
Regional Office. An applicant whose proposal is not selected will be 
notified in writing.
    Notice that an organization has been selected as a grant recipient 
does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. 
Before the actual grant award, OSHA will enter into negotiations 
concerning such items as program components, funding levels, and 
administrative systems. If the negotiations do not result in an 
acceptable submittal, the Assistant

[[Page 36028]]

Secretary reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and decline 
to fund the proposal.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 16th day of May, 2002.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 02-12851 Filed 5-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P