[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15728-15736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6950]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Office of Apprenticeship and the Women's Bureau; Notice of 
Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Women 
in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Grants

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor.

    Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation for Grant Announcement 
(SGA).
    Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA-PY-09-03.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 17.201.

SUMMARY: The Women's Bureau (WB) and the Employment and Training 
Administration's (ETA) Office of Apprenticeship (OA), U.S. Department 
of Labor (DOL or Department), announce the availability of 
approximately $1,800,000 to establish a grant program for the purpose 
of assisting employers and labor management organizations in the 
placement and retention of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional 
occupations as defined in Section VIII.F., Acronyms and Definitions. 
This Program Year (PY) 2009 and 2010 SGA is authorized under the WANTO 
Act of 1992, Public Law 102-530, 29 USC 2501 et seq. To that end, the 
OA and WB plan to disburse PY 2009 and 2010 WANTO grant funds to six 
community-based organization (CBO)/registered apprenticeship program 
(RAP) consortia to conduct innovative projects to improve outreach, 
recruitment, hiring, training, employment, and retention of women in 
apprenticeships in the nontraditional occupations, as defined in 
Section VIII.F. This SGA focuses upon recruitment, training, placement 
and retention in the industries described in Section I.B of this SGA.
    Each CBO/RAP consortium must consist of a minimum of two 
components: (1) An industry RAP sponsor (which can be an individual 
employer, association of employers, or an apprenticeship committee 
designated by the sponsor to administer and operate an apprenticeship 
program and in whose name the apprenticeship program is registered or 
approved), and (2) a CBO (which may be a faith-based organization 
(FBO)) that has demonstrated experience in providing women with job-
training services, as described in the definitions of apprenticeship 
committee, CBO, CBO/RAP consortium, and registered apprenticeship 
program sponsors in Section VIII.F. It is anticipated that awards will 
be in the amount of up to $300,000 over the two-year grant period. The 
grants will be awarded in June 2010, and will be funded incrementally.

ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department 
of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal 
Assistance, Attention: Mamie Williams, Grants Management Specialist, 
Reference SGA/DFA PY 09-03, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-4716, 
Washington, DC 20210. For complete ``Application and Submission 
Information,'' please refer to Section IV.

DATES: Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications is April 
29, 2010.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This SGA consists of eight sections:
     Section I provides the funding opportunity description.
     Section II describes the size and nature of the 
anticipated awards.
     Section III describes applicant eligibility criteria.
     Section IV outlines the application submission and 
withdrawal requirements.
     Section V describes the application review information.
     Section VI outlines additional award administration 
information.
     Section VII lists the agency contact.
     Section VIII provides other information, including 
acronyms and definitions.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Background: The WANTO Act of 1992, Public Law 102-530, 29 U.S.C. 
2501 et seq. authorizes DOL to disburse competitive technical 
assistance grants to community-based organizations that, in turn, 
assist employers and labor unions in the recruitment, training, 
placement, and retention of women into apprenticeship and 
nontraditional occupations. The WANTO Act Technical Assistance Grants 
program was funded and implemented beginning in fiscal year 1994. The 
WB and OA co-administer the WANTO Technical Assistance Grants program, 
and have the joint responsibility for implementing this grant process 
and may award grants up to the annually-appropriated funding levels.
    B. Purpose: The WANTO Act's purpose is to provide technical 
assistance to employers and labor unions to assist them in placing 
women into apprenticeable and nontraditional occupations (A/NTO). 
Apprenticeable occupations are described in Section VIII.F. One of the 
means of providing this technical assistance is through competitive 
grants awarded to CBOs that focus on conducting innovative projects to 
improve the recruitment, selection, training, employment, and retention 
of women into apprenticeable occupations.
    DOL has found that placement and retention of women into A/NTO 
poses significant challenges. For example, on average, only three 
percent of all newly registered and active apprentices in construction 
occupations currently are women, although approximately 75 percent of 
all registered apprenticeship programs are in the construction 
industry. From 1994 to 2002, DOL awarded WANTO grants annually to CBOs. 
The outcomes of these prior WANTO grants consisted largely of producing 
training and resource manuals, as well as recruitment videos. The 
numbers of women placed in registered apprenticeships through WANTO 
grant activities were lower than expected.
    Studies such as the American Behavioral Scientist article, 
``Occupational Barriers for Women,'' by Thomas Ruble, Renae Cohen, and 
Diane Ruble (Vol. 27, No. 3, 339-356 (1984)), and a 2009 study by 
Australia's National Center for Vocational Education Research \1\ have 
shown that some of the primary barriers to women in nontraditional 
occupations (NTO) have included a lack of specialized support services, 
such as dependent care resources (children and dependent adults) and 
on-the-job mentoring and support from teachers and instructors. Few of 
these resources for supportive services are available to employers and 
labor organizations that need assistance

[[Page 15729]]

in recruiting, training, and retaining women in apprenticeable 
occupations and other nontraditional occupations. Additionally, through 
the experience of recent WANTO grants the Department has found that 
mature women, those who are at least 40 years of age, may in particular 
experience barriers to employment in nontraditional occupations. Other 
WANTO grants and finding from studies such as the June 2006 report, 
Construction Equity: Promising Practices for Recruiting and Retaining 
Students in Career and Technical Education Programs that Nontraditional 
for Their Gender,\2\ have demonstrated that the active participation of 
tradeswomen or women in nontraditional occupations serving as active 
members of the consortium as either employed staff or as board members 
has positive impacts on WANTO participants. The Department encourages 
potential applicants to review the findings from these research studies 
and best practices from prior WANTO grants when considering whether to 
develop proposals for this funding opportunity. For information about 
prior WANTO grants go to http://www.dol.gov/wb/programs/family2.htm and 
http://www.dol.gov/wb/03awards.htm.
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    \1\ Shewring, Fiona. 2009. The female ``tradie'': Challenging 
employment perceptions in non-traditional trades for women. National 
Center for Vocational Education Research (NCVER): Adelaide, 
Australia. http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2100.html.
    \2\ Programs and Practices That Work: Preparing Student for 
Nontradtional Careers Project. 2006. Washington, DC: Joint project 
sponsored by the Association of Career and Technical Education, the 
National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, the National 
Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education 
Consortium, and the National Women's Law Center. http://www.napequity.org/pdf/Constructing%20Equity.pdf.
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    To ensure that women served by WANTO grants have access to a full 
range of supportive services and training, as well as to specific 
employment opportunities, the WANTO Technical Assistance Grants program 
has adopted a consortium-based approach. This SGA requires applicants 
to demonstrate the clear establishment of a consortium consisting of 
CBOs and RAP sponsors whereby the RAP sponsors will be responsible 
partners for placing and retaining women into their programs. CBOs will 
provide job training services including ``hard skills'' such as the 
basics of a skilled occupation, core industry skills training such as 
tool identification, industry math/science, and industry-related 
reading/literacy; English as a Second Language instruction, as 
appropriate for WANTO participants; ``soft skills'' such as work 
readiness training, team building, and work-place culture; and 
supportive services such as mentoring, networking events, on-going 
support groups, drivers' license recovery programming, and leadership 
development workshops.
    DOL first adopted this consortium approach in 2007 and continued it 
through 2009, as consortia of CBOs and RAP sponsors focused on aligning 
supportive services, training and employment opportunities for women in 
construction industry occupations. Under prior SGAs, the consortium 
approach also required grantees to place 100 grant program participants 
in apprenticeships, thereby demonstrating the linkages between CBOs and 
RAP sponsors. Although the current economic downturn has negatively 
impacted the projected outcomes of these recent grants, ETA's on-site 
reviews of these grants indicate that the consortia approach does 
provide a broad array of supportive services and training and linkages 
to employment opportunities with RAP sponsors participating in these 
projects. In recognition of the increased challenges associated with 
placing WANTO program participants into apprenticeships in these 
economic conditions, this SGA reduces the requirement for consortia to 
place program 100 participants to a more achievable level of placement 
of at least 50 participants annually into apprenticeships. However, DOL 
encourages applicants to develop projects designed to serve more than 
the minimum level of 50 participants placed annually into 
apprenticeships.
    Unlike recent WANTO SGAs which were limited to the construction 
industry, this SGA expands the focus to include recruitment, training, 
placement and retention in A/NTO in a broader range of industries 
including advanced manufacturing, transportation, and construction, and 
``green'' jobs in industries related to these three industries. Wages 
in these three NTO industries tend to be higher than other NTO 
industries. For the purposes of this SGA, all apprenticeable 
occupations in the industries above meet the definition of NTO, which 
are defined in the WANTO Act as those in which women make up 25 percent 
or less of the total number of workers in that occupation. The SGA's 
focus on these industries supports the Department's strategic emphasis 
on assuring workers have the skills and knowledge to succeed in the 
knowledge-based economy, including high growth and emerging industry 
sectors like ``green'' jobs. The Occupational Information Network 
(O*NET) project has drafted a research paper titled, Greening of the 
World of Work: Implications for O*NET-SOC and New and Emerging 
Occupations. This study reflects three general categories of 
occupations, based on different consequences of green economy 
activities and technologies: (1) Existing occupations expected to 
experience primarily an increase in employment demand; (2) existing 
occupations with significant change to the work and worker 
requirements; and (3) new and emerging green occupations. This research 
may be helpful in identifying green occupations related to the targeted 
NTO industries of advanced manufacturing, transportation, and 
construction. For a copy of the O*NET report and a listing of the 
identified occupations go to http://www.onetcenter.org/reports/Green.html.
    As part of the Department's emphasis on funding projects that 
reflect a well-thought out strategy that makes use of all available 
resources, applicants are also strongly encouraged to incorporate 
leveraged resources in their proposals. Up to five bonus points may be 
awarded to applications that incorporate leveraged resources. To 
receive these five bonus points, applicants must provide a detailed 
explanation about the source and use of leveraged funds, and the extent 
to which they are integrated into the project in support of grant 
outcomes.

II. Award Information

    A. Award Amount: Under this SGA, ETA will fund approximately six 
grants in the amount of up to $300,000 each for a total of $1,800.000. 
No other funding is available for this competition. Grant awards 
through this SGA will be limited to $300,000, and applicants requesting 
more than $300,000 will be considered non-responsive. The grants will 
be awarded in June 2010, and will be funded incrementally.
    The OA and WB anticipate awarding approximately $300,000 each to no 
more than six CBO/RAP consortia over a two-year period, with each 
consortium consisting of at least one of each: (1) A RAP sponsor in the 
industries described in Section I.B above; and (2) a CBO (which may be 
faith-based) with demonstrated experience in providing job training 
services (work readiness as well as industry-specific training), 
placement, and support services to women for seeking employment in A/
NTO. The CBO must be the lead applicant and the fiscal agent for the 
grant. Applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to develop 
projects that incorporate more than one RAP sponsor in the consortium 
and provide training and placement in more than one A/NTO.
    B. Cost Sharing: Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as 
a

[[Page 15730]]

condition for application. However, up to five bonus points may be 
awarded for proposals that describe any funds and other resources that 
will be leveraged to support grant activities. See Section V.A. 4.
    C. Period of Performance: The period of performance will be up to 
24 months from the date of execution of the grant documents. DOL ETA 
may approve a request for a no cost extension to grantees for an 
additional period of time based on the success of the project and other 
relevant factors.
    D. Veterans Priority: The Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-
288) requires grantees to provide 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 DOL. The regulations implementing priority of 
service for veterans and eligible spouses in DOL job training programs 
under the Jobs for Veterans Act can be found at Title 20 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) part 1010. In circumstances where the WANTO 
grant recipient must choose between two equally qualified candidates 
for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the 
veterans priority of service provisions require that WANTO grant 
recipients give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by 
first providing her that service. Please note that to obtain priority 
of service a veteran or spouse must meet the program's eligibility 
requirement. ETA Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-
09 (November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of 
service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training 
programs funded in whole or in part by the DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is 
available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.

III. Eligibility Information

    A. Eligible Applicants: Under this announcement, only CBO/RAP 
consortia, as defined in Section VIII.F of this SGA, may apply for and 
receive a grant award. The eligible applicant for the CBO/RAP consortia 
for the grant must be the CBO, as defined in Section VIII.F. The CBO 
has the fiscal and administrative responsibility for the grant. ETA 
will verify that RAP sponsors are registered with ETA or an ETA-
recognized State Apprenticeship Agency.
    The Department has recently extended funding for current WANTO 
grantees, therefore these grantees are not eligible to receive funding 
under this announcement. While a CBO and a RAP are required members of 
the consortium, DOL ETA encourages applicants to include additional 
consortium members which can provide expertise or services to enhance 
the consortium's ability to meet the goals of this SGA. For example, 
other CBOs or educational institutions may provide supportive services 
to program participants.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. How to Obtain an Application Package: This SGA contains all the 
information needed to apply for this funding opportunity. Additionally, 
all application materials are available on the following Web sites: 
http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm and http://www.grants.gov.
    B. Content and Form of Application: The application must consist of 
three separate and distinct parts: (I) The Cost Proposal, (II) the 
Technical Proposal, and (III) Attachments to the Technical Proposal. 
Applications that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section 
may be deemed non-responsive and if they are deemed non-responsive they 
will not be considered for award. Please note that it is the 
applicant's responsibility to ensure that the amount of funds requested 
is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.
    1. Requirements for Part I, the Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal 
must include the following four items.
     Application for Federal Assistance SF-424: The Standard 
Form (SF)-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance'' is available at 
http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp and 
http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm. The SF-424 must clearly 
identify the applicant and be signed by an individual with authority to 
enter into a grant agreement. 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.
     Data Universal Number System (D-U-N-S[supreg]) Number: 
Applicants must supply their D-U-N-S[supreg] on the SF-424. All 
applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to 
have a D-U-N-S[supreg] Number. See Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Notice of Final Policy Issuance, 68 FR 38402, Jun. 27, 2003. The 
lead applicant, the CBO, must supply their D-U-N-S[supreg] number on 
the SF-424. The D-U-N-S[supreg] Number is a non-indicative, nine-digit 
number assigned to each business location in the Dun and Bradstreet 
(D&B) database having a unique, separate, and distinct operation, and 
is maintained solely by D&B entities. The D-U-N-S[supreg] Number is 
used by industries and organizations around the world as a global 
standard for business identification and tracking. Obtaining a D-U-N-
S[supreg] Number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a D-U-N-
S[supreg] number, access this Web site: http://www.dunandbradstreet.com 
or call 1-866-705-5711.
     The SF-424A Budget Information Form: The SF-424A Budget 
Information Form is available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp and http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm. In preparing the Budget Information Form, the 
applicant must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the 
request, explained in detail below.
     Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a 
description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. In 
addition, the applicant should address precisely how the administrative 
costs support the project goals. The entire Federal grant amount 
requested should be included on both the SF-424 and SF-424A.
    Please note that applicants that fail to provide a SF-424, a SF-
424A, a D-U-N-S[supreg] Number, and a budget narrative will be removed 
from consideration before the technical review process.
    Applicants are also encouraged, but not required, to submit OMB 
Survey N. 1890-0014: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for 
Applicants, which can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/sga/forms.cfm.
    Applicants must include in their Cost Proposal the cost of travel 
to Washington, DC, for one or two members of the lead applicant 
organization to attend up to two meetings: (1) The Post-Award 
Conference in which OA and WB will discuss the project, related 
components, technical assistance (TA), timelines, and outcomes, as 
detailed in Section VIII.C of this SGA; and (2) a peer-to-peer TA and 
training conference with other WANTO grantees, OA, and WB which may be 
scheduled during the grant period of performance.
    2. Part II, the Technical Proposal. The Technical Proposal will 
demonstrate the applicant's capability to implement the grant project 
in accordance with the provisions of this solicitation. The Technical 
Proposal must provide information specified in Section V.A of this SGA. 
The Technical Proposal is limited to twenty double-spaced, single-

[[Page 15731]]

sided 8.5 inch by 11 inch pages with 12 point text font and one-inch 
margins. Any materials beyond the twenty-page limit will not be 
reviewed. Applicants should number the Technical Proposal beginning 
with page number 1. Only those attachments listed below as ``Required 
Attachments'' will be excluded from the page limit. Applicants that do 
not provide Part II, the Technical Proposal, will be removed from 
consideration before the technical review process.
    3. Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to 
the twenty-page Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit the 
following ``Required Attachments.'' Only those attachments listed below 
as ``Required Attachments'' will be excluded from the page limit. The 
``Required Attachments'' must be affixed as separate, clearly 
identified appendices to the application. Additional materials such as 
resumes or general letters of support or commitment will not be read. 
The ``Required Attachments'' are as follows:
    (a) A two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project, including 
but not limited to a description of the consortium members, the scope 
of the project and proposed outcomes.
    (b) A copy of a consortium agreement identifying the roles and 
responsibilities of each consortium member. The consortium agreement 
must be signed by a representative for every RAP sponsor and CBO listed 
in the CBO/RAP consortium. No member of a consortium may make a 
separate application under this SGA.
    Applications may be submitted electronically on Grants.gov or in 
hardcopy by mail or hand delivery. These processes are described in 
further detail in Section IV.C. Applicants submitting proposals in 
hardcopy must submit an original signed application (including the SF-
424) and one (1) ``copy-ready'' version free of bindings, staples or 
protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the proposal by DOL. 
Applicants submitting proposals in hardcopy are also required to 
provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on compact disc 
(CD).
    C. Submission Dates, Times and Addresses: The closing date for 
receipt of applications under this announcement is April 29, 2010. 
Applications must be received at the address below no later than 4 p.m. 
(Eastern Time). Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile 
(FAX) will not be accepted. Applications that do not meet the 
conditions set forth in this notice will not be honored. 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: Mamie Williams, Grants Management Specialist, 
Reference SGA/DFA, PY 09-03, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-4716, 
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.
    Applicants may apply online through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov); however, due to the expected increase in system 
activity applicants are encouraged to use an alternate method to submit 
grant applications during this heightened period of demand. While not 
mandatory, DOL encourages the submission of applications through 
professional overnight delivery service.
    Applications that are submitted through Grants.gov must be 
successfully submitted at http://www.grants.gov no later than 4 p.m. 
Eastern Time by the closing date, and then subsequently validated by 
Grants.gov. The submission and validation process is described in more 
detail below. The process can be complicated and time-consuming. 
Applicants are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as 
possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if 
necessary.
    ETA strongly recommends that before the applicant begins to write 
the proposal, applicants should immediately initiate and complete the 
``Get Registered'' registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. These steps may take multiple days or 
weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for 
electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected delays that could 
result in the rejection of an application. It is strongly recommended 
that applicants use the ``Organization Registration Checklist''' at 
http://www.grants.gov/assets/Organization_Steps_Complete_Registration.pdf to ensure the registration process is complete.
    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. The first e-mail, almost 
immediate, will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The 
second e-mail will indicate the application has either been 
successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors. Only 
applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and 
subsequently successfully validated will be considered. It is the sole 
responsibility of the applicant to ensure a timely submission. While it 
is not required that an application be successfully validated before 
the deadline for submission, it is prudent to reserve time before the 
deadline in case it is necessary to resubmit an application that has 
not been successfully validated. Therefore sufficient time should be 
allotted for submission (two business days) and, if applicable, 
subsequent time to address errors and receive validation upon 
resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing 
submission). 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.
    To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be 
saved as either .doc, .xls or .pdf files. If submitted in any other 
format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues 
will prevent our ability to consider the application. ETA will attempt 
to open the document but will not take any additional measures in the 
event of issues with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming 
application will not be considered for funding.
    Applicants are strongly advised to use the tools and documents, 
including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), that are available on the 
``Applicant Resources'' page at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp#faqs. To receive updated information about critical 
issues, new tips for users and other time sensitive updates as 
information is available, applicants may subscribe to ``Grants.gov 
Updates'' at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription_signup.jsp.
    If applicants encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find 
an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 to speak 
to a Customer Support Representative or e-mail [email protected].
    Late Applications: For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only 
applications that have been successfully submitted no later than 4 p.m. 
Eastern Time on the closing date and subsequently successfully 
validated will be considered.
    Any application received after the exact date and time specified 
for receipt

[[Page 15732]]

at the office designated in this notice will not be considered, unless 
it is received before awards are made, it was properly addressed, and 
it was: (a) Sent by U.S. Postal Service mail, postmarked not later than 
the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of 
applications (e.g., an application required to be received by the 20th 
of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of that month); or (b) sent 
by professional overnight delivery service to the addressee not later 
than one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of 
applications. ``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. Failure to adhere to the above 
instructions will be a basis for a determination of non-responsiveness. 
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.
    D. Intergovernmental Review: This funding opportunity is not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
    E. Other Submission Requirements: Withdrawal of Applications. 
Applications may be withdrawn by written notice at any time before an 
award is made.
    F. 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. Administrative Costs. Under this SGA, an entity that receives a 
grant to carry out a project or program may not use more than ten 
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 SF424A 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.
    2. Indirect Cost Rate. 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 use 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.
    3. Allowable Costs. The Department determines what constitutes 
allowable costs in accordance with the following Federal cost 
principles, as applicable: (1) State and Local Government--OMB Circular 
A-87; (2) Educational Institutions--OMB Circular A-21; (3) Nonprofit 
Organizations--OMB Circular A-122; and (4) Profit-making Commercial 
Firms--48 CFR Part 31.
    4. Legal rules pertaining to inherently religious activities by 
organizations that receive Federal financial assistance. The government 
is generally prohibited from providing direct Federal financial 
assistance for inherently religious activities. See 29 CFR part 2, 
Subpart D. Grants under this solicitation may not be used for religious 
instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing, or other inherently 
religious activities. Neutral, non-religious criteria that neither 
favor nor disfavor religion will be employed in the selection of grant 
recipients and must be employed by grantees in the selection of sub-
recipients.
    5. Salary and Bonus Limitations. Under Public Law 109-234, none of 
the funds appropriated in Public Law 109-149, or prior Acts under the 
heading ''Employment and Training'' that are available for expenditure 
on or after June 15, 2006, shall be used by a recipient or sub-
recipient of such funds to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual, 
either as direct costs or indirect costs, at a rate in excess of 
Executive Level II. Public Laws 111-8 and 111-117 contain the same 
limitations with respect to funds appropriated under each of those 
Laws. These limitations also apply to grants funded under this SGA. The 
salary and bonus limitation does not apply to vendors providing goods 
and services as defined in OMB Circular A-133 (codified at 29 CFR parts 
96 and 99). See Training and Employment Guidance Letter number 5-06 for 
further clarification: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DCON=2262.
    6. 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 is 
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.
    If applicable, the following needs to be on all products developed 
in whole or in part with grant funds:
    ``This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. 
Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The 
solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect 
the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department 
of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, 
express or implied, with respect to such information, including any 
information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy 
of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, 
adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This solution is 
copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an 
organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial 
purposes are permissible. All other uses require the prior 
authorization of the copyright owner.''

V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

    This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be 
used to evaluate the grant proposals. These criteria and point values 
are:
    (1) Organizational Overview--20 points.

[[Page 15733]]

    (2) Placement and Retention of Women in Registered Apprenticeship 
Programs--30 points.
    (3) Scope of WANTO Project and Projected Outcomes--50 points.
    (4) Bonus Points for Leveraged Resources--5 points.
1. Organizational Overview (20 Points)
    To be considered fully responsive, the CBO/RAP consortium applicant 
must fully and clearly describe all of the following elements in a 
manner that will demonstrate the organization's experience, capability 
and qualifications for administering a grant project.
    (a) Describe the consortium members' experience and leadership in 
recruiting, selecting, training, placing and retaining women in 
apprenticeable nontraditional occupations (5 points).
    (b) Describe how the management structure and staffing of the 
proposed project will enable the CBO/RAP consortium to meet the grant 
requirements, vision, and goals; and how the management structure and 
staffing are designed to assure responsible general management of the 
organization (5 points).
    (c) Describe all key tasks associated with the proposal, including 
the identification of consortium members, and any proposed consultants 
or subcontractors responsible for completing each task (5 points).
    (d) Demonstrate how tradeswomen or women in nontraditional 
occupations serve as active members of the consortium as either 
employed staff or as board members (5 points).
2. Placement and Retention of Women in Registered Apprenticeship 
Programs (30 Points)
    The consortium must fully and clearly describe its knowledge of the 
labor market and how this will help the consortium to place at least 50 
women in RAP(s) each year of the grant. The applicant must provide 
detailed information for the following:
    (a) An analysis of labor market information and other information 
such as survey information from regional employers or trade 
associations, that demonstrates the demand for skilled workers and the 
sufficient numbers of suitable and appropriate apprenticeships in the 
industries described in Section I.B of this SGA in which RAP(s) plan to 
train, employ, and retain women (10 points).
    (b) A description of the apprenticeable occupations in the 
industries described in Section I.B of this SGA in which the CBO/RAP 
consortium plans to train, employ, and retain women (10 points).
    (c) A description of activities demonstrating previous success with 
apprentices registered per year for the last five years with the RAP 
sponsors participating in the CBO/RAP consortium (10 points).
3. Scope of WANTO Project and Projected Outcomes (50 Points)
    The applicant must fully and clearly describe the type(s) of 
technical assistance (TA) to be provided to the RAP(s) with WANTO 
funding, as well as how the TA will be delivered. The OA and WB 
consider the successful annual placement of at least 50 women into 
apprenticeships in the industries specified in Section I.B. to be the 
primary successful outcome that a grantee can achieve with WANTO 
funding.
    To be considered fully responsive to this element, the applicant 
must clearly and fully address the following:
    (a) Plan of Action for TA (25 Points): Fully and clearly describe 
in detail the types of TA that will be provided to the RAP(s), and the 
types of systemic change anticipated by the TA strategies that will be 
incorporated into ongoing employer recruitment, hiring, training, and 
promotion of women in A/NTO. Examples of such TA may include, but are 
not limited to: (1) Outreach strategies and orientation sessions to 
recruit women into the RAP(s) occupations and specific openings in 
RAP(s); (2) pre-apprentice programs as defined in Section VIII.F of 
this SGA, to prepare women for apprenticeship, including English as a 
Second Language instruction; (3) ongoing orientations for the RAP(s) 
and workers on creating a successful environment for women in 
apprenticeship; (4) supportive services such as child care and 
transportation, support groups, and facilitation of networks for women 
in apprenticeship, on or off the job site, to improve their retention; 
(5) liaison services between tradeswomen and the RAP(s) to facilitate 
retention of the women placed into apprenticeships as a result of the 
proposed project, as well as retention in apprenticeship of other women 
who may be already enrolled as registered apprentices with the RAP(s); 
and (6) conducting exit interviews with tradeswomen who may complete 
their apprenticeship or leave their apprenticeship before completion, 
including women placed in the apprenticeship as a result of the 
proposed project, or other women who may be already enrolled as 
registered apprentices. These interviews can inform the development, 
assessment, and improvement of TA strategies provided either through 
this project or other similar efforts designed to prepare and support 
tradeswomen for on-the-job experiences in an A/NTO.
    (b) Outcomes (25 points): Fully and clearly describe the outcomes 
the applicant anticipates as a result of WANTO funding. Outcomes must 
include, but are not limited to: (1) Number of women to be placed in 
pre-apprenticeships; (2) number of women placed in apprenticeships; and 
(3) of the women placed in apprenticeships, the percent who retain 
these apprenticeships through the grant period of performance. Other 
outcomes could include the number of women achieving skill gains, 
earning industry-recognized credentials, or meeting other benchmarks 
appropriate for the particular project.
4. Bonus Points (5 Points)
    Bonus points will be awarded for proposals that fully and clearly 
describe any funds and other resources leveraged to support grant 
activities and how these funds and other resources will be used to 
contribute to the proposed outcomes for the project, including any 
leveraged resources related to the provision of supportive services for 
program participants. This includes funds and other resources leveraged 
from businesses, labor organizations, education and training providers, 
and/or Federal, State, and local government programs. Bonus points will 
be awarded based on the extent to which the applicant fully 
demonstrates the amount of leveraged resources provided, the type(s) of 
leveraged resources provided, the strength of commitment to provide 
these resources, the breadth and depth of the resources provided, and 
how well these resources support the proposed grant activities.
    In order to receive full credit, applicants must provide quality 
information that does more than reiterate the requirement statement or 
provide a brief overview of how the proposed project will address the 
requirements. Applicants should clearly and fully state how the 
proposed program will meet the requirements of this SGA. Therefore, 
responses must be thoughtful and reflect a strategic vision for how 
these requirements will be achieved. In addition, an applicant that 
describes only what has been accomplished in the past but lacks full 
description of what it will do during the grant period will not receive 
credit for the response.

B. Review and Selection Process

    Selection Process. Applications for grants under this solicitation 
will be accepted after the publication of this

[[Page 15734]]

announcement until the closing date. A technical review panel will make 
careful evaluation of applications against the criteria. These criteria 
are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in 
this SGA. Up to 105 points may be awarded to an application, based on 
the required information described in Section V.A. The ranked scores 
will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for 
funding, in conjunction with other factors such as technical quality, 
geographic balance, occupational and/or industry representation, 
availability of funds and uniqueness of project. 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. The Grant Officer's determination of award under this 
SGA is the final agency action.

VI. Additional Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    All award notifications will be posted on the ETA Homepage (http://www.doleta.gov). Applicants selected for award will be contacted 
directly before the grant's execution and non-selected applicants will 
be notified by mail. 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, 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, including FBOs, will be subject to all applicable 
Federal laws, regulations (available at http://gpoaccess.gov/cfr) and 
the applicable OMB Circulars (available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars). The grants awarded under this SGA are subject to the 
applicable administrative standards and provisions, including, but not 
limited to, the following:
     All Grant Recipients--20 CFR part 667.220 (Administrative 
Costs).
     Non-Profit Organizations--OMB Circulars A-122 (Cost 
Principles) and 29 CFR part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
     Educational Institutions--OMB Circulars A-21 (Cost 
Principles) and 29 CFR part 95 (Administrative Requirements).
     State and Local Governments--OMB Circulars A-87 (Cost 
Principles) and 29 CFR part 97 (Administrative Requirements).
     Profit Making Commercial Firms--Federal Acquisition 
Regulation (FAR)--48 CFR part 31 (Cost Principles), and 29 CFR part 95 
(Administrative Requirements).
     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.
     29 CFR parts 29 and 30--Labor Standards for Registration 
of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in 
Apprenticeship and Training.
     29 CFR part 31--Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted 
Programs of the Department of Labor--Effectuation of Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964.
     29 CFR part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap 
in Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal 
Financial Assistance.
     29 CFR part 33--Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the 
Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department 
of Labor.
     29 CFR part 35--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in 
Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the 
Department of Labor.
     29 CFR part 36--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in 
Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial 
Assistance.
     All entities must comply with 29 CFR parts 37, 93, and 98, 
and where applicable 29 CFR parts 96 and 99.
    The Department notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act 
(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 information on how to request such an exemption.
    In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995 (Pub. L. 104-65) (2 U.S.C. 1611) and 29 CFR part 93, non-profit 
entities that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive 
Federal funds and grants.
2. Administrative Standards and Provisions
    Except as specifically provided, DOL ETA 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, the OMB circulars require, and an entity's procurement 
procedures must require, that all procurement transactions will be 
conducted, as practical, to provide full and open competition. If a 
proposal identifies a specific entity to provide the services, the DOL 
ETA 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. Reporting

    The grantee is required to provide the reports and documentation 
listed below.
    1. Quarterly Financial Reports. A Quarterly Financial Status Report 
(ETA 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. Grantees must use DOL 
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. The grantee must submit a quarterly 
progress report to the designated Federal Project Officer within 45 
days after the end of each calendar year quarter. Two copies are to be 
submitted providing a detailed account of activities undertaken during 
that quarter. DOL ETA may require additional data elements to be 
collected and reported on either a regular basis or special request 
basis. Grantees must agree to meet DOL ETA reporting requirements. The 
quarterly progress report should be in narrative form and should 
include:
    (a) A comparison of actual accomplishments with the goals and 
objectives established for the period. This must include discussion of 
placements in pre-apprenticeship programs, apprenticeships and 
nontraditional jobs, giving the name and

[[Page 15735]]

address of each workplace and company involved; and TA provided to 
RAP(s) as well as the nature of the TA provided.
    (b) Reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate, or 
descriptions of strategies that were particularly effective and allowed 
goals to be exceeded.
    (c) Any problems that may impede the performance of the grant and 
the proposed corrective action.
    (d) Any changes in the proposed work to be performed during the 
next reporting period.
    In addition, between scheduled reporting dates, the grantee(s) must 
immediately inform the designated Federal Project Officer of 
significant developments affecting the ability to accomplish the work.
    3. Final Report. No later than 90 days after the expiration of the 
grant award, the grantee must submit two copies of the camera-ready 
final report, each bound in a professional manner in a loose-leaf 
notebook. These materials must be paid for with grant funds. 
Instructions for the final report will be issued and may include 
performance data; outcome results such as placement in apprenticeship 
and retention of women placed in apprenticeship; an assessment of the 
grant project, any employer or labor organization plans for follow-up 
of participants, such as strategies to help retain participants in the 
apprenticeships; and an Executive Summary of no more than three (3) 
pages. Upon request of either the OA or WB, the grantee must submit a 
draft final report no more than 60 days after the expiration date of 
the grant. The OA and the WB will then review the draft report, and 
provide written comments to the grantee within 15 days of receipt.
    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.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For further information about this SGA, please contact Mamie 
Williams, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance 
at (202) 693-3341. This is not a toll-free number. Applicants may fax 
questions about the program or information in this SGA to (202) 693-
2879, and must specifically address the fax to the attention of Mamie 
Williams, and should include SGA/DFA PY09-03, a contact name, fax and 
phone number, and an e-mail address. Applicants may e-mail questions to 
[email protected], and include a contact name, fax and phone 
number, and an e-mail address. The mailing address is: U.S. Department 
of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Attention: Mamie 
Williams, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-4716, Washington, DC 
20210.

VIII. Other Information

A. OMB Information Collection No. 1225-0086 Expires November 30, 2012

    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 
U.S. Department of Labor, to the attention of Darrin A. King, 
Departmental Clearance Officer, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-
1310, Washington, DC 20210. Comments may also be e-mailed to [email protected]. Please do not return the completed application to this 
address. 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 SGA will be used by the 
Department 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, and will be available to the public. 
Applications filed in response to this SGA may be posted on the 
Department's Web site.

B. Questions About the Program or SGA

    Address all questions to the Grant Specialist specified in Part VII 
of this SGA. Please do not direct questions to the OA or WB.

C. Post Grant Award Conference

    No later than eight weeks after an award, the grantees must meet 
with the OA and the WB at the Post-Award Conference to discuss the 
project, related components and TA; timelines; TA outcomes; assessment 
comments and final approval. The grantees, the OA and WB will discuss 
and make decisions on the following program activities:
     The proposed TA commitments for registered apprenticeship, 
and related skilled nontraditional occupation activities and 
responsibilities; the number of targeted RAP(s); and the number of 
women who will be placed in a registered apprenticeship program.
     The methodology the proposed partnership will use to 
support/change management and employee attitudes to promote female 
workers in A/NTO.
     The types of systemic change anticipated by the TA 
strategies that will be incorporated into ongoing employer recruitment, 
hiring, training, and promotion of women in A/NTO.
     The occupational, industrial, and geographical impact 
anticipated.
     The supportive services to be provided to employers and 
women after successful placement into A/NTO.
    The OA and WB will provide further input orally or in writing, if 
necessary, within ten working days after the Post-Award Conference.

D. Grant Plan of Action

    If, as a result of the Post-Award Conference, revisions are 
necessary, the grantee must submit its proposed revisions to the 
designated Federal Project Office within ten weeks after an award. The 
grantee, the designated Federal Project Officer, OA and WB will 
discuss, adjust as necessary, and confirm the ``plan of action for TA'' 
included in the applicant's Technical Proposals in response to Section 
V.A.3(a) of this SGA, and provide a detailed timeline for program 
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.

E. Grant Implementation

    No later than twelve weeks after an award, the grantee(s) must have 
begun to recruit, train, place, retain, and otherwise prepare women for 
registered apprenticeships in the industries set forth in this SGA, 
with progress to be measured in terms of numbers of women placed and 
retained in registered apprenticeships and nontraditional occupations.

F. Acronyms and Definitions

    For the purposes of this SGA, the following terms are defined for 
the convenience of prospective applicants:
    A/NTO refers to apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.

[[Page 15736]]

    Apprenticeship Committee, as defined in 29 CFR 29.2, means those 
persons designated by the sponsor to administer the program. A 
committee may be either joint or non-joint, as follows:
    (a) A joint committee is composed of an equal number of 
representatives of the employer(s) and of the employees represented by 
a bona fide collective bargaining agent(s).
    (b) A non-joint committee, which may also be known as a unilateral 
or group non-joint (which may include employees) committee, has 
employer representatives but does not have a bona fide collective 
bargaining agent as a participant.
    Apprenticeable occupations, as defined in 29 CFR 29.4, are 
specified by industry and which (a) involve skills that are customarily 
learned in a practical way through a structured, systematic program of 
on-the-job supervised learning; (b) be clearly identified and commonly 
recognized throughout an industry; (c) involve the progressive 
attainment of manual, mechanical or technical skills and knowledge 
which, in accordance with the industry standard for the occupation, 
would require the completion of at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job 
learning to attain; and (d) require related instruction to supplement 
the on-the-job learning.
    CBO (Community-Based Organization) is a private nonprofit 
organization (i.e., incorporated under IRS Section 501(c)(3) or 
501(c)(4) (except for section 501(c)(4) organizations that engage in 
lobbying as described in Section VI. B. of this SGA), or is actively 
pursuing IRS nonprofit tax exempt status) which may be faith-based, 
that is representative of a community or a significant segment of a 
community, and which provides job training services and has 
demonstrated experience administering programs that train women for A/
NTO. A CBO, as defined in the WANTO Act, means a ``community-based 
organization as defined in [section 101(7) of WIA (29 U.S.C. 2801 7)], 
that has demonstrated experience administering programs that train 
women for apprenticeable occupations or other nontraditional 
occupations.'' WIA states, ``The term `community-based organizations' 
means `private nonprofit organizations which are representative of 
communities or significant segments of communities and which provide 
job training services.' '' The WIA definition provides examples of 
organizations which meet the definition, including ``union-related 
organizations'' and ``employer-related nonprofit organizations.'')
    CBO/RAP Consortium refers to a group consisting of a minimum of: 
(1) A RAP sponsor; and (2) a CBO (which may be faith-based) with 
demonstrated experience in providing job training services (``hard 
skills'' such as the basics of a skilled occupation, core industry 
skills training such as tool identification, industry math/science, and 
industry-related reading/literacy; ``soft skills'' such as work 
readiness training, team building, work-place culture; and supportive 
services such as English as a Second Language, mentoring, networking 
events, on-going support groups, drivers' license recovery programming, 
and leadership development workshops.
    NTO (Nontraditional Occupations) are those where women account for 
less than 25 percent of all persons employed in a single occupational 
group. For the most recent listing of nontraditional occupations, see 
the WB Web site at http://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/main.htm.
    OA refers to the Office of Apprenticeship, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
    Pre-Apprenticeship Programs are those programs that prepare 
individuals for registered apprenticeship. Depending on the 
apprenticeable occupation for which the program is preparing students, 
the curriculum would vary. For example, a curriculum for a construction 
industry occupation may include pre-vocational identification and use 
of tools, blueprint reading, basic shop skills, safety procedures, math 
skills, and physical conditioning. English as a Second Language and 
team-building skills might also be included.
    Registered Apprenticeship is a formal employment relationship 
designed to promote skill training and learning on the job. ``Hands 
on'' learning takes place in conjunction with related theoretical 
instruction (often in a classroom setting). An apprentice who 
successfully completes an OA registered program, which usually requires 
3 to 5 years, is awarded a certificate of completion of apprenticeship. 
An OA registered program is one in which employers, or groups of 
employers, and unions design, organize, manage, and finance 
apprenticeship programs under the standards developed and registered 
with OA or a DOL ETA-recognized State Apprenticeship Agency. Employers, 
or groups of employers, and unions also select apprentices who are 
trained to meet certain predetermined occupational standards. For more 
information, see the OA Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/oa/.
    RAP refers to Registered Apprenticeship Program.
    Registered Apprenticeship Program Sponsor refers to any person, 
association, committee, or organization operating an apprenticeship 
program in whose name the program is (or is to be) registered or 
approved.
    TA refers to technical assistance.
    WANTO refers to Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional 
Occupations.
    WB refers to the Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor.
    Please be advised that the Grant Officer for this competition is B. 
Jai Johnson.

    Signed, at Washington, DC, this 24th day of March 2010.
Eric D. Luetkenhaus,
Grant Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-6950 Filed 3-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FR-P