[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42458-42459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15744]



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Part VI





Department of Labor





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Office of Disability Employment Policy; Solicitation of Nominations for 
Department of Labor's Inaugural New Freedom Award; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 120 / Friday, June 21, 2002 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Office of Disability Employment Policy; Solicitation of 
Nominations for Department of Labor's Inaugural New Freedom Award

[OMB Number 1230-0002]

The Department of Labor's Inaugural New Freedom Initiative Award

Presented By Secretary Elaine L. Chao, United States Department of 
Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington DC 20210

    1. Subject: New Freedom Initiative Award(s).
    2. Purpose: To outline the eligibility criteria, the nomination 
process and the administrative procedures for the New Freedom 
Initiative Award(s), and to solicit New Freedom Initiative Award(s) 
nominations.
    3. Originator: Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
    4. Background: To encourage the use of public-private partnerships, 
the Secretary of Labor will present the Inaugural New Freedom 
Initiative Award(s). Initiated in 2002, this award will be made 
annually to individual(s), non-profit organization(s), or 
corporation(s) that have, through programs or activities, demonstrated 
exemplary and innovative efforts in furthering the employment 
objectives of President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative. See 
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominitiative.html. By increasing access to assistive technologies, 
and utilizing innovative training, hiring, and retention strategies, 
the recipient(s) will have established and instituted comprehensive 
strategies to enhance the ability of Americans with disabilities to 
enter and advance within the 21st Century workforce and to participate 
in daily community life.
    5. Eligibility Criteria: The following criteria apply to the New 
Freedom Initiative Award Nominees:
    A. The nominees must be individuals, corporations, or non-profit 
organizations whose activities exemplify the goals of the President's 
New Freedom Initiative which include the Office of Disability 
Employment Policy's mission of increasing employment opportunities for 
youth and adults with disabilities. Nominations may be submitted, 
however, by other entities with the knowledge and permission of the 
nominee. Self-nomination is also encouraged.
    B. Nominees must have developed and implemented a multi-faceted 
program directed toward increasing employment opportunities for people 
with disabilities through increased access to assistive technologies, 
and use of innovative training, hiring, and retention techniques.
    C. Nominees must report any unresolved violations of state or 
Federal law, as determined by compliance evaluations, complaint 
investigations, or other Federal inspections and investigations. In 
addition, the nominee must also report any pending Federal or state 
enforcement actions, and any corrective actions or consent decrees that 
have resulted from litigation under laws enforced by the Department of 
Labor (DOL).
    6.Nomination Submission Requirements:
    A. The single program or multiple programs for which the individual 
or company is being nominated must demonstrate a commitment to people 
with disabilities, and clearly show measurable results in terms of 
significantly enhancing employment opportunities for people with 
disabilities. The programs or activities may also address such issues 
as the widening skills gap among persons with disabilities, a 
diversified 21st Century workforce, and discrimination based on 
disability.
    B. The nomination packages should be limited to only that 
information relevant to the nominee's program(s). Nomination packages 
should be no longer than twenty (20) typed pages double-spaced. A page 
is 8.5'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, 
and sides).
    C. Nomination packages must include the following for 
consideration:
    1. The nomination package should include an executive summary 
prepared by the nominee, which clearly identifies the specific 
program(s) under nomination and fully describes the results achieved.
    2. The specific activities, program(s), or establishment for which 
the nomination is being submitted.
    3. Specific data on training, placements, resources expended and 
other relevant information that will facilitate evaluation of the 
nominee's submission.
    4. A description of how the program(s) and/or activities that are 
the subject of the nomination have had a positive and measurable impact 
on the employment of people with disabilities.
    5. A data summary on the nominee. See Section 6(D).
    D. A Data summary on Nominee will include the following:
    1. Name(s) of the individual, organization or corporation being 
nominated.
    2. Full address and telephone number.
    3. Name of highest ranking official(s) (where appropriate).
    4. Name of executive(s) responsible for human resources, equal 
employment opportunity, and/or disability awareness at nominee's 
establishment and/or corporate office (where appropriate).
    5. Name of parent company (where appropriate).
    6. Name, address and telephone number of CEO or President of parent 
company (where appropriate).
    7. Name, title, address and telephone number of a contact person.
    8. Number of employees at the establishment or corporation being 
nominated (where appropriate).
    9. Name and description of principal program(s) or service(s).
    7. Timing and Acceptable Methods of Submission of Nominations: 
Nomination packages must be submitted to the Office of Disability 
Employment Policy, Room S-1303, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210 by July 22, 2002. Any application received after 
4:45 p.m. EDST on July 22, 2002 will not be considered unless it was 
received before the award is made and:
    1. It was sent by registered or certified mail no later than the 
fifth calendar day before July 22, 2002;
    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 5:00 P.M. at the place 
of mailing two (2) working days, excluding weekends and Federal 
holidays, prior to July 22, 2002.
    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 will be 
processed as if mailed late. ``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 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.

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Department of Labor is the date/time stamp of the Office of Disability 
Employment Policy on the application wrapper or other documentary 
evidence or receipt maintained by that office.
    Applications sent by other delivery services, such as Federal 
Express, UPS, etc., will also be accepted; however, the applicant bears 
the responsibility of timely submission.
    All nominees are advised that U.S. mail delivery in the Washington, 
DC area has been erratic due to the recent concerns involving anthrax 
contamination. All nominees must take this into consideration when 
preparing to meet the application deadline. Therefore, it is 
recommended that you confirm receipt of your application by contacting 
Lisa Lahrman, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment 
Policy, telephone (202) 693-7880; TTY (202) 693-4920 (these are not 
toll-free numbers), prior to the closing deadline.
8. The Administrative Review Process
    A. The ODEP Steering Committee will perform preliminary 
administrative review to determine the sufficiency of all submitted 
application packages.
    B. An Executive Evaluation Committee made up of representatives 
appointed by the Secretary of Labor from Department of Labor employees 
will perform secondary review.
    C. The Secretary of Labor will conduct the final review and 
selections.
9. Other Factors to be Considered During the Administrative Review 
Process
    A. If a nominee merges with another company during the evaluation 
process, only that information relative to the nominated company will 
be evaluated, and the award, if any, will be limited to the nominated 
company.
    B. Prior receipt of this award will not preclude a nominee from 
being considered for the New Freedom Initiative Award in subsequent 
years. Programs and activities serving as the basis of a prior award, 
however, may not be considered as the basis for a subsequent award 
application.
10. Procedures Following Selection
    A. Awardees will be notified of their selection via the contact 
person identified in the application package at least six weeks prior 
to the awards ceremony. Non-selected nominees will also be notified 
within 45 days of the selection of the awardees.
    B. As a precondition to acceptance of the award, the nominee agrees 
to perform two out of the following activities:
    1. Submit a two-minute video of the program(s) or activity(ies) for 
which it is being recognized to ODEP within 30 days of notification;
    2. Display an exhibit or showcase of the program(s)/activity(ies) 
for which it is being recognized at the awards ceremony;
    3. Participate in any New Freedom Initiative workshops hosted by 
ODEP in conjunction with the awards ceremony.
    C. Materials developed by the awardees in conjunction with Section 
10(B) will be subject to review by the Office of the Solicitor's 
Division of Legislative and Legal Counsel at the Department of Labor to 
ensure compliance with applicable ethics standards.
11. Location:
    The awards ceremony will generally be held during the month of 
October at a location to be determined by the Secretary of Labor.

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice (Public Law 104-13)

    Persons are not required to respond to a collection of information 
unless is displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number. This collection of information is approved under 
OMB Number 1230-0002 (Expiration Date: 10/31/02). The obligation to 
respond to this information collection is voluntary; however, only 
nominations that follow to nomination procedures outlined in this 
notice will receive consideration. The average time to respond to this 
information of collection is estimated to be 10 hours per response; 
including the time for reviewing instructions, researching existing 
data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing 
and reviewing the collection of information. Submit comments regarding 
this estimate; including suggestions for reducing response time to the 
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, Room 
S-1303, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington DC 20210. Please 
reference OMB Number 1230-0002.
    We are very interested in your thoughts and suggestions about your 
experience in preparing and filing this nomination packet for the 
Department of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Inaugural Award. Your 
comments will be very useful to the Office of Disability Employment 
Policy in making improvements in our solicitation for nominations for 
this award in subsequent years. All comments are strictly voluntary and 
strictly private. We would appreciate your taking a few minutes to tell 
us--for example--whether you thought the instructions were sufficiently 
clear; what you liked or disliked; what worked or didn't work; whether 
it satisfied your need for information or if it didn't, or anything 
else that you think is important for us to know. Your comments will be 
most helpful if you can be very specific in relating your experience.
    We value your comments, and would really like to hear from you. 
Please send any comments you have to Rhonda Basha at [email protected] or via mail to the Office of Disability Employment 
Policy, Room S-1303, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington DC 20210. 
Thank you.

    Signed at Washington, DC this 17th day of June 2002.
William J. Mea,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Disability Employment Policy.
[FR Doc. 02-15744 Filed 6-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CX-P