[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47844-47860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18424]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Office of Disability Employment Policy; Working for Freedom, 
Opportunity and Real Choice Through Community Employment (WorkFORCE) 
Grant Initiative: Supporting the Coordination and Delivery of 
Competitive Employment Opportunities That Facilitate People With 
Disabilities Living and Working in Their Communities

AGENCY: Office of Disability Employment Policy, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for grant 
applications for WorkFORCE coordinating and action grants) (SGA 02-20 
and SGA 02-21).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of $6.0 million in 
grant funding through the Department of Labor's Working for Freedom, 
Opportunity and Real Choice through Community Employment (WorkFORCE) 
Grant Initiative. This new initiative represents the Department of 
Labor's continued support for increasing and improving employment 
opportunities that allow individuals with disabilities to: (1) Move 
from nursing homes or other institutions and residential facilities 
into the community; (2) continue living in the community; (3) achieve 
economic self-sufficiency; and (4) attain full access to, and 
participation in, their communities.
    This WorkFORCE Grant Initiative includes two distinct competitive 
Solicitations for Grant Applications (SGAs), the WorkFORCE Coordinating 
Grants SGA and the WorkFORCE Action Grants SGA:
     WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants (SGA 02-20): These grants, 
ranging from $100,000 to $150,000, are to assist in coordinating, 
strategizing and developing competitive, customized community 
employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities so that they 
may live, work, and fully participate in their communities.
     WorkFORCE Action Grants (SGA 02-21): These grants are 
demonstration grants, ranging from $400,000 to $750,000, to begin or 
expand the delivery and implementation of competitive, customized 
community employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities so 
that they may live, work, and fully participate in their communities.
    The application and evaluation/selection criteria for both SGAs are 
included in this Notice of Funding Availability. State agencies, 
nonprofit organizations, a consortium of public and private entities, 
and Indian and Native American Tribal entities, or consortia of Tribes, 
with the written approval of their tribal council are eligible 
applicants for the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants. Nonprofit 
organizations, either individually or as part of a consortium, are 
eligible applicants for the WorkFORCE Action Grants.
    Deadline for Submission of Grant Applications: To be considered 
under the Fiscal Year 2002 funding cycle, grant applications must be 
submitted by the deadlines listed below:

WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants, August 21, 2002
WorkFORCE Action Grants, August 21, 2002

    Submission of Applications: Applicants are required to submit one 
ink-signed original and two copies of the complete application for each 
grant for which they are applying to the U.S. Department of Labor, 
Procurement Services Center, Attention Grant Officer, Reference SGA 02-
20 or SGA 02-21, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 
DC 20210 by no later than 4:45 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time 
(EDST) on August 21, 2002. Both the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants and 
the WorkFORCE Action Grants have the same closing date, August 21, 
2002. Applications for either grant received after these closing dates 
will not be considered.
    Late Proposals: All applicants are advised that U.S. mail delivery 
in the Washington, DC area has been erratic due to concerns involving 
anthrax contamination. All applicants must take this into consideration 
when preparing to meet the application deadline. Therefore, it is 
recommended that you confirm receipt of your application(s) by 
contacting Cassandra Willis, U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement 
Services Center, at (202) 693-4570, prior to the closing deadline. 
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact the Department via 
the Federal Relay Service, (800) 877-8339.

Acceptable Methods of Submission

    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 Office of Procurement Services Center after 
4:45 p.m., EDST, August 21, 2002, 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 21, 2002; or
    2. 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 working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, 
prior to August 21, 2002; and/or
    3. 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.
    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 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 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 other delivery services, such as Federal 
Express, UPS, etc., will also be accepted; however the Department does 
not accept dates or date stamps on such packages as evidence of timely 
mailing. Thus, the applicant bears the responsibility of timely 
submission.
    All applicants are advised that U.S. mail delivery in the 
Washington, DC area has been erratic due to concerns involving anthrax 
contamination. All applicants 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 
Cassandra Willis, U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services 
Center, telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is not a toll-free number), 
prior to the closing deadline. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing 
may contact the Department via the Federal Relay Service, (800) 877-
8339.

[[Page 47845]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Questions concerning this 
solicitation may be directed to Cassandra Willis, at (202) 693-4570. 
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact the Department via 
the Federal Relay Service, (800) 877-8339. Application announcements or 
forms will not be mailed. They are published in the Federal Register 
which may be obtained from your nearest U.S. Government office or 
public library. In addition, you can obtain up-to-date general 
information about the WorkFORCE Grants, as well as the complete grant 
solicitations for both the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants and the 
WorkFORCE Action Grants, please check our web site at: http://www2.dol.gov/odep/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Authority

    Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-554, 114 
Stat. 2763; 29 U.S.C. 557b; DOL, HHS, Education and Related 
Appropriations Act, 2002, Public Law 107-116, 115 Stat. 2177.

II. Background

    In Olmstead v. L.C., 119 S.Ct. 2176 (1999) (the ``Olmstead 
decision''), the Supreme Court construed Title II of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act (ADA) to require states to place qualified individuals 
with mental disabilities in community settings, rather than in 
institutions, whenever treatment professionals determine that such 
placement is appropriate, the affected persons do not oppose such 
placement, and the state can reasonably accommodate the placement, 
taking into account the resources available to the state and the needs 
of others with disabilities. The Department of Justice regulations 
implementing Title II of the ADA require public entities to administer 
their services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting 
appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities, 28 
CFR 35.130(d).
    The Supreme Court stated that institutional placements of people 
with disabilities who can live in, and benefit from, community settings 
perpetuates the unwarranted assumptions that persons so isolated are 
incapable or unworthy of participating in community life and that 
``...confinement in an institution severely diminishes everyday life 
activities of individuals, including family relations, social contacts, 
work options, economic independence, educational advancement, and 
cultural enrichment.'' Olmstead, 119 S.Ct. 2176, 21789, 2187 [emphasis 
added]. This decision affects not only all persons in institutions and 
segregated settings, but also people with disabilities who are at-risk 
of institutionalization, including people with disabilities on waiting 
lists to receive community based services and supports.
    The Court indicated that one way states can show they are meeting 
their obligations under the ADA and the Olmstead decision is to develop 
a ``comprehensive, effectively working plan for placing qualified 
people with mental disabilities in less restrictive settings.'' 
Olmstead at 2179. Based on this, almost all the states are in the 
process of developing, or have already developed such plans.
    In support of these state efforts, on June 18, 2001, President Bush 
issued Executive Order 13217-Community-Based Alternatives for 
Individuals with Disabilities (the Olmstead Executive Order), which 
extended application of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision to all 
Americans with disabilities, and called upon selected federal agencies, 
including the U.S. Department of Labor, to help support governors in 
their implementation of the Olmstead decision. In support of these 
state efforts and in response to the direction set forth in Executive 
Order 13217, the U.S. Department of Labor is issuing this SGA for the 
WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants and WorkFORCE Action Grants.
    In March 2002, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
Tommy G. Thompson, submitted a report to President Bush, titled 
Delivering on the Promise, on behalf of the Departments of Labor (DOL), 
Justice (DOJ), Education (ED), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 
Transportation (DOT), Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Social Security 
Administration (SSA) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This 
report detailed actions being planned by the aforementioned agencies to 
eliminate barriers and promote community integration. See http://www.hhs.gov/newfreedom/final. In this report, DOL and other Federal 
agencies noted that successful Olmstead planning and implementation 
efforts must include competitive employment and employment-related 
supports. Delivering on the Promise identifies several key concerns 
related to employment that must be addressed, including:
     Fragmentation of existing employment services;
     Isolation and segregation of people with disabilities from 
``mainstream'' or generic employment programs and services;
     Lack of access to health insurance;
     The complexity of existing work incentives that are 
supposed to encourage and/or support work efforts;
     Lack of control and choice in selecting employment 
training and service providers;
     Inadequate work opportunities resulting from attitudinal 
barriers based on historical and erroneous stereotypes; and
     Lack of accurate data on employment of people with 
disabilities needed to measure progress in eliminating barriers to 
their employment.
    These WorkFORCE grants are meant to offer opportunities that 
respond to these issues.
    Additionally, these grants support the President's New Freedom 
Initiative. The New Freedom Initiative is designed to increase the 
number of people with disabilities who enter, re-enter, and remain in 
the workforce. By emphasizing the need to increase the capacity of 
Federally-supported employment and training programs to serve people 
with significant disabilities, including those covered by the Olmstead 
decision and Executive Order, the current SGA will further the New 
Freedom Initiative's goals of increased integration of Americans with 
disabilities into the workforce.
    These grants will also support other Federal and state initiatives 
already underway to make working and living in the community a reality 
for more people with disabilities, including the state planning and 
implementation efforts under the U.S. Supreme Court's Olmstead 
decision; the Olmstead Executive Order; the Department of Health and 
Human Services Systems Change Grants; the DOL Work Incentive Grants and 
Customized Employment Grants; and other related grant opportunities and 
efforts by DOL, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the 
Social Security Administration under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) 
and the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA).
    Many strategies exist for creating and expanding competitive 
employment opportunities in the community, especially for people with 
significant disabilities who were for many years considered 
unemployable, including individuals who have been segregated in 
institutions, sheltered workshops, nursing homes, and day activity 
programs. Many related practices and promising strategies have emerged 
through decades of research and demonstration projects, and through 
other public and private activities promoting increased choice and 
self-

[[Page 47846]]

determination for people with disabilities. These include multiple 
``customized'' employment approaches such as supported employment and 
supported entrepreneurship; individualized job development; job carving 
and restructuring; use of personal agents (including individuals with 
disabilities and family members); development of micro-boards, micro-
enterprises, cooperatives and small businesses; and the use of personal 
budgets and other forms of individualized funding that provide choice 
and control to the person and promote self-determination.
    WIA established comprehensive reform of existing Federal job 
training programs with and impacted service delivery under the Wagner-
Peyser Act, Adult Education and Literacy Act, and the Rehabilitation 
Act. A number of other Federal programs are also identified as required 
partners in the One-Stop delivery system in order to provide 
comprehensive services for all Americans to access the information and 
resources available to assist them in the development and 
implementation of their career goals. The purpose of the One-Stop 
system is to establish programs and providers in co-located and 
integrated settings that are accessible for individuals and businesses 
alike in approximately 600 workforce investment areas established 
throughout the nation.
    The One-Stop Centers, which comprise the heart of this system, are 
in a position to expand employment opportunities for people with 
disabilities by helping to ensure that the workforce system is 
accessible both physically and programmatically. To accomplish this 
expansion, however, additional state and local organizations must be 
involved. Partners necessary to the success of this endeavor include, 
but are not limited to, the following: state programs for individuals 
with cognitive and developmental disabilities; Medicaid; mental health 
and substance abuse agencies and organizations; transportation and 
assistive technology providers; Small Business Development Centers; 
secondary education programs; community colleges; University Centers 
for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities; foundations; and 
community-based and faith-based organizations.
    Innovative partnerships hold the promise of dramatically increasing 
both employment and wages for people with disabilities, in part by 
increasing their choices for integrated, competitive employment, 
business ownership, entrepreneurship, and other customized employment 
options.
    In response to these considerations and in view of the potential 
resources described above, ODEP will pursue a two-pronged approach in 
its new Working for Freedom, Opportunity and Real Choice through 
Community Employment (WorkFORCE) Grant Initiative:
     Awarding WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants to provide an 
opportunity to expand state coordination, planning and development 
efforts related to Olmstead plans.
     Awarding WorkFORCE Action Grants to demonstration projects 
that develop and/or expand the capacity of communities to support the 
employment-related needs of individuals with disabilities.
    The combination of these efforts will substantially contribute to 
the President's New Freedom Initiative and will further the objectives 
of the President's Executive Order 13217.

III. Workforce Coordinating Grants (SGA 02-20)

A. Overview

    ODEP will award up to $4.0 million in grant funding for WorkFORCE 
Coordinating Grants to fund up to twenty-seven grants, with the average 
grant size ranging between $100,000--$150,000 for one year. These 
grants are part of the Department of Labor's continued efforts to 
increase the employment rate of people with disabilities. The purpose 
of the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants is to support the development and 
coordination of competitive, customized employment strategies and 
opportunities for people with disabilities who want to: (1) Move from 
nursing homes or other institutions or residential facilities into the 
community; (2) continue living in the community; (3) achieve economic 
self-sufficiency; and (4) attain full access to, and participation in, 
their communities.
    Eligible applicants for the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants are state 
agencies; nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations; a 
consortium of public and private entities; and Indian and Native 
American Tribal entities, or consortia of Tribes.
    In this SGA, ODEP is also announcing the availability of up to $2.0 
million in WorkFORCE Action Grants to fund two to four community 
employment demonstration projects ranging from $400,000-$750,000 per 
year for up to five years. Applicants for both of these grants must 
document through a letter signed by their state's governor or 
functionally equivalent entity, or his/her designee for Olmstead 
implementation, that the proposed grant activities will be regarded as 
one of their state's official demonstration program(s) for overall 
Olmstead implementation. If a particular state is supporting 
applications for both a WorkFORCE Coordinating and WorkFORCE Action 
grant, the letter signed by the sanctioning entity must additionally 
reflect that the state will work with the applicants to ensure that the 
activities of the two grants are coordinated. In addition, applicants 
must provide a detailed explanation of the specific procedures and 
approaches that will be put in place to ensure coordination of grants.

B. Purpose of Coordinating Grants

    The WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants are designed to provide states 
with an opportunity to expand and better coordinate their statewide 
overall Olmstead planning and implementation efforts, with an emphasis 
on coordinating the delivery of employment-related services and 
supports to people with disabilities, including those provided through 
the workforce development system and its One-Stop Career Center system. 
The Coordinating Grants are intended to enhance the ability of states, 
disability organizations, and other relevant entities to engage in 
strategic statewide coordination, planning and development leading to 
improved and/or increased opportunities for customized, competitive 
community employment for people with disabilities.
    These coordination efforts must include the involvement of many key 
partners, especially those associated with the workforce development 
system, including the One-Stop Centers; those involved in developing 
and implementing Medicaid buy-ins and other work incentives related to 
Social Security disability benefits and programs; and those partners 
involved in HHS Systems Change, Real Choice, and Nursing Home 
Transition grants, which also target individuals with disabilities who 
are covered by the Olmstead decision and Executive Order. In addition, 
coordination must include entities that currently receive relevant DOL 
grants, including the Work Incentive Grants (WIGs) and the Customized 
Employment grants, and other appropriate DOL initiatives. See 
www2.dol.gov/odep/.
    The target groups to be served are people with disabilities who are 
either unemployed or under-employed and:

[[Page 47847]]

     In non-work, segregated work or transitioning to work 
settings; or
     Anticipated to be or are determined to be covered under 
the Olmstead decision and/or Executive Order and therefore part of the 
state's Olmstead planning process; or,
     Awaiting employment services and supports following a move 
from a residential facility, or as part of a plan to move into a 
community under the Olmstead decision and/or Executive Order.
    For purposes of this solicitation, customized employment means 
individualizing the employment relationship between employees and 
employers in ways that meet the needs of both. It is based on an 
individualized determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of 
the person with a disability, and is also designed to meet the specific 
needs of the employer. It may include employment developed through job 
carving, self-employment or entrepreneurial initiatives, or other job 
development or restructuring strategies that result in job 
responsibilities being individually customized and negotiated to fit 
the needs of individuals with a disability. Customized employment 
assumes the provision of reasonable accommodations and supports 
necessary for the individual to perform the functions of a job that is 
individually negotiated and developed.

C. Statement of Work for Coordinating Grants

    All applicants shall describe their proposal for coordinating and 
developing community employment opportunities, including how they will 
work to ensure that their state's overall Olmstead implementation plan 
fully addresses providing competitive, customized employment options 
for people with disabilities who are transitioning to, or living in, 
the community. Grant applications must include proposed methods for 
coordinating efforts with a wide variety of state agencies or entities. 
Some of the agencies and entities that should be included are: (1) 
State and local Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Career 
Centers; (2) Vocational Rehabilitation; (3) Medicaid, Developmental 
Disabilities; (4) Mental Health; (5) Substance Abuse; (6) Public 
Health; (7) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); (8) 
Governors' Developmental Disability Councils, Governors' Committees on 
Employment of People with Disabilities; (9) University Centers for 
Excellence in Disabilities; (10) individuals with disabilities; (11) 
centers for independent living; (12) advocacy and consumer groups; (13) 
employers; (14) community- and faith-based organizations, family 
members, and other appropriate organizations and stakeholders.
    WorkFORCE coordination activities must include development and 
implementation of cross-agency strategies that will link employment 
supports and services into the current overall Olmstead planning 
process. The activities should be designed to help support the movement 
of people with significant disabilities from segregated settings to 
integrated settings, particularly customized, competitive employment 
opportunities in the community.
    The grant will result in the development of coordinated, strategic 
plans and actions that offer leadership and detail as to how various 
delivery systems and related agencies and organizations are working, 
and can work, to better meet the community employment needs of people 
with significant disabilities. These activities must include strategies 
to provide training and staff development to increase organizational 
capacity to serve the target population with needed customized 
employment services. Coordination with the state's other Olmstead 
activities and planning efforts is mandatory, as is the institution of 
objectives measures of evaluation to document project success.
    Grantees for the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants must engage in 
collaborative activities across relevant stakeholder groups, including 
both required and non-required WIA partners, persons with disabilities, 
their parents and other family members, advocates, employers, community 
rehabilitation agencies, and others, as appropriate. The commitment of 
key personnel to this effort will be very important to the success of 
the grant.
    Appropriate actions and activities which may be undertaken under 
the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants include the following:
    1. Identification of the major barriers to integrated and 
competitive community employment that affect people with significant 
disabilities who are transitioning into, or already living in, the 
community;
    2. Research to establish or foster the development or expansion of 
promising practices (including customized employment strategies such as 
supported employment; supported entrepreneurship; individualized job 
placement; job carving and restructuring; use of personal agents; 
development of micro-boards, micro-enterprises, cooperative, and small 
businesses; use of personal budgets and other forms of individualized 
funding that provide choice and control and promote self-determination) 
that have demonstrated increased employment outcomes for people with 
significant disabilities;
    3. Involvement of agencies, organizations, employers, and 
individuals currently active in the overall Olmstead planning process 
and those who need to become involved;
    4. Development of plans for implementing cross-agency strategies 
that will assure that employment in integrated, competitive work 
settings is part of the overall Olmstead plan and is available as an 
option for the targeted population;
    5. Development of strategies for capacity building and linking of 
relevant resources to the overall workforce development activities in 
the state;
    1. Identification of specific roles and responsibilities that the 
agencies, both public and private, should fulfill in order to provide 
increased and improved competitive, customized employment opportunities 
in the community;
    7. Identification of the necessary resources, financial and non-
financial, to continue to implement these actions and provide increased 
and improved competitive customized employment opportunities in the 
community, in ways that provide increased control and choice for 
individuals with disabilities;
    8. Development of strategies for how existing state Olmstead-
related activities will be coordinated and involved in employment 
programs for the target population;
    9. Identification of specific ways people with disabilities and, 
when appropriate, their family members will be involved in the 
development and growth of competitive, customized community employment 
options in non-stereotypical jobs;
    10. Identification of specific ways employers and businesses will 
be involved in developing and supporting increased and improved 
competitive, customized community employment options;
    11. Identification of long-term strategies to pursue for needed 
systemic changes;
    12. Development of Memoranda of Understanding, letters of support, 
etc., to carry out the coordination activities, including commitments, 
resources, time lines, outcomes (e.g., how many people will be served);
    13. Development of a data collection system designed to document 
community employment results for

[[Page 47848]]

people with disabilities who are transitioning from institutions to the 
community and/or currently living in the community;
    Grantees must account for the travel costs associated with sending 
at least one representative for two days to a mandatory annual ODEP 
Grantees' training conference, to be held in Washington, DC in their 
grant budget.
    Grantees must also agree to work with ODEP and its various 
technical assistance efforts in order to share with others what is 
learned about delivering competitive, customized community employment 
services to individuals with disabilities.

D. Funding Availability for Coordinating Grants

    The Department of Labor anticipates awarding at least 30 grants, 
with a range of $100,000 to $150,000 each. These awards will be for a 
one-year period of performance.

E. Eligible Applicants for Coordinating Grants

    Eligible applicants for the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants are state 
agencies, nonprofit organizations, or a consortium of public and 
private entities, which have been designated, authorized, and/or 
approved by the governor of the state, the governmental body's 
functionally equivalent entity, or the governor or equivalent entity's 
designee for Olmstead implementation to:
     Lead the state's overall Olmstead implementation effort or
     Develop and/or lead the specific component of the state's 
overall Olmstead implementation effort that relates to employment.
    ``State'' in this context includes the 50 states, the District of 
Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American 
Samoa. Indian and Native American Tribal entities, or consortia of 
Tribes, with the written approval of their tribal council, are also 
eligible applicants to receive these grants. Grants awarded to tribal 
entities are to be used in coordinating, strategizing, and developing 
competitive, customized community employment opportunities for 
individuals with disabilities in a specific Indian community or 
covering multiple Tribal entities so that they may live, work and fully 
participate in their communities. Grants to Indian and Native American 
tribal grantees must recognize principles of sovereignty and self-
governance established under the Indian Self-Determination and 
Education Assistance Act, allowing for the government-to-government 
relationship between the Federal and Tribal Governments.

F. Application Contents for Coordinating Grants

    General Requirements--Two copies and one ink-signed original of the 
proposal must be submitted. 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 must 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 project narrative that addresses the 
Statement of Work in Part III, Section C of this notice and the 
evaluation criteria that are used by reviewers in evaluating the 
application in Part III, Section G. Applicants that are consortium of 
public and private entities must include a copy of their consortium's 
partnership agreement in the Appendices.
    You must limit the project narrative to the equivalent of no more 
than thirty pages using the following standards. 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, consortium partnership agreement (where applicable), 
resumes, 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 must be 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.)
Part III--Project Financial Plan (Budget)
    Applications must include a detailed financial plan that 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).

G. Evaluation and Selection Criteria for Coordinating Grants

A. Evaluation Criteria
    The application must include information of the type described 
below.
1. Significance of the Proposed Project (20 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 coordinating state-wide Olmstead planning and implementation 
efforts, with an emphasis on coordinating the delivery of employment-
related services and supports;
    b. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates an understanding 
of the issues the state is currently facing in their overall Olmstead 
implementation efforts;
    c. The extent to which the proposed project is likely to yield 
findings that may be used by other appropriate agencies and 
organizations;
    d. The extent to which the proposed project involves the 
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, 
or are alternatives to, existing strategies;
    e. The potential replicability (national significance) of the 
proposed project or strategies, including, as appropriate, the 
potential for implementation in a variety of settings; and,
    f. The importance or magnitude of the results that is likely to be 
attained by the proposed project
2. Quality of the Project Design (30 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;

[[Page 47849]]

    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 provides 
procedures and approaches for coordination with key agencies and 
organizations, identification of critical roles, and a plan for 
implementation of competitive, customized community employment 
strategies;
    d. The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of this 
grant;
    e. The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated, 
including demonstrated support from the state governor or designated 
Olmstead agency and commitment from key organizations and agencies;
    f. The extent to which the applicant encourages involvement of 
people with disabilities and their families, experts and organizations, 
and other relevant stakeholders in project activities; and,
    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 addition, the Project Narrative 
must summarize 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 the Budget (10 points)
    In evaluating the adequacy of the budget for the proposed project, 
the Department considers the following factors:
    a. The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project; and
    b. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
    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 the management plan for project 
implementation achieves 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/or 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 (10 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;
    b. The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies;
    c. 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;
    d. The extent to which the evaluation will provide information to 
other programs about effective strategies suitable for replication or 
testing in other settings; and,
    e. The extent to which the methods of evaluation measure in both 
quantitative and qualitative terms, program results and satisfaction of 
people 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 transactions 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., to 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 program designs; and,
    4. The availability of funds.

H. Reporting for Workforce Coordinating Grants

    The Department of Labor is responsible for ensuring the effective 
implementation of each competitive grant project in accordance with the 
provisions of this announcement, the grant agreement and other 
applicable administrative requirements.
    Grantees will be required to submit periodic financial and 
participation reports under the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grant program. 
Specifically the following reports will be required:
    1. Semi-Annual Reports; The Semi-Annual Report is estimated to take 
ten hours to complete. The form for the Semi-Annual Report will be 
provided by ODEP. It is designed to measure progress in reaching the 
objectives of the Grant.
    2. Standard Form 269; Financial Status Report Form, on a quarterly 
basis.
    3. Final Project Report; including an assessment of project 
performance and outcomes achieved. The final report is estimated to 
take 20 hours. This report will be submitted in hard copy and on 
electronic disk following the format and instructions provided by DOL/
ODEP. A draft of the final report is due to DOL 45 days before the 
termination of the grant. The final report is due to DOL 60 days 
following the termination of the grant.
    Applicants for the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grant Program should 
proceed to Section I, Administration Provisions.

[[Page 47850]]

IV. Workforce Action Grants (SGA 02-21)

A. Overview

    The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Disability Employment 
Policy (ODEP) announces the availability of up to $2.0 million to award 
between two to four grants, ranging from $400,000 to $750,000 each, to 
develop demonstration programs to support the development and 
coordination of competitive, customized employment opportunities in 
non-stereotypical jobs for people with disabilities who want to (1) 
move from nursing homes, residential facilities, or other institutions 
into the community, (2) continue living in the community, (3) achieve 
economic self-sufficiency, and (4) attain full access to, and 
participation in, their communities.
    These demonstration grants are for a one-year implementation period 
with four optional additional years, depending upon project performance 
and funding availability at varying funding levels. These grants are 
designed to provide competitive, customized, community employment 
services that lead to non-stereotypical jobs for people with 
significant disabilities.
    In this SGA, ODEP is also announcing the availability of up to $4.0 
million in WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants. Applicants for both of these 
grants must document through a letter signed by their state's governor 
or functionally equivalent entity, or his/her designee for Olmstead 
implementation, that the proposed grant activities will be regarded as 
one of their state's official demonstration program(s) for overall 
Olmstead implementation. If a particular state is supporting 
applications for both a WorkFORCE Coordinating and WorkFORCE Action 
grant, the letter signed by the state's sanctioning entity must 
additionally reflect that the state will work with the applicants to 
ensure that the activities of the two grants are coordinated. In 
addition, applicants must provide a detailed explanation of the 
specific procedures and approaches that will be put in place to ensure 
coordination of grants in their Project Narrative.
    These grants are part of the Department of Labor's continued 
efforts to increase the employment rate of people with disabilities. 
Eligible applicants for the WorkFORCE Action Grants are nonprofit 
organizations, either individually or as part of a consortium. 
Organizations applying to be demonstration sites must have approval and 
support from the governor, or his/her designee, as one of the state's 
official Olmstead employment demonstration grant programs.

B. Purpose of Workforce Action Grants

    The purpose of the WorkFORCE Action Grants is to demonstrate the 
employment potential of people with disabilities through techniques for 
accomplishing competitive employment in non-stereotypical integrated 
settings, utilizing customized employment strategies. These efforts 
must include the involvement of many key partners, especially those 
associated with their area's One-Stop Career Centers.
    The target groups to be served are people with disabilities who are 
either unemployed or under-employed and who are:
     In non-work, segregated work, or transitioning to work 
settings;
     Expected to be or are determined to be covered under the 
Olmstead decision and/or Executive Order and therefore part of the 
state overall Olmstead planning process; or,
     Awaiting employment services and supports following a move 
from a residential facility, or as part of a plan to move into a 
community under the Supreme Court's decision in Olmstead and/or 
Olmstead Executive Order.
    For purposes of this solicitation, customized employment means 
individualizing the employment relationship between employees and 
employers in ways that meet the needs of both. It is based on an 
individualized determination of strengths, needs, and interests of the 
person with a disability, and is also designed to meet the specific 
needs of the employer. It may include employment developed through job 
carving, self-employment or entrepreneurial initiatives, or other job 
development or restructuring strategies that result in job 
responsibilities being customized and individually negotiated to fit 
the needs of individuals with a disability. Customized employment 
assumes the provision of reasonable accommodations and the supports 
necessary for the individual to perform the functions of a job that is 
individually negotiated and developed.
    If proposals are submitted for both grants from a particular state, 
the activities of the WorkFORCE Coordinating Grant and the WorkFORCE 
Action Grant must be coordinated as discussed previously. Coordination 
and demonstration efforts can be reinforcing activities.

C. Statement of Work for Action Grants

    Each applicant for these grants shall describe its plan for 
expanding capacity for, and provision of, customized employment 
opportunities to the target groups. Applicants must document through a 
letter signed by their state's governor, or his/her designee for 
Olmstead implementation, that the proposed activities will be regarded 
as one of their state's official demonstration program(s) for overall 
Olmstead implementation. This letter should also indicate how the 
lessons learned in the implementation of the WorkFORCE Action Grant 
demonstration project would be utilized in other communities throughout 
the state. Grant applications must include proposed methods for 
coordinating efforts with a wide variety of state agencies or entities. 
Some of the agencies that should be included are: employment and 
training agencies; state and local Workforce Investment Boards and 
their One-Stop Career Centers; Substance Abuse; Vocational 
Rehabilitation; state Education Agencies; Medicaid; Mental Retardation; 
Mental Health; Public Health; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 
(TANF); Developmental Disability Councils; Independent Living programs; 
community rehabilitation providers; University Centers for Excellence 
in Disabilities; family members; consumers; employers; and any other 
key agencies or constituencies needed to offer a comprehensive service 
delivery model.
    The demonstration grant program being described must address the 
movement of individuals from segregated settings to competitive, 
integrated, customized employment opportunities in the community. 
Grantees must work in coordination with their state's Olmstead lead 
agency on their state's overall Olmstead plan, and describe how they 
will contribute to the development of their state's plan and 
implementation strategy related to employment. Grantees must also 
integrate their employment strategies with their state's employment 
programs and services, including existing services available through 
the One-Stop Centers, the state and local Workforce Investment Boards, 
and their partners. In addition, they must coordinate their efforts 
with existing Olmstead activities and programs including grant 
activities and initiatives funded by the Center for Medicaid and State 
Operations at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (e.g., 
Systems Change for Community Living Grants, State Medicaid Buy-in 
programs, and Medicaid Infrastructure Grants), and grant activities 
funded by the Center for Mental Health Services of the U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services, (e.g., Community-Based Care

[[Page 47851]]

Services for People with Psychiatric Disabilities).
    Grantees must develop employment opportunities in a variety of 
occupations and industries based on the strengths, needs, and desires 
of the individual with a disability, including self-employment and 
entrepreneurship where appropriate. Services and supports must be 
organized in ways that provide informed choice and promote self-
determination. In addition, grantees must establish employer 
involvement; track and respond to customer service and satisfaction for 
both persons with disabilities and employers; and provide services, 
including follow-up services, to ensure job retention and career 
development.
    Grantees should establish partnerships and linkages with other 
relevant state entities and programs (such as Medicaid, mental health, 
substance abuse, transportation, State Councils on Developmental 
Disabilities), as well as Small Business Development Centers, community 
colleges, benefits counseling and assistance programs, and lending and 
financial institutions, whose expertise, services, and/or funds could 
contribute to employment services and supports needed by the Olmstead 
population in order to secure competitive, customized community 
employment outcomes.
    Grantees must educate relevant stakeholders and systems personnel 
about changes needed to increase integrated, customized community 
employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
    Grantees must consider the usefulness of increasing the 
availability of personal agents and job development personnel offering 
customized services through customer-controlled approaches that result 
in customized employment. One possible area of focus could include 
demonstrating the effectiveness of paying family members and/or other 
individuals with disabilities to serve as personal agents when selected 
by the individual with a disability to assist in negotiating and 
implementing employment plans and services. Grantees must incorporate 
use of funds leveraged across several systems available to people with 
disabilities through personal accounts or personal budgets.
    Grantees may use funds in a flexible manner, as determined 
appropriate by input from stakeholders and identified needs, so long as 
requirements for outcome and evaluation data and other requirements of 
Federal statutes, regulations, administrative requirements, and OMB 
circulars and the requirements delineated in this SGA are met.
    All grantees must agree to cooperate with an independent evaluation 
to be conducted by the DOL. DOL will arrange for and conduct this 
independent evaluation of the outcomes, impacts, and accomplishments of 
each funded grant. Grantees must agree to make available records on all 
parts of grant activity, including participant employment and wage 
data, and to provide access to personnel, as specified by the 
evaluator(s), under the direction of the Department.
    Grantees must also agree to work with ODEP in its various technical 
assistance efforts in order to freely share with others what is learned 
about delivering customized employment services to the Olmstead 
population. Grantees also must agree to collaborate with other research 
institutes, centers, studies, and evaluations that are supported by DOL 
and other relevant Federal agencies.

D. Funding Availability for Action Grants

    The Department of Labor anticipates awarding two to four grants, 
with a range of $400,000 to $750,000 each. These awards will be for 
one-year period of performance and may be renewed annually up to four 
additional years for a total of five years depending upon the 
availability of funds and the efficacy of the grant activities, 
established by independent reviews conducted by the Department of Labor 
or its designee. Proposals must include budgetary information for a 
five-year period. It is envisioned that if funding is continued for the 
full five years, the funding for years four and five will be at 
successfully lower rates, with funding during year four at 80 percent 
of the third year funds, and, at 60 percent during year five. Grantees 
are expected to use this grant as seed money to develop other public 
and private resources in order to ensure sustainability of grant 
activities following completion of the funding period. Funds may not be 
used for modifying buildings or equipment for physical or communication 
accessibility, although the strategic planning should address how 
resources will be leveraged for such purposes from other sources, as 
appropriate.

E. Eligible Applicants for Action Grants

    Eligible applicants for these demonstration grants are non-profit 
organizations. Applicants must document, via a letter signed by their 
state's governor, or his/her designee for overall Olmstead 
implementation, that the proposed grant activities will be regarded as 
an official demonstration program playing a vital role in their state's 
Olmstead employment implementation effort(s). Moreover, this letter 
must describe how the lessons learned under this grant will be utilized 
to benefit other communities throughout the state, and thereby provide 
expanded competitive, customized employment options for people who are 
covered under the Olmstead decision and Executive Order.

F. Application Contents

    General Requirements--Two copies and one ink-signed original of the 
proposal must be submitted. 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 must be no more than two 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 project narrative that addresses the 
Statement of Work in Part IV, Section C of this notice and the 
evaluation criteria that are used by reviewers in evaluating the 
application in Part IV, Section G. Applicants that are consortium 
entities must include a copy of the consortium's partnership agreement 
in the Appendices.
    You must limit the project narrative to the equivalent of no more 
than 75 pages using the following standards. 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, bibliography or references, the letters of support, and 
consortium partnership agreement where applicable). 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 must be 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.)

[[Page 47852]]

Part III--Project Financial Plan (Budget)
    Applications must include a detailed financial plan that 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).

F. Evaluation Criteria

A. Evaluation Criteria
    The application must include information of the type described 
below.
1. Significance of the Proposed Project (20 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 addressing the development and/or enhancing the capacity of the 
One-Stop Career Center system or other potential partners to use 
customized employment strategies to increase employment, choice and 
wages, and influence systems change;
    b. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates an understanding 
of the issues the state and proposed geographic area are currently 
facing in their overall Olmstead implementation efforts;
    c. The extent to which the proposed project is likely to yield 
findings that may be used by other appropriate agencies and 
organizations;
    d. The extent to which the proposed project involves the 
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, 
or are alternatives to, existing strategies;
    f. 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;
    g. The potential replicability (national significance) of the 
proposed project or strategies, including, as appropriate, the 
potential for implementation in a variety of settings; and,
    h. The importance or magnitude of the results, which are likely to 
be attained by the proposed project.
2. Quality of the Project Design (30 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 and the quality of the 
applicant's plans for recruiting and retaining the target population;
    c. The extent to which the design of the proposed project provides 
procedures and approaches for collaboration and coordination with key 
agencies and organizations, identification of critical roles, and a 
plan for implementation of competitive, customized community employment 
strategies;
    d. The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of this 
grant and the quality of the applicant's plans for implementing the 
project's activities in years four and five when Federal fending will 
be reduced;
    e. The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated, 
including demonstrated support from the state governor or designated 
Olmstead agency and commitment from key organizations, employers, and 
agencies;
    f. The extent to which the applicant encourages involvement of 
people with disabilities and their families, experts and organizations, 
and other relevant stakeholders in project activities; and,
    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 addition, the Project Narrative 
must summarize 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 the Budget (10 points)
    In evaluating the adequacy of the budget for the proposed project, 
the Department considers the following factors:
    a. The extent to which the budget is adequate to support and 
sustain the proposed project activities over the projected five-year 
period; and,
    b. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
    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 the management plan for project 
implementation achieves 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/or 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 (10 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;
    b. The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies;
    c. 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;
    d. The extent to which the evaluation will provide information to 
other programs about effective strategies

[[Page 47853]]

suitable for replication or testing in other settings; and,
    e. The extent to which the methods of evaluation measure in both 
quantitative and qualitative terms, program results and satisfaction of 
people 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 transactions 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., to 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 program designs; and,
    4. The availability of funds.

H. Reporting for Workforce Action Grants

    The Department of Labor is responsible for ensuring the effective 
implementation of each competitive grant project in accordance with the 
provisions of this announcement, the grant agreement, and other 
applicable administrative requirements. Applicants should assume that 
DOL staff or their designees will conduct at least one on-site project 
review. In addition, all grantees will be expected to provide 
information on individuals with disabilities securing employment 
through use of customized strategies (including information on types of 
jobs, wages, and benefits secured by specific individuals with 
disabilities, and other areas addressed through the linkages and 
networks facilitated by project activities).
    Grantees will be required to submit periodic financial and 
participation reports. Specifically the following reports will be 
required:
    1. Quarterly reports; The quarterly report is estimated to take ten 
hours to complete. The form for the Quarterly Report will be provided 
by ODEP. The Department will work with the grantee to help refine the 
requirements of the report, which will, among other things, include 
measures of ongoing analysis for continuous improvement and customer 
satisfaction.
    2. Standard Form 269; Financial Status Report Form, on a quarterly 
basis.
    3. Final Project Report; including an assessment of project 
performance and outcomes achieved. The final report is estimated to 
take 20 hours. This report will be submitted in hard copy and on 
electronic disk using a format and following instructions, which will 
be provided by the Department. A draft of the final report is due to 
the Department 45 days before the termination of the grant. The final 
report is due to the Department 60 days following the termination of 
the grant
    DOL will arrange for and conduct an independent evaluation of the 
outcomes, impacts, and accomplishments of each funded project. Grantees 
must agree to make available records on all parts of project activity, 
including participant employment and wage data, and to provide access 
to personnel, as specified by the evaluator(s), under the direction of 
the Department. This independent evaluation is separate from the 
ongoing evaluation for continuous improvement required of the grantee 
for project implementation.

I. Administration Provisions (Applicable to Both SGAs)

A. Administrative Standards and Provisions
    1. The WorkFORCE Coordinating Grants awarded under this SGA are 
subject to the following:
     29 CFR Part 95--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--Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts 
and Other Agreements;
     29 CFR Part 97 `` Uniform Administrative Requirement for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments
    2. The WorkFORCE Action Grants awarded under this SGA shall be 
subject to the following:
     29 CFR Part 95--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--Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts, 
and Other Agreements.
B. Allowable Costs
    Determinations of allowable costs for both the WorkFORCE 
Coordinating and Action Grants shall be made in accordance with the 
following applicable Federal cost principles:
     Nonprofit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122
     State and Local Government--OMB Circular A-87
    Profit will not be considered an allowable cost in any case.
C. Grant Non-Discrimination Assurances
    As a condition of the awards, applicants for both the WorkFORCE 
Coordinating and Action Grants must certify that they will comply fully 
with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the 
following laws:
    29 CFR Part 31--Nondiscrimination in Federally-assisted programs of 
the Department of Labor, effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964.
    29 CFR Part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in 
Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal 
Assistance. (Implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 
U.S.C. 794)
    29 CFR Part 36--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education 
Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance. 
(Implementing title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 
1681 et seq.)
    29 CFR Part 37--Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions 
of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), (Implementing Section 
188 of the Workforce Investment Act, 29 U.S.C. 2938)
    The applicant must include assurances and certifications that it 
will comply with these laws in its grant application. The assurances 
and certifications are attached as Appendix C.


[[Page 47854]]


    Signed at Washington, DC this 16th day of July, 2002.
Lawrence J. Kuss,
Grant Officer.

Appendix A. Application for Federal Assistance, Form SF 424
Appendix B. Budget Information Sheet, Form SF 424A
Appendix C. Assurances and Certifications Signature Page

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