[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 74 (Monday, April 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22944-22951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07652]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration


OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center; Notice of 
Competition and Request for Applications

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of competition and request for applications for the OSHA 
Training Institute Education Center program.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the opportunity for interested non-
profit organizations, including eligible educational institutions, 
trade associations, labor unions, and community-based and faith-based 
organizations, that are not an agency of a state or local government to 
submit applications to become authorized as an OSHA Training Institute 
Education Center and deliver standard classroom instruction on a 
regional basis. This notice also contains information on a pre-proposal 
conference designed to provide potential applicants with information 
about the OSHA Training Institute Education Center program.

DATES: Applications (three copies) must be received no later than 4:30 
p.m. Central Time on June 17, 2022. Requests for extension of this 
application deadline will not be granted.
    A pre-proposal conference will be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 
at the OSHA Office of Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington 
Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102. Attendees are 
required to pre-register for this conference. Specific details are 
discussed in the ``Pre-Proposal Conference'' section of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications (three copies) to the OSHA Office of 
Training and Education, Division of Training Programs and 
Administration, Attn: James Brock, 2020 South Arlington Heights Rd., 
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
    Applicants selected for authorization as an OSHA Training Institute 
Education Center must attend a mandatory orientation meeting. The 
venue, method, times, and dates are to be determined.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information regarding this notice is 
available from the following sources:
    Press inquiries: Contact Mr. Frank Meilinger, Director, OSHA Office 
of Communications, U.S. Department of

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Labor; telephone: (202) 693-1999; email: [email protected].
    General and technical information: Contact Mr. James Brock, Branch 
Chief Training Programs, U.S. Department of Labor; telephone: (847) 
725-7803; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The supplemental information contains 
details concerning the following:

Table of Content

A. Background Information
    1. Overview of the OSHA Office of Training and Education (OTE)
    2. Overview of the OSHA Training Institute (OTI)
    3. Overview of the OTI Education Center Program
    4. Overview of the OSHA Outreach Training Program
B. Organizational Responsibilities
    1. OTI Education Center Responsibilities
    2. OSHA OTE Responsibilities
C. OSHA Jurisdiction
D. Geographic Distribution
E. Application Submission Requirements
F. Selection Guidelines
G. Selection Criteria
H. Consortia and Partnerships
I. Funding Provisions
J. Cooperative Agreement Duration
K. Pre-Proposal Conference
L. Application Submission
M. Application Deadline
N. Application Evaluation and Selection Process
O. Notification of Section
P. Freedom of Information Act
Q. Paperwork Reduction Act
R. Transparency
S. Notification of Non-Selection
T. Non-Selection Appeal
Authority and Signature
Appendix

A. Background Information

    Interested non-profit organizations, including eligible educational 
institutions, trade associations, labor unions, and community-based and 
faith-based organizations, that are not an agency of a state or local 
government to submit applications to become authorized as an OSHA 
Training Institute Education Center and deliver standard classroom 
instruction on a regional basis. State or local government-supported 
institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. Eligible 
organizations can apply independently or in partnership with other 
eligible organizations, but in such a case, a lead organization must be 
identified along with a list of any consortium partners. Current OSHA-
authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Centers required to renew 
their status must submit a new application, and be re-authorized by 
OSHA, in order to continue their authorization as an OSHA Training 
Institute Education Center. If the corporate identity of an applicant, 
or its membership has changed, the new entity must submit an 
application. Applications will only be accepted during the solicitation 
period and will be evaluated on a competitive basis. Complete 
application instructions are contained in this notice.
    A pre-proposal conference will review OSHA expectations for OSHA 
Training Institute Education Centers, courses and methods of 
instruction, and administrative and program requirements for OSHA 
Training Institute Education Centers and the OSHA Outreach Training 
Program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-proposal 
conference.
    OSHA will enter into five-year, non-financial cooperative 
agreements with successful applicants. These authorization agreements 
are intended to facilitate the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of 
safety training provided by authorized OSHA Training Institute 
Education Centers. These cooperative agreements will not constitute a 
grant or financial assistance instrument, and OSHA will provide no 
compensation to authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. 
Such non-financial cooperative agreements are renewable, at the 
government's sole option, for one five-year period, if the organization 
has performed satisfactorily during the initial term. Please see 
discussion under ``Cooperative Agreement Duration,'' later in this 
notice for more information.

1. Overview of the OSHA Office of Training and Education (OTE)

    OTE, located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, supports the agency's 
mission and performance goals of securing safe and healthful workplaces 
and increasing workers' voice in the workplace through the development 
and delivery of training courses and educational programs. The Office 
has three distinct functional areas: The OSHA Training Institute (OTI), 
the Division of Training Programs and Administration, and the Division 
of Training Educational Development (DTEP). The OTI provides training 
for Federal and state compliance officers and State consultants. The 
Division of Training Programs and Administration administers three 
distinct external training programs: The OSHA Training Institute (OTI) 
Education Center Program, the Outreach Training Program, and the Susan 
Harwood Training Grants Program. DTEP develops training and educational 
materials that support OTI and OTI Education Center courses and the 
agency's compliance assistance initiatives.

2. Overview of the OSHA Training Institute (OTI)

    The OTI is OSHA's primary training provider for Federal and state 
compliance officers and state consultation program staff. OTI offers 
over 50 unique course offerings on an annual basis. Training includes 
job hazard recognition as well as OSHA standards, policies, and 
procedures for persons responsible for enforcing or directly supporting 
the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The OTI does not 
provide training for private and public sector personnel.

3. Overview of OTI Education Center Program

    The OTI Education Centers are a national network of non-profit 
organizations authorized by OSHA to deliver occupational safety and 
health training for the advancement of safe and healthful workplaces 
for private and public sector workers, supervisors, and employers on 
behalf of OSHA. The OTI Education Center Program was initiated in 1992 
when OSHA began partnering with other training and educational 
institutions to conduct OSHA courses. The OTI Education Center Program 
supports OSHA's training and education mission through a variety of 
occupational safety and health programs.
    OTI Education Center courses include OSHA standards and Outreach 
Training Program trainer and update courses. The OTI Education Centers 
offer more than 50 courses on various safety and health topics, 
including recordkeeping, machine guarding, confined space, electrical 
standards, ergonomics, safety and health management, and fall 
protection. Information regarding the OTI Education Center Program 
background, including a complete list of current OTI Education Centers, 
OSHA numbered course offerings, and course descriptions can be found on 
the OSHA website at: https://www.osha.gov/otiec.
    OTI Education Centers are selected through a national competitive 
process and receive no funding from OSHA; they support their OSHA 
training through their normal tuition and fee structures. OTI Education 
Centers are located in all OSHA Regions and work closely with OSHA 
Regional and Area offices to meet the needs of their regional 
constituencies. OTI Education Centers are encouraged to conduct courses 
at host training organizations in addition to their own facilities. OTI 
Education Centers are also integral to OSHA's process for authorizing

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Outreach trainers, processing Outreach trainer card requests, and 
conducting Outreach trainer monitoring activities for the OSHA Outreach 
Training Program.

4. Overview of the OSHA Outreach Training Program

    OSHA established the Outreach Training Program (OTP)to provide an 
overview of OSHA and to disseminate basic occupational safety and 
health workplace hazard information to workers using independent OSHA 
authorized trainers. OSHA administers the OTP including the 
establishment of program requirements and providing program review and 
oversight. Courses are intended to provide information on worker rights 
and employer responsibilities and to focus on work-related hazards. OTP 
courses do not focus on or teach OSHA standards. Workers who complete 
the construction industry, general industry, maritime industry, or 
disaster site worker Outreach courses receive OSHA student course 
completion cards from the authorized trainer who conducted the 
training. OSHA Outreach trainers are authorized by OSHA exclusively 
through the OTI Education Centers. OTI Education Centers are 
responsible for administering the Outreach Training Program, including 
issuing course completion cards to authorized Outreach trainers and 
conducting monitoring activity such as record audits and training 
observations.
    The Outreach Training Program is a voluntary program; however some 
cities and states have enacted laws mandating the training. Some 
employers, unions, organizations, or other jurisdictions may also 
require this training. OSHA recommends Outreach Training Program 
courses as an introduction to occupational safety and health hazard 
recognition for workers. Please note that Outreach Training Program 
courses do not meet specific training requirements contained in OSHA 
standards. OSHA publishes Outreach Training Program requirements and 
procedures to provide instructions and information to Outreach 
trainers. Items addressed in the requirements and procedures include 
course topic requirements, minimum contact hours for course topics, 
advertising restrictions, records retention, and reporting 
requirements. OSHA Outreach Training Program requirements and 
procedures can be accessed at: https://www.osha.gov/training/outreach.

B. Organizational Responsibilities

1. OTI Education Center Responsibilities

    OTI Education Centers must:
    (1) Adhere to all OSHA/OTE program requirements, policies, and 
procedures.
    (2) Maintain updated course curriculum to support learning 
objectives determined by OSHA/OTE.
    (3) Ensure instructors are qualified in the courses/subjects they 
will be teaching in accordance with OSHA instructor qualification 
policies.
    (4) Meet annual program goals that include the following:
    (a) Achieve annual student training and course offering goals as 
established by OSHA/OTE. Program goals are evaluated and revised 
annually. For the Federal fiscal year 2022, each OTI Education Center 
is expected to train 1,700 students and offer 95 courses annually.
    (b) Provide standard classroom instruction training throughout 
their region and target underserved areas and worker populations. All 
consortium members must offer, deliver, and/or support the delivery of 
open-enrollment standard classroom instruction throughout their region.
    (c) Conduct courses on a year-round basis with each required, 
elective, and short course being offered in accordance with annual 
program goals. Required, elective, and short courses are subject to 
change. (See Appendix A for a current list of required, elective, and 
short courses)
    (5) Publicize and promote the availability of open enrollment 
courses to ensure attendance and the delivery of the scheduled courses.
    (6) Register students, provide course materials, and issue course 
completion certificates to students. This includes:
    (a) Ensuring students have met all prerequisites prior to 
registration.
    (b) Collecting and retaining student registration and attendance 
records in accordance with OSHA/OTE guidelines.
    (7) Comply with reporting requirements as identified by OSHA/OTE. 
This includes:
    (a) Providing OSHA/OTE with monthly training summary reports.
    (b) Providing OSHA/OTE with training and instructor records for 
quarterly audits and semi-annual and annual performance reporting.
    (c) Collecting student surveys in accordance with OSHA procedures 
and providing to OSHA as requested.
    (8) Administer Outreach Training Program activities. This includes:
    (a) Distributing student cards to authorized Outreach trainers.
    (b) Monitoring Outreach trainers including conducting record audits 
and training observations.
    (c) Processing exception requests in accordance with Outreach 
Training Program requirements.
    (d) Guiding and mentoring new Outreach trainers to assist them with 
program compliance and delivery of quality training.
    (9) Attend the semi-annual OSHA Training Institute Education Center 
Directors meetings. Directors meetings are intended for OTI Education 
Center Directors. Key staff may also attend.
    (10) Collaborate with other OTI Education Centers including 
participation on project teams and providing financial and personnel 
support for OTI Education Center marketing initiatives.
    (11) Provide dedicated staff for program management and 
administration including an OTI Education Center Director and necessary 
support staff to achieve program goals.
    (12) Offer open enrollment OTI Education Center courses to all 
areas within their region, supported by all consortium members.
    (13) Ensure remote synchronous offerings restrict registrations to 
students located within the OTI Education Center's region.
    (14) Ensure all course offerings maintain a lecture to higher-level 
interactive training ratio of 1/3:2/3.

2. OSHA OTE Responsibilities

    OTE will:
    (1) Develop program policies, procedures, and requirements.
    (2) Provide answers and technical assistance related to OSHA policy 
and program requirements.
    (3) Provide learning objectives for all courses, update existing 
course curricula, and provide new course curricula as needed.
    (4) Coordinate the development of new OTI Education Center courses.
    (5) Monitor the performance of the OTI Education Centers through 
on-site program visits, conference calls, training observations, and 
programmatic audits.
    (6) Participate in the OTI Education Center Program Executive 
Committee.
    (7) Evaluate the effectiveness of the OTI Education Centers and 
provide each OTI Education Center with an annual performance appraisal.
    (8) Conduct investigations of alleged OTI Education Center non-
compliance with the Non-Financial Cooperative Agreement and OSHA 
policies and procedures.

C. OSHA Jurisdiction

    OSHA is a Federal agency within the United States. The agency 
covers workers and employers in the 50 United States and certain 
territories and

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jurisdictions under Federal authority. Those jurisdictions include the 
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, 
Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Island, 
Johnston Island, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands as defined in 
the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

D. Geographic Distribution

    There is currently at least one OTI Education Center in each OSHA 
Region. However, OSHA may elect to select more than one OTI Education 
Center in some or all OSHA Regions. The OSHA Regions contain the 
following states and U.S. territories.
    Region I: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, and Vermont.
    Region II: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.
    Region III: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia, and West Virginia.
    Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
    Region V: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and 
Wisconsin.
    Region VI: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
    Region VII: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
    Region VIII: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, 
and Wyoming.
    Region IX: American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, 
Nevada, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
    Region X: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

E. Application Submission Requirements

    Submissions that are not in accordance with the application 
submission requirements listed below will not be considered. The 
application must include the following:
    (1) Program Summary. The program summary is a one to two page 
double-spaced abstract that succinctly summarizes the applicant's and 
any consortium partners' background, experience, and qualifications in 
occupational safety and health and training. The program summary must 
also provide:
    (a) Contact information including the following:
     The name, address, and phone number of the lead 
organization and all consortium partners. A post office box will not be 
accepted.
     The name, title, address, telephone number, and email 
address of the program director who can answer questions regarding the 
application.
    (b) Information on which OTI Education Center courses may be 
offered and any relevant language or target audience information.
    (2) Program Narrative. The program narrative must be numbered and 
not exceed 30 double-spaced pages. Attachments will not be included in 
the page count.
    (3) Applicant Eligibility. In order to be eligible, each 
organization must document the following. Organizations that do not 
address the following will not be given further consideration.
    (a) Non-Profit Status. Include evidence of non-profit status of the 
lead organization and each member organization if applying as a 
consortium. A letter from the Internal Revenue Service, State, or a 
statement included in a recent audit report is preferred. In the 
absence of these, a copy of the articles of incorporation showing the 
non-profit status will be accepted.
    (b) Authority to Apply. Provide a letter on letterhead signed by 
the company president, Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, 
Board of Regents, or other governing body of the applicant approving 
the submittal of an application to OSHA to become authorized as an OTI 
Education Center.
    (c) Occupational Safety and Health Training Experience. Demonstrate 
previous experience delivering occupational safety and health training 
to adults.
    (d) Status as a Training Organization. (This applies only to 
applicants that are not colleges or universities.) Document that 
training or education is a principal activity of the applicant. Through 
audit reports, annual reports, or other documentation, the applicant 
must clearly demonstrate that for the last two calendar years more than 
50 percent of the applicant's funds have been used for training and 
education activities and more than 50 percent of staff resources have 
also been used for this purpose.
    (e) Curriculum Development. Explain the applicant's process for 
developing and updating occupational safety and health curricula to 
meet learning objectives provided by OSHA.
    (f) Training Facilities. Provide detail regarding available 
classrooms, laboratories, and testing facilities. The applicant must 
have training facilities that are under their direct control.
    (g) Training Throughout the OSHA Region. Provide details regarding 
the applicant's ability to provide standard in-person classroom 
training across the OSHA Region in which the applicant is physically 
located. Each consortium member must contribute to this effort.
    (h) Nondiscrimination. Provide copies of the applicant's 
nondiscrimination policies covering staff and students. In the absence 
of a written policy, explain how the applicant will ensure that staff 
and students are selected without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, 
national origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (4) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). OSHA is 
committed to ensuring DEIA principles are integrated into its training 
programs. DEIA represents consistent and systematic fair, just, and 
impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who 
belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, 
such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, 
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; 
members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, 
and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live 
in rural areas; and persons who otherwise adversely affected by 
persistent poverty or inequity. Applicants who demonstrate their 
commitment to DEIA in their organization description and can 
demonstrate the extent they have institutionalized DEIA principles 
within their operations, outreach, and training will receive one bonus 
point. Additionally, applicants are encouraged to describe how training 
programs will be accessible to the most prominent linguistic 
communities located within your region. Applicants who address this 
will receive one bonus point.

F. Selection Guidelines

    OSHA does not have a predetermined number of applicants to be 
selected to act as authorized OTI Education Centers. The number of 
applicants selected will be determined on a competitive basis using the 
selection criteria contained in this announcement.

G. Selection Criteria

    Applications that meet the factors listed in the ``Applicant 
Eligibility'' section above will be reviewed by a technical panel based 
on the criteria listed below.

(1) Organizational Commitment (10 Points)

    (a) Explicit commitment of the highest-ranking executive of the 
applicant's organization (e.g., company president, Chief Executive 
Officer, Board of Directors, Board of Regents, or other governing body) 
to fully utilize all available organizational resources

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necessary to support a large-scale occupational safety and health 
training program.
    (b) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Include a signed Letter of Commitment from company president, 
Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, Board of Regents, or other 
governing body of the applicant detailing how they will support the 
initial startup, the short-term viability, and the long-term growth of 
an OTI Education Center.
    (ii) Clearly state the metrics and outcomes the applicant will use 
to formally evaluate and assess the success of an OTI Education Center 
program.

(2) Organizational Experience and Qualifications (20 Points)

    (a) Experience delivering occupational safety and health training 
in the construction, general, and maritime industries.
    (b) Experience training adult learners.
    (c) Ability to deliver required, elective, and short OTI Education 
Center courses; (See Appendix A for a current list of required, 
elective and short courses).
    (d) Provision for a systematic process for developing and updating 
occupational safety and health curricula to support learning objectives 
provided by OSHA.
    (e) Resources for supporting a large-scale occupational safety and 
health training program, such as appropriate management, instructional 
staff, and administrative staff to fulfill all program requirements 
including marketing, registration, student training materials, 
instruction, reporting, and Outreach Training Program administration.
    (f) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Describe experience delivering occupational safety and health 
training including the number of classes offered, number of students 
taught in each class, and number of student contact hours for each 
course during the last three calendar years.
    (ii) Include copies of catalogs and other marketing materials that 
provide descriptive material about occupational safety and health 
training courses.
    (iii) Describe ability to deliver OTI Education Center courses 
including required, elective, and short courses. Please note the 
required, elective and short course offerings are subject to change. A 
current list of required, elective and short courses may be found at 
Appendix A. The complete list of courses and descriptions is available 
online at https://www.osha.gov/otiec/courses/all.
    (iv) Indicate the number of occupational safety and health courses 
for which the applicant has developed curricula within the last three 
calendar years including the title and student contact hours for each 
course.
    (v) Indicate the number of synchronous remote delivery and 
instructor-led in-person classroom training occupational safety and 
health courses the applicant has conducted within the last three 
calendar years including title, student contact hours, and number of 
trainees.
    (vi) Describe applicant's process for evaluating course content as 
it relates to student learning outcomes and process for reviewing and 
updating curricula and course materials.
    (vii) Demonstrate that the applicant, and when applicable the 
applicant's consortium, is capable of providing in-person classroom 
training throughout the OSHA Region in which the lead organization and 
consortium partner(s) are physically located. Applicants with 
consortium members must identify the portion of the region or target 
audiences for which each consortium member is responsible.

(3) Staff Experience and Qualifications (15 Points)

    (a) Staff experience in delivering training courses to adults in 
occupational safety and health in construction, maritime, and general 
industries.
    (b) Staff experience with occupational safety and health training 
topics including the application of OSHA standards to the recognition, 
avoidance, abatement, and prevention of workplace hazards.
    (c) Professional certifications related to occupational safety and 
health held by staff such as such as Certified Safety Professional, 
Professional Engineer, Marine Chemist, or Certified Industrial 
Hygienist.
    (d) Staff experience in managing and administering a training 
program including student registration and enrollment, class 
scheduling, course preparation, records maintenance, and marketing.
    (e) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Include an organizational chart of the department responsible 
for training. Indicate number and titles of staff positions that will 
be dedicated to the OTI Education Center program along with the 
expected annual number of man-hours that will be allocated to the 
Program.
    (ii) Describe staff knowledge of and experience with OSHA standards 
and their application to hazard recognition and hazard abatement.
    (iii) Describe applicant's process for evaluating instructor 
effectiveness in the classroom. Provide copies of evaluation measures, 
checklists, and forms used to evaluate instructors.
    (iv) Include resumes for current staff and instructors responsible 
for conducting OSHA courses. Provide position descriptions for 
positions to be filled.

(4) Location and Training Facilities (10 Points)

    (a) Ability to conduct standard classroom instruction training 
throughout the applicant's region.
    (b) Classroom facilities available for delivery of training 
including room capacity, availability of audiovisual equipment, and 
appropriate laboratories and other facilities available for hands-on 
exercises.
    (c) Availability of testing center, evaluation center, or 
comparable facility.
    (d) Provisions for accessibility for persons with disabilities.
    (e) Accessibility of the training facility to population centers, 
including such factors as distance from a major airport, transportation 
from the airport to hotels, and distance from the interstate system.
    (f) Availability and affordability of lodging and accommodations, 
food service, and restaurants available both in the area in which the 
classes will be held and in the area where the hotels are located.
    (g) Availability of local transportation, including how students 
will be transported between the hotels and classes using hotel 
shuttles, public transportation, or other means.
    (h) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Describe the accessibility of the training facility for 
students within local commuting area.
    (ii) Clearly identify the applicant has classrooms, laboratories, 
and testing facilities available. Training facilities must be under the 
direct control of the applicant. Floor plans are encouraged and may be 
included as an attachment.
    (iii) Include such items as distance from a major airport, number 
of airlines serving the airport, transportation from the airport to 
hotels, and distance from the interstate system.
    (iv) Provide a representative listing of hotels available for 
student accommodation and give sample room rates. Explain how students 
will be transported between the hotels and classes. Describe 
restaurants available both in the area in which the classes

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will be held and in the area where the hotels are located.
    (v) Describe the applicant's ability and plan to provide off-site 
and host training organization site training within their respective 
region including procedures to assure classroom facilities and 
accommodations are adequate. Off-site training includes the ability to 
conduct courses at sites other than the applicant's facilities and in 
other states and U.S. territories within your region. Host training 
organizations must be non-profit organizations and proof of non-profit 
status is required.

(5) Marketing (15 Points)

    (a) Experience in marketing training to adults.
    (b) Ability to effectively market occupational safety and health 
training programs.
    (c) Utilization of various media to support marketing efforts.
    (d) Ability to solicit and deliver training on a contract basis.
    (e) Resources sufficient to support participation in national 
industry conferences in order to market the OTI Education Center 
programs.
    (f) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Explain applicant's procedures for marketing training courses 
and recruiting adult learners.
    (ii) Include examples of current course marketing materials such as 
catalogs, flyers, brochures, emails, website URLs and screen shots, 
postcards, use of social media, and any other associated relevant 
materials.
    (iii) Explain how applicant will promote its status as an OTI 
Education Center.
    (iv) Describe applicant's experience in exhibiting at conferences 
and trade shows.

(6) Administrative Capabilities (20 Points)

    (a) Ability to administer a large-scale occupational safety and 
health training program including employment of clerical and support 
staff and customer service capabilities to fulfill program 
requirements.
    (b) Ability to administer the Outreach Training Program, including 
processing card requests for Outreach trainers and conducting Outreach 
monitoring activities such as record audits and training observations.
    (c) Ability to compile and submit reports and other training data.
    (d) Capability to provide mandatory reports consistent with current 
OSHA requirements, including the ability to submit reports based on 
templates provided by OSHA/OTE. Please note, OSHA periodically revises 
reporting requirements.
    (e) Ability to respond to inquiries from OSHA and the public.
    (f) Ability to manage student records.
    (g) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Describe registration procedures and provisions for course 
cancellation, and processes for providing course materials to students, 
verifying course prerequisites are met in advance of registration, and 
collecting tuition or fees.
    (ii) Describe capabilities to process and issue course completion 
documents to students.
    (iii) Describe personnel and resources available to conduct 
Outreach monitoring activities, including record audits and training 
observations.
    (iv) Include information about applicant's record retention policy 
and ability to issue replacement course completion documents. Please 
note OSHA requires records to be maintained for a minimum of five 
years.
    (v) Explain the procedures that will be implemented for reporting 
to OSHA/OTE.
    (vi) Provide specific details regarding the applicant's full-time 
customer service staff, capabilities, and/or planned approach for 
responding to questions from students; handling questions and concerns 
related to occupational safety and health; resolving problems 
associated with a class, whether received via student satisfaction 
surveys or direct communication from a student; and issuing replacement 
course completion certificates in a timely manner, including 
verification of student identity and training completion.
    (vii) Provide a copy of the applicant's tuition and fee schedule; 
explain how tuition or fees will be computed for each OTI Education 
Center numbered course, referencing the applicant's tuition and fee 
schedule; and describe tuition and fee procedures including provisions 
for the collection of tuition, cancellation fees, and issuing refunds.

(7) Evaluation (10 Points)

    OSHA utilizes Kirkpatrick's Levels of Evaluation as described 
below. Each OTI Education Center is responsible for collecting and 
submitting student surveys.
    Satisfaction Survey (Level I Evaluation) to Measure Reaction. Each 
student must receive a satisfaction survey to assess student 
perceptions of the quality of the training.
    Testing (Level II Evaluation) to Measure Learning. Learning 
assessments measure the skills and knowledge that the trainees retain 
as a result of the training. Testing is mandatory at the end of the 
OSHA General Industry, Construction, and Maritime standards courses and 
the Outreach trainer courses.
    Follow-up Impact Survey (Level III Evaluation) to Measure Results. 
Each applicant must be knowledgeable and be capable of assessing 
training effectiveness using Level III evaluations.
    (a) Ability to administer student surveys in a classroom setting.
    (b) Ability to administer exams and ensure test integrity.
    (c) Ability to assess the effectiveness of training after an 
elapsed time period.
    (d) Ability to summarize and report evaluation results.
    (e) To fully address this element, the proposal must:
    (i) Describe the applicant's experience in evaluating training 
programs.
    (ii) Describe applicant's experience in administering student 
surveys. Provide examples of student surveys presently in use.
    (iii) Describe applicant's experience in administering classroom 
exams and the process for ensuring test integrity.
    (iv) Describe applicant's experience conducting follow-up 
evaluations that measure behavior and/or results.

(8) DEIA (1 Bonus Point)

    Applicants demonstrating their organization's commitment to DEIA 
may submit their organization's equity plan and demonstrate the extent 
they have institutionalized DEIA principles within their operations 
will receive one bonus point.

(9) Language Accessibility (1 Bonus Point)

    Applicants describing how training programs will be accessible to 
the most prominent linguistic communities located within their region 
will receive one bonus point.

H. Consortia and Partnerships

    Applicants may join with one or more other non-profit organizations 
in their region to apply as a consortium. A training or education 
institution may elect to apply for this program in partnership with a 
safety and health organization that is not primarily a training 
organization. For example, a university could enter into an agreement 
with a labor union that provides for the use of university classrooms 
and faculty supplemented by union safety and health professionals. All 
consortium partners must be physically located in the same OSHA region. 
Partners must designate a lead organization that will be responsible 
for program reporting

[[Page 22950]]

and Outreach Training Program administration including Outreach card 
distribution. OTI Education Centers may request to change the lead 
organization within a consortium in writing. OTE will only consider 
changes to the lead organization when all consortium members support 
the change.

I. Funding Provisions

    OSHA provides no funding to OTI Education Centers. OTI Education 
Centers are expected to support their training through their normal 
tuition and fee structures.

J. Cooperative Agreement Duration

    Selected applicants will sign five-year non-financial cooperative 
agreements with OSHA. Such an agreement may be renewed at the 
government's sole discretion without the additional competition 
otherwise required by this notice for one additional five-year period, 
provided that: (1) OSHA found the OTI Education Center's performance 
during the cooperative agreement to be satisfactory; (2) the OTI 
Education Center has not altered its existing membership of constituent 
organizations (i.e., the member organizations that comprise its 
consortium); and (3) the OTI Education Center has not had any 
significant findings of program non-compliance or served any period of 
probation or suspension.
    The agency reserves the right to revoke the authorization of an OTI 
Education Center. Either party may terminate the cooperative agreement 
with advance written notice, provided both parties continue to meet all 
obligations of the agreement for the duration of the advance notice 
period.

K. Pre-Proposal Conference

    A pre-proposal conference will be held to provide potential 
applicants with information about the OTI Education Center Program. The 
conference will also review OSHA expectations for OTI Education 
Centers, courses and methods of instruction, and administrative and 
program requirements for OTI Education Centers and the OSHA Outreach 
Training Program. Attendance at the pre-proposal conference is not 
mandatory, but applicants are strongly encouraged to attend.
    The pre-proposal conference is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18, 
2022, at the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 S. 
Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
    Attendees are required to register for this pre-proposal 
conference. Applicants interested in attending this conference must 
register by emailing [email protected].
    Required registration information includes:
    (1) Name and street address of the organization; and
    (2) Name, title, telephone number, and email address of the 
attendee(s).
    Registration information must be submitted no later than Wednesday, 
May 11, 2022.

L. Application Submission

    Applications must be submitted to the attention of James Brock, 
Branch Chief, Training Programs, OSHA Office of Training and Education, 
2020 S Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
    Applicants must submit three copies of the application. 
Applications may be bound. The program narrative must not exceed 30 
pages. Attachments will not be included in the page count. Applications 
must be double-spaced, in 12-point font, with all pages numbered, 
including attachments. Attachments must only include essential 
documents that are relevant to this program.

M. Application Deadline

    Applications must be received by the OSHA Office of Training and 
Education no later than 4:30 p.m., Central Time, on June 17, 2022. 
Requests for extension to this application deadline will not be 
granted.

N. Application Evaluation and Selection Process

    Applications will be reviewed by technical panels comprised of OSHA 
staff. The technical panels will review applications based on criteria 
listed in this notice to determine which applicants best meet the 
stated requirements. As part of the evaluation and selection process, 
OSHA may request additional information from applicants. This may 
include written requests for clarification, phone or in-person 
interviews, access to existing programs, and on-site visits of 
applicant facilities. OSHA will attempt to select qualified applicants 
who have the ability to provide training throughout their region based 
on program needs. The panels' recommendations to the Assistant 
Secretary are advisory in nature. The final decision will be made by 
the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

O. Notification of Selection

    Applicants will be notified by a representative of the Assistant 
Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health if their 
organization is selected to be authorized as an OSHA Training Institute 
Education Center. Applicants selected to be authorized as OSHA Training 
Institute Education Centers must attend a mandatory orientation meeting 
at a time and date to be provided after selection.
    An organization may not deliver OSHA Training Institute Education 
Center courses until the program has been authorized, the organization 
has signed a non-financial cooperative agreement with OSHA, and the 
organization has participated in the orientation meeting.

P. Freedom of Information Act

    Information submitted in the respondent's application is not 
considered confidential. Organization's application data may be 
releasable under the Freedom of Information Act.

Q. Paperwork Reduction Act

    Interested parties must submit an application as discussed under 
section ``Application Submission Requirements.'' According to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and no 
persons are required to respond to, a collection of information unless 
such collection displays a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
control number. The application provides to OSHA basic information 
about the applicant. Information will be used to evaluate the 
qualifications of the applicants, including their ability to serve the 
regional population; determine ability to conduct OSHA courses for 
private sector personnel and Federal personnel from agencies other than 
OSHA; and to evaluate the applicant's competence to provide the 
proposed training (including the qualifications of the personnel to 
manage and implement the training). OSHA estimates employer burden for 
the completion of this application is sixty hours per application. 
These estimates include the time for reviewing instructions, searching 
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and 
completing and reviewing the collection of information.
    The application was previously reviewed and approved for use by OMB 
under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 
104-13). The assigned OMB control number is 1218-0262

R. Transparency

    The Department of Labor is committed to conducting a transparent 
selection process and publicizing information about program outcomes. 
Applications or abstracts may be posted

[[Page 22951]]

on public websites as a means of promoting and sharing innovative 
ideas.

S. Notification of Non-Selection

    Applicants will be notified in writing if their organization is not 
selected to be authorized as an OSHA Training Institute Education 
Center.

T. Non-Selection Appeal

    All decisions by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational 
Safety and Health are final. The Department of Labor does not provide 
an appeal procedure for applicants that are not selected.

Authority and Signature

    Douglas L. Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational 
Safety and Health, authorized the preparation of this notice. 
Accordingly, the agency is issuing this notice pursuant to Secretary of 
Labor's Order No. 8-2020 (85 FR 58393, Sept. 18, 2020), and 29 CFR 
1910.7.

    Signed at Washington, DC.
Douglas Parker,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

Appendix A--Current List of Required, Elective and Short Courses 
1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Subject to change based on agency initiatives, yearly annual 
performance criteria and national emphasis programs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Present OTI Courses

    (a) FY 2017 rating criterion is 95 courses conducted annually 
with a minimum of four in-person courses per month.
    (b) Present all OTI Courses as follows:
    (i) OTI Education Centers are required to present the following 
ten courses annually:

(1) #500 Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health Standards 
for the Construction Industry
(2) #501 Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health Standards 
for General Industry
(3) #502 Update for Construction Industry Outreach Trainers
(4) #503 Update for General Industry Outreach Trainers
(5) #510 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the 
Construction Industry
(6) #511 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General 
Industry
(7) #3095 Electrical Standards
(8) #3115 Fall Protection
(9) #7500 Introduction to Safety and Health Management
(10) #7845 Recordkeeping Rule Seminar
(ii) OTI Education Centers are required to present at least five of 
the following elective courses annually:
(1) #521 OSHA Guide to Industrial Hygiene
(2) #2015 Hazardous Materials
(3) #2045 Machinery and Machine Guarding Standards
(4) #2055 Cranes in Construction
(5) #2225 Respiratory Protection
(6) #2255 Principles of Ergonomics
(7) #2264 Permit-Required Confined Space Entry
(8) #3015 Excavation, Trenching, and Soil Mechanics
(9) #3085 Principles of Scaffolding
(10) #5029 Cal/OSHA Update for Construction Industry Outreach 
Trainers
(11) #5039 Cal/OSHA Update for General Industry Outreach Trainers
(12) #5109 Cal/OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry
(13) #5119 Cal/OSHA Standards for General Industry
(14) #5400 Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health 
Standards for the Maritime Industry
(15) #5402 Maritime Industry Trainer Update Course
(16) #5410 Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Maritime 
Industry
(17) #5600 Disaster Site Worker Trainer Course
(18) #5602 Update for Disaster Site Worker Trainer Course
(19) #5810 Hazards Recognition and Standards for On Shore Oil and 
Gas Exploration and Production
(20) #6005 Collateral Duty Course for Other Federal Agencies
(21) #6015 Occupational Safety and Health Course for Other Federal 
Agencies
(iii) OTI Education Centers are required to present at least three 
of the following short courses annually:
(1) #7000 OSHA Training Guidelines for Safe Patient Handling
(2) #7005 Public Warehousing and Storage
(3) #7100 Introduction to Machinery and Machine Safeguarding
(4) #7105 Evacuation and Emergency Planning
(5) #7110 Safe Bolting: Principles and Practices
(6) #7115 Lockout/Tagout
(7) #7120 Introduction to Combustible Dust Hazards
(8) #7200 Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control
(9) #7205 Health Hazard Awareness
(10) #7210 Pandemic Illness Preparedness
(11) #7215 Silica in Construction, Maritime, and General Industries
(12) #7225 Transitioning to Safer Chemicals
(13) #7300 Understanding OSHA's Permit-Required Confined Space 
Standard
(14) #7400 Occupational Noise Exposure Hazards
(15) #7405 Fall Hazard Awareness for the Construction Industry
(16) #7410 Managing Excavation/Trenching Operations
(17) #7415 OSHA Construction Industry Requirements (Major Hazards 
and Prevention)
(18) #7505 Introduction to Incident (Accident) Investigation
(19) #7510 Introduction to OSHA for Small Business

[FR Doc. 2022-07652 Filed 4-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P