[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69679-69680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27354]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[SGA/DFA-PY-08-02]

Employment & Training Administration


Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) Community-Based Job 
Training Grants

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA, Labor).

ACTION: Notice: Amendment to SGA/DFA-PY-08-02.

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SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration published a 
document in the Federal Register on October 10, 2008, announcing the 
availability of funds and solicitation for grant applications (SGA) for 
Community-Based Job Training Grants to be awarded through a competitive 
process. This notice is the second amendment to the SGA and extends the 
receipt for proposal due date from November 24, 2008 to December 3, 
2008, as well as updates and clarifies items related to: (1) Evaluation 
of the grants (Section III. C. 8. Section IV and Attachment A); (2) 
accessibility to a performance tracking system (Section V. A. 5.); and 
(3) bonus points (Section V. A. 7.).

Supplemental Information Correction

    1. Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under 
this announcement has been extended from a closing date of November 24, 
2008 to a new closing date of December 3, 2008, 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
    2. Section III. C. 8., ``CBJTGs Evaluation,'' is revised as follows 
(page 60348-60349):
    ``ETA is interested in determining if training provided through the 
CBJTGs impacts students' future labor force outcomes. To that end, ETA 
expects to select grantees awarded funds through this SGA to 
participate in an evaluation. Therefore, to receive funds under this 
solicitation, sites must include in their application a statement that, 
if selected as a grantee they agree to participate in an evaluation. In 
addition, sites must be willing to share with the evaluation contractor 
individual information on demographics, participant characteristics, 
services received and outcomes, and must be willing to provide access 
to program operating personnel and participants, including after the 
expiration date of the grant.
    ``ETA will select an independent contractor to design and conduct 
the evaluation. ETA will consider a variety of options for the design 
of the evaluation, including the feasibility of conducting a random 
assignment evaluation. In a random assignment evaluation, eligible 
applicants to the program would be randomly selected to be offered 
training under the CBJTG. Impacts would then be measured by comparing 
the outcomes of those offered training to outcomes of those not offered 
training. This is generally agreed to be the most rigorous method of 
measuring impacts.''
    3. Section IV. B. ``Content and Form of Application Submission,'' 
is revised as follows (page 60350, bullet point regarding attachment 
A):
    ``A statement that the applicant is willing to implement and 
participate in an evaluation, which may include methodology to evaluate 
impact of the program.''
    4. Section V. A. 5. ``Program Management and Organization 
Capacity,'' is revised as follows (page 60354, last bullet point):
    ``The applicant organization demonstrates significant capacity to 
accomplish the goals and outcomes of the project, including the ability 
to collect, manage, and report data in a way that allows consistent, 
accurate, and expedient reporting. Applicants should be aware that ETA 
provides access to a software system to help grantees collect and 
report the performance data that is required by these grants. This 
system allows grantees to track information on individual participants 
and their progress through training, and facilitates grantees' 
submission of performance data as required by the grant. Applicants' 
response to this section of the evaluation criteria could reference the 
use of this software system.''
    5. Section V. A. 7. ``Collaboration with Faith-Based and Community 
Organizations,'' is revised as follows (page 60354):
    ``ETA will award five bonus points to applicants that demonstrate, 
with evidence, collaboration with faith or community-based 
organizations (or both) to serve populations with barriers to 
employment as part of their regional training efforts. To receive these 
five bonus points, applicants must provide a detailed description of 
this collaboration, including: (1) Clear identification of the specific 
faith or community-based organizations (or both) that will be involved 
in the collaboration; (2) a concise, detailed description of the 
specific role that these organizations will play in the project; (3) 
any projected outcomes associated with the organizations role in the 
project, and (4) letters of commitment from each of these organizations 
stating their support for the project and outlining their specific role 
in the project.''
    6. Section VII. ``Agency Contacts,'' is revised as follows (page 
60355):
    ``For further information regarding this SGA, please contact 
Melissa Abdullah, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal 
Assistance, at (202) 693-3346 (please note this is not a toll-free 
number).''
    7. Attachment A, ``Memorandum of Agreement,'' is revised as 
follows:
    ``In applying for these funds, the organization represented by the 
undersigned (the ``applicant'') agrees to participate in an evaluation 
designed and conducted by an independent contractor selected by ETA. 
This agreement is intended to serve as evidence of the applicant's 
commitment to support and participate in the evaluation. If selected 
for the

[[Page 69680]]

evaluation, the applicant agrees to adhere to the evaluation design 
developed by the evaluation team. Additionally, the applicant agrees to 
provide all data requested by the evaluation contractor, subject to 
applicable confidentiality and privacy statutes.''
    8. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions for this SGA which include 
questions raised during the virtual prospective applicant conference 
are posted on ETA's Web site at: http://www.doleta.gov/business/Community-BasedJobTrainingGrants.cfm and http://www.workforce3one.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chari Magruder, Grant Officer, 
Division of Federal Assistance, at (202) 693-3313.

DATES: Effective Date: This notice is effective November 18, 2008.

    Signed at Washington, DC this 13th day of November, 2008.
Chari A. Magruder,
Grant Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-27354 Filed 11-18-08; 8:45 am]
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