[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 130 (Friday, July 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38667-38670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10630]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Workforce Investment Act: Job Corps Program; Selection of Sites 
for Centers

AGENCY: Office of Job Corps, Office of the Secretary, Labor.

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor requests assistance in identifying 
sites for locating new Job Corps Centers. This notice specifies the 
requirements and criteria for selection.

DATES: Proposals are requested by September 30, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Proposals shall be addressed to the National Director, 
Office of Job Corps, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Room N4463, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Esther R. Johnson, National Director, 
Office of Job Corps. Telephone: (202) 693-3000 (this is not a toll-free 
number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting 
proposals for sites to establish new Job Corps centers. The Job Corps 
program is designed to serve disadvantaged young women and men, 16 
through 24, who are in need of additional educational, career technical 
(vocational), and other support services in order to acquire the skills 
to begin a career, return to school or enter the Armed Forces. The 
program is primarily a residential program operating 24 hours per day, 
7 days per week with non-resident enrollees limited by legislation to 
20 percent of national enrollment. While the 20 percent level should be 
used as a guideline, the percentage of non-residents can vary from 
center to center, depending upon local needs.
    Job Corps currently offers a comprehensive, integrated Career 
Development Services System which provides services for students from 
the time they apply through enrollment, career preparation and career 
development activities, and post-center career transition services. 
Career preparation and career development activities occur primarily 
on-center and include academic, career technical (vocational), 
information technology and social skills training; personal and career 
counseling; medical care; meals and housing; and related support 
services. Career transition services begin towards the end of the 
training period and continue for up to two years after a student leaves 
the center and returns home. These services include career search, job 
placement and transitional support to meet individual students' needs, 
such as housing, transportation and child care after they leave the Job 
Corps center.
    Job Corps will be implementing a new framework for building a 21st 
century system of excellence. The components envisioned for a new 
program delivery model include high-growth, high-demand industry/
occupational clusters; aligning program content with 21st century 
workplace requirements, and involving industry, education and workforce 
partners as an integral part of the Job Corps system. Training for each

[[Page 38668]]

industry cluster will involve approximately 150-200 students.
    For this solicitation, the Department intends to select localities 
for new Job Corps centers from the proposals submitted in response to 
this solicitation. The centers will be stand-alone facilities of 
sufficient size to serve about 300 students each. These centers will be 
primarily residential, but may encompass a small nonresidential 
component. Selection of the sites will be made based on those which 
best meet the needs of the Job Corps Program. Development of the sites 
selected is contingent upon additional funding by Congress.
    Congress authorized this expansion and appropriated funding to 
begin the expansion process in the FY 2005 and FY 2006 Department of 
Labor Appropriations. The accompanying Congressional Report language 
indicated that the Department should give priority in site selection to 
the states which do not currently have a Job Corps center, and to sites 
which can be started as a satellite (residential or non-residential) in 
conjunction with an existing Job Corps Center that is serving an entire 
State or region and which can later be converted to a stand-alone 
facility. This solicitation is for site selection only and not for the 
operation of these Job Corps centers. A competitive procurement for 
selection of a center operator at each site will be initiated and 
completed well after the site selection process has been completed.
    The Workforce Investment Act provides authorization for the 
establishment of Job Corps centers and requires that students be 
assigned to Job Corps centers closest to their homes. The determination 
of a locality's need for a Job Corps center will be made by analyzing 
State-level poverty and unemployment rates for youth using standardized 
uniform data available from Federal agencies, such as 2000 census data, 
Bureau of Labor Statistics publications, and information on existing 
Job Corps centers, slots, enrollment levels, and locations.
    In addition to this analysis, the Department will also assess the 
facilities at proposed sites. The assessment will focus on property 
acquisition costs, the cost and suitability of existing structures, 
environmental conditions at the site, suitability of surroundings for a 
facility of this type, zoning issues, and the need for, and cost of, 
new construction and renovation. Priority will be given to proposed 
sites that offer no-cost or low-cost turnkey facilities (those in move-
in condition requiring little or no construction rehabilitation work) 
which can quickly be made ready for use by Job Corps.
    Further, the Department will assess each jurisdiction's plan to use 
State and local resources, both public and private, through 
contributions/linkages that reduce the Federal cost of operating a Job 
Corps center. Such contributions/linkages may include, but not be 
limited to, the following: the provision of work-based learning sites 
and donations of training equipment or curriculum by the local employer 
community and local industry; provision of academic tutors and youth 
mentors; provision of child care services by local jurisdictions, 
including programs such as Head Start; provision of health services; 
alcohol and drug counseling; referral of eligible youth to Job Corps, 
and job placement and other career transition services after students 
leave Job Corps. Other linkages may include arrangements with public 
school systems for high school diploma programs; resources/linkages for 
credentialing of Job Corps instructors; linkages with one-stops and 
other local workforce development programs and services; community 
college networks; social service agencies; business and industry; 
computer-based education; and other training programs to provide such 
services as classroom training, high-growth career technical training, 
and advanced learning opportunities. Contributions of this nature will 
make maximum use of available statewide and community resources in 
meeting the needs of Job Corps-eligible youth.
    Eligible applicants for submitting proposals are units of State 
and/or local governments.
    Since Job Corps is primarily a residential program and provides 
academic education, career technical (vocational) training, career 
development and extensive support services, space and facilities 
suitable for the following types of utilization are required for a Job 
Corps center.
     Residential--Adequate housing, including bath and lounge 
facilities, internet access, as well as appropriate administrative 
space.
     Academic Education--Space for classrooms, computer labs, 
video-conferencing and library resources.
     Career Technical (Vocational) Training--Classroom and shop 
space to satisfy the needs of specific career technical training 
(career technical (vocational)) clusters (e.g., construction, 
information technology, and healthcare). The configuration of career 
technical areas is determined by the ultimate occupational mix offered 
at the center. Industry clusters such as information technology and 
finance and business will require classroom space and possibly lab 
space. Some trades, such as construction and automotive may require 
shop areas in addition to classroom space.
     Food Services--Cafeteria, including food preparation and 
food storage areas.
     Medical/Dental--Medical examining rooms, nurses' station, 
infirmary space for male and female students, and dental facilities.
     Recreation--Gymnasium/multi-purpose recreational facility 
and large level outdoor area.
     Administration--General office and conference space.
     Storage/Support--Warehousing and related storage including 
operations and maintenance support.
     Parking--Sufficient for a minimum of 70 vehicles.
    Other factors that influence the suitability and cost of facilities 
necessary to operate a Job Corps center include the following:

Configuration of Facility

    The preferred configuration of a facility is a campus-type 
environment permitting a self-contained center with all space 
requirements located on-site. Low-rise buildings such as those commonly 
found in public schools and college settings are preferred.
    The Office of Job Corps has developed prototype designs for 
selected facilities where new construction is necessary. Parties 
interested in obtaining copies of these designs may do so by contacting 
the Office of Job Corps at the address provided.

Location of Facilities

    Facilities should be located in areas where neighbors are 
supportive and no major pervasive community opposition exists. Past 
experience indicates that commercial, light industrial and rural 
locations are most desirable, while residential locations are the least 
conducive to community acceptance. In addition, access to emergency 
medical services, fire and law enforcement assistance should be within 
reasonable distances. If non-residential enrollment is planned, direct 
and easy access to the center by public transportation is an important 
consideration. Proposed sites should be within reasonable commuting 
distance of planned linkages with other programs and services, and 
transportation to these linkages should be easily available. Proposed 
sites should also be in full compliance with the Americans with 
Disabilities Act Guidelines of 1990 (28 CFR part 36, revised July 1, 
1994) or require minimal renovation to ensure full access by persons 
with disabilities.

[[Page 38669]]

    Locations with major environmental issues, zoning restrictions, 
flood plain and storm drainage requirements, or uncertainty regarding 
utility connections that cannot be resolved efficiently and in a timely 
manner are less than desirable. Likewise, a facility with buildings 
eligible for protection under the National Historical Preservation Act 
may receive less than favorable consideration, due to restrictions on 
and costs for renovation.
    Communities are encouraged to hold public hearings in close 
proximity to the facilities being proposed to assess the level of 
community support for a Job Corps center. The Office of Job Corps has 
brochures and other descriptive information about the program. Copies 
may be obtained at the address provided.

Own/Lease

    The Department prefers ownership over leased facilities, 
particularly if a substantial investment of construction funds is 
needed to make the site suitable for Job Corps utilization. Exceptions 
are long-term (e.g., 25 years or longer) leases at a nominal cost 
(e.g., $1/year).

Size

    The following table shows the approximate gross square footage 
(GSF) required for the various types of buildings needed to operate a 
residential Job Corps center with 300 students. The substitution of 
non-resident for resident students will decrease the dormitory space 
required for a residential center but will not affect other buildings.

        Gross Square Feet (GSF) Requirements by Type of Building
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                GSF per
                   Building type                     GSF per      300
                                                     student    students
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Housing...........................................        175     52,500
Education/Vocation................................         85     25,500
Food Services.....................................         44     13,200
Recreation........................................         82     24,600
Medical/Dental....................................         12      3,600
Administration....................................         26      7,800
Storage/Support...................................         57     17,100
                                                   ---------------------
    Total.........................................  .........  \*\144,30
                                                                      0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Note: The GSF space requirements for the individual functions are only
  approximate but in general, the GSF needed for a new center that
  accommodates a 300 person population ranges between 145,000 GSF to
  150,000 GSF.

Land Requirements

    Between 20 and 30 acres of land are needed for a residential center 
of 300 students.

Availability of Utilities

    It is critical that all basic utilities (i.e., sewer, water, 
electric and gas) are available and in proximity to the site and in 
accordance with EPA standards.

Safety, Health and Accessibility

    Job Corps is required to comply with the requirements of the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), the Environmental Protection 
Act (EPA), and the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), and 
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The cost involved in 
complying with these requirements is an important factor in determining 
the economic feasibility of utilizing a site. For example, a site which 
contains an excessive amount of asbestos probably would not be cost-
effective due to associated removal costs. Further, sites with any 
environmental hazard that cannot be corrected economically will be at a 
disadvantage, as will sites requiring substantial rehabilitation to 
comply with accessibility requirements for persons with disabilities.

Cost

    The availability of low-cost facilities is a major consideration in 
light of resource limitations. In evaluating facility costs, the major 
items that must be considered are:
     Site acquisition or lease costs;
     Site/utility work;
     Architectural and engineering services;
     New construction requirements;
     Rehabilitation and modifications of existing buildings, 
and
     Equipment requirements.
    An assessment of these initial capital costs and consideration of 
future repair, maintenance and replacement costs will be used in 
evaluating the economic feasibility of a particular facility. 
Preference will be given to existing turnkey facilities that meet Job 
Corps' standards for a training facility. While not preferable, 
consideration will be given to the use of raw land which is suitable 
for a Job Corps center and on which facilities can be constructed 
economically.

Proposal Submission

    In preparing proposals, eligible applicants should identify sites 
which meet the evaluation criteria and guidelines specified above. 
Proposals should address each area with as much detail as practicable 
to enable the Department to determine the suitability of locating a Job 
Corps center at the proposed site. In this regard, proposals must 
contain, at a minimum, the specific information and supporting 
documentation as described below.

Facilities

    Submissions must provide a full description of existing buildings, 
including a building site layout, square footage, age, and general 
condition of each structure. Included in the description must be a 
discussion of the facility's current or previous use, the number of 
years unoccupied, if applicable, and the condition of sub-systems such 
as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, plumbing, and 
electrical. Documentation in the nature of photographs of the property 
and/or facilities must be submitted as well. In addition, a videotaped 
presentation of the site may be provided. The proposal must identify 
the extent to which hazardous materials such as asbestos, PCB, and 
underground storage tanks are present at the site or, if appropriate, 
confirm that contaminants do not exist. The results of any 
environmental assessment for the proposed site, if one has been done, 
must be provided.
    The proposal must also address the availability and proximity of 
utilities to the proposed site, including electrical, water, gas, and 
sanitary sewer and runoff connections. It must describe whether the 
water and sewer utilities for existing buildings are connected to the 
municipal system or operated separately. A statement on current zoning 
classification and any zoning restrictions for the proposed site must 
also be included. Use of the site as a Job Corps center should be 
compatible with surrounding local land use and also with local zoning 
ordinances. Confirmation must be provided as to whether or not any 
buildings at the site are on a Federal or State Historical Preservation 
Register.
    The proposal must also describe the available acreage at the site, 
and the nature of the surrounding environment including whether it is 
commercial, industrial, light industrial, rural, or residential. In 
some instances, proposed sites may be part of a substantially larger 
acreage which has or contemplates having other uses. This type of joint 
usage may or may not be compatible with providing a quality training 
environment for young women and men.
    Finally, the proposal must address the cost of acquiring the site, 
which may involve transferring the site to the government at no cost, 
entering into a low-cost, long-term lease agreement, or arranging for a 
negotiated purchase price based on a fair market appraisal. Estimated 
acquisition costs along with the basis for the estimate must be

[[Page 38670]]

included in the proposal. Any building documents, such as blueprints, 
should be available for review when a site inspection is conducted by 
the Department.

Contributions/Linkages

    An important aspect of any proposal will be its description of how 
State and local resources will be used to contribute to enhanced 
services to Job Corps youth and/or to reduce Federal operating costs or 
otherwise benefit the program. It is therefore essential that precise 
and comprehensive information about the linkages be provided to ensure 
that the proposed site receives every opportunity for a thorough and 
fair evaluation. The proposal should contain the following information 
for each linkage:
     A comprehensive description of the service to be provided, 
including projected listing of resources that will be involved such as 
number of instructors/staff, types of equipment and materials, or other 
specific service or contribution.
     The projected number of students to be served and over 
what period of time, as well as the specific benefit to Job Corps 
students while in Job Corps and/or after leaving the program.
     Whether the service will be provided at no cost to Job 
Corps or will be available on a shared cost basis with Job Corps.
     Whether the linkage will be provided on-site or off-site.
     Distance to linkage/service, if off-site, and any 
arrangements for transportation to off-site services, including any 
cost to Job Corps.
     The estimated annual value of the contribution and the 
basis on which the estimate was determined (e.g., two full-time staff 
devoted to Job Corps at an annual salary of $35,000 each for a total 
annual value of $70,000; one hour of a professional's time per week for 
52 weeks at an hourly rate of $20.00 for an annual value of $1,040; 15 
computers at a cost of $1,000 each for an annual value of $22,500).
     Any limitations associated with the linkage, such as 
eligibility restrictions (e.g., age, in-state versus out of state 
residents, etc.), limited hours of service, and availability over time 
(e.g., year round versus selected months).
     Long-term prospects for continuation of the commitment 
(e.g., one time only, one year, ongoing). If dependent on outside 
funding sources or levels which vary significantly, what is the 
likelihood that the linkage will be funded?
     Documentation that addresses timeframes and steps involved 
in firming up the linkage, if appropriate, including obtaining State or 
local legislation, State or local workforce investment board approval, 
fitting into other planning cycles, or securing other agreements or 
arrangements which may be necessary to ensure provision of the service.
     A letter of commitment confirming each aspect of the 
linkage, including the level of resources and annual value of these 
resources, from the head of the agency or other entity responsible for 
delivering the contribution.
     Name of the agency/organizations(s), address, telephone 
number and contact person.
    In providing information on linkages, applicants should keep in 
mind that Job Corps is an open-entry, open-exit, individualized, self-
paced career development services system that operates on a year-round 
basis. This type of learning environment may have implications for the 
types of linkages being offered.
     In preparing the linkage/contribution part of their 
proposals, eligible applicants should provide full information on each 
linkage/contribution. All items listed above should be addressed for 
each linkage/contribution, providing as much information as needed to 
ensure that each proposed linkage receives a fair assessment.

Community Support

    Information should include letters of community support from 
elected officials, government agencies, local workforce investment 
boards, community and business leaders and neighborhood associations; 
and local academic and training providers. The letter should also 
describe the availability of and access to cultural/recreation 
activities in the community, and unique features in the surrounding 
area which would enhance the location of a Job Corps center at that 
site. Proposals should also include any other information the applicant 
believes pertinent to the proposed site for consideration by the 
Department. It is important that, before proposing the use of any 
particular location, appropriate clearances are obtained from local and 
State political leadership.

Other Information

    The site selection process for new sites for Job Corps centers 
normally takes 9 months to complete. This allows sufficient time for 
eligible applicants to prepare and submit proposals, and for the 
Department to conduct a preliminary site assessment of all proposed 
facilities, as well as a comprehensive site utilization study for those 
sites determined to have high potential for the establishment of a Job 
Corps center, based on the preliminary assessment results.
    The Department hereby requests eligible proposers to submit an 
original and three copies of their proposals to be received no later 
than September 30, 2006 using the guidance provided above.

    Signed in Washington, DC, the 28th day of June 2006.
Esther R. Johnson,
National Director.
FR Doc. E6-10630 Filed 7-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P