[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 26, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16067-16074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6108]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration


Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, FY 2008

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Initial announcement of availability of funds and solicitation 
for grant applications (SGA).

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    Funding Opportunity No.: SHTG-FY-08-02.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No.: 17.502.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration (OSHA) awards funds to nonprofit organizations to 
provide training and educational programs for employers and employees 
about safety and health topics selected by OSHA. Nonprofit 
organizations, including community-based and faith-based organizations, 
that are not an agency of a State or local government are eligible to 
apply. Additionally, State or local government-supported institutions 
of higher education are eligible to apply in accordance with 29 CFR 
part 95. This notice announces grant availability for Susan Harwood 
Training Program grants. All information and forms needed to apply for 
this funding opportunity are published as part of this SGA or are 
available on the Grants.gov site.

DATES: Grant applications must be received electronically by the 
Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., E.T., on Friday, May 23, 
2008, the application deadline date.

ADDRESSES: Applications for grants submitted under this competition 
must be submitted electronically using the government-wide Grants.gov 
Apply site at http://www.grants.gov. If applying online poses a 
hardship to any applicant, the OSHA Directorate of Training and 
Education will provide assistance to ensure that applications are 
submitted online by the closing date. Applicants must contact the OSHA 
Directorate of Training and Education office listed on the announcement 
at least one week prior to the application deadline date, (or no later 
than 4:30 p.m., E.T., on May 16, 2008) to speak to a representative who 
can provide assistance to ensure that applications are submitted online 
by the closing date. Requests for extensions to this deadline will not 
be granted. Further information regarding submitting your grant 
application electronically is listed in section IV, Item 3, Submission 
Date, Times, and Addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any questions regarding this SGA 
should be directed to Cynthia Bencheck, Program Analyst, e-mail 
address: [email protected], tel: 847-297-4810 (note that this is 
not a toll-free number), or Jim Barnes, Director, Office of Training 
and Educational Programs, e-mail address [email protected], tel: 847-
297-4810. To obtain further information on the Susan Harwood Training 
Grant Program of the U.S. Department of Labor, visit the OSHA Web site 
of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration at http://www.osha.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Overview of the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program

    The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program provides funds for 
programs to train employees and employers to recognize, avoid, and 
prevent safety and health hazards in their workplaces. The program 
emphasizes four areas:
     Educating employees and employers in small businesses. For 
purposes of this grant program, a small business is one with 250 or 
fewer employees.
     Training employees and employers about new OSHA standards.
     Training at-risk employee and employer populations.
     Training employees and employers about high risk 
activities or hazards identified by OSHA through the Department of 
Labor's Strategic Plan, or as part of an OSHA special emphasis program.

Grant Category Being Announced

    Under this solicitation for grant applications, OSHA will accept 
applications for the Targeted Topic training grant category.

Topics for the Targeted Topic Training Category

    Organizations funded for Targeted Topic training category grants 
are expected to develop and provide occupational safety and health 
training and/or educational programs addressing one of the topics 
selected by OSHA, recruit employees and employers for the training, and 
conduct and evaluate the training. Grantees are also expected to 
conduct follow-up evaluations with individuals trained by their program 
to determine what, if any, changes were made to reduce hazards in their 
workplaces as a result of the training. If your organization plans to 
train

[[Page 16068]]

employees or employers in any of the 26 states operating OSHA-approved 
State Plans, State OSHA requirements for that state must be included in 
the training.
    Eighteen different training topics were selected for this grant 
announcement. OSHA may award grants for some or all of the listed 
Targeted Topic training topics.
    Applicants wishing to address more than one of the announced grant 
topics must submit a separate grant application for each topic. Each 
application must propose a plan for developing and conducting training 
programs addressing the recognition and prevention of safety and health 
hazards for one of the topics listed below.
    Construction Industry Hazards.
    Programs that train employees and employers in the recognition and 
prevention of safety and health hazards on one of the following topics.
     Falls from Scaffolds, Ladders and Roofs in Construction.
     Construction Focus Four hazards (training programs must 
include all four hazard areas--falls, electrocution, caught-in and 
struck-by.)
     Safety Hazards related to Mechanized, Over-the-Road and 
Heavy Construction Equipment, including Compactor Rollovers.
     Work Zone Safety.
    General Industry Hazards.
    Programs that train employees and employers in the recognition and 
prevention of safety and health hazards on one of the following topics.
     Combustible Dust.
     Ergonomics in Foundries.
     Foundry Contaminants Exposures.
     Electrical Safety including Arc Flash and Personal 
Protective Equipment (PPE) for Arc Flash.
     Falls in General Industry.
     Food Processing Health Hazards, including Diacetyl 
Exposures in Popcorn and Other Food Flavoring Facilities.
     Night Time Sanitation and Maintenance/Third Shift, 
including Lockout/Tagout and Confined Spaces.
     Emergency Preparedness and Response including Pandemic Flu 
Preparation.
     Safety and Health Management Systems for Small and Medium-
Sized Businesses.
     Powered Industrial Trucks.
     Process Safety Management, including Chemical Plants, 
Ethanol Plants, Refineries and Anhydrous Ammonia.
     Slings and Materials Handling.
    Other Safety And Health Topic Areas.
    Programs that train employees and employers in the recognition and 
prevention of safety and health hazards on one of the following topics.
     Native American Tribal Safety and Health Issues.
     Safety and Health Hazards and Safety Plan Development in 
Shipbreaking.

II. Award Information

    Targeted Topic training grants will be awarded for a 12-month 
period. The project period for these grants begins no later than 
September 30, 2008. There is approximately $6.7 million available for 
this grant category. The average federal award will be approximately 
$175,000.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Nonprofit organizations, including community-based and faith-based 
organizations, that are not an agency of a State or local government 
are eligible to apply. Additionally, State or local government 
supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply in 
accordance with 29 CFR part 95. Eligible organizations can apply 
independently for funding or in partnership with other eligible 
organizations, but in such a case, a lead organization must be 
identified. Sub-grants are not authorized. Subcontracts, if any, must 
be awarded in accordance with 29 CFR 95.40-48, including OMB circulars 
requiring free and open competition for procurement transactions.
    A 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, as described in 26 U.S.C. 
501(c)(4), that engages in lobbying activities will not be eligible for 
the receipt of federal funds constituting an award, grant or loan. See 
1 U.S.C. 1611.
    Applicants other than State or local government supported 
institutions of higher education will be required to submit evidence of 
nonprofit status, preferably from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Applicants are not required to contribute non-federal resources.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Legal Rules Pertaining to Inherently Religious Activities by 
Organizations that Receive Federal Financial Assistance.
    The U. S. Government is generally prohibited from providing 
``direct'' financial assistance for inherently religious activities.\1\
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    \1\ In this context, the term direct financial assistance means 
financial assistance that is provided directly by a government 
entity or an intermediate organization, as opposed to financial 
assistance that an organization receives as the result of the 
genuine and independent private choice of a beneficiary. In other 
contexts, the term ``direct'' financial assistance may be used to 
refer to financial assistance that an organization receives directly 
from the Federal government (also know as ``discretionary'' 
assistance), as opposed to assistance that it receives from a State 
or Local government (also know as ``indirect'' or ``block'' grant 
assistance). The term ``direct'' has the former meaning throughout 
this solicitation for grant applications (SGA).
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The Grantee may be a faith-based organization or work with and partner 
with religious institutions; however, ``direct'' federal assistance 
provided under grants with the U. S. Department of Labor may not be 
used for religious instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing or other 
inherently religious practices. 29 CFR part 2, subpart D governs the 
treatment in Department of Labor government programs of religious 
organizations and religious activities; the Grantee and sub-contractors 
are expected to be aware of and observe the regulations in this 
subpart.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Package

    All information and forms needed to apply for this funding 
opportunity are published as part of this SGA or are available on the 
Grants.gov site. For informational purposes, the complete Federal 
Register notice and application forms are also posted on the OSHA Susan 
Harwood Training Grant Program Web site at: http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/ote/sharwood.html.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    Each grant application must address only one of the announced 
topics. Organizations interested in applying for grants for more than 
one of the announced grant topics must submit a separate application 
for each grant topic.
A. Required Contents
    A complete application will contain the following mandatory forms, 
mandatory document attachments and optional attachments.
    (1) Application for Federal Assistance form (SF 424). The 
individual signing the SF 424 form on behalf of the applicant must be 
authorized to bind the applicant.
    Your organization is required to have a Data Universal Number 
System (DUNS) number from Dun and Bradstreet to complete this form. 
Information about ``Obtaining a DUNS Number--A Guide for Federal Grant 
and Cooperative Agreement Applicants'' is available at: http://

[[Page 16069]]

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/duns--num--guide. pdf.
    (2) Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants (Faith-
Based EEO Survey) form OMB No. 1890-0014.
    (3) Program Summary (described further in subsection B below). The 
program summary is a short one-to-two page single-sided abstract that 
succinctly summarizes the proposed project and provides information 
about the applicant organization.
    (4) Budget Information form (SF 424A).
    (5) Detailed Project Budget Backup. The detailed budget backup will 
provide a detailed break out of the costs that are listed in section B 
of the SF 424A Budget Information form. If applicable: Provide a copy 
of approved indirect cost rate agreement and statement of program 
income.
    (6) A description of any voluntary non-federal resource 
contribution to be provided by the applicant, including source of funds 
and estimated amount.
    (7) Technical Proposal program narrative (described further in 
subsection B below), not to exceed 30 single-sided pages, double-
spaced, 12-point font, containing: Problem Statement/Need for Funds; 
Administrative and Program Capability; and Work Plan.
    (8) Assurances form (SF 424B).
    (9) Combined Assurances form (ED 80-0013).
    (10) Organizational Chart.
    (11) Evidence of Non-Profit status, preferably from the Internal 
Revenue Service (IRS), if applicable. (Does not apply to State and 
local government-supported institutions of higher education.)
    (12) Accounting System Certification, if applicable. Organizations 
that receive less than $1 million annually in federal grants must 
attach a certification signed by your certifying official stating that 
your organization has a functioning accounting system that meets the 
criteria below. Your organization may also designate a qualified entity 
(include the name and address in the documentation) to maintain a 
functioning accounting system that meets the criteria below. The 
certification should attest that your organization's accounting system 
provides for the following:
    (a) Accurate, current and complete disclosure of the financial 
results of each federally sponsored project.
    (b) Records that identify adequately the source and application of 
funds for federally sponsored activities.
    (c) Effective control over and accountability for all funds, 
property and other assets.
    (d) Comparison of outlays with budget amounts.
    (e) Written procedures to minimize the time elapsing between the 
transfer of funds.
    (f) Written procedures for determining the reasonableness, 
allocability and allowability of costs.
    (g) Accounting records, including cost accounting records that are 
supported by source documentation.
    (13) Any attachments such as resumes of key personnel or position 
descriptions, exhibits, information on prior government grants, and 
signed letters of commitment to the project.
    To be considered responsive to this solicitation, the application 
must consist of the above mentioned separate parts. Major sections and 
sub-sections of the application should be divided and clearly 
identified, and all pages shall be numbered. Standard forms, 
attachments, exhibits and the Program Summary abstract are not counted 
toward the page limit.
    The forms listed above are available through the Grants.gov site 
and must be submitted electronically as a part of your grant 
application. In the Grants.gov system, there is a window containing a 
menu of ``Mandatory Documents'' which must be completed and submitted 
online within the system. For all other attachments such as the Program 
Summary, Detailed Budget Backup, Technical Proposal, etc., please scan 
these documents into a single Adobe Acrobat file and attach the 
document in the area for attachments.
B. Budget Information
    Applicants must include the following required grant project budget 
information.
    (1) Budget Information form (SF 424A).
    (2) A Detailed Project Budget that clearly details the costs of 
performing all of the requirements presented in this solicitation. The 
detailed budget will break out the costs that are listed in Section B 
of the SF 424A Budget Information form. Applicants are asked to plan 
for a funding level based on funds needed to perform work plan and 
administrative activities for the grant year.
    Applicants are reminded to budget for compliance with the 
administrative requirements set forth. (Copies of all regulations that 
are referenced in this solicitation for grant applications (SGA) are 
available online at no cost at: http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/ote/sharwood.html). This includes the costs of performing activities such 
as travel for two staff members, one program and one financial, to the 
Chicago area to attend a new grantee orientation meeting; financial 
audit, if required; project closeout; document preparation (e.g., 
quarterly progress reports, project documents); and ensuring compliance 
with procurement and property standards.
    The Detailed Project Budget should break out administrative costs 
separately from programmatic costs for both federal and non-federal 
funds. Administrative costs include indirect costs from the costs pool 
and the cost of activities, materials, meeting close-out requirements 
as described in section VI, and personnel (e.g., administrative 
assistants) who support the management and administration of the 
project but do not provide direct services to project beneficiaries. 
Indirect cost charges, which are considered administrative costs, must 
be supported with a copy of an approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement 
form. Administrative costs cannot exceed 25% of the total grant budget. 
The project budget should clearly demonstrate that the total amount and 
distribution of funds is sufficient to cover the cost of all major 
project activities identified by the applicant in its proposal, and 
must comply with federal cost principles (which can be found in the 
applicable OMB Circulars).
    (3) A description of any voluntary non-federal resource 
contribution to be provided by the applicant, including source of funds 
and estimated amount.
C. Program Summary and Technical Proposal
    The Program Summary and the Technical Proposal will contain the 
narrative segments of the application. The Program Summary abstract is 
not to exceed two single-sided pages. The Technical Proposal program 
narrative section is not to exceed 30 single-sided (8\1/2\ '' x 11'' or 
A4), double-spaced, 12-point font, typed pages, consisting of the 
Problem Statement/Need for Funds, Administrative and Program 
Capability, and Work Plan. Reviewers will only consider Technical 
Proposal information up to the 30-page limit. The Technical Proposal 
must demonstrate the capability to successfully administer the grant 
and to meet the objectives of this solicitation. The Technical Proposal 
will be rated in accordance with the selection criteria specified in 
section V.
    The Program Summary and Technical Proposal must include the 
following sections.
    (1) Program Summary. An abstract of the application, not to exceed 
two single-sided pages, that must include the following information.

[[Page 16070]]

     Applicant organization's full legal name.
     Project Director's name, title, street address, and 
mailing address if it is different from the street address, telephone 
and fax numbers, and e-mail address. The Project Director is the person 
who will be responsible for the day-to-day operation and administration 
of the program. The Project Director's name should also be the same 
name you list on the Application for Federal Assistance form (SF-424) 
in section f. Name and contact information of person to be contacted on 
matters involving this application.
     Authorized Representative/Certifying Representative's 
name, title, street address, and mailing address if it is different 
from the street address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. 
The Authorized Representative/Certifying Representative is the official 
in your organization who is authorized to enter into grant agreements. 
The Authorized Representative/Certifying Representative's name should 
also be the same name you list on the Application for Federal 
Assistance form (SF-424) in section 21 for Authorized Representative.
     If someone other than the Authorized Representative/
Certifying Representative described above will be authorized by your 
organization to submit and sign off on quarterly financial reports (SF 
269 forms) for OSHA, provide their name, title, street address, and 
mailing address if it is different from the street address, telephone 
and fax numbers, and e-mail address.
     Funding requested. List how much federal funding you are 
requesting. If your organization is contributing non-federal resources, 
also list the amount of non-federal resources and the source of those 
funds.
     Grant Topic. List the grant topic and industry or subject 
area your organization has selected to target in its application.
     Summary of the Proposed Project. Write a brief program 
summary of your proposed grant project.
     Applicant Background. Describe your applicant 
organization, including its mission, identify the type of non-profit 
organization it is, and provide a description of your membership, if 
any.
    (2) The Technical Proposal program narrative segment, which is not 
to exceed 30 single-sided, double-spaced, 12-point font pages in 
length, must address each section listed below.
     Problem Statement/Need for Funds. Describe the hazards 
that will be addressed in your program, the target population(s) that 
will benefit from your training and educational program, and the 
barriers that have prevented this population from receiving adequate 
training. When you discuss target populations, include geographic 
location(s), and the number of employees and employers.
     Administrative and Program Capability. Briefly describe 
your organization's functions and activities. Relate this description 
of functions to your organizational chart that you will include in the 
application. If your organization is conducting, or has conducted 
within the last five years, any other government (Federal, State, or 
local) grant programs, the application must include an attachment 
(which will not count towards the page limit) providing information 
regarding previous grants including a) the organization for which the 
work was done, and b) the dollar value of the grant. If your 
organization has not had previous grant experience, you may partner 
with an organization that has grant experience to manage the grant. If 
you use this approach, the management organization must be identified 
and its grant program experience discussed.
     Program Experience. Describe your organization's 
experience conducting the type of program that you are proposing. 
Include program specifics such as program titles, numbers trained and 
duration of training. Experience includes safety and health experience, 
training experience with adults, and programs operated specifically for 
the selected target population(s). Nonprofit organizations, including 
community-based and faith-based organizations, that do not have prior 
experience in safety and health may partner with an established safety 
and health organization to acquire safety and health expertise.
     Staff Experience. Describe the qualifications of the 
professional staff you will assign to the program. Include resumes of 
staff already on board. If some positions are vacant, include position 
descriptions/minimum hiring qualifications instead of resumes. 
Qualified staff are those with safety and health experience, training 
experience, or experience working with the target population.
     Work Plan. Develop a 12-month work plan that is broken out 
by quarters. An outline of specific items required in your work plan 
follows.
     Work Plan Overview. Describe your plan for grant 
activities and the anticipated outcomes. The overall plan will describe 
such things as the development of training materials, the training 
content, recruiting of trainees, where or how training will take place, 
and the anticipated benefits to employees and employers receiving the 
training.
     Work Plan Activities. Break your overall plan down into 
activities or tasks. For each activity, explain what will be done, who 
will do it, when it will be done, and the results of the activity. When 
you discuss training, include the subjects to be taught, the length of 
the training sessions, and training location (classroom, worksites). 
Describe how you will recruit trainees for the training.
     Work Plan Quarterly Projections. For training and other 
quantifiable activities, estimate how many (e.g., number of advisory 
committee meetings, classes to be conducted, employees and employers to 
be trained, etc.,) you will accomplish each quarter of the grant (grant 
quarters match calendar quarters, i.e., January to March, April to 
June) and provide the training number totals for the grant. Quarterly 
projections are used to measure your actual performance against your 
plans. If you plan to conduct a train-the-trainer program, estimate the 
number of individuals you expect to be trained during the grant period 
by those who received the train-the-trainer training. These second tier 
training numbers should only be included if your organization is 
planning to follow up with the trainers to obtain this data during the 
grant period.
     Materials. Describe each educational material you will 
produce under the grant, if not treated as a separate activity under 
Activities above. Provide a timetable for developing and producing the 
material. OSHA must review and approve training materials for technical 
accuracy and suitability of content before the materials may be used in 
your grant program. Therefore, your timetable must include provisions 
for an OSHA review of draft and camera-ready products. Acceptable 
formats for training materials include Microsoft Office 2003 and Adobe 
Reader version 7. For Targeted Topic training grants, any previously 
developed training materials you are proposing to utilize in your grant 
training must also go through an OSHA review before being used.
     Evaluations. There are three types of evaluations that 
should be conducted. First, describe plans to evaluate the training 
sessions. Second, describe your plans to evaluate your progress in 
accomplishing the grant work activities listed in your application. 
This includes comparing planned vs. actual accomplishments. Discuss who 
is responsible for taking corrective action

[[Page 16071]]

if plans are not being met. Third, describe your plans to assess the 
effectiveness of the training your organization is conducting. This 
will involve following-up, by survey or on-site review, if feasible, 
with individuals who attended the training to find out what changes 
were made to abate hazards in their workplaces. Include timetables for 
follow-up and for submitting a summary of the assessment results to 
OSHA.
    (3) An organizational chart of the staff that will be working on 
this grant and their location within the applicant organization.
    Attachments: Summaries of other relevant organizational 
experiences; information on prior government grants; 
r[eacute]sum[eacute]s of key personnel and/or position descriptions; 
and signed letters of commitment to the project.
    Acceptable formats for document attachments submitted as a part of 
a Grants.gov grant application include Microsoft Office 2003 and Adobe 
Reader version 7.

3. Submission Date, Times, and Addresses

    Date: The deadline date for receipt of applications is Friday, May 
23, 2008. Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m., E.T., on the 
closing date at: http://www.grants.gov. Any application received after 
the deadline will not be accepted.
    Electronic Submission of Applications: Applications for Susan 
Harwood grants under this competition must be submitted electronically 
using the government-wide Grants.gov Apply site at: http://www.grants.gov. Through this site you will be able to download a copy 
of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and 
submit your full application. Acceptable formats for document 
attachments submitted as a part of a Grants.gov grant application 
include Microsoft Office 2003 and Adobe Reader version 7. In the 
Grants.gov system, there is a window containing a menu of ``Mandatory 
Documents'' which must be completed and submitted online within the 
system. For all other attachments such as the Program Summary, Detailed 
Budget Backup, Technical Proposal, etc., please scan these documents 
into a single Adobe Acrobat file and attach the document in the area 
for attachments. Applications sent by mail or other delivery services, 
e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. Applications 
that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice will not be 
honored.
    For applicants using Grants.gov for the first time, it is strongly 
recommended that they immediately initiate and complete the ``Get 
Registered'' steps to register with Grants.gov, at: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. These steps will 
probably take multiple days to complete, which should be factored into 
an applicant's plans for electronic application submission in order to 
avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of the 
application.
    If you have questions regarding the process for submitting your 
application through Grants.gov, or are experiencing problems with 
electronic submissions, you may contact the Grants Program Management 
Office via one of the methods below:
     E-mail at: [email protected].
     Telephone the Grants.gov Contact Center Phone: 1-800-518-
4726. The Contact Center hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. 
to 9 p.m., Eastern Time; closed on Federal holidays.
     When contacting the Grants Program Management Office, the 
following information will help expedite your inquiry.
    [cir] Funding Opportunity Number (FON).
    [cir] Name of Agency You Are Applying To.
    [cir] Specific Area of Concern.
    If applying online poses a hardship to any applicant, the OSHA 
Directorate of Training and Education will provide assistance to ensure 
that applications are submitted online by the closing date. Applicants 
must contact the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education office 
listed on the announcement at least one week prior to the application 
deadline date (or not later than 4:30 p.m., E.T., on May 16, 2008) to 
speak to a representative who can provide assistance to ensure that 
applications are submitted online by the closing date. Requests for 
extensions to this application deadline will not be granted.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    The Harwood Training Grant Program is not subject to Executive 
Order 12372 Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

5. Funding Restrictions

    Grant funds may be spent on the following:
    ( a) Conducting training.
    ( b) Conducting other activities that reach and inform employees 
and employers about workplace occupational safety and health hazards 
and hazard abatement.
    ( c) Conducting outreach and recruiting activities to increase the 
number of employees and employers participating in the program.
    ( d) Developing educational materials for use in training.
    Grant funds may not be used for the following activities under the 
terms of the grant program.
    (e) Any activity that is inconsistent with the goals and objectives 
of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
    (f) Training individuals not covered by the Occupational Safety and 
Health Act.
    (g) Training employees or employers from workplaces not covered by 
the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Examples include: State and 
local government employees in non-State Plan States, and employees 
referenced in section 4 (b)(1) of the Act.
    (h) Training on topics that do not cover the recognition, 
avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthy working conditions. 
Examples of unallowable topics include: Workers' compensation, first 
aid, and publication of materials prejudicial to labor or management.
    (i) Assisting employees in arbitration cases or other actions 
against employers, or assisting employers and employees in the 
prosecution of claims against federal, State or local governments.
    (j) Duplicating services offered by OSHA, a State under an OSHA-
approved State Plan, or consultation programs provided by State 
designated agencies under section 21(d) of the Occupational Safety and 
Health Act.
    (k) Generating membership in the grantee's organization. This 
includes activities to acquaint nonmembers with the benefits of 
membership, inclusion of membership appeals in materials produced with 
grant funds, and membership drives.
    (l) The cost of lost-time wages paid by you or other organizations 
to students while attending grant-funded training.
    (m) Administrative costs cannot exceed 25% of the total grant 
budget.
    While the activities described above may be part of an 
organization's regular programs, the costs of these activities cannot 
be paid for by grant funds, whether the funds are from non-federal 
matching resources or from the federally funded portion of the grant.
    Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with 
the applicable federal cost principles, e.g., Nonprofit Organizations--
2 CFR part 230, formerly OMB Circular A-122; Educational Institutions--
2 CFR part 220, formerly OMB Circular A-21. Disallowed costs are those 
charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative 
determines to not be

[[Page 16072]]

allowed in accordance with the applicable federal cost principles or 
other conditions contained in the grant.
    No applicant at any time will be entitled to reimbursement of pre-
award costs.

V. Application Review Information

    Grant applications will be reviewed by technical panels comprised 
of OSHA staff. The results of the grant reviews will be presented to 
the Assistant Secretary of OSHA, who will make the selection of 
organizations to be awarded grants. OSHA may award grants for some or 
all of the listed topic areas. It is anticipated that the grant awards 
will be announced no later than September 2008.

1. Evaluation Criteria

    The technical panels will review grant applications against the 
criteria listed below on the basis of 100 maximum points. Targeted 
Topic training grant category applications will be reviewed and rated 
as follows.
A. Technical Approach, Program Design--50 points total
    Program Design
    (1) The proposed training and education program must address the 
recognition and prevention of safety and health hazards for one of the 
Targeted Topic subject areas identified in Section I of this SGA. (1 
point)
    (2) The proposal plans to train employees and/or employers, clearly 
estimates the numbers to be trained, and clearly identifies the types 
of employees and employers to be trained. The training will reach 
employees and employers from multiple employers. (4 points)
    (3) If the proposal contains a train-the-trainer program, the 
following information must be provided. (4 points)
     What ongoing support the grantee will provide to new 
trainers;
     The number of individuals to be trained as trainers;
     The estimated number of courses to be conducted by the new 
trainers;
     The estimated number of students to be trained by these 
new trainers; and
     A description of how the grantee will obtain data from the 
new trainers documenting their classes and student numbers.
    (4) There is a well-developed work plan, and activities and 
training are adequately described. The planned activities and training 
are appropriately tailored to the needs and levels of the employees and 
employers to be trained. The target audience to be served through the 
grant program is described. (20 points)
    (5) The training materials and training programs are tailored to 
the training needs of one or more of the following target audiences; 
and the need for training is established: Small businesses; new 
businesses; limited English proficiency, non-literate and low literacy 
workers; youth; immigrant and minority workers, and other hard-to-reach 
workers; and employees in high-hazard industries and industries with 
high fatality rates. Organizations proposing to develop Spanish-
language training materials should utilize the OSHA Dictionaries 
(English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English) for terminology. The 
dictionaries are available on the OSHA Web site at: http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_assistance/spanish_dictionaries.html. 
Organizations proposing to develop materials in languages other than 
English will also be required to provide an English version of the 
materials. (10 points)
    (6) There is a sound plan to recruit trainees for the program. (4 
points)
    (7) If the proposal includes developing educational materials for 
use in the training program, there is a plan for OSHA to review the 
educational materials for technical accuracy and suitability of content 
during development. If previously-developed training products will be 
used for the Targeted Topic training program, applicants have a plan 
for OSHA to review the materials before using the products in their 
grant program. (1 point)
    (8) There are plans for three different types of evaluation. The 
plans include evaluating your organization's progress in accomplishing 
the grant work activities and accomplishments, evaluating your training 
sessions, and evaluating the program's effectiveness and impact to 
determine if the safety and health training and services provided 
resulted in workplace change. This includes a description of the 
evaluation plan to follow up with trainees to determine the impact the 
program has had in abating hazards and reducing worker injuries. (5 
points)
    (9) The application is complete, including forms, budget detail, 
narrative and work plan, and required attachments. (1 point)
B. Budget--20 points total
    (1) The budgeted costs are reasonable. No more than 25% of the 
total budget is for administration. (12 points)
    (2) The budget complies with federal cost principles (which can be 
found in the applicable OMB Circulars) and with OSHA budget 
requirements contained in the grant application instructions. (3 
points)
    (3) The cost per trainee is less than $500 and the cost per 
training hour is reasonable. (5 points)
C. Experience of Organization--15 points total
    (1) The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience 
with occupational safety and health. Applicants that do not have prior 
experience in providing safety and health training to employees or 
employers may partner with an established safety and health 
organization to acquire safety and health expertise. (4 points)
    (2) The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience 
training adults in work-related subjects or in recruiting, training and 
working with the target audience for this grant. (4 points)
    (3) The application organization demonstrates that the applicant 
has strong financial management and internal control systems. (4 
points)
    (4) The applicant organization has administered, or will work with 
an organization that has administered, a number of different federal 
and/or State grants over the past five years. (3 points)
D. Experience and Qualification of Personnel--15 points total
    (1) The staff to be assigned to the project has experience in 
occupational safety and health, the specific topic chosen, and in 
training adults. (10 points)
    (2) Project staff has experience in recruiting, training, and 
working with the population your organization proposes to serve under 
the grant. (5 points)

2. Review and Selection Process

    OSHA will screen all applications to determine whether all required 
proposal elements are present and clearly identifiable. Applications 
that do not may be deemed non-responsive and may not be evaluated. A 
technical panel will objectively rate each complete application against 
the criteria described in this announcement. The panel recommendations 
to the Assistant Secretary are advisory in nature. The Assistant 
Secretary may establish a minimally acceptable rating range for the 
purpose of selecting qualified applicants. The Assistant Secretary will 
make a final selection determination based on what is most advantageous 
to the government, considering factors such as panel findings, 
geographic presence of the applicants, Agency priorities, the best 
value to the

[[Page 16073]]

government, cost, and other factors. The Assistant Secretary's 
determination for award under this solicitation for grant applications 
(SGA) is final.

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    Announcement of these awards is expected to occur no later than 
September 30, 2008.
    The grant agreements will be awarded by no later than September 
2008.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Process

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

    Note: Except as specifically provided, OSHA's acceptance of a 
proposal and an award of federal funds to sponsor any program(s) 
does not provide a waiver of any grant requirement or procedures. 
For example, if an application identifies a specific sub-contractor 
to provide services, the USDOL OSHA award does not provide the 
justification or basis to sole-source the procurement, i.e., to 
avoid competition.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    All grantees, including faith-based organizations, will be subject 
to applicable federal laws and regulations (including provisions of 
appropriations law) and the applicable Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Circulars. The grant award(s) awarded under this SGA will be 
subject to the following administrative standards and provisions, as 
applicable to the particular grantee:
    29 CFR part 2, subpart D, new equal treatment regulations.
    29 CFR parts 31, 32, 35 and 36 as applicable.
    29 CFR part 93, new restrictions on lobbying.
    29 CFR part 95, which covers grant requirements for nonprofit 
organizations, including universities and hospitals. These are the 
Department of Labor regulations implementing 2 CFR part 215, formerly 
OMB Circular A-110.
    29 CFR part 98, government-wide debarment and suspension 
(nonprocurement) and government wide requirements for drug-free 
workplace (grants).
    2 CFR part 220, formerly OMB Circular A-21, which describes 
allowable and unallowable costs for educational institutions.
    2 CFR part 230, formerly OMB circular A-122, which describes 
allowable and unallowable costs for other nonprofit organizations.
    OMB Circular A-133, 29 CFR parts 96 and 99, which provide 
information about audit requirements.
    Certifications. All applicants are required to certify to a drug-
free workplace in accordance with 29 CFR part 98, to comply with the 
New Restrictions on Lobbying published at 29 CFR part 93, to make a 
certification regarding the debarment rules at 29 CFR part 98, and to 
complete a special lobbying certification.
    Training Audience. Grant-funded training programs must serve 
multiple employers and their employees. Grant-funded training programs 
must serve individuals covered by the Occupational Safety and Health 
Act of 1970. As a part of the grant close-out process, grantees must 
self-certify that their grant-funded programs and materials were not 
provided to ineligible audiences.
    Other. In keeping with the policies outlined in Executive Orders 
13256, 12928, 13230, and 13021 as amended, the grantee is strongly 
encouraged to provide subcontracting opportunities to Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and 
Tribal Colleges and Universities.

3. Special Program Requirements

    OSHA review of educational materials. OSHA will review all 
educational materials produced by the grantee for technical accuracy 
and suitability of content during development and before final 
publication. OSHA will also review previously-developed training 
curricula and purchased training materials for technical accuracy and 
suitability of content before the materials are used. Grantees 
developing training materials must follow all copyright laws and 
provide written certification that their materials are free from 
copyright infringements.
    When grant recipients produce training materials, they must provide 
copies of completed materials to OSHA before the end of the grant 
period. OSHA has a lending program that circulates grant-produced 
audiovisual materials. Audiovisual materials produced by the grantee as 
a part of its grant program may be included in this lending program. In 
addition, all materials produced by grantees must be provided to OSHA 
in hard copy as well as in a digital format (CD Rom/DVD) for possible 
publication on the Internet by OSHA. Two copies of the materials must 
be provided to OSHA. Acceptable formats for training materials include 
Microsoft Office 2003 and Adobe Reader version 7.
    As stated in 29 CFR 95.36, the Department of Labor reserves a 
royalty-free, nonexclusive and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, 
or otherwise use for federal purposes any work produced under a grant, 
and to authorize others to do so. Applicants should note that grantees 
must agree to provide the Department of Labor a paid-up, nonexclusive 
and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use for 
federal purposes all products developed, or for which ownership was 
purchased, under an award including, but not limited to, curricula, 
training models, technical assistance products, and any related 
materials, and to authorize the Department of Labor to do so. Such uses 
include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute 
such products worldwide by any means, electronic or otherwise.
    Acknowledgment of USDOL Funding. In all circumstances, all approved 
grant-funded materials developed by a grantee shall contain the 
following disclaimer:
    This material was produced under grant number ------ from the 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the 
U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial 
products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
    Public reference to grant: When issuing statements, press releases, 
requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and other documents 
describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with federal 
money, all grantees receiving Federal funds must clearly state:
     The percentage of the total costs of the program or 
project that will be financed with federal money;
     The dollar amount of federal financial assistance for the 
project or program; and
     The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the 
project or

[[Page 16074]]

program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
    Use of U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) OSHA Logo: The USDOL-OSHA 
logo may not be applied to any grant products developed with grant 
funds without advance written authority from OSHA.

4. Reporting

    Grantees are required by Departmental regulations to submit program 
and financial reports each calendar quarter. All reports are due no 
later than 30 days after the end of the fiscal quarter and shall be 
submitted to the appropriate OSHA Regional Office.
    The Grantee(s) shall submit financial reports on a quarterly basis. 
The first reporting period shall end on the last day of the fiscal 
quarter (December 31, March 31, June 30, or September 30) during which 
the grant was signed. Financial reports are due within 30 days of the 
end of the reporting period (i.e., by January 30, April 30, July 30, 
and October 30).
    The Grantee(s) shall use Standard Form (SF) 269, Financial Status 
Report, to report the status of funds, at the project level, during the 
grant period. A final SF269 shall be submitted no later than 90 days 
following completion of the grant period. The SF269 reports will be 
submitted electronically through the Department of Labor (DOL) E-Grants 
system.
    Grantees will use the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Payment Management System (HHS PMS) to receive federal funds and to 
report federal expenditures, and must also send USDOL copies of the PSC 
272 that it submits to HHS, on the same schedule.
    Technical Progress Reports: After signing the agreement, the 
Grantee(s) shall submit technical progress reports to USDOL/OSHA 
Regional Offices at the end of each fiscal quarter. Technical progress 
reports provide both quantitative and qualitative information and a 
narrative assessment of performance for the preceding three-month 
period. OSHA Form 171 shall be used for reporting training numbers and 
a narrative report shall be provided that details grant activities 
conducted during the quarter, information on how the project is 
progressing in achieving its stated objectives, and notes any problems 
or delays along with corrective actions proposed. The first reporting 
period shall end on the last day of the fiscal quarter (December 31, 
March 31, June 30, or September 30) during which the grant was signed. 
Quarterly progress reports are due within 30 days of the end of the 
report period (i.e., by January 30, April 30, July 30, and October 30). 
Between reporting dates, the Grantees(s) shall also immediately inform 
USDOL/OSHA of significant developments and/or problems affecting the 
organization's ability to accomplish work.

    Authority: The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, (29 
U.S.C. 670), Public Law 110-161, and the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2008.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 21st day of March, 2008.
Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

Application Document Checklist

    Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424 form).
    Budget Information (SF 424A form).
    Assurances (SF 424B form).
    Combined Assurances for (ED 80-0013 form).
    Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants (Faith-Based 
EEO Survey), (OMB No. 1890-0014 form).

Attachments (Please Attach in the Following Order)

    Program Summary (not to exceed two single-sided pages).
    Detailed Project Budget Backup.
    If applicable: provide a copy of approved indirect cost rate 
agreement, statement of program income, and a description of any 
voluntary non-federal resource contribution to be provided by the 
applicant, including source of funds and estimated amount.
    Technical Proposal, program narrative, not to exceed 30 single-
sided pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, containing:
    Problem Statement/Need for Funds;
    Administrative and Program Capability; and
    Work plan.

Organizational Chart

    Evidence of Nonprofit status, (letter from the IRS) if applicable
    Accounting System Certification, if applicable
    Other Attachments such as: Resumes of key personnel or position 
descriptions, exhibits, information on prior government grants, and 
signed letters of commitment to the project.

    Note: In the Grants.gov system, there is a window containing a 
menu of ``Mandatory Documents'' which must be completed and 
submitted online within the system. For all other attachments such 
as the Program Summary, Detailed Budget Backup, Technical Proposal, 
etc., please scan these documents into a single Adobe Acrobat file 
and attach the document in the area for attachments.


 [FR Doc. E8-6108 Filed 3-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P