[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 245 (Friday, December 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77844-77862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30116]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant 
Applications for the Older Worker Demonstration

    Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation for Grant Applications.
    Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY-08-06.
    Catalog Federal Assistance Number: 17.268.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) announces the availability of approximately $10 
million in funds for Older Worker Demonstration Grants. These grants 
will be awarded though a competitive process as a part of the High 
Growth Job Training Initiative (HGJTI). The grants are intended to 
address the workforce challenges facing older individuals by developing 
models for talent development in regional economies that recognize 
older workers as a valuable labor pool and include employment and 
training strategies to retain and/or connect older workers to jobs in 
high growth, high demand industries critical to the regional economy.
    Grants awarded under the Older Worker Demonstration should focus on 
providing training and related services for individuals age 55 and 
older that result in employment and advancement opportunities in high 
growth industries and economic sectors. The proposed strategies must 
take place in the context of regional talent development efforts 
designed to contribute to a strong regional economy, and must be 
developed and implemented by a strategic regional partnership. The 
preferred eligible applicants for this solicitation are entities that 
represent the local workforce investment system, but other entities may 
apply. It is anticipated that the number of awards will range from 10 
to 13, with award amounts ranging from $750,000 to $1,000,000.
    This solicitation provides background information and describes the 
application submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible 
entities must use to apply for funds covered by this solicitation, and 
details how grantees will be selected.

Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this 
announcement is February 19, 2009. Applications must be received at the 
address below no later than 4 p.m. (Eastern Time). A Virtual 
Prospective Applicant Conference will be held for this grant 
competition in January. The date and access information for this 
Virtual Prospective Applicant Conference will be posted on the ETA Web 
site at: http://www.workforce3one.org/.

ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department 
of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Attention: Melissa Abdullah, Reference SGA/DFA PY-08-06, 
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-4716, Washington, DC 20210. 
Applicants may alternatively apply on-line through Grants.gov as 
discussed in Part IV(C) of this solicitation. Telefacsimile (FAX) 
applications will not be accepted. Applicants are advised that U.S. 
Postal Service mail delivery in the Washington area may be delayed due 
to mail decontamination procedures. Hand delivered proposals will be 
received at the above address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This solicitation consists of eight parts:
     Part I provides the funding opportunity description. It 
contains background on talent development in the global economy, the 
aging of the American workforce, and the workforce challenges faced by 
older individuals; provides information on the Older Worker 
Demonstration; and outlines the critical elements and focus areas for 
this solicitation.
     Part II describes the award amount and performance period 
for the award.
     Part III describes the eligible applicants and other grant 
specifications.
     Part IV provides information on the application and 
submission process and various funding restrictions.
     Part V describes the criteria against which applications 
will be reviewed and explains the review and selection process.
     Part VI provides award administration information.
     Part VII contains ETA agency contact information.
     Part VIII lists additional resources of interest to 
applicants and other information.

Part I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background

1. Talent Development in a Global Economy
    Globalization of the economic marketplace is now well recognized, 
as is the fact that American businesses must now compete not only with 
companies across the street, but also with companies across the globe. 
Global competition is typically seen as a national challenge. In 
reality, regions are where companies, workers, researchers, 
entrepreneurs and governments come together to create a competitive 
advantage in the global marketplace. That advantage stems from the 
ability to transform new ideas and new knowledge into advanced, high 
quality products or services--in other words, to innovate.
    Regions that are successful in creating a competitive advantage 
demonstrate the ability to organize ``innovation assets''--people, 
institutions, capital, and infrastructure--to generate growth and 
prosperity in the region's economy. These regions are successful 
because they have connected three key elements: workforce skills and 
lifelong learning strategies, investment and entrepreneurship 
strategies, and regional infrastructure and economic development 
strategies.
    In the new global economy, a region's ability to develop, attract, 
and retain a well educated and skilled workforce is a key factor in our 
nation's economic competitiveness. A region may possess a strong 
infrastructure and the investment resources for success, but without 
the talented men and women to use those elements for economic growth, 
they will be underutilized. Talent can also drive infrastructure and 
investment because investment capital is smart money and will follow 
talent, while infrastructure can be built to support a growing economy.
    The aging of the American workforce will clearly impact a region's 
ability to develop, attract, and retain a well educated and skilled 
workforce. As regions respond to current and anticipated skills 
shortages and, in some industries and occupations, to labor shortages, 
they often overlook a key asset--the mature workforce. Older workers 
are an experienced and highly skilled pool of labor that can help 
regions meet their competitive needs.
2. Aging of the American Workforce
    The United States is in the throes of a demographic metamorphosis. 
Currently, 12.4 percent of the U.S.

[[Page 77845]]

population--or one in every eight persons--is over the age of 65. By 
the year 2030, the percentage of those ages 65 and older in the U.S. 
population is expected to jump to nearly 20 percent. Compounded with 
declining birth rates, the implications of this shift are tremendous.
    The graying of America will be reflected in its workforce. The 
number of people in the labor force ages 55 to 64 is projected to 
increase by over 36 percent between 2006 and 2016, and the number of 
participants ages 65 to 74 is expected to grow by 83 percent. As the 
workforce ages, greater numbers of people will leave due to disability 
or retirement. More than 25 percent of the working population will 
reach retirement age by 2010, resulting in a potential worker shortage 
of nearly 10 million.
    The United States therefore faces a significant challenge in 
meeting demands for workers over the next several years. This projected 
tide of retirements could significantly influence productivity and 
profits. Furthermore, unless the wave of retirements is more gradual 
than anticipated, employers not only will have fewer workers but will 
also have fewer leaders. In many companies, younger workers remain 
relatively inexperienced because of the predominance of Baby Boomers in 
important management and other leadership positions. The loss of older 
workers' critical organizational knowledge and expertise could be 
costly to employers.
    There is some disagreement among analysts about the extent to 
which, or even whether, significant worker shortages will result from 
the aging of the workforce. However, worker shortages have already 
appeared in some industries, such as health care, energy, and 
transportation. There is also considerable evidence that many employers 
have not yet recognized the possible consequences of an aging 
workforce. It is important that all employers, but particularly those 
with an older workforce and those in high-growth, high-demand 
industries, plan how they will meet their workforce and skill needs and 
how they can tap into the experience and talents of the growing pool of 
older workers.
    Possible labor and skill shortages could offer opportunities for 
the aging workforce, as well. Many older workers will maintain 
employment or become reemployed for a plethora of reasons including 
social interaction and a desire to achieve ``productive aging'' through 
employment. However, the most compelling motives are economic in 
nature. Personal savings are significantly lower than in the past, 
there has been an overall trend away from defined-benefit pension plans 
and towards defined-contribution annuities, and declining numbers of 
employers are offering retiree health insurance. The result will be 
more people continuing to work or seeking employment past traditional 
retirement ages.
    By capitalizing on older workers' desires for continued 
participation in the workforce, employers can minimize job vacancies, 
retain important skills and knowledge, and remain competitive and 
productive. Such a response will place older workers in a position to 
increase their personal retirement savings and realize other tangible 
and intangible benefits that result from their continued participation 
in the workforce. In addition, fully utilizing the mature workforce can 
help regional economies maintain the educated and skilled workforce 
that is a key factor in global competitiveness. Finally, the U.S. 
economy will benefit and financial pressures will be eased on important 
programs like Social Security and Medicare.
3. Workforce Challenges Faced by Older Individuals
    While many older individuals want to or need to stay engaged in the 
workforce and employers can benefit from the skills offered by aging 
employees, older individuals continue to face challenges to full 
participation in the labor market. These include the following:
    Need to increase skills to keep pace with technological and 
organizational change and limited access to training. As a result of 
technological and organizational change, job requirements are 
continually changing. Therefore, individuals increasingly must acquire 
new skills and upgrade their existing skills. Older persons who wish to 
continue working, either in their current field or in a new field, need 
to remain competitive by updating their skills. In comparison to 
younger workers, however, older workers are less likely to receive 
skills training. One study found that the hours of training received 
decline with age--while workers ages 25 to 34 participated in an 
average of 37 hours of employer-provided training in a year, employees 
ages 55 and older participated in 9 hours.\1\ Rates of training 
accessed through the public workforce investment system also decline 
with age.\2\
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    \1\ Kelly S. Mikelson and Demetra Smith Nightengale, Estimating 
Public and Private Expenditures on Occupational Training in the 
United States, the Urban Institute and Johns Hopkins University, 
December 2004.
    \2\ David W. Stevens, Older Worker Flows Through Core, 
Intensive, and Training Services, and Employment Status and Earnings 
First Quarter After Exit, University of Baltimore Jacob France 
Institute, April 2004.
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    Health problems, disabilities and limited flexible work 
arrangements. Some older workers may experience health problems, have 
disabilities, or have physical limitations that pose challenges to 
employment. The job opportunities for older workers with health 
concerns may depend on the availability of critical health-related 
employee benefits. Access to these benefits--e.g., health insurance, 
sick leave, short- and long-term disability--varies greatly across 
employers. Workplace accommodations may affect the opportunities of 
older workers with health conditions, and some employers may not know 
how to make such accommodations. Additionally, as workers age, they may 
desire to work fewer hours or to have more flexibility in their work 
arrangements to facilitate improved work-life balance. Flexibility in 
work arrangements can encourage older individuals to remain working.
    Lack of skills and confidence of some older individuals to search 
for a new job. To appeal to employers, older workers must identify and 
promote their strengths, including professional maturity, years of 
experience, and work ethic.\3\ Older workers also have a higher level 
of commitment and loyalty to employers, lower turnover and absenteeism 
rates, and fewer on-the-job accidents.\4\ However, some older 
individuals lack the skills and self-confidence to promote these 
strengths or search for jobs, and may not be familiar with the public 
and private resources that can aid older workers who are job hunting or 
changing careers.
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    \3\ Stephanie Overton, The Changing Face of Retirement, Radford 
University News to Use, December 2003.
    \4\ Future Work Institute, Some Facts About Older Workers: Hot 
Topic Research, http://www.futureworkinstitute.com/services/hottopic/archetypes/HotTopics_Aging.pdf.
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    Lack of knowledge on how to start a business. Some older workers 
have been impacted by corporate downsizing, outsourcing, and job loss. 
For some aging workers exiting out of jobs prematurely, their most 
viable option may be starting their own small business. Many public and 
private resources are available to help individuals start their own 
business, but some older workers (particularly those who have been 
dislocated or who have very low income) may not know how to access such 
services.

[[Page 77846]]

    Employer barriers to engaging older individuals and age 
discrimination in the workplace. The external barriers faced by older 
workers in obtaining employment, whether related to health, skills, or 
financial matters, may negatively affect employers' efforts to find 
qualified older candidates. Some employers may avoid developing an 
older workforce because of concerns over the costs of older workers due 
to benefits, pensions, salaries and flexibility demands. Research is 
beginning to show that some employers may overestimate the costs 
associated with employing older workers while simultaneously 
underestimating the benefits.

B. Older Worker Demonstration Description

    Under the HGJTI, ETA is funding an Older Worker Demonstration with 
the objectives of: (1) Developing models for talent development in 
regional economies that recognize older workers as a valuable labor 
pool and include employment and training strategies to retain and/or 
connect older workers to jobs in high-growth, high-demand industries 
critical to the regional economy; and (2) building the capacity of the 
public workforce investment system to serve older individuals and 
identify innovative talent development models for an aging worker 
population.
    The framework for the Older Worker Demonstration is based on three 
ETA initiatives--the Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce, 
the HGJTI, and the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic 
Development (WIRED) Initiative.
    The Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce is a federal 
interagency effort launched by ETA in 2006 to address the aging and 
retirement of the Baby Boomer generation and its impact on the 
workforce. The Taskforce brought together senior representatives from 
nine key federal agencies that affect the lives of older Americans and 
they elected to focus on three main areas: (1) Employer response to the 
aging workforce, focusing on the opportunities and needs of employers 
when recruiting, hiring, training and retaining older workers; (2) 
individual opportunities for employment, addressing the challenges and 
identifying the opportunities for older workers to increase their 
workforce participation; and (3) legal and regulatory issues regarding 
work and retirement, examining laws and regulations that may function 
as impediments and disincentives to continued employment.
    The Taskforce worked for several months to identify and examine the 
most significant issues related to the aging of the American workforce, 
particularly workforce challenges facing older individuals, as well as 
working to develop strategies to address those issues. The Taskforce 
released its findings and recommendations in a report issued in 
February 2008 (available at http://www.doleta.gov/reports/dpld_older_worker.cfm). The Older Worker Demonstration is designed to address 
issues that limit the participation of older adults in the labor 
market, as identified by the Taskforce.
    The HGJTI is a strategic effort to prepare workers for new and 
increasing job opportunities in high-growth, high-demand industries and 
economically vital industries and sectors of the American economy. 
Through the initiative, ETA identifies high-growth, high-demand 
industries; evaluates their skill needs; and funds local and national 
partnership-based demonstration projects that: (1) Address industry-
specific workforce challenges, and (2) prepare workers for jobs with 
career pathways in rapidly expanding or transforming industries. 
Because of the aging workforce and potential shortages of skilled 
workers for high-growth, high-demand industries, it is important to 
find ways to better utilize older workers to meet the skill needs of 
these industries.
    Through the WIRED Initiative, ETA supports broad regional 
partnerships as they expand employment and advancement opportunities 
for American workers and catalyze the creation of high-skill, high-wage 
opportunities in regional economies. WIRED supports innovative 
approaches to workforce and economic development that go beyond 
traditional strategies that prepare workers to compete and succeed. The 
Initiative helps regions transform their workforce investment, economic 
development, and education systems to support talent development and 
overall regional economic growth. Each regional partnership undertakes 
strategies customized to the particular economic challenges and 
opportunities of their regions and is focused on the high growth 
industries in that area. Although the impact of the aging workforce 
varies from region to region, the potential labor market impacts of the 
aging workforce suggest that addressing the challenges of older 
individuals, and fully utilizing their skills and expertise, should be 
a key component of regional talent development strategies.
    Grants awarded under the Older Worker Demonstration should focus on 
providing training and related activities that result in employment and 
advancement opportunities in high-growth industries and economic 
sectors as part of a regional talent development strategy focused on 
economic growth. Examples of activities related to training include 
career awareness and outreach, strategies to promote career pathways, 
and activities to enhance the capacity of education and training 
providers. Because the grants under this solicitation are being funded 
by H-1B visa fees (as authorized under Sec. 414(c) of the American 
Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998), funds may only 
be used for projects that provide training in the occupations and 
industries for which employers pay H-1B visa application fees that 
generate these funds. (See Attachment: H-1B Industry Sectors and 
Occupations.) Also, the activities related to training must be limited 
to those necessary to support training in such occupations and 
industries.
    In alignment with the goal of building the workforce system's 
capacity to serve older individuals, the preferred applicant for the 
Older Worker Demonstration is a legal entity that represents the local 
workforce investment system as follows: (1) A Local Workforce 
Investment Board (LWIB), as established under Section 117 of the 
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) (Pub. L. 105-220), that has been 
incorporated; or (2) in areas where the LWIB is not incorporated, the 
legal entity that serves as the fiscal agent for the local workforce 
investment area. Other applicants for this solicitation may include: 
(1) A non-LWIB entity with the concurrence from the LWIB (this would 
require evidence of the board's support and involvement in the project 
along with a letter of concurrence); or (2) all other applicants 
without a letter of concurrence from the LWIB (such applicants must 
demonstrate how the proposed activities will be connected to the 
region's talent and economic development strategies, including 
improvement of services to older workers through the LWIB).
    Applicants are required to have established partnerships to carry 
out the proposed project that could include, but are not limited to: 
The public workforce investment system; national, state, or local aging 
organizations, including Senior Community Service Employment Program 
(SCSEP) grantees; employers, industry associations, and business 
intermediaries, such as chambers of commerce; educational institutions 
and training providers; apprenticeship programs; economic development 
entities; local, regional, and state

[[Page 77847]]

government; Indian and Native American tribes or organizations; the 
philanthropic community; and community and faith-based organizations.
    To provide additional support to the Older Worker Demonstration, 
ETA will make technical assistance available to grantees after the 
grant awards have been made. This assistance is further described in 
Part I(E) of this solicitation.

C. Critical Elements of the Older Worker Demonstration

1. Strategic Partnerships
    ETA is using the Older Worker Demonstration as an opportunity to 
fund strategies focused on mature workers which will help prepare them 
for employment and advancement in high-demand, high-growth industries, 
as well as support the talent development needs of regional economies. 
While there are a range of approaches that cultivate and develop this 
critical labor pool, strategic partnerships must serve as the 
foundation of these solutions. Experience shows that workforce 
development strategies are most robust when developed in the context of 
a strategic partnership of regional leaders who have access to a range 
of resources. Thus, to maximize the impact of the proposed talent 
development activities, the applicant for the solicitation must partner 
with a strong team composed of individuals and organizations necessary 
to transform the regional economy.
    Required partners for this solicitation include the public 
workforce investment system; employers, industry associations, or 
business intermediaries, such as chambers of commerce; and educational 
institutions and training providers. The strategic partnership should 
engage each required entity in its area of strength. For example, in 
the 21st century global economy, it is becoming increasingly important 
that the workforce system act as a strategic partner in regional 
economic development. The workforce system can align resources with 
regional economic growth goals by focusing on workforce and lifelong 
learning strategies that are demanded by employers and based on an 
understanding of future job growth in emerging, high-growth and 
economically vital industries and sectors in the regional economy. 
Through this strategic alignment, the workforce system can help to ward 
off and respond to economic shocks, creating more stable and rewarding 
employment opportunities for the workforce. Educators at all levels are 
also important to a strategic partnership. Education and training 
providers can assist in developing competency models and curricula and 
train new and incumbent workers. Finally, employers and industry 
representatives can define workforce challenges facing a specific 
industry and identify the competencies and skills required for that 
industry's workforce.
    In addition to the required entities, applicants should think 
beyond geographical and physical boundaries to ensure that the full 
range of resources, knowledge, and leadership available to support 
workforce solutions for older workers are engaged in the project, and 
that the partnership includes entities that can act as levers of change 
to identify and address barriers to success. Other partners could 
include, but are not limited to, national, state, or local aging 
organizations, including SCSEP grantees; local, regional, and state 
government; economic development entities; apprenticeship programs; 
Indian and Native American tribes or organizations; the philanthropic 
community; and community and faith-based organizations.
    Within the context of the strategic partnership, each partner 
should have clearly defined roles. The exact roles of partners may vary 
depending on the specific issue areas being addressed and the nature 
and the scope of the strategies undertaken. However, ETA expects that 
each partner will, at a minimum, significantly contribute to one or 
more aspects of the project. For example:
     The workforce system may play a number of roles, including 
identifying and assessing older workers for training; providing wrap-
around support services and training funds for older workers, where 
appropriate; and connecting qualified training graduates to employers 
that have existing job openings.
     Employers, industry associations, and business 
intermediaries must be actively engaged in the project and should 
contribute to many aspects of grant activities such as helping to 
define the project's strategies and goals; identifying innovative and 
successful approaches to succession management and flexible work 
arrangements and sharing their experiences with other employers; 
identifying needed skills and competencies; and, where appropriate, 
hiring qualified training graduates.
     Educational institutions and training providers from the 
continuum of education (including community and technical colleges, 
four-year colleges and universities, apprenticeship, and other training 
entities) should assist in developing industry-driven workforce 
education strategies in partnership with employers including competency 
models, curricula, and new learning methodologies.
     Faith-based and community organizations may perform a 
variety of grant services such as case management, mentoring, and 
English language programs, among others. These organizations can 
leverage other resources to provide wrap-around holistic and 
comprehensive support services, where appropriate.
     State and area agencies on aging, SCSEP grantees, and 
other organizations with demonstrated expertise in serving older 
workers can play a key role in the proposed strategies in numerous 
ways, including lending their expertise to the planning and development 
of the project, providing specific education and services as part of 
the project, and offering access to key employer and other types of 
partners.
    Applicants must provide evidence, including letters of commitment 
to carry out the activities described in the grant proposal, to 
demonstrate the existence of the required partnerships as well as 
additional partnerships that substantially support and strengthen the 
proposed activities, especially any existing relationships with 
required partners. Letters of support do not constitute partnership 
commitments.
    The partnership's activities should focus on creating systemic 
solutions that address workforce challenges of older individuals while 
simultaneously contributing to long-term talent development and 
economic growth in the regional economy. The partnerships need to be 
substantial and sustained and not just a by-product of this specific 
grant opportunity. ETA encourages planning for the partnership's 
sustainability beyond the funding period to enable ongoing assessment 
of workforce needs and collaborative development of solutions on a 
continual basis.
2. High-Growth and High-Demand Industries and Economic Sectors
    WIA emphasizes a public workforce investment system driven by the 
needs of local employers. In order for America to remain competitive in 
the global economy, it is essential that ETA target its investments to 
support employers in high-growth, high-demand industries. LWIBs and 
One-Stop Career Centers play a vital role in this effort by 
understanding the workforce needs of these industries and providing 
training and other services to address those needs.
    High-growth, high-demand industries, from healthcare to 
construction to

[[Page 77848]]

biotechnology, are critical to the success of regional economies across 
the country. Regions are typically defined as geographically contiguous 
areas and can include multiple counties and cities and cross state 
lines. A range of factors contribute to the formation of a region, 
including economic interdependence (such as a common industry or 
industries) and shared assets (such as human capital, research and 
development entities, educational institutions, and airports and other 
types of infrastructure). ETA encourages applicants to define high-
growth industries in the context of their regional economy by 
illustrating the industry's growth potential and how the industry can 
contribute to expansion of the regional economy. In an effort to help 
support the continued growth of these regional economies, while 
simultaneously addressing the workforce challenges facing older 
workers, this solicitation will support industry demand for training of 
older workers in regional high-growth, high-demand industries.
    A high-growth, high-demand industry meets one or more of the 
following criteria: (1) Is projected to add substantial numbers of new 
jobs to the economy; (2) has a significant impact on the economy 
overall; (3) impacts the growth of other industries; (4) is being 
transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skill sets for 
workers; or (5) is a new and emerging business that is projected to 
grow. In the case of the fifth criterion relating to new or emerging 
businesses noted above, the applicant should address whether there 
might be potential demand for older workers to fill skill gaps in such 
businesses. The occupation or industry must be one for which employers 
use H-1B visas that generate the funds that are being used to support 
the training under this solicitation (see Attachment: H-1B Industry 
Sectors and Occupations).
    The extent of the impact of the aging population will vary across 
industries. Thus, another factor to be considered in identifying high-
growth, high-demand industries, in addition to the five criteria listed 
above, is whether there are (or could potentially be) retirements of a 
significant share of the workforce in the industry due to the aging of 
the Baby Boomer generation and whether there might be resulting skill 
shortages.
    Grants funded under this solicitation should demonstrate how a 
demand-driven workforce system can help meet both the regional 
workforce needs of employers in high-growth, high-demand industry 
sectors, and at the same time help older workers obtain the skills to 
find quality jobs with promising career pathways. Proposed strategies 
should be focused and integrated, and should be driven by an accurate 
and comprehensive understanding of regional, industry-identified 
workforce challenges and the educational, workforce, and other assets 
available to support solutions.
3. Connections to Regional Economic and Talent Development Strategies
    A regional approach to talent development incorporates demand-
driven skills strategies into the region's larger economic development 
and education efforts to form a comprehensive system that is both 
flexible and responsive to the needs of business and workers. ETA has 
modeled a regional approach to talent development through the WIRED 
Initiative. Through WIRED, ETA supports broad regional partnerships as 
they expand employment and advancement opportunities for American 
workers and catalyze the creation of high-skill and high-wage 
opportunities in regional economies. The WIRED Initiative recognizes 
that, although global competition is often seen as a national 
challenge, it is actually at the regional level where solutions must be 
developed and the challenges met. It is in regional economies where 
companies, workers, researchers, entrepreneurs, government, and others 
come together to create competitive advantage and where new ideas and 
new knowledge are transformed into advanced, high-quality products or 
services. Therefore, WIRED focuses on labor market areas that are 
comprised of multiple jurisdictions within a state or across state 
borders. WIRED offers a strategic framework for regions to approach 
regional talent development. (More information and tools to help 
develop and implement your project using the WIRED strategic framework 
can be found at: http://www.doleta.gov/WIRED.)
    One of the guiding principles of WIRED is that a region's ability 
to develop, attract, and retain a well educated and skilled workforce 
is a key factor in being competitive in the global economy. Older 
workers are an experienced and highly skilled pool of labor that can 
help regions meet their workforce needs and contribute to economic 
growth of the region's key industries. Therefore, fully utilizing the 
mature workforce should be a key component of regional talent 
development strategies.
    Therefore, strategies proposed by applicants for the Older Worker 
Demonstration should not be developed in isolation. Rather, partnership 
activities and proposed strategies should be fully integrated into the 
region's broader talent development and economic development 
strategies. Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which such 
alignment and integration is demonstrated. Applicants must demonstrate 
in their proposal how the strategic partnership, working to design and 
implement the proposed strategies, is connected to the broader regional 
strategic talent and economic growth agenda for the region.
4. Clear and Specific Outcomes
    HGJTI grants are results-oriented and grantees are expected to 
demonstrate clear and specific outcomes that indicate progress towards 
addressing the identified workforce challenges, are appropriate to the 
nature of the proposed strategies and the size and scope of the 
project, are achievable during the life of the grant, and can be 
effectively reported to ETA on a quarterly basis. Since HGJTI grants 
result in customized strategies addressing regional workforce 
challenges and skill shortages, ETA recognizes that specific outcomes 
will vary from project to project based on the specific activities 
proposed by applicants. Standard data collected from all grantees 
provides only part of the information necessary to measure the 
successes of HGJTI grants effectively, so grant recipients may also 
define additional outcome categories appropriate to their project. 
Applicants must demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed activities by 
establishing appropriate outcome projections for the project, which 
will be considered baseline performance measures for the project if 
awarded. Applicants should note that HGJTI grantees must report to ETA, 
on a quarterly basis, their progress towards meeting the projected 
training and capacity building outcomes listed in their applications.
    ETA has received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to 
implement a report format for grantees under the HGJTI, as well as the 
Community-Based Job Training Grants, entitled: ``High Growth and 
Community-Based Job Training Grants: General Quarterly Reporting Forms 
& Instructions.'' The required format and associated instructions are 
available at http://www.doleta.gov/Performance/Guidance/wia.cfm#HGBIT, 
and provide grantees with information on all of the training and 
capacity building outcome categories described below, as well as 
specific instructions regarding how grantees report their performance 
in these categories on a quarterly basis.

[[Page 77849]]

ETA strongly encourages applicants to review the required report format 
for detailed information on the program reporting requirements and to 
ensure they will be able to track and report the information required 
under the grant.
    Training Outcomes. Training outcomes tracked and reported by 
grantees must include those tracked by the Common Measures, which are 
uniform evaluation metrics for job training and employment programs. 
The Common Measures are an integral part of ETA's performance 
accountability system. The Common Measures for adults are entered 
employment rate, employment retention rate, and average earnings. 
Applicants must include projected outcomes to be achieved during the 
life of the grant for the entered employment rate Adult Common Measure. 
Grantees will be required to report quarterly on their outcomes for all 
three Adult Common Measures. Please note that ETA recognizes that the 
reporting of certain data is contingent on the timing of the 
availability of data. Data must be reported when it is available. 
Additionally, tracking Common Measures requires either the collection 
of four data elements (social security number, employment status at 
participation, date of exit, and reason for exit) or use of 
supplemental data. A detailed description of ETA's policy on the Common 
Measures can be found in the Training and Employment Guidance Letter 
(TEGL) No. 17-05 (http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2195). Applicants may find it useful to review this 
document prior to submitting applications under this solicitation.
    The Common Measures provide only part of the information necessary 
to assess the success of HGJTI grants effectively. In addition to 
Common Measures, applicants are required to provide projections and 
track and report outcomes for each of the following outcome categories: 
total number of participants served; total number of participants 
beginning education/training activities; total number of participants 
completing education/training activities; total number of participants 
that complete education/training activities that receive a degree/
certificate; total number of participants that complete education/
training activities that enter employment; and the total number of 
participants that complete education/training activities that enter 
training-related employment. Grantees will be required, on a quarterly 
basis, to report on their outcomes for each of these outcome 
categories, as well as additional information, such as total exiters. 
(The definition of ``exiter'' is provided in the General Quarterly 
Reporting Forms & Instructions available at http://www.doleta.gov/Performance/Guidance/wia.cfm#HGBIT ).
    Capacity Building Outcomes. Grantees are required to report, on a 
quarterly basis, the outcomes of capacity building activities, which 
include impacts and other verifiable measures of participation where 
appropriate. An example is grantees that engage in train-the-trainer 
activities; in this example, a grant may train 25 individuals to be 
``instructors'' who then each provide instruction to 20 older workers. 
The impact of these train-the-trainer activities would then be a total 
of 500 individuals. In their quarterly reports, grantees will be 
required to track and report the following three categories: (1) The 
number of instructors who participated in grant-funded capacity-
building activities; (2) the number of people subsequently trained by 
those instructors; and (3) the number of other people participating 
and/or benefiting from capacity building activities.
    Please note that capacity building outcomes and impacts of the 
proposed project should satisfactorily address the industry-identified 
workforce need and capacity constraints identified by the applicant.
    Applicants should also note that proposals will be evaluated based 
on outcomes, per the Performance Measures and Outcomes evaluation 
criterion in Part V(A)(5). It is imperative that applicants include 
projections for the above-mentioned required outcome categories in 
their grant proposals. Applicants that fail to include projections for 
required outcome categories in their proposals will lose points during 
the review process.
    All outcome categories and projected outcomes in the application 
will become part of the project's statement of work as the goals for 
the grant, should the application be funded. It is not ETA's intent to 
renegotiate performance outcomes after grant awards are made, though it 
reserves the right to do so if necessary.
5. Shared and Leveraged Resources
    HGJTI investments leverage funds and resources from key entities in 
the strategic partnership. Leveraging resources in the context of 
strategic partnerships accomplishes three goals: (1) Allowing for the 
pursuit of resources driven by the strategy; (2) increasing stakeholder 
investment in the project at all levels, including the design and 
implementation phases; and (3) broadening the impact of the project 
itself. Leveraged resources will be taken into consideration during 
application review as one element of the ``Strength of Regional 
Partnership'' evaluation criterion.
    Leveraged resources include both federal and non-federal funds and 
may come from many sources. Businesses, faith-based and community 
organizations, economic development entities, educational institutions, 
and philanthropic foundations often invest resources to support 
workforce development. In addition, state and area agencies on aging, 
SCSEP grantees, and other organizations serving older workers; One-Stop 
partner programs; and other federal, state, and local government 
programs may have resources available that can be integrated into the 
proposed project. ETA encourages grantees and their partners to be 
entrepreneurial as they seek out, utilize, and sustain these resources 
when creating effective solutions to the workforce challenges faced by 
older individuals.
    Applicants are encouraged to submit projects that leverage existing 
investments. These investments may be active within the region, such as 
those from ETA funding sources, including WIRED Initiative grants, 
Community-Based Job Training Grants, HGJTI funds, or WIA formula funds, 
or may come from other government, private sector, or philanthropic 
sources. Applicants are also encouraged to leverage existing 
investments in products, models, or tools that may be of use in the 
project.

D. Focus Areas of Older Worker Demonstration Grants

    While a range of strategies and approaches will be considered for 
funding, ETA encourages applicants to address one or more of the 
following focus areas: Innovative Training Techniques and Service 
Delivery Strategies, Facilitating Self-Employment for Older Workers, 
Career Pathways, Career Awareness and Outreach, Building Education and 
Training Capacity, and Disadvantaged Older Worker Populations. In 
addition, strategies proposed by the applicants should be well-
developed, address regional workforce challenges, and include training 
to prepare or adapt the skills of unemployed or incumbent older workers 
so they can be utilized in the targeted industries or economic sectors.
1. Innovative Training Techniques and Service Delivery Strategies
    Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that include 
innovative

[[Page 77850]]

training techniques and service delivery strategies.
    Training Techniques. Based on older workers' existing expertise, 
learning styles, and other factors, specific training techniques may be 
particularly effective in helping prepare older individuals for 
employment opportunities. Different training techniques may be more 
effective for older individuals than for their younger counterparts. 
Applicants are encouraged to focus on the development and distribution 
of training that is targeted at mature audiences. Examples would 
include, but are not limited to, contextualized learning; methods for 
upgrading specific occupational skills; techniques for delivering 
training in computer and technological skills; and comprehensive 
training models that include wraparound services, such as assessment 
and follow-up, and appropriate supportive services (provided through 
leveraged resources). Applicants are also encouraged to utilize 
technology-based learning (TBL) models in their training programs. TBL 
can be defined as the learning of content via all electronic 
technology, including the Internet, intranets, satellite broadcasts, 
audio and video tape, video and audio conference, Internet 
conferencing, chat rooms, bulletin boards, Web casts, computer-based 
instruction and CD-ROM. It encompasses related terms, such as online 
learning, Web-based learning, computer-based learning and e-learning. 
TBL may be particularly appropriate for those older workers who already 
possess considerable work experience and job skills, but need to update 
specific skills or adapt them to new industries or occupations. TBL 
also allows incumbent workers to brush up their skills during non-work 
hours, at their own convenience.
    Service Strategies. Applicants are encouraged to include innovative 
strategies for delivering training and related services to older 
workers. Such strategies might entail ways to enhance the capacity of 
the One-Stop Career Center system to serve older workers, creating 
partnerships that would be particularly effective in serving an older 
population, and/or bundling services that would be particularly 
valuable to support older worker training and employment. Examples in 
this focus area would include, but are not limited to:
     Affiliate One-Stop Career Centers associated with senior 
centers or community and faith-based organizations that specialize in 
training and placing older workers.
     Models undertaken by some community colleges to develop 
training and placement opportunities for older workers to meet current 
local labor market needs. These colleges have created educational and 
vocational training programs tailored to older peoples' learning 
styles, and offer student advisor and supportive services (which could 
be provided through leveraged resources) to older students. Workforce 
Investment Boards often collaborate with community colleges on these 
efforts to provide funding, labor market information, connections with 
employers, and referrals.
     Training workforce professionals within One-Stop Career 
Centers on how to effectively provide employment and training services 
to older individuals.
2. Facilitating Self-Employment for Older Workers
    Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that focus on 
entrepreneurial training for older individuals. Americans ages 55 to 64 
form small businesses at the highest rate of any age group--28 percent 
higher than the average for all adults. Yet, many self-employed older 
individuals still face risks and challenges such as inadequate access 
to capital and/or lack of information and training on developing an 
effective business plan. For many older individuals who have been laid 
off from their jobs, their most viable option may be starting their own 
business. Applicants are encouraged to include strategies to help older 
workers acquire the skills they need to successfully launch their own 
enterprises. Applicants could consider collaborative efforts with Small 
Business Administration programs, such as Small Business Development 
Centers and Women's Business Centers, or other appropriate partners 
that would provide assistance in facilitating self-employment for older 
workers.
3. Career Pathways
    Applicants are encouraged to include strategies that focus on 
creating career pathways for older workers. Although career pathways 
can take many forms, they are generally a sequence of employment 
opportunities for workers who gain new skills to advance in their 
careers, by either moving vertically to a more advanced position within 
their occupation or industry or laterally across occupations or 
industries to a position that relates to the worker's original career. 
For older workers, career pathways offer opportunities to adapt their 
skills and experience through lateral moves in their current 
organization and industry, or to new occupations or industries. 
Sometimes, such moves require minimal training to adapt skills to a new 
industry or occupation (such as learning new terminology). Other times, 
it may require learning new skills or retooling old skills. In either 
case, the worker's years of past on-the-job experience will benefit 
both the worker and his or her new employer.
    Career pathways are of value to many older workers who wish to 
pursue new challenges, develop new skills, seek opportunities to move 
up, or transfer their skills to a different, but related, occupation. 
They may also be appropriate for older individuals with disabilities or 
health problems. For example, a nurse who can no longer work in that 
occupation because of back injuries, may be trained for and move to a 
position in medical records using knowledge of medical terminology as a 
transferable skill.
4. Career Awareness and Outreach
    Applicants are encouraged to submit projects that integrate career 
awareness and outreach into education and training programs for older 
workers, including job-readiness opportunities, job shadowing and 
information sessions, and the provision of information on career 
opportunities in targeted industries and economic sectors. Career 
awareness and outreach components should leverage existing industry 
marketing and campaign efforts, if applicable, including the 
development of Web sites, videos, podcasts, print and multimedia 
materials, televisions ads, and other promotional materials.
5. Building Education and Training Capacity
    Applicants are encouraged to submit projects that enhance the 
capacity of community colleges, proprietary training providers, labor-
management organizations, and/or other education and training providers 
to provide training to older workers to upgrade their skills and 
facilitate career transitions into employment in high-growth, high-
demand industries. Examples of capacity building activities include, 
but are not limited to: (1) The development or adaptation of competency 
models and curricula to support training of older workers; (2) the 
development of innovative curricula, teaching methods, and 
instructional design to maximize the impact of the initiative in 
meeting the skills needs of employers; (3) innovative strategies to 
ensure availability of qualified and certified instructors for older 
worker training; and (4) support

[[Page 77851]]

for clinical experiences required for certification or licensure.
    Capacity building activities should be directly linked to the 
specific training for older workers supported under the grant. To the 
greatest extent possible, applicants should leverage existing curricula 
and training or certification programs that have demonstrated results 
for an older worker population, or could be effectively adapted for 
this population. If existing curricula or other capacity building 
products and activities are not sufficient, applicants should clearly 
explain why.
6. Disadvantaged Older Workers
    Applicants are encouraged to include strategies in their project 
that focus on the training and placement of particularly disadvantaged 
and underutilized groups among the older worker population. Examples of 
disadvantaged and underutilized groups include older persons ages 65 
and older, older dislocated workers, older individuals with 
disabilities, displaced homemakers and women re-entering the labor 
force, retired veterans, older military spouses, older ex-offenders, 
older minority populations, and older new Americans. Strategies focused 
on these worker groups might include both outreach and preparation 
strategies, partnerships with community or faith-based organizations or 
other experienced providers with expertise in working with non-
traditional labor pools, and training services combined with 
mentorships and supportive services (which could be provided through 
leveraged resources).

E. Technical Assistance

    Fund recipients under this solicitation will be provided with the 
opportunity to receive technical assistance after grant awards have 
been made. This may include, but is not limited to, the provision of 
data profiles of their regions and tools to use the data in planning 
and project implementation and participation in grantee meetings to 
facilitate sharing information across demonstration projects. 
Participation in any technical assistance activities by grant 
recipients under this solicitation is voluntary and is not a condition 
for receiving funding.

F. Use of Funds/Allowable Activities

    Grants selected under this solicitation will be funded by H-1B visa 
fees as authorized under Sec. 414(c) of the American Competitiveness 
and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-277, title IV) as 
amended by Public Law 108-447 (codified at 29 U.S.C. 2916a). These 
funds are focused on the development of the workforce and may be used 
to provide training and related activities to workers to assist them in 
gaining the skills and competencies needed to obtain and upgrade career 
ladder employment in industries and economic sectors projected to 
experience significant growth. Examples of activities related to 
training include career awareness and outreach, strategies to promote 
career pathways, and activities to enhance the capacity of education 
and training providers. Funds available under this solicitation may 
only be used for projects that provide training in the occupations and 
industries for which employers pay H-1B visa application fees that 
generate these funds and the related activities limited to those 
necessary to support training in such occupations and industries. (See 
Attachment: H-1B Industry Sectors and Occupations). Funds may also be 
used to enhance the provision of job training services and information 
as authorized in 29 U.S.C. 2916(a)(2)(B).

Part II. Award Information

A. Award Amount

    ETA intends to fund 10 to13 grants ranging from $750,000 to 
$1,000,000 through this solicitation. However, this does not preclude 
ETA from funding grants at either a lower or higher amount, or funding 
a smaller or larger number of projects, based on the type and the 
number of quality submissions. Applicants should recognize that the 
funds available through this solicitation are designed to complement 
additional leveraged resources rather than be the sole source of funds 
for the proposal.
    Applicants should note that selection of an organization as a 
grantee does not constitute approval of the grant application as 
submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, ETA may enter into 
negotiations about such items as program components, allowable 
activities, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in 
place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not 
result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves 
the right to terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the 
application.

B. Period of Performance

    The period of grant performance will be 36 months from the date of 
execution of the grant documents. This performance period will include 
all necessary implementation and start-up activities, participant 
follow-up for outcomes, and grant close-out activities. A timeline 
clearly detailing these required grant activities and their expected 
completion dates must be included in the grant application. If applied 
for, and with significant justification, ETA may elect to exercise its 
option to award no-cost extensions to these grants for an additional 
period at its own discretion, based on the success of the project and 
other relevant factors.

Part III. Eligibility Information and Other Grant Specifications

A. Eligible Applicants

    Given that the focus of this solicitation is to address the 
workforce challenges facing older individuals by developing models for 
talent development in regional economies that recognize older workers 
as a valuable labor pool and include employment and training strategies 
to retain and/or connect older workers to jobs in high growth, high 
demand industries critical to the regional economy, the preferred 
applicants are Local Workforce Investment Boards. Others may apply as 
described below.
    The preferred applicant for this solicitation is a legal entity 
that represents the local workforce investment system as follows:
     A Local Workforce Investment Board (LWIB), as established 
under Section 117 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) (Pub. 
L. 105-220), that has been incorporated; or
     In areas where the LWIB is not incorporated, the legal 
entity that serves as the fiscal agent for the local workforce 
investment area.
    Other applicants for this solicitation may include:
     A non-LWIB entity with the concurrence from the LWIB (this 
would require evidence of the board's support and involvement in the 
project along with a letter of concurrence).
     All other applicants without a letter of concurrence from 
the LWIB (such applicants must demonstrate how the proposed activities 
will be connected to the region's talent and economic development 
strategies, including improvement of services to older workers through 
the LWIB).
    If the eligible applicant will not be the fiscal agent for the 
grant, then the applicant must identify the designated entity that will 
serve as the fiscal agent for the grant by clearly providing the legal 
name and EIN of the fiscal agent in the abstract and on the Standard 
Form (SF) 424.

B. Eligible Participants

    Individuals ages 55 and older, from any income bracket (including 
at or below the poverty line), including

[[Page 77852]]

unemployed individuals or incumbent workers, are eligible to 
participate in the activities funded by the grants awarded under this 
solicitation.

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not required for 
eligibility. However, applicants are strongly encouraged to leverage 
resources from key entities in the strategic partnership in order to 
maximize the impact of the project in the region. Applicants should 
describe what resources, new and existing, may support the goals of the 
project. Other federal funds that are leveraged should be explicitly 
identified. While the failure to offer leveraged resources as part of 
an application will not preclude consideration, leveraged resources 
will be taken into consideration during application review as one 
element of the ``Strength of Regional Partnership'' evaluation 
criterion.

D. Replication and Dissemination

    ETA is currently pursuing an aggressive national dissemination 
strategy that focuses on widely and publicly distributing grantee 
products through a network of stakeholders including education and 
industry partners and the public workforce investment system. The 
products developed through the HGJTI include but are not limited to 
curriculum, competency models and career ladders, distance learning 
tools, career awareness and outreach materials, case studies, program 
management and implementation tools, reports and databases, creation of 
industry skill centers for older workers, and Web sites. HGJTI grantees 
are required to submit to ETA products developed with grant funding; 
these products will be included in ETA's dissemination strategy. In 
addition, grantees must provide evidence of an independent review by 
subject matter experts of the deliverables produced through the grant 
activity. (Applicants should allot funds in their grant applications 
for the independent review of their deliverables by subject matter 
experts). Subject matter experts are individuals with demonstrated 
experience in developing and/or implementing similar deliverables. 
These experts could include grantees' peers, such as representatives 
from neighboring education and training providers. Grantees must 
provide ETA with the results of the review and the qualifications of 
the reviewer(s) at the time the deliverable is provided to ETA.
    All of these deliverables and their independent reviews will be 
made available online at http://www.workforce3one.org. Workforce3One 
offers the workforce system, employers, economic development 
professionals, and education professionals an innovative knowledge 
network designed to create and support demand-driven communities--that 
responds directly to business needs and prepares workers for good jobs 
in the fastest growing careers. By supporting replicable projects that 
can be implemented in multiple areas and industries, ETA is able to 
maximize its investment by expanding the grant's impact beyond the 
initial grant site and helping additional businesses and workers in 
other regions.

E. Veterans Priority

    The Jobs for Veterans Act (Pub. L. 107-288) provides priority of 
service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of 
employment, training, and placement services in any job training 
program directly funded, in whole or in part, by the Department of 
Labor. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two 
equally qualified candidates for training, one of whom is a veteran, 
the Jobs for Veterans Act requires that grant recipients give the 
veteran priority of service by admitting him or her into the program. 
Please note that to obtain priority of service a veteran must meet the 
program's eligibility requirements. ETA Training and Employment 
Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 5-03 (September 16, 2003) provides general 
guidance on the scope of the Job for Veterans Act and its effect on 
current employment and training programs. TEGL No. 5-03, along with 
additional guidance, is available at the ``Jobs for Veterans Priority 
of Service'' Web site: http://www.doleta.gov/programs/vets.

Part IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

    This section provides the application submission and receipt 
instructions for ETA program applications. Please read the following 
instructions carefully and completely. This solicitation contains all 
of the information and Web site links to forms needed to apply for 
grant funding.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

    The proposal must consist of two separate and distinct parts--Part 
I, the Cost Proposal, and Part II, the Technical Proposal. Applications 
that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section may be 
considered non-responsive and may not be given further consideration. 
Please note that it is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that 
the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-
parts of the application.
    Part I of the proposal is the Cost Proposal and must include the 
following:
     SF 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance'', available 
at: http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing 
the SF 424 on behalf of the applicant shall be considered the 
Authorized Representative of the applicant.
     All applicants for federal grant and funding opportunities 
are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number. For more 
information about the DUNS number, see OMB Notice of Final Policy 
Issuance, 68 FR 38402 (June 27, 2003). Applicants must supply their 
DUNS number on the SF 424. The DUNS number is a nine-digit 
identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access this Web site: http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or 
call 1-866-705-5711.
     The SF 424A Budget Information Form, available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp. In 
preparing the Budget Information Form, the applicant must provide a 
concise narrative explanation to support the request. The budget 
narrative should break down the budget and corresponding leveraged 
resources by deliverable, making clear distinctions between training 
and (if any) capacity building costs, and should discuss precisely how 
the administrative costs support the project goals. All applicants 
should indicate training costs-per participant by dividing the total 
amount of the budget designated for training by the number of 
participants trained.
    Please note that applicants that fail to provide an SF 424, SF 424A 
and a budget narrative will be removed from consideration prior to the 
technical review process. If the proposal calls for integrating WIA or 
other federal funds or includes other leveraged resources, these funds 
should not be listed on the SF 424 or SF 424A Budget Information Form, 
but should be described in the budget narrative. The amount of federal 
grant funding (H-1B) requested for the entire period of performance (36 
months) should be shown together on the SF 424 and SF 424A Budget

[[Page 77853]]

Information Form. Applicants are also encouraged, but not required, to 
submit the OMB Survey No. 1890-0014: Survey on Ensuring Equal 
Opportunity for Applicants, which can be found at: http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp.
    Part II of the application is the Technical Proposal, which 
demonstrates the applicant's capabilities to plan and implement the 
grant in accordance with the provisions of this solicitation, and 
includes a project description as described in the Evaluation Criteria 
section of this solicitation. The project description is limited to 20 
double-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 inch x 11 inch pages with 12 point 
text font and one-inch margins. Any pages over the 20-page limit will 
not be reviewed. The applicant may provide additional information, such 
as resumes, a staffing pattern, statistical information, general 
letters of support and related material in attachments, which may not 
exceed 15 pages. Any additional information in attachments beyond the 
15-page limit will not be reviewed.
    The required letters of commitment from partners that help 
demonstrate a firm commitment to the project through the provision of 
expertise and/or resources must be submitted as attachments. These 
letters of commitment will not count against the allowable maximum 35-
page total. A letter of concurrence from a LWIB that demonstrates the 
board's support and involvement in the project also does not count 
against the allowable maximum page totals.
    Please note that applicants should not send letters of commitment 
or support separately to ETA because letters are tracked through a 
separate system and will not be attached to the application for review. 
The applicant must clearly reference any partners in the text of the 
Technical Proposal. Except for the discussion of any leveraged 
resources to address the evaluation criteria, no cost data or reference 
to prices should be included in the Technical Proposal. The following 
information is required:
    a. A table of contents listing the application sections.
    b. A one-to-two page abstract summarizing the proposed project and 
applicant profile information including: applicant name; industry 
focus; brief description of the workforce challenges addressed; brief 
description of the proposed strategies; key partners; funding amount 
requested; amount of leveraged resources; and number of people trained 
and other key grant outcomes.
    c. A one-to-two page timeline outlining project activities, 
including expected start-up, implementation, participant follow-up for 
outcomes, grant close-out and other activities.
    d. A summary of up to three pages listing all projected outcomes 
for the project that includes the following:
    1. For training-related outcomes, for participants served with 
grant funds list the projected numbers for all training-related 
activities provided through the grant, including but not limited to:
    i. Entered Employment Rate (common measure);
    ii. Total participants served;
    iii. Total participants beginning education/training activities;
    iv. Total participants completing education/training activities;
    v. Total participants that complete education/training activities 
that receive a degree/certificate;
    vi. Total participants that complete education/training activities 
that enter employment; and
    vii. Total participants that complete education/training activities 
that enter training-related employment.
    2. For capacity building outcomes (for activities funded by grant 
funds) include:
    i. All products to be developed during the grant period.
    ii. List the capacity building product (including, but not limited 
to, curriculum and course materials, competency models and career 
ladders, outreach materials, reports and databases, and program 
management and implementation tools); and
    iii. The projected date the product(s) will be completed;
    A. The number of instructors projected to participate in capacity 
building activities;
    B. The number of students projected to be trained by these 
instructors; and
    C. The estimated number of other individuals (besides these 
students and instructors) projected to participate and/or benefit from 
capacity building activities.
    Please note that the abstract, table of contents, timeline, and 
listing of outcomes are not included in either of the page limits 
mentioned above. Applicants that do not provide Part II of the 
application will be removed from consideration prior to the technical 
review process.
    Applications may be submitted electronically on Grants.gov or in 
hardcopy via mail or hand delivery. These processes are described in 
further detail in Part IV(C). Applicants submitting proposals in hard-
copy must submit an original signed application (including the SF 424) 
and one ``copy-ready'' version free of bindings, staples or protruding 
tabs to ease in the reproduction of the proposal by ETA. Applicants 
submitting proposals in hard-copy are also requested, though not 
required, to provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on 
CD-ROM.

C. Submission Date, Times, and Addresses

    The closing date for receipt of applications under this 
announcement is February 19, 2009. Applications must be received at the 
address below no later than 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) if submitted by hard-
copy. Applications submitted through http://www.grants.gov must be 
successfully submitted by February 19, 2009, 11:59:59 pm (Eastern 
Time).
    Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not 
be accepted. If an application is submitted by both hard-copy and 
through http://www.grants.gov a letter must accompany the hard-copy 
application stating why two applications were submitted and the 
differences between the two submissions. If no letter accompanies the 
hard-copy we will review the copy submitted through http://www.grants.gov. For multiple applications submitted through http://www.grants.gov we will review the latest submittal.
    Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this 
notice will not be honored. No exceptions to the mailing and delivery 
requirements set forth in this notice will be granted.
    Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Attention: Melissa Abdullah, Reference SGA/DFA PY-08-06, 
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. 
Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington area may be 
delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-delivered 
proposals will be received at the above address. All overnight mail 
will be considered to be hand-delivered and must be received at the 
designated place by the specified closing date and time.
    1. Electronic Delivery. ETA is participating in the Grants.gov 
Initiative that provides the grant community a single site to find and 
apply for grant funding opportunities. ETA encourages applicants to 
submit their applications electronically through http://www.grants.gov/Apply.
    2. The following describes what to expect when applying on line 
using Grants.gov/Apply:
    a. Instructions. On the site, you will find step-by-step 
instructions which enable you to apply for the ETA funds.

[[Page 77854]]

Grants.gov features a simple, unified application process that makes it 
possible for applicants to apply for grants online. The first thing to 
do if you're thinking about applying through Grants.gov is to register 
with the site. There are six steps to complete the registration process 
at Grants.gov. The information applicants need to understand and 
execute the steps can be found at http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted. 
Applicants should read these steps carefully. The site also contains a 
registration checklist at http://www.grants.gov/assets/Organization_Steps_Complete_Registration.pdf to help you walk through the process. 
ETA recommends that you download the checklist and prepare the 
information requested before beginning the registration process. 
Reviewing and assembling required information before beginning the 
registration process will make the process fast and smooth and save 
time.
    b. DUNS Requirement. All applicants applying for funding, including 
renewal funding, must have a Dun and Bradstreet Universal Data 
Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS number must be included in the 
data entry field labeled ``Organizational Duns'' on the form SF-424. 
Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number can be found in the 
instructions for registration.
    c. Central Contractor Registry and Credential Provider 
Registration. In addition to having a DUNS number, applicants applying 
electronically through Grants.gov must register with the Federal 
Central Contractor Registry and with a Credential Provider. 
Instructions for registering in the Central Contractor Registry and for 
registering with a credential provider can be found at http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted. All applicants filing electronically must 
register with the Central Contractor Registry and receive credentials 
from the Grants.gov credential provider in order to apply on line. 
Failure to register with the Central Contractor Registry and credential 
provider will result in your application being rejected by the 
Grants.gov portal. The registration process is a separate process from 
submitting an application. Applicants are, therefore, encouraged to 
register early. The registration process can take approximately two 
weeks to be completed. Therefore, registration should be done in 
sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet 
required submission deadlines. You will be able to submit your 
application online anytime after you receive your e-authentication 
credentials.
    d. Electronic Signature. Applications submitted through Grants.gov 
constitute submission as electronically signed applications. The 
registration and e-authentication process establishes the Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR). When you submit the application 
through Grants.gov, the name of your AOR on file will be inserted into 
the signature line of the application. Applicants must register the 
individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for the 
applicant organization as the AOR.
    3. Instructions on how to submit an electronic application to ETA 
via Grants.gov/Apply. Grants.gov has a full set of instructions on how 
to apply for funds on its Web site at http://www.grants.gov/CompleteApplication. The following provides simple guidance on what you 
will find on the Grants.gov/Apply site. Applicants are encouraged to 
read through the page entitled, ``Apply For Grants'' before getting 
started. Grants.gov allows applicants to download the application 
package, instructions and forms that are incorporated in the 
instructions, and work off line. In addition to forms that are part of 
the application instructions, there will be a series of electronic 
forms that are provided utilizing an Adobe reader.
    a. Adobe Reader. The Adobe Reader is available free for download at 
 http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp. The Adobe Reader 
allows applicants to read the electronic files in a form format so that 
they will look like any other Standard or The Employment and Training 
Administration form. The Adobe forms have content sensitive help. This 
engages the content sensitive help for each field you will need to 
complete on the electronic form. The Adobe forms can be downloaded and 
saved on your hard drive, network drive(s), or CDs. To test if your 
version of Adobe Reader is compatible with Grants.gov please go to 
http://www.grants.gov/applicants/AdobeVersioningTestOnly.jsp (Note: For 
the Adobe Reader, Grants.gov is compatible with versions 8.1.1 and 
later versions. Please do not use lower versions of the Adobe reader).
    b. Mandatory Fields in Adobe Forms. In the Adobe forms you will 
note fields that will appear with a background color on the data fields 
to be completed. These fields are mandatory fields and they must be 
completed to successfully submit your application.
    c. Completion of SF-424 Fields First. The Adobe forms are designed 
to fill in common required fields such as the applicant name and 
address, DUNS number, etc., on all Adobe electronic forms. To trigger 
this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. 
Once it is completed the information will transfer to the other forms.
    d. Customer Support. The Grants.gov Web site provides customer 
support via (800) 518-GRANTS (this is a toll-free number) or through e-
mail at [email protected]. The customer support center is open from 7 
a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except federal 
holidays, to address Grants.gov technology issues. For technical 
assistance to program related questions for this solicitation please 
contact the number listed in Part VII. Agency Contacts.
4. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission
    a. Electronic Submission. All applications must be received by  
http://www.grants.gov/Apply by February 19, 2009, 11:59:59 pm (Eastern 
Time). Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by 
Grants.gov. An electronic time stamp is generated within the system 
when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. Within two 
business days of application submission, Grants.gov will send the 
applicant two e-mail messages to provide the status of application 
progress through the system. Grants.gov will provide either an error or 
a successfully received transmission message. The first e-mail, almost 
immediate, will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The 
second e-mail (within 48 hours of submission) will indicate the 
application has either been successfully validated, and therefore 
successfully submitted, or has been rejected due to errors. It is the 
sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure a timely submission, 
therefore sufficient time should be allotted for submission (two 
business days). It is important to note that if sufficient time is not 
allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and 
time, the application will not be considered successfully submitted. 
Proof of Timely submission shall be the date and time that Grants.gov 
receives your successfully submitted application. Applications received 
by Grants.gov, after the established due date for the program will be 
considered late and will not be considered for funding by ETA. ETA 
suggests that applicants submit their applications during the operating 
hours of the Grants.gov Support Desk, so that if there are questions 
concerning transmission, operators will be available to walk you 
through the process. Submitting your application during the Support 
Desk hours will also ensure

[[Page 77855]]

that you have sufficient time for the application to complete its 
transmission prior to the application deadline. Applicants using dial-
up connections should be aware that transmission should take some time 
before Grants.gov receives it. The Grants.gov Support desk reports that 
some applicants abort the transmission because they think that nothing 
is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and 
give the system time to process the application. Uploading and 
transmitting many files, particularly electronic forms with associated 
XML schemas, will take some time to be processed.

    Note: It is highly recommended that online submissions be 
completed at least two business days prior to the date specified for 
receipt of applications to ensure that the applicant still has the 
option to submit by overnight delivery service in the event of any 
electronic submission problems. Applicants take a significant risk 
by waiting to the last day to submit by grants.gov.

    ``Postmarked'' means a printed, stamped or otherwise placed 
impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is 
readily identifiable, without further action, as having been supplied 
or affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal 
Service. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place 
a legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' postmark on both the receipt 
and the package. Evidence of timely submission by a professional 
overnight delivery service must be demonstrated by equally reliable 
evidence created by the delivery service provider indicating the time 
and place of receipt. Failure to adhere to the above instructions will 
be a basis for a determination of nonresponsiveness.

D. Intergovernmental Review

    This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

E. Funding Restrictions

    Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with 
the applicable federal cost principles. Disallowed costs are those 
charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative 
determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable federal 
cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant. Successful 
and unsuccessful applicants will not be entitled to reimbursement of 
pre-award costs.
1. Indirect Costs
    As specified in OMB circular Cost Principles, indirect costs are 
those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot 
be readily identified with a particular final cost objective. In order 
to utilize grant funds for indirect costs incurred, the applicant must 
obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with its federal cognizant 
agency either before or shortly after grant award.
2. Administrative Costs
    Under the HGJTI, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a 
project or program may not use more than 10 percent of the amount of 
the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or 
project. Administrative costs could be direct or indirect costs, and 
are defined at 20 CFR 667.220. Administrative costs do not need to be 
identified separately from program costs on the SF 424A Budget 
Information Form. They should be discussed in the budget narrative and 
tracked through the grantee's accounting system. To claim any 
administrative costs that are also indirect costs, the applicant must 
obtain an indirect cost rate agreement from its federal cognizant 
agency.
    3. ETA Intellectual Property Rights. The Federal Government 
reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive and irrevocable license to reproduce, 
publish, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use for federal 
purposes: (i) The copyright in all products developed under the grant, 
including a subgrant or contract under the grant or subgrant; and (ii) 
any rights of copyright to which the grantee, subgrantee or a 
contractor purchases ownership under an award (including but not 
limited to curricula, training models, technical assistance products, 
and any related materials). Such uses include, but are not limited to, 
the right to modify and distribute such products worldwide by any 
means, electronically or otherwise. Federal funds may not be used to 
pay any royalty or licensing fee associated with such copyrighted 
material, although they may be used to pay costs for obtaining a copy 
which are limited to the developer/seller costs of copying and 
shipping. If revenues are generated through selling products developed 
with grant funds, including intellectual property, these revenues are 
program income. Program income is added to the grant and must be 
expended for allowable grant activities.
    4. Legal Rules Pertaining to Inherently Religious Activities by 
Organizations that Receive Federal Financial Assistance. Direct Federal 
grants, sub-awards, or contracts under this program shall not be used 
to support inherently religious activities such as religious 
instruction, worship, or proselytization. Therefore, organizations must 
take steps to separate, in time or location, their inherently religious 
activities from the services supported with DOL financial assistance 
under this program. Neutral, secular criteria that neither favor nor 
disfavor religion must be employed in the selection of grant and sub-
grant recipients. In addition, under the Workforce Investment Act of 
1998 and DOL regulations implementing the Workforce Investment Act, a 
recipient may not use direct Federal assistance to train a participant 
in religious activities, or employ participants to construct, operate, 
or maintain any part of a facility that is used or to be used for 
religious instruction or worship. See 29 CFR 37.6(f). Under WIA, ``no 
individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits 
of, subjected to discrimination under, or denied employment in the 
administration of or in connection with, any such program or activity 
because of race, color, religion, sex (except as otherwise permitted 
under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Religious 
Freedom Restoration Act of 1993), national origin, age, disability, or 
political affiliation or belief.'' Regulations pertaining to the Equal 
Treatment for Faith-Based Organizations, which includes the prohibition 
against supporting inherently religious activities with direct DOL 
financial assistance, can be found at 29 CFR part 2, Subpart D. 
Provisions relating to the use of indirect support (such as vouchers) 
are at 29 CFR 2.33(c) and 20 CFR 667.266.
    A faith-based organization receiving federal financial assistance 
retains its independence from Federal, State, and local governments, 
and may continue to carry out its mission, including the definition, 
practice, and expression of its religious beliefs. For example, a 
faith-based organization may use space in its facilities to provide 
secular programs or services supported with Federal financial 
assistance without removing religious art, icons, scriptures, or other 
religious symbols. In addition, a faith-based organization that 
receives Federal financial assistance retains its authority over its 
internal governance, and it may retain religious terms in its 
organization's name, select its board members on a religious basis, and 
include religious references in its organization's mission statements 
and other governing documents in accordance with all program 
requirements, statutes, and other applicable requirements governing the 
conduct of DOL-funded activities.
    The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act

[[Page 77856]]

(RFRA), 42 U.S.C. sec 2000bb, applies to all Federal law and its 
implementation. If your organization is a faith-based organization that 
makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be 
entitled to receive Federal financial assistance under Title I of the 
Workforce Investment Act and maintain that hiring practice even though 
Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act contains a general ban on 
religious discrimination in employment. If you are awarded a grant, you 
will be provided with the information on how to request such an 
exemption.
    Faith-based and community organizations may reference 
``Transforming Partnerships: How to Apply the U.S. Department of 
Labor's Equal Treatment and Religion-Related Regulations to Public-
Private Partnerships'' at: http://www.workforce3one.org/public/_shared/detail.cfm?id=5566&simple=false.
5. Use of Funds for Supportive Services
    Use of grant funds for supportive services, such as transportation 
and childcare, is not an allowable cost under this solicitation, 
including funds provided through stipends for such purposes.

F. Withdrawal of Applications

    Applications may be withdrawn by written notice at any time before 
an award is made.

Part V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

    This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be 
used to evaluate Older Worker Demonstration proposals. These criteria 
and point values are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Criterion                             Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Statement of Need......................                            10
2. Strength of Strategic Partnerships.....                            20
3. Strategies for Older Worker                                        25
 Demonstration Projects...................
4. Integration with Regional Economic and                             10
 Talent Development Strategies............
5. Outcomes...............................                            15
6. Program Management and Organizational                              10
 Capacity.................................
7. Dissemination, Sustainability and                                  10
 Replicability............................
                                           -----------------------------
    Total Possible Points.................                           100
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Statement of Need (10 Points)
    Applicants must demonstrate a clear and specific need for federal 
investment in their proposed project. This should be accomplished by 
identifying the industry, or multiple industries, of focus and 
establishing that it satisfies ETA's criteria for high-growth, high-
demand industries in the regional economy (as described in Part I(C) of 
this solicitation). Applicants should also identify how their project 
will address workforce challenges specific to older workers. Finally, 
applicants should explain how they will meet specific needs in their 
regional economy. Applicants are encouraged to work collaboratively 
with their state's labor market information directors to identify and 
analyze economic and workforce data that characterize the regional 
economy, provide an understanding of the high-growth industries in the 
region, and provide an understanding of the available labor pool, 
including data on older workers in the region. Scoring for this 
criterion will be based on the following factors:
     Regional and industry workforce challenges (4 points). 
Applicants must describe the employment and training needs of the 
regional economy and industries in that regional economy by: (1) 
Identifying the specific region of focus for the proposal; (2) 
identifying specific industries and occupations that are critical to 
the economy in the proposed area; (3) describing the specific hiring, 
retention, training and/or other workforce challenges facing employers 
in the region; and (4) describing the current approaches of employers 
in the region to utilizing older workers, and why a broader, regional 
approach is necessary. Examples of regional and industry workforce 
challenges include shortages of workers in specific occupations, unmet 
demand for workers in specific occupations, and difficulty recruiting 
individuals in disadvantaged or underutilized labor pools such as low-
income older workers. Applicants must discuss how these workforce 
challenges affect the specific employer partners contained in their 
proposal.
     Challenges facing older workers (4 points). Applicants 
must clearly articulate the specific workforce challenges facing older 
workers to be addressed by their proposal. Applicants should specify 
whether they will be addressing one or more of the challenges discussed 
in Part I(A) of this solicitation or different challenges that are not 
listed. Applicants must demonstrate the existence of such challenges 
for the older individuals in their region and identify the scope of 
these challenges. Additionally, applicants should provide evidence 
demonstrating that existing models and approaches are not sufficient to 
address these challenges and that there is a need for federal 
investment in the proposed activities.
     Resource mapping (2 points). Applicants must describe the 
resource mapping that has been conducted that demonstrates that current 
resources are not sufficient to address the workforce challenges. 
Resource mapping entails identifying all the assets in a region that 
can be used in support of workforce and economic development efforts. 
Applicants may draw from a variety of resources for supporting data, 
including: Traditional labor market information, such as projections; 
industry data from trade or industry associations, Chambers of 
Commerce, census.gov, state agencies on aging, or direct information 
from the local employers or industry; information on the regional 
economy from economic development agencies; and other transactional 
data, such as job vacancies. If capacity building activities are 
proposed as part of the project, applicants must demonstrate the 
existence of a capacity constraint in addressing the workforce 
challenges, in the area in which the grant activity will take place.
2. Strength of Strategic Partnerships (20 Points)
    The applicant must clearly describe how the proposed project will 
be implemented by a strategic partnership comprised of a strong team of 
regional leaders. The proposed partnership must include at least one 
entity from each of the following three categories: The public 
workforce investment system; employers, industry associations, and 
business intermediaries, such as chambers of commerce; and educational 
institutions and training providers. Applicants must also demonstrate 
that

[[Page 77857]]

additional partners have been brought to the table to ensure that the 
full range of assets, resources, knowledge, and leadership are engaged 
in the project, and that the partnership includes entities that can act 
as levers of change to identify and address barriers to success. 
Additional partners could include, but are not limited to, national, 
state, or local aging organizations, including SCSEP grantees; economic 
development entities; apprenticeship programs; local, regional, and 
state government; Indian and Native American tribes or organizations; 
the philanthropic community; and community and faith-based 
organizations.
    The applicant must identify the partners by organizational name and 
category, explain their role in the project, and document the resources 
leveraged from each partner. Partners must verify their involvement in 
the project through a letter of commitment detailing the roles, 
responsibilities, and resources the partner will commit to the project. 
The letters of commitment must be attached to the proposal, as an 
appendix.
    ETA encourages, and will be looking for, applications that go 
beyond the minimum level of partnership and demonstrate broader, 
substantive and sustainable partnerships. Scoring on this criterion 
will be based on the following factors:
    Evidence of partnerships and comprehensiveness of partnerships (10 
points). The applicant must provide a comprehensive list of strategic 
partners that will be included in the project and the articulation of 
each partner's role in the project. Points for this factor will be 
awarded based on:
     The degree to which each partner (including all required 
partners) plays a committed role (either financial or non-financial) in 
the proposed project.
     The breadth and depth of each partner's contribution, 
including the specific services and activities of each, their knowledge 
and experience concerning grant activities, and their ability to impact 
the success of the project.
     Evidence that key partners have expressed a clear 
dedication to the project and understand their area of responsibility, 
in the form of letters of commitment from required partners.
     Evidence that the partnership includes the key regional 
assets and institutions necessary to address the identified workforce 
challenges. If key regional assets and institutions are not currently 
engaged in the partnership, then the applicant must clearly identify 
how appropriate organizations or individuals will be brought into the 
partnership quickly.
    The role of the public workforce system (5 points). Applicants must 
demonstrate a substantive and comprehensive role of the public 
workforce system in the project. Points for this factor will be awarded 
based on the following:
     The level of LWIB commitment and involvement in the 
project.
     The degree to which the role of each partner will support 
the objective of building the capacity of the workforce system to serve 
older individuals.
     The level of coordination that already exists between the 
project's partners and the workforce system.
    Partnership engagement and leveraged resources (5 points). The 
applicant must demonstrate meaningful engagement of partners in project 
activities. Points for this factor will be awarded based on the 
following:
     A high level of coordination already exists among 
partners. If a high level of coordination does not exist, then the 
applicant must demonstrate that it has the capacity to quickly 
establish these links and discuss strategies for strengthening the 
partnership.
     The extent to which the applicant integrates partners' 
strengths and assets into project design and implementation.
     A plan for interaction and communication among partners at 
each stage of the project, from planning to execution.
     A full description of which partners have contributed 
leveraged resources, the specific contributions (cash and/or in-kind), 
the amount and nature of the contributions, and how they will 
contribute to the achievement of the goals of the project including any 
specific outcomes that will result from any leveraged resources the 
partners contribute to the project. Applicants must provide evidence 
(through letters of commitment) that their partners have expressed a 
clear commitment to provide the contribution.
3. Strategies for Older Worker Demonstration Project (25 Points)
    The applicant must describe the proposed project in full, including 
each of the strategies, and how the strategies address the challenges 
described in the statement of need. Scoring for this criterion will be 
based on the following factors:
    Overview of the proposed project (8 points). Points for this factor 
will be awarded based on how the applicant has addressed the following:
     A complete and detailed description of the specific 
strategies that will be implemented through the proposed project.
     A thorough description of the specific services and 
activities that the workforce system will provide as part of these 
strategies.
     The specific skills and competencies that are targeted 
through the training activities of the project and an explanation of 
how they will support career pathway growth for participants. 
Applicants should also note if and how the strategies will lead to 
industry-recognized credentials.
     Specific existing tools and approaches which the project 
will utilize should be identified, or an explanation of why existing 
tools and approaches are not sufficient to address the challenges.
     If applicable, applicants should indicate the special 
target populations of older workers to be served.
     How the individual strategies proposed for the project 
relate to each other and, together, represent an integrated, coherent 
approach.
    Addressing the needs of older workers and businesses (8 points). 
Applicants should demonstrate that the proposed project addresses 
specific challenges facing older workers, including those facing older 
workers in the region identified in the statement of need, and outline 
specific methods that will be used to recruit program participants. 
Applicants should also detail how the project will address the specific 
workforce challenges facing employers in the region in which the 
project will operate.
    Evidence that the applicant has a clear understanding of the tasks 
required to successfully meet the objectives of the grant (9 points). 
When assessing a proposal, weight will be given to the feasibility of a 
combined work plan and timeline, as well as the soundness of the budget 
justification. Points for this factor will be awarded based on how the 
applicant has addressed the following:
     An integrated work plan and timeline. This combined work 
plan/timeline should break the project down into its multiple steps and 
estimate how long each is likely to take (e.g., start-up and 
implementation activities, training and related activities, participant 
follow-up for outcomes, and grant closeout activities). The work plan/
timeline should be highly detailed and include specific goals, 
objectives and activities.
     The budget line items are consistent with and tied to the 
workplan/timeline.
     The extent to which the budget is justified with respect 
to the adequacy

[[Page 77858]]

and reasonableness of the resources requested.
     Brief explanation of the cost-per-participant for the 
proposed training activities.
4. Integration With Regional Economic and Talent Development Strategies 
(10 Points)
    A primary focus of this solicitation is demonstrating the 
connection of workforce strategies for older workers to broader talent 
development strategies driving economic growth in regional economies. 
Therefore, applicants must provide strong evidence of the connection of 
the grant activities to the region's economic and talent development 
strategies.
    Scoring on this criterion will be based on the applicant's ability 
to demonstrate that their project is fully integrated into the region's 
economic and talent development strategy by:
     Summarizing the region's strategic vision for economic and 
workforce development efforts that will support regional talent 
development and economic growth.
     Describing how the strategies will support the regional 
economy by utilizing the mature workforce in a regional talent 
development strategy.
     Either describing: (1) How the proposed strategies for 
older workers are part of or complement existing approaches under 
regional talent development and economic development plans and 
initiatives; or (2) describing how their project is a catalyst for 
bringing partners together to begin the analysis and strategic planning 
in their region.
     Describing any regional partnerships that are part of 
their project and detail how the partnerships are broader and deeper in 
scope than the local partnerships in place to implement the proposed 
strategies.
     Describing the applicant's capability, either directly or 
through agreements with other entities, to implement the project on a 
region-wide basis.
5. Outcomes (15 Points)
    The applicant must demonstrate a results-oriented approach to 
managing and operating the proposed project by fully describing the 
outcome categories and projected outcomes relevant to determining the 
success of the project. Scoring on this criterion will be based on the 
following factors:
    Description of Outcomes (8 points): Applicants may earn up to 8 
points for demonstrating that the outcome categories and projected 
outcomes for those categories have been identified. Applicants must 
address the two categories of outcomes described below--training and 
capacity building. In addition, applicants should include additional 
outcome categories, and projected outcomes for those categories, that 
would be appropriate for the project and/or individual strategies and 
are not covered by these two categories, if necessary. Applicants must 
include: (1) A description of the outcome category; and (2) a projected 
outcome.
     Training Outcomes. Applicants must provide projected 
outcomes for the entered employment rate, Adult Common Measure, for 
participants served with grant funds. Grantees must track outcomes for 
all three of ETA's Adult Common Measures (entered employment rate, 
employment retention rate, and average earnings) for these participants 
as well. In addition, applicants must also provide projections and 
track outcomes for each of the following categories for participants 
served with grant funds: total participants served; total number of 
participants beginning education/training activities; total number of 
participants completing education/training activities; total number of 
participants that complete education/training activities that receive a 
degree/certificate; total number of participants that complete 
education/training activities that enter employment; and total number 
of participants that complete education/training activities that enter 
training-related employment. Please note that applications that do not 
contain projections for all these categories cannot receive full points 
for this section. The required format and associated instructions that 
grantees will use to report their outcomes for these measures are 
available at http://www.doleta.gov/Performance/Guidance/wia.cfm#HGBIT, 
and provide grantees with additional information on all of the above 
referenced outcome categories. Applicants are strongly encouraged to 
review these instructions. Applicants must also identify the credential 
that participants will earn as a result of the proposed training, and 
the employer-, industry-, or state-defined standards associated with 
the credential. If the credential targeted by the training project is a 
certificate or performance-based certification, applicants should 
either (a) demonstrate employer engagement in the curriculum 
development process, or (b) indicate that the certification will 
translate into concrete job opportunities with an employer.
     Capacity Building Outcomes. Applicants must clearly 
describe all products, models, curricula, etc. that will be developed 
or acquired with grant funds. When applicants propose to use grant 
funds to develop curricula, instructional and course materials, and 
other types of deliverables, applicants must demonstrate that 
substantial research has been conducted to ensure that the proposed 
workforce solutions are not duplicative of existing materials. 
Applicants must conduct a thorough review of existing curricula, 
instructional and course materials, and other types of products that 
are available through and contained on ETA's Workforce\3\One Web site. 
(A copy of the Workforce Solutions Catalogue may be downloaded from 
Workforce\3\One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/wfsolutions/). In 
addition, applicants should also examine other sources that may have 
the types of materials that the applicant would like to use grant funds 
to develop. For example, if the grantee is interested in developing 
curricula there are a growing number of resources that house curricula 
in addition to ETA's Workforce\3\One Web site such as: the U.S. 
Department of Education's Web site at http://www.free.ed.gov; Curriki, 
a compendium of open source curricula and other learning objects at 
http://www.curriki.org; and OpenCourseWare Consortium at http://www.opencoursewareconsortium.org. Industry association Web sites may 
also be a source of training materials. In their proposal, applicants 
should describe their research process for ensuring that the proposed 
workforce solutions are not duplicative of existing materials, 
including the specific sources that they researched, and indicate how 
the deliverables that they propose to develop differ from those 
materials that already exist. Finally, applicants should outline plans 
for having deliverables reviewed by an independent expert.
    Applicants must also indicate the impact of capacity building 
activities (i.e., the number of participants or entities who will 
benefit from proposed activities) provided with grant funds, where 
appropriate. All applicants must include projections and track outcomes 
(as applicable) for the number of instructors who will participate in 
capacity building activities; the number of students trained by those 
instructors; and the number of other people participating and/or 
benefitting from capacity building activities. Applicants must also 
describe the methodology for determining the impact of their capacity 
building activities.
     Additional Outcomes. Beyond the training and capacity 
building outcome categories described above, applicants should also 
identify outcome categories

[[Page 77859]]

and projected outcomes for any strategies to be undertaken through the 
project if their impact cannot be fully reported through the outcome 
categories above. These additional categories should reflect the unique 
attributes of the applicant's strategies. For example, applicants 
including entrepreneurial training for older individuals in their 
project could identify a projected outcome for the number of those 
individuals who start their own businesses. As another example, 
applicants planning to implement career awareness activities could 
identify projected outcomes for the number of people who participate in 
these activities. This could include the number of individuals 
attending a recruitment seminar, the number of user sessions on a Web 
site, or the number of individuals who were provided career awareness 
materials at an industry-related career awareness program.
    Appropriateness of outcomes (7 points): Applicants may earn up to 7 
points based on three factors: (1) The extent to which the projected 
outcomes are clearly identified and measurable, realistic and 
consistent with the objectives of the project; (2) the ability of the 
applicant to achieve the stated outcomes within the timeframe of the 
grant; and (3) the appropriateness of the outcomes with respect to both 
the extent of the workforce challenge described in the statement of 
need and the requested level of funding.
6. Program Management and Organizational Capacity (10 Points)
    To satisfy this criterion, applicants must describe their proposed 
project management structure and organizational capacity including: (1) 
Clear identification of key personnel, their qualifications, an overall 
staffing pattern (with estimated time commitments for each key staff); 
and (2) justification that the applicant organization has significant 
capacity to accomplish the goals and outcomes of the project. Scoring 
for this criterion will be based on the following factors:
    Project Staff (4 points). Applicants should identify key personnel, 
their roles in the proposed project, and their qualifications to 
accomplish the tasks associated with their assigned role(s). This 
should include the identification of a proposed project manager and a 
staffing pattern. The roles of staff and consultants, if applicable, 
should be clearly defined and linked to specific tasks. Applicants 
should also identify the percentage of time each person will commit to 
the project and ensure that it is sufficient to provide proper 
direction, management and timely completion of the project. An 
organizational chart may be included.
    Organizational Capacity (6 points). Applicants should illustrate 
their organization's capacity to accomplish the goals and outcomes of 
the proposed project. This includes:
     A discussion of the applicant's capacity to accomplish the 
goals and outcomes of the project.
     A discussion of applicant's demonstrated fiscal and 
administrative capacity.
     A discussion of the applicant's ability to successfully 
lead and manage the partners and ensure there will be integration among 
the individual project components.
     A description of the applicant's ability to collect, 
manage, and report data in a way that allows consistent, accurate, and 
expedient reporting. Applicants should be aware that ETA has modified 
an existing software system to help grantees collect and report the 
performance data that is required by this grant, and expects to make 
this system available to grantees at no cost. Applicants' response to 
this section of the evaluation criteria could reference the use of this 
software system.
     A detailed description of the applicant's experience in 
implementing projects similar to the one being proposed and/or related 
activities of the primary partners.
7. Dissemination, Sustainability and Replicability (10 Points)
    The applicant must describe how the project's models, findings, and 
products will be disseminated to and through the workforce system, as 
well as other entities; what aspects of the project will be sustained 
beyond the life of the grant through the workforce system; and how the 
project can be replicated and adapted to address the employment and 
training needs of older workers and their employers across multiple 
regions and industries. Scoring for this criterion will be based on the 
following factors:
    Dissemination strategies (3 points). Applicants should identify 
specific dissemination strategies they will employ and indicate how 
they will foster replication of the project. These dissemination 
strategies would be in addition to those undertaken by ETA, as 
described in Part III(D). This could include innovative approaches, as 
well as more traditional modes such as conference presentations, 
Webinars and other events, technical assistance guides, peer-reviewed 
or trade publication articles, and other documents. Applicants should 
include a list of specific dissemination mechanisms available to them 
which are appropriate for this project.
    Sustainability plan (4 points). Specific plans illustrating how the 
project will be sustained through the workforce system after the grant 
period has ended should be provided. Applicants should explain how 
partners will continue to contribute to the project, how leveraged 
resources will be maintained, and how other potential resources may be 
used to sustain the project on a region-wide basis.
    Replicability (3 points). Applicants should identify the specific 
aspects of their project which allow it to be replicated across 
multiple industries and regions. They should explicitly discuss whether 
or not the challenges addressed by their project are common to other 
industries and regions, if the participant skills developed by the 
project are based on general standards, and what products will be 
created that can be used broadly by other organizations.

B. Review and Selection Process

    Applications for the grants under this solicitation will be 
accepted after the publication of this announcement until the closing 
date. A technical review panel will conduct a careful evaluation of 
applications against the criteria. These criteria are based on the 
policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this solicitation. 
Up to 100 points may be awarded to an application, based on the 
required information described in Part V(A). The ranked scores will 
serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding, 
in conjunction with other factors such as urban, rural, and geographic 
balance; balance across industries and economic sectors; the 
availability of funds; and which proposals are most advantageous to the 
government. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on 
the Grant Officer, and the Grant Officer may consider any information 
that comes to his/her attention. The government may elect to award the 
grant(s) with or without discussions with the applicants. Should a 
grant be awarded without discussions, the award will be based on the 
applicant's signature on the SF 424, which constitutes a binding offer 
by the applicant including electronic signature via E-Authentication on 
http://www.grants.gov.

[[Page 77860]]

Part VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Web site (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted 
directly before the grant's execution. Applicants not selected for 
award will be notified by mail.

    Note: Selection of an organization as a grantee does not 
constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before 
the actual grant is awarded, ETA may enter into negotiations about 
such items as program components, allowable activities, staffing and 
funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant 
implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually 
acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to 
terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the application.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

1. Administrative Program Requirements
    All grantees will be subject to all applicable Federal laws, 
regulations, and the applicable OMB Circulars. The grant(s) awarded 
under this solicitation will be subject to the following administrative 
standards and provisions:
    a. Non-Profit Organizations--OMB Circulars A-122 (Cost Principles) 
and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
    b. Educational Institutions--OMB Circulars A-21 (Cost Principles) 
and 29 CFR Part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
    c. State and Local Governments--OMB Circulars A-87 (Cost 
Principles) and 29 CFR Part 97 (Administrative Requirements).
    d. Profit Making Commercial Firms--Federal Acquisition Regulation 
(FAR)--48 CFR Part 31 (Cost Principles), and 29 CFR Part 95 
(Administrative Requirements).
    e. All entities must comply with 29 CFR Parts 93 and 98, and, where 
applicable, 29 CFR Parts 96 and 99.
    f. 29 CFR part 2, subpart D--Equal Treatment in Department of Labor 
Programs for Religious Organizations, Protection of Religious Liberty 
of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and Beneficiaries.
    g. 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.
    h. 29 CFR part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in 
Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal Financial 
Assistance.
    i. 29 CFR part 33--Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of 
Handicap in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of 
Labor.
    j. 29 CFR part 35--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in 
Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the 
Department of Labor.
    k. 29 CFR part 36--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in 
Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial 
Assistance.
    The following administrative standards and provisions may be 
applicable:
    a. Workforce Investment Act--20 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
Part 667 (General Fiscal and Administrative Rules).
    b. 29 CFR part 30--Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship 
and Training; and
    c. 29 CFR part 37--Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and 
Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
    In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995 (Pub. L. 104-65) (2 U.S.C. 1611) non-profit entities incorporated 
under Internal Revenue Service Code section 501(c)(4) that engage in 
lobbying activities are not eligible to receive federal funds and 
grants.

    Note: Except as specifically provided in this solicitation, 
ETA's acceptance of a proposal and an award of federal funds to 
sponsor any program(s) does not provide a waiver of any grant 
requirements and/or procedures. For example, OMB Circulars require 
that an entity's procurement procedures must ensure that all 
procurement transactions are conducted, as much as practical, to 
provide open and free competition. If a proposal identifies a 
specific entity to provide services, ETA's award does not provide 
the justification or basis to sole source the procurement, i.e., 
avoid competition, unless the activity is regarded as the primary 
work of an official partner to the application.

C. Evaluation

    ETA requires that the project participate in an evaluation of 
overall performance. To measure the impact of the Older Worker 
Demonstration, ETA will arrange for or conduct an independent 
evaluation of the outcomes and benefits of the projects. Grantees must 
make records and data on participants, employers and funding available, 
and provide access to project operating personnel and participants, as 
specified by the evaluator(s) under the direction of ETA, including 
after the expiration date of the grant. Further information regarding 
the evaluation requirements will be detailed in the grant agreements.

D. Reporting

    The grantee is required to provide the reports and documents listed 
below:
1. Quarterly Financial Reports
    A Quarterly Financial Status Report (SF 9130) is required until 
such time as all funds have been expended or the grant period has 
expired. Quarterly reports are due 45 days after the end of each 
calendar year quarter, including the last calendar quarter of the grant 
period. Grantees must use ETA's On-Line Electronic Reporting System. A 
Closeout Financial Status Report is due 90 days after the end of the 
grant period.
2. Quarterly Progress Reports
    Grantees must submit a Quarterly Performance Report to ETA no later 
than 45 days after the end of each calendar year quarter. The Quarterly 
Performance Report is explained in further detail in a standard set of 
reporting requirements issued by ETA for HGJTI grants, which can be 
accessed at: http://www.doleta.gov/performance/reporting.
3. Final Report
    A final report must be submitted no later than 60 days after the 
expiration date of the grant. This report must summarize project 
activities, provide project outcomes, and thoroughly document the 
training and related strategies and approaches of the project. The 
final report should also include copies of any deliverables developed 
with grant funds, such as curricula and competency models. Three copies 
of the final report must be submitted to ETA and grantees must agree to 
use a designated format specified by ETA for preparing the final 
report.

E. Record Retention

    Applicants should be aware of Federal guidelines on record 
retention, which require grantees to maintain all records pertaining to 
grant activities for a period of not less than three years from the 
time of final grant close-out.

Part VII. Agency Contacts

    For further information regarding this solicitation, please contact 
Melissa Abdullah, Grants Management Specialist, at (202) 693-3346 (this 
is not a toll free number). Applicants should fax all technical 
questions to (202) 693-2705 and must specifically address the fax to 
the attention of Melissa Abdullah and should reference SGA/DFA PY 08-06 
and include a contact name and fax

[[Page 77861]]

and phone numbers. This announcement is also being made available on 
the ETA Web site at  http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm and 
at http://www.grants.gov.

Part VIII. Resources and Other Information

A. Resources for the Applicant

    DOL/ETA maintains a number of Web-based resources that may be of 
assistance to applicants.
     The ETA Web site is a valuable source for background 
information on the HGJTI and WIRED Initiative. (http://www.doleta.gov)
     The Workforce\3\One Web site is a valuable resource for 
information about demand-driven projects of the workforce investment 
system, educators, employers, and economic development representatives. 
Additionally, current HGJTI grantees are posting their deliverables on 
this Web site. (http://www.workforce3one.org)
     America's Service Locator provides a directory of the 
nation's One-Stop Career Centers. (http://www.servicelocator.org)
     Applicants are encouraged to review ``Help with 
Solicitation for Grant Applications.'' (http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/sgabrochure.htm)
     For a basic understanding of the grants process and basic 
responsibilities of receiving federal grant support, please see 
``Guidance for Faith-Based and Community Organizations on Partnering 
with the Federal Government.'' (http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/guidance/index.html)

B. Other Information

    OMB Information Collection No. 1225-0086. Expires September 30, 
2009.
    According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are 
required to respond to a collection of information unless such 
collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden 
for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per 
response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing 
data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing 
and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding 
the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of 
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB Desk Officer for ETA, 
Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503. 
Please do not return the completed application to the OMB. Send it to 
the sponsoring agency as specified in this solicitation.
    This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a 
grant. The information collected through this solicitation will be used 
by DOL to ensure that grants are awarded to the applicant best suited 
to perform the functions of the grant. Submission of this information 
is required in order for the applicant to be considered for award of 
this grant. Unless otherwise specifically noted in this announcement, 
information submitted in the respondent's application is not considered 
to be confidential.
    The Grant Officer for this procurement will be Marsha G. Daniels; 
if you need additional information contact the Grants Management 
Specialist, Melissa Abdullah, at (202) 693-3346 (this is not a toll 
free number).

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 12th day of December 2008.
James Stockton,
Grant Officer.

Attachment: H-1B Industry Sectors and Occupations

A. Industry Sectors

    1. Information Technology:
     Computer Systems Design and Related Services.
     Software Development/Software Publishers.
     Data Processing Services.
     Information Services.
    2. Telecommunications.
    3. Scientific Research and Development Services (including 
biotechnology).
    4. Scientific and Technical Consulting (including biotechnology).
    5. Architecture, Engineering, Surveying.
    6. Specialized Design Services.
    7. Construction/Skilled Trades.
    8. Finance, Insurance and Real Estate and Administrative Support 
Services:
     Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping and Payroll 
Services.
     Financial Investment.
     Securities and Commodity Brokerage/Contracts.
     Business Support Services.
     Insurance Carriers, Agencies, Brokerages, and Insurance 
and Employee Benefit Funds.
     Credit Intermediation.
    9. Advanced Manufacturing:
     Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component 
Manufacturing.
     Computer, Electronic Product, and Peripheral Equipment 
Manufacturing.
     Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing.
     Communications Equipment Manufacturing.
     Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control 
Instruments Manufacturing.
     Industrial Machinery Manufacturing.
     Aerospace Manufacturing.
     Chemical and Petrochemical Manufacturing.
     Motor Vehicle and Parts Manufacturing.
     Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing.
     Metalworking Manufacturing.
     Food Manufacturing.
     Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing.
    10. Automotive Repair/Maintenance.
    11. Health Care:
     General Medical and Surgical Hospitals and Other 
Hospitals.
     Offices of Physicians.
     Offices of Dentists.
     Offices of Other Health Practitioners.
     Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories.
     Nursing and Residential Care Facilities.
     Home Health Care Services.
    12. Energy:
     Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution.
     Oil and Gas Extraction, Refining, and Production.
     Mining and Support Activities for Mining.
     Pipeline Transportation.
    13. Transportation:
     Air Transportation.
     Freight and Truck Transportation.
     Water Transportation.
     Transportation Support.

B. Cross-Cutting Occupations

    1. Computer Related Occupations:
     Systems Analysis and Programming.
     Data Communications and Networks.
     Computer Systems Technical Support.
     Computer Systems User Support.
    2. Engineering and Related Technical Occupations:
     Aeronautical.
     Electrical.
     Civil.
     Ceramic.
     Mechanical.
     Chemical.
     Mining and Petroleum.
     Metallurgy and Metallurgical.
     Industrial.
     Agricultural.
     Marine.
     Nuclear.
     Drafters.

[[Page 77862]]

     Surveying/Cartographic.
     Architectural.
    3. Occupations in Mathematics and Physical Sciences:
     Mathematics.
     Astronomy.
     Chemistry.
     Physics.
     Geology.
     Meteorology.
    4. Occupations in Life Sciences:
     Agricultural Sciences.
     Biological Sciences.
    5. Occupations in Medicine and Health:
     Physicians/Surgeons.
     Osteopaths.
     Dentists.
     Veterinarians.
     Pharmacists.
     Registered Nurses.
     Therapists.
     Dieticians.
     Medical and Dental Technology.
     Other Health Care Practitioners.
    6. Occupations in Financial and Administrative Fields:
     Accountants/Auditors.
     Bookkeepers/Payroll Services.
     Budget and Management Systems Analysis.
     Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate Management.
     Purchasing Managers.
     Agents/Appraisers.
    7. Technology Related Occupations:
     Process Technicians.
     Mechanics/Mechanical Engineering Technicians.

[FR Doc. E8-30116 Filed 12-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P