[Federal Register: August 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 150)]
[Notices] [Page 50711-50722] From the Federal Register Online via
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05au02-105]
[[Page 50711]]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Disability Employment Policy
Office of the 21st Century Workforce; and Center for
Faith-Based Community Initiatives; Employment Training and Services
Grants for Community and Faith-Based Organizations Serving People
With Significant Disabilities (SGA 02-22) AGENCY: Office of
Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice of
Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for
Employment Training and Services Grants for Community and Faith-Based
Organizations Serving People with Significant Disabilities.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) in
collaboration with the Office of the 21st Century Workforce (Office
of 21CW), and the Center for Faith-Based Community Initiatives (CFBCI
or Center), announce the availability of up to $300,000 to
award approximately three to five grants, ranging in amounts between
$60,000 to $100,000 each, to community and faith-based organizations
to implement model employment programs for people with
significant disabilities \1\ for the purposes of developing new or
enhancing existing employment training and/or services. Grant
activities may include the purchase and utilization of, and training
in, the use of electronic and information technology (e.g.,
computers, computer software, fax machines, copiers, Internet,
distance learning equipment). The intent of these grants is to
provide community and faith-based organizations that wish to do so
with the technical ability to offer employment training and related
services to people with significant disabilities as service providers
participating as partners within their local One-Stop Career Center.
These grants will be limited to public or private non-profit
community and faith-based organizations with a demonstrated record of
service to their local communities. All forms necessary to prepare an
application are included in this Solicitation for Grant Application
(SGA).
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\1\ For the purposes of this SGA, a person with a ``significant
disability'' is defined as adult who has a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life
activities and has a record of such impairment. DUE DATE: One
ink-signed original, complete grant application plus two copies of
the Technical Proposal and two copies of the Cost Proposal shall be
submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services
Center, Attention Grant Officer, Reference SGA 02-22, Room N- 5416, 200
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, not later than 4:45
p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDST), September 4, 2002.
Hand-delivered applications must be received by the Procurement
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Services Center by that time. ADDRESS: Applications must be hand
delivered or mailed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement
Services Center, Attention: Cassandra Willis, Reference SGA 02-22, Room N-5416,
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Application announcements or forms will
not be mailed. The Federal Register may be obtained from your nearest
government office or library. In addition, a copy of this notice and
the application requirements may be downloaded from the Office of
Disability Employment Policy's website at
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www2.dol.gov/odep.
All applicants are advised that U.S. mail delivery in the Washington,
DC area has been erratic due to concerns involving anthrax
contamination. All applicants must take this into consideration when
preparing to meet the application deadline. It is recommended that
you confirm receipt of your application by contacting Cassandra
Willis, U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center,
telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is not a toll-free number), prior to
the closing deadline. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may
contact the Department via the Federal Relay Service, (800)
877-8339. Acceptable Methods of Submission The grant
application package must be received at the designated place by the
date and time specified or it will not be considered. Any application
received at the Office of Procurement Services Center after 4:45
p.m., EDST, September 4, 2002, will not be considered unless it is
received before the award is made and: 1. It was sent by registered or
certified mail not later than the fifth calendar day before September
4, 2002; or 2. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next
Day Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5:00 p.m. at the
place of mailing two working days, excluding weekends and Federal
holidays, prior to September 4, 2002; and/or 3. It is determined
by the Government that the late receipt was due solely to mishandling
by the Government after receipt at the U.S. Department of Labor at
the address indicated. The only acceptable evidence to establish the date
of mailing of a late application sent by registered or certified mail
is the U.S. Postal Service postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on
the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. If the postmark is
not legible, an application received after the above closing time and
date shall be processed as if mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a
printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression (not a postage meter
machine impression) that is readily identifiable without further
action as having been applied and affixed by an employee of the U.S.
Postal Service on the date of mailing. Therefore, applicants should
request the postal clerk place a legible hand cancellation
``bull's-eye'' postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or
wrapper. The only acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt
at the U. S. Department of Labor is the date/time stamp of the
Procurement Services Center on the application wrapper or other
documentary evidence or receipt maintained by that office.
Applications sent by other delivery services, such as Federal
Express, UPS, etc., will also be accepted; however the Department
does not accept dates or date stamps on such packages as evidence of
timely mailing. Thus, the applicant bears the responsibility of
timely submission. All applicants are advised that U.S. mail
delivery in the Washington, DC area has been erratic due to concerns
involving anthrax contamination. All applicants must take this into
consideration when preparing to meet the application deadline.
Therefore, it is recommended that you confirm receipt of your
application by contacting Cassandra Willis, U.S. Department of Labor,
Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is not a
toll-free number), prior to the closing deadline. Persons who are
deaf or hard of hearing may contact the Department via the Federal
Relay Service, (800) 877- 8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Authority Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Pub. L.
106-554, 114 Stat. 2763; 29 U.S.C. 557b; DOL, HHS, Education and
Related Appropriations Act, 2002, Pub. L. 107-116, 115 Stat. 2177;
21st Century Workforce Initiative, Exec. Order No. 13218, 66 Fed.
Reg. 33627 (June 20, 2001); Agency Responsibilities with Respect to
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Exec. Order No. 13198, 66 FR
8497 (January 29, 2001). [[Page 50712]] II. Background
ODEP's mission is to provide leadership to increase employment
opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities through expanded
access to training, education, employment supports, assistive
technology, integrated employment, entrepreneurial development and
small business opportunities. ODEP also fosters the creation of
employment opportunities by building partnerships with both public
and private sector employers and with regional and local agencies
to increase their awareness of the benefits of employing people
with significant disabilities and to facilitate the use of the
effective strategies to accomplish this goal. The mission of the
Office of the 21st CW is to ensure that all American workers have as
fulfilling and financially rewarding a career as they aspire to have.
Integral to this mission is making sure that no worker gets left
behind in the limitless potential of the dynamic, global economy of
this new millennium. The Department of Labor's CFBCI seeks to create
effective partnerships between faith-based and community-based
organizations and the Department at the federal, state, and local
levels. The purpose of these partnerships is to bring the faith-based
and community-based organizations that are often in closest touch
with the people and problems that are the focus of federal social
policy efforts into the Department's employment and training
programs. The CFBCI coordinates a comprehensive departmental effort
to incorporate faith-based and other community-based organizations
into DOL programs and initiatives. CFBCI supports the creation
of initiatives and programs within the Department that utilize
the strengths of faith-based and community-based organizations to
better address the needs of underprivileged populations. The Center
directs national outreach efforts to educate faith-based and other
community organizations about the opportunities for partnership with
local One- Stop Career Centers, State and Local Workforce Investment
Boards, State Workforce Agencies, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
CFBCI also works in conjunction with DOL agencies to remove barriers
to the participation of community and faith-based organizations in
federal programs, including, but not limited to, the reform of
regulations, procurement and other internal policies and practices,
and outreach activities. American workers with significant
disabilities represent a potentially abundant labor resource for
employers, but encounter a multitude of barriers, due, in part, to a
lack of employment training opportunities, employment-related
services and access to technology. Consequently, many people with
significant disabilities have incomes at or below the poverty rate
and are economically disadvantaged. This SGA reflects collaboration between
ODEP, Office of 21CW, and CFBCI born out of a commitment by each of
these offices to ensure that people with significant disabilities
acquire the skills and services they need to become employed through
the One-Stop System in a variety of jobs, industries, and levels,
based on consumer choice. A key component to employment success in
the 21st century work place is access to primary resources, such as
electronic and information technology (e.g., computers, computer
software, fax machines, copiers, Internet, distance learning
equipment). This SGA addresses the lack of these key resources by
providing community and faith-based organizations with appropriate
technological and other resources needed to allow them to effectively
provide employment services to people with disabilities.
Throughout the nation, local community organizations, many of which
are faith-based, make significant efforts to provide support and
social services to people with significant disabilities. These
efforts include, but are not limited to, food, shelter, counseling,
and financial support. Increasingly, these efforts include
employment training and placement assistance. The effectiveness
of employment training and services provided by community and
faith-based organizations, however, is often thwarted by a lack of
technological and other resources necessary to comprehensively
address the employment needs of the individuals with significant
disabilities. Incorporating community and faith-based organizations
as employment service providers in the One-Stop Center System under
the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) (Public Law 105-220, 29
U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) will help to address this need. Access to
electronic and information technology has the potential to increase
the ability of these types of organizations to administer other
social service programs such as those aimed at homelessness and
reduced dependency on federally funded social programs.
Technology creates gateways to jobs and training for people with
significant disabilities. Specialized devices, known as assistive
technology, in conjunction with generic technology products and
services designed for the broadest number of users (``universal
design'') enable a person with a disability to earn a living and
participate in the community. However, the resources for local
community and faith-based organizations are limited. Many of these
organizations are only able to operate through the support of
community churches, synagogues, and other community-based and
faith-based organizations. Their strength is frequently found in the
humanity of their efforts and the support of their volunteers who
contribute time and money. Additionally, these same organizations are
often not equipped to apply for federal grants because of the
complexity of the grant process. As a result, community and
faith-based organizations often lack the capacity and resources to
provide employment or placement assistance services in the most
effective or innovative manner. With access to appropriate
technological and other resources, however, many local community and
faith-based organizations may be in an excellent position to assist
in increasing employment opportunities for the population with
disabilities that they serve. III. Purpose The purpose of
this grant program is to enable community and faith- based organizations,
to institute and/or expand upon the level of employment-related
services they provide to people with significant disabilities in
their training and services programs, working in direct connection
with the One-Stop Center system. Specifically, these organizations
will have the opportunity to become active in or expand upon their
current activities supporting the employment needs of people with
significant disabilities. Where needed to further employment training
and services to people with significant disabilities, this grant may
be used to acquire distance learning capabilities and access
electronic and information technology (e.g., computers, computer
software, fax machines, copiers, Internet, distance learning
equipment). In responding to this SGA, the applicants must take into
account the following parameters of the project: This SGA
supports three to five grant demonstrations, not to exceed the amount
of $100,000 each, for community and faith-based [[Page 50713]]
organizations that institute or expand their services to include
an employment services program. The demonstration must support
employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities in
the applicant's local community. The SGA does not require
applicants to pursue access or acquisition to technology or
technological training, but applicants are encouraged to consider
conducting such activities where a need has been identified.
Where necessary, accessible electronic, assistive, and information
technology (e.g., computers, computer software, fax machines,
copiers, Internet, distance learning equipment) may be purchased
using grant funds to use in training customers with disabilities for
gainful employment and to allow them to better access
employment-related training and other services. This equipment will
become the property of the grantee at the end of the grant period. An
applicant can consider a range of model demonstration activities
using technology, including the use of loaned accessible equipment
for the home to enable the person to become trained and/or employed
(e.g., laptop, adapted computer keyboards, large button keypads,
software, TTY) or the use of technology where the organization is
located to enable people with significant disabilities to search for
jobs (e.g., Internet access and training on how to write and format a
scannable resume, job search using the Internet). The applicant must
explain how it will keep track of electronic and information
technology equipment that is purchased with grant funds for use in an
individual's home. IV. Statement of Work A successful
applicant must initiate and/or expand its current support and social
services programs to include employment training and services for
people with significant disabilities and forge a link with the local
One-Stop Center. In developing these strategies, the applicant must
specifically outline its plan for: (1) Staffing and support of the
proposed project; (2) recruitment of people with significant
disabilities in the community who may benefit from employment
training and services; and (3) the acquisition, installation, and
maintenance of electronic and information technology (e.g.,
computers, computer software, fax machines, copiers, Internet,
distance learning equipment) either at the organization's location or
in the person with disabilities' home if necessary to implement the
proposed project. The applicant organizations must be prepared to
implement their proposed employment training and services programs in
accordance with the descriptions presented in their grant proposal. In
addition the applicant must: Provide a detailed plan for project goals,
objectives, and activities; Produce procedures and materials that
would enable other local community and faith-based organizations to
adopt the best practices derived from this project; Explain how
it will integrate employment training and employment services for
people with significant disabilities into the existing infrastructure
of the services and support it provides; and, Explain how it will work
within the local One-Stop Center(s) to address barriers to employment
for people with significant disabilities including those relating to
access to technology. Also, the grantees must be prepared to submit a
report of progress, six months after the award begins; and, a final
report describing the grant's achievements, upon the conclusion of
the award. These reports will be from three to six pages in length,
with no more than two pages exclusively devoted to a progress
narrative. V. Funding Availability The total amount of the
funds to be awarded is $300,000, with individual awards of between
$60,000 and $100,000. Accordingly, approximately three to five grants
will be awarded. It is expected that the funds used for this SGA will
support the costs associated with the development and implementation
of an employment services training program in a community and
faith-based organization, that, where feasible, employs the use of
information technology (e.g., computers, computer software, fax
machines, copiers, Internet, distance learning equipment).
VI. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants must be community and
faith-based organizations operating at the local level. They must be
public or private non-profit organizations, including community-based
and faith-based organizations, with a demonstrated record of service
to the community. States and other governmental entities are not
eligible. Under Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, an
organization, as described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, that engages in lobbying activities is not
eligible for the receipt of federal funds constituting an award,
grant, or loan. See 2 U.S.C. Sec. 1611; 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(4).
VII. Application Contents There are three required Parts and an
Appendix of the application. Requirements for each Part are provided
in this application package, as are all required forms. Part
I--Project Financial Plan (Budget). Part II--Executive Summary. Part
III--Project Narrative. Appendices--Letters of Commitment/Support, Resumes,
etc. General Requirements Two copies and an original of the
proposal must be submitted, one of which must contain an original
signature. Proposals must be submitted by the applicant only. Page
limits do not apply to the Project Financial Plan, the Executive
Summary, or the Appendices (assurances, resumes, bibliography or
references as appropriate, and letters of support.) A font size of at
least twelve point is required throughout. Part I--Project
Financial Plan (Budget) To be considered, applications must include a
detailed financial plan that identifies by line item the budget plan
designed to achieve the goals of this grant. The Project Financial
Plan must contain the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance,
(Appendix A) and an SF-424A Budget Information Sheet (Appendix B).
The Project Financial Plan (Budget) must include on a separate page a
detailed cost analysis of each line item. Justification for
administrative costs must be provided. Approval of a budget by DOL is
not the same as the approval of actual costs. The individual signing
the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant must represent and be able to
bind the responsible financial and administrative entity for a grant
should that application result in an award. Part II--Executive
Summary The application must contain an Executive Summary limited to
no more than two single-spaced, single-sided pages that are not
included in the overall page limit. Each application must provide a
grant synopsis that identifies the following: The Applicant's
capacity to administer this project including its demonstrated record
of service to the community; The geographic area to be served through this
grant; and [[Page 50714]] The amount of funding requested and
planned period of performance up to a year. Part III--Project
Narrative The project narrative must describe how the applicant, as
an employment service provider in the local One-Stop system, will
provide employment services for people with significant
disabilities. Specifically, the project narrative should set forth
the strategic plan to implement the Statement of Work set forth
earlier in this document. In developing the project narrative, the
following should be incorporated: A description of the population
to be served; A description of the employment training and/or
services to be provided; A description of the current, if any,
and/or proposed involvement with the local One-Stop Center; A
description of the applicant's experience, if any, in managing
resources through grant awards, from Federal, State or units of local
governments, and/or from private organizations; and A description of the
applicant's objectives, how the project results will be measured, and
who will be responsible for providing DOL with financial and other
information. This project narrative may not exceed 15 pages. The narrative
will be evaluated in accordance with the Evaluation
Criteria/Selection section of this document. A Technical Evaluation
Panel will assign scores that are based on how well the project
narrative meets the evaluation criteria described in Section VIII of
this solicitation. The panel will make recommendations to the Grant
officer who will make the final determination based on all available
information. VIII. Evaluation Criteria/Selection A.
Evaluation Criteria In evaluating the significance of the proposed
project, the Department will consider the following factors: (1).
The potential of the proposed project to impact the employment
opportunities of people with significant disabilities, including
persons whose disabilities arise from chronic illnesses; and, its
plans to work with the local One-Stop Center. (See Statement of Work
section on preceding pages of this document for further guidance on
what will be evaluated in this section of your proposal)--50
points (2). The current employment needs of people with
significant disabilities that this proposed project will attempt to
meet (offer any statistics, case studies or other information which
outline the reasons why the proposed grant program is needed in the
community)--20 points (3). The qualifications of available staff, including
volunteer staff (identify who will direct and/or operate your
proposed program and include in your proposal either resumes or brief
summary statements indicative of their capabilities to deliver the
proposed employment support services that you wish to fund under this
grant program)--10 points (4). Evidence of past community service
by the organization (either describe or include in the Appendices any
relevant articles, reports, statements, etc. which attest to the
organization's record of serving your community with any kind of
social services or support)--15 points (5). The methodology for measuring
success of this project. The objectives must be clearly defined and
the applicant must describe how it will report: (a) The number of
participants served; (b) the number of participants who received
employment; (c) the types of training and/ or services provided; and (d)
the number of applicants that were referred for more advanced job
training in the local One-Stop Center--5 points B. Selection
Criteria Acceptance of a proposal and an award of federal funds to
sponsor any program(s) is not a waiver of any grant requirement
and/or procedures. Awardees must comply with all applicable Federal
statutes, regulations, administrative requirements and OMB Circulars.
For example, the OMB circulars require, and an entity's
procurement procedures must require, that all procurement
transactions shall be conducted, as practical, to provide open and
free competition. If a proposal identifies a specific entity to
provide the services, the award does not provide the justification or
basis to sole-source the procurement, i.e., to avoid competition.
A panel will objectively rate each complete application against the
criteria described in this solicitation. The panel recommendations to
the Grant Officer are advisory in nature. The Grant Officer may elect
to award a cooperative agreement either with or without discussion
with the applicant. In situations where no discussion occurs, an
award will be based on the signed SF-424 form (see Appendix A), which
constitutes a binding offer. The Grant Officer may consider the
availability of funds and any information that is available and will
make final award decisions based on what is most advantageous to the
government, considering factors such as: 1. Findings of the
technical evaluation panel; 2. Geographic distribution of the competitive
applications; 3. Assuring a variety of program designs; and, 4. The
availability of funds. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of
the United States Constitution prohibits the government from directly
funding religious activity. These grants may not be used for
instruction in religion or sacred literature, worship, prayer,
proselytizing or other inherently religious practices. The services
provided under these grants must be secular and non-ideological.
Grant or sub-grant recipients, therefore, may not and will not be
defined by reference to religion. Neutral, secular criteria that
neither favor nor disfavor religion must be employed in their
selection. In addition, under the WIA and DOL regulations
implementing the Workforce Investment Act, a recipient may not employ
or train a participant in sectarian activities, or permit
participants to construct, operate, or maintain any part of a
facility that is primarily used or devoted to sectarian instruction
or worship. Under WIA, no individual shall be excluded from
participation in, denied the benefits of, subjected to discrimination
under, or denied employment in the administration of or in connection
with, any such program or activity because of race, color, religion,
sex (except as otherwise permitted under title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972), national origin, age, disability, or political
affiliation or belief. IX. Reporting The grantee must furnish
a progress report at the 6-month anniversary of the award; and a
final report due approximately 45 days from the day of completion of
the grant (approximately 12 months from the execution of the grant
award). These reports should be no more than two pages of narrative,
discussing the organization's efforts and progress in meeting the
objectives of its proposal. Additionally, these reports should
identify specific accounts of success in achieving employment
outcomes and other accomplishments of the grant. In addition, a brief
standard financial report will be required with each report.
[[Page 50715]] X. Administration Provisions A. Administrative
Standards and Provisions Grants awarded under this SGA are subject to
the following: 29 CFR Part 95-- Grants and Agreements With
Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit
Organizations, and With Commercial Organizations, Foreign
Governments, Organizations Under the Jurisdiction of Foreign
Governments, and International Organizations 29 CFR Part 96--Audit
Requirements for Grants, Contracts and Other Agreements B.
Allowable Cost Determinations of allowable costs shall be made in
accordance with the following applicable Federal cost principles:
Nonprofit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122 Profit will not be
considered an allowable cost in any case. C. Grant Non-Discrimination
Assurances As a condition of the award the applicant must certify that
it will comply with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity
provisions of the following laws: 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 Disability
in Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from
Federal Assistance. (Implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act, 29 U.S.C. 794) 29 CFR Part 36--Nondiscrimination on the
Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal
Financial Assistance (Implementing Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) 29 CFR Part
37--Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) (Implementing Section 188 of
the Workforce Investment Act, 29 U.S.C. 2938) The applicant must
include assurances and certifications that it will comply with these
laws in its grant application. The assurances and certifications are
attached as Appendix C. Signed at Washington, DC this 30th day of,
July 2002. Lawrence J. Kuss, Grant Officer. Appendix A. Application
for Federal Assistance, Form SF 424 Appendix B. Budget Information Sheet,
Form SF 424A Appendix C. Assurances and Certifications Signature Page
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