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[Federal Register: August 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 150)]
[Notices]
[Page 50723-50736]
From the Federal Register Online via
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05au02-106]
[[Page 50723]]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Disability Employment Policy
Telework/Telecommuting Pilot Demonstration Grant for Adults
with
Significant Disabilities
AGENCY: Office of Disability
Employment Policy, DOL.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and
Solicitation for Grant
Applications (SGA) for Telework/Telecommuting
Pilot Demonstrations (SGA
02-16).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (``DOL'' or
``Department''),
Office of Disability Employment Policy (``ODEP''),
announces the
availability of $1,000,000 to award one competitive
grant to support
the implementation and evaluation of three pilot
demonstration projects
involving DOL and two other Federal agencies
over a period of 24 months
designed to evaluate the extent to and the
manner in which various
home-based telework/telecommuting
arrangements can enhance the
employment of people with disabilities.
This solicitation responds to
an expression of Congressional intent
in the Conference Report to
ODEP's FY 2002 appropriation to set up
these programs and to ``include
in these pilots all appropriate
positions, whether the work is
performed in-house, contracted, or
outsourced in the types of jobs
which can be performed from home,
such as customer service/call contact
centers, and claims, loan or
financial transaction processing
operations.'' (H. Conf. Rep. No.
342, 107th Cong., 1st Sess. (2001)).
Integral to the pilot projects
will be tailored/individualized
training, appropriate technology, and
supportive mechanisms (e.g.,
reasonable accommodations, job coaching,
shadowing, mentoring,
customized employment, etc.).
A critical
element of this endeavor will be the generation of data
and
information on successful strategies and approaches to telework/
telecommuting, the difficulties and challenges that may be
encountered,
and mechanisms for addressing these challenges. This
data will be used
by DOL and other Federal entities in considering
the development of
telework/telecommuting options as an alternative
to more traditional
types of employment, particularly for people with
significant
disabilities.
The funds for this solicitation will be
used to develop, implement,
and evaluate three discrete pilot
demonstration projects. The first
pilot will be conducted at the U.S.
Department of Labor and will
involve the Labor Department's current
call center operation. The other
two pilot projects must involve two
other types of jobs that can be
performed from home such as customer
service, claims, loan, financial
transaction or processing operations
in two additional Federal
agencies.
These pilot demonstration
projects will be staggered; each pilot
will begin at a different
time. Each pilot will run for a total of nine
months--six months for
a training/trial work period, and an additional
three months for
follow-up. The grantee funded under this solicitation
must: (1)
Identify positions appropriate for home-based work among the
three
Federal agencies included in the overall project; (2) equip and
train
qualified individuals with significant disabilities for these
positions; and (3) report on the results of the
telework/telecommuting
pilot.
DATES: One ink-signed
original, completed grant application plus two
copies of the
Technical Proposal and two copies of the Cost Proposal
must be
submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services
Center, Attention: Grant Officer Reference SGA 02-16, 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
Services
Center by that time.
ADDRESSES: Applications must
be directed to the U.S. Department of
Labor, Procurement Services
Center, Attention: Grant Officer, Reference
SGA 02-16, 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 requirement may be downloaded from the
Office of
Disability Employment Policy's Web site at
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www2.dol.gov/odep.
Questions concerning this solicitation should be
directed to
Cassandra Willis at phone (202) 693-4570 (this is not a
toll-free
number). Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact
the
Department via the Federal Relay Service, (800) 877-8339.
Late Proposals:
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(s) by
contacting Cassandra Willis, U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement
Services Center, at (202) 693-4570, 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 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.
[[Page
50724]]
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, Public Law
106-554, 114
Stat. 2763; 29 U.S.C. 557b; DOL, HHS, Education and
Related
Appropriations Act, 2002, Public Law 107-116, 115 Stat.
2177.
II. Background
The mission of the Office of Disability
Employment Policy (ODEP) 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 fosters the
creation of employment opportunities by
building partnerships with
both public and private sector employers,
and with regional and local
agencies to: (1) Increase their awareness
and experience the benefits
of employing people with disabilities,
including significant
disabilities; and (2) facilitate the use of
effective strategies to
accomplish this goal.
Workers with significant disabilities are an
important and
insufficiently tapped resource for employers. As such,
ODEP is
committed to ensuring appropriate skills development and
training
opportunities, and supporting and encouraging the creative
use of
alternative employment strategies and employment supports for
this
population segment. Congress included $1,000,000 in FY 2002 for
ODEP to
explore the feasibility of developing and extending
home-based
telework/telecommuting options to people with significant
disabilities
through an evaluation of pilot demonstration projects.
(H. Conf. Rep.
No. 342, 107th Cong., 1st Sess. (2001)).
In
general, ``telework/telecommuting'' is a collective term for a
wide
variety of work arrangements. Teleworkers/telecommuters may be
employees or independent contractors who may work full-time or part-
time.
In addition teleworkers/telecommuters may work from home or a
telecenter all of the time, or may alternate between the two. For the
purposes of this solicitation, telework/telecommuting will refer to
home-based settings only.
As a general matter, telework/telecommuting
provides opportunities
for all employees and employers seeking
alternative employment options.
For employers, telework/telecommuting
can be useful in solving business
problems by decreasing certain
overhead costs; satisfying fluctuating
demands for additional office
and parking space; and helping its
employees balance work and family
demands and thereby increase their
loyalty, productivity, and
retention. For certain employees, telework/
telecommuting is appealing
because it can eliminate long commutes, and
is flexible--allowing for
balancing of work and home life, and reduced
workplace
distractions.
For people with significant disabilities,
telework/telecommuting
sometimes presents the most viable opportunity
to work, due to the lack
of reliable and available employment
supports such as transportation
and personal assistance. While
telework/telecommuting is not a complete
solution to the employment
barriers encountered by persons with
significant disabilities,
home-based work can be an effective way of
bringing persons with
severe or significant disabilities who have
limited ability to leave
their homes into the workforce.
Effective telework/telecommuting policies
are key to successful
telework/ telecommuting arrangements for
persons with and without
disabilities. Accordingly, the best
practices derived from this project
are likely to have utility
extending beyond the employment of people
with disabilities to the
population generally.
III. Purpose and Parameters
The purpose
of the grant award is to explore using telework/
telecommuting in
innovative ways in Federal agencies to support high
quality
employment for people with significant disabilities.
Specifically, it
will provide DOL and other participating agencies with
a means to
assess the extent to which tailored/individualized training,
appropriate technology, and supportive mechanisms (e.g., reasonable
accommodations, job coaching, shadowing, mentoring, customized
employment, etc.) can facilitate various telework/telecommuting
arrangements for people with significant disabilities. Through its
evaluation research component, the grant will also generate data on
both the benefits and the challenges encountered in creating
home-based
telework/telecommuting options for people with
significant
disabilities.
All forms necessary to prepare an
application are included in this
SGA. Additional forms can be
obtained from the following OMB Web site
address:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/grants/forms.html.
In responding to the
SGA, the applicant must take into account the
following parameters of
this project:
The award will support one
grant that will be used to
develop, implement, evaluate, and
disseminate information that can
increase critical knowledge of and
provide data about ``best
practices'' in a home-based
telework/telecommuting environment for
people with significant
disabilities.
The first pilot will be conducted at the U.S.
Department
of Labor and will involve the Labor Department's current
call center
operation. The other two pilot projects will involve two
of the
following: customer service, claims, loan, financial
transaction or
processing centers in two additional Federal
agencies.
For the purposes of this solicitation, ``telework/
telecommuting'' is defined as work performed in a home-based
workstation.
The grantee must: (1) Identify appropriate positions
within the three Federal agencies included in the overall project;
(2)
equip and train qualified individuals with significant
disabilities for
these positions; and (3) report on the results of
the telework/
telecommuting pilot.
A person with a ``significant
disability'' for purposes of
this SGA is defined as an adult to whom
one or more of the following
applies: (1) Is a long-term user of a
mobility aid (e.g., a cane or
wheel chair); (2) Is unable, or needs
assistance, to see, hear, or
climb stairs; or (3) Is unable, or needs
assistance, to get around
inside the home, dress, eat, or prepare
meals.
During each nine-month pilot, the telework/telecommuting
participants recruited as part of this solicitation will be employees
of the applicant's organization. The applicant, therefore, may use
grant funds to cover their employment costs (e.g., salaries,
benefits,
assistive technology, reasonable accommodations).
Telework/
telecommuting participants are to be compensated at prevailing
rates
equal to that of other trainees or employees with similar
training,
experience, and skills, performing similar work and such
rates shall be
in accordance with applicable
[[Page
50725]]
law, but in no event less than the higher of the rate
specified in
section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
(29 U.S.C.
206(a)(1)) or the applicable State or local minimum wage
law.
Applicants must prepare an evaluation plan for the three
pilot demonstration projects which is to include, at a minimum: (1)
The
number of individuals with disabilities participating in
telework/
telecommuting positions; (2) the participants' attrition rates;
(3)
information on the performance of such individuals in comparison
to
people without significant disabilities performing similar jobs in
the
participating agency; and (4) the feasibility of employing
more
individuals with disabilities in home-based work in other
Federal
agency positions.
The success of telework/telecommuting
for people with
significant disabilities will be measured in terms of
growth (e.g.,
skills development, production, hiring level, etc.) and
stability.
Training will be a critical element in the pilot
demonstrations
inasmuch as it will be important that participants
recruited for the
pilot projects enhance their current skills level
and develop
additional skills and abilities to perform
telework/telecommuting
tasks. Accordingly, the applicant must
describe the procedures and
approach it will use to ensure that the
particpants' training provides
them with the specific skills needed
for the target occupation,
including the operation of relevant
equipment, including assistive
technology. The applicant must also
discuss how it will assess and
provide appropriate
telework/telecommuting supports, needed
accommodations, and training
in self-management skills.
In some cases, Federal agencies, such as DOL,
contract for
services such as call centers, claims processing, and
application
processing. Applicants should note that if the Federal
agency that is
to be a part of this demonstration uses a contractor
for a job function
which is potentially appropriate for home-based
telework/telecommuting
environment, the agency must agree to assist
the applicant in working
with the Federal contractor to identify
appropriate positions for the
pilot demonstration project.
The
applicant must describe the procedures and approaches
it will use in
cases where modifications (e.g., telephone lines,
software,
technology, etc.) may be required to facilitate the pilot
demonstration projects (e.g., a contracted call center facility).
Grant
funds may be used for this purpose. This kind of facilitation
may be
accomplished in a number of ways, for example, by a
subcontract with
the contracted call center under which the call
center purchases and
installs all of the appropriate equipment, or by
direct purchase and
installation by the grantee with the consent of
the call center
contractor.
IV. Statement of Work
The applicant must design and implement pilot demonstration
projects
that incorporate research-based best practices, or that
develop and
evaluate additional practices that are flexible, unique,
and
innovative.
The successful applicant will develop and outline strategies
to
integrate specific job functions, ordinarily performed at a
centrally
located facility, into home-based work settings. Therefore,
the
applicant must include specific details concerning its personnel
and
support capacity for the pilot demonstration projects; the
procedures
and approaches for the recruitment, retention, and
management of people
with significant disabilities who prefer
home-based telework/
telecommuting; the acquisition, installation, and
maintenance of
equipment that will be required; necessary security;
job task training,
quality assurance, supervision, and technical
assistance and training
for the Federal agency and contractor (if
applicable) supporting the
pilot demonstrations.
The applicant
must describe the methods and procedures for
collecting, analyzing,
and reporting data from the evaluation of the
pilot demonstration
projects. The applicant must describe the
procedures and approaches
for working with three Federal agencies (the
Department of Labor and
two other Federal agencies) in order to
implement the various
strategies proposed in relation to the specific
employment situation
in each agency (e.g., call center, claims
processing, and/or
application processing activity.) Additionally, the
applicant must
provide:
(1) a detailed management plan for project goals, objectives,
and
activities;
(2) a detailed timeline for phasing in the three
pilot
demonstration projects on a staggered basis; conducting
evaluations of
the pilots; and producing and submitting a final
report;
(3) a detailed outline for an evaluation research design
which
includes: (a) A justification of appropriate evaluation
methodology;
(b) a descriptions of the outcome measures expected to
be used to
evaluate the pilot demonstration projects and determine
the
effectiveness of each; and (c) an explanation of how the
evaluation
information and data collected on the pilot demonstration
projects will
be aggregated and analyzed for the purpose of providing
useful
information about the overall feasibility of home-based
telework/
telecommuting for people with significant disabilities
performing
Federal sector jobs;
(4) documentation (e.g., letter
of intent, memorandum of agreement)
which reflects that each Federal
agency which is to be included in the
pilot demonstration project is
committed to participating and working
cooperatively with the
applicant; or alternatively, a description of
the process the
applicant will use to recruit, enlist, and secure
cooperation with
each Federal agency the applicant wishes to include in
the
projects;
(5) a description detailing a plan for designing three
distinct
telework/ telecommuting pilots in different environments.
The first
pilot will be conducted at the U.S. Department of Labor and
will
involve the Labor Department's current call center operation.
The other
two pilot projects must involve two other types of jobs
that can be
performed from home such as customer service, claims,
loan, financial
transaction or processing operations in two
additional Federal
agencies.
(6) a description of the procedures
and approaches that will be
used to integrate home-based
telework/telecommuting into the existing
infrastructure of any
organizations currently providing contractual
services within
participating Federal agencies; and identify positions
appropriate
for home-based telework/telecommuting within the three
Federal
agencies included in the overall project; and address and
resolve any
problems and barriers;
(7) a description of the procedures and approaches
which the
applicant will use to: (a) Recruit and retain pilot
demonstration
participants; (b) employ pilot demonstration
participants for up to
nine months; (c) replace participants who drop
out of the project, to
the extent that funds and time will allow; and
(d) address and resolve
any other problems and barriers;
(8) a
description of the procedures and approaches the applicant
will use
for: (a) The acquisition, installation, and maintenance of
required
equipment and implementation of necessary security measures;
(b) job
task training, quality assurance, and supervision; and (c) for
providing technical assistance and training to the entity(ies)
providing contractual services to the Federal government in jobs
appropriate for home-based telework/telecommuting
[[Page 50726]]
which are to be included in the pilot demonstrations;
(9) a detailed
description of procedures and materials that would
enable others to
replicate the successful strategies developed; and
(10) a description of
procedures and approaches which will be used
to provide ongoing
communication and collaboration with, and input from
ODEP's Project
Officer on all grant-related activities.
Utilizing grant funds, the
applicant must support the travel cost
associated with sending at
least one representative for two days to the
annual ODEP Grantees'
training conference, to be held in Washington,
DC.
V.
Funding Availability and Period of Performance
The period of
performance will be 24 months from the date of the
execution of the
award unless extended by the Government. The amount of
the grant
awarded will be $1,000,000. It is expected that the costs
associated
with each individual pilot will vary, as the job functions/
tasks and
technology required to perform home-based teleworking/
telecommuting within
a participating agency will be different. The
funds used for this SGA
will support the costs associated with the
development and
implementation of the three Federal pilot demonstration
projects, one
of which is to be at DOL, to determine whether, and to
what extent,
home-based telework/telecommuting represents viable
employment
alternative for people with significant disabilities and for
Federal
agencies. To this end, the applicant may use the available
funds to
conduct a variety of activities to support these pilots such
as
recruitment, retention, training, acquiring needed technology and
equipment, making modifications, planning, management activities, and
evaluations. To the extent possible, the applicant should provide
specific cost estimates and justifications for costs in its
application. With the agreement of the grantee, the Department also
may
elect to change, modify, and/or supplement this grant during
this
period based on the Department's needs.
VI. Eligible
Applicants
Applications will be accepted from both for profit and
non-profit
organizations. States and other governmental entities are
ineligible.
Applicants must have demonstrated experience in
employment and
disability research, and have demonstrated experience
and capacity for
providing services related to telework/telecommuting
or technology
generally for people with disabilities. According to
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 will not be eligible for
the receipt of Federal
funds constituting an award, grant, or loan.
[See 2 U.S.C. 1611; 26
U.S.C. 501(c)(4).]
VII. Application
Contents
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. There
are three
required sections of the application. Requirements for each
section are
provided in this application package.
Part
I--Executive Summary
The Executive Summary may not be more than two
single-spaced pages
in length giving a clear summary of the project
narrative.
Part II--Project Narrative--(Appendices--Letters of
Commitment/Support,
Resumes, etc.)
Applicants must include a
narrative that addresses the Statement of
Work in Part IV of the
notice and the evaluation/selection criteria in
Part VIII that will
be used by reviewers in evaluating the application.
You must limit
Part II to the equivalent of no more than 75 pages using
the
following standard. This page limit does not apply to Part I the
Executive Summary; Part III the Project Financial Plan (Budget); and,
the Appendices (the assurances and certifications, resumes, a
bibliography or references, and the documentation of
commitment/letters
of support).
A page is 8.5'' x 11'' (on one
side only) with one-inch margins
(top, bottom, and sides). All text
in the application narrative,
including titles, headings, footnotes,
quotations, and captions, as
well as all text in charts, tables,
figures, and graphs must be double-
spaced (no more than three lines per
vertical inch); and, if using a
proportional computer font, use no
smaller than a 12-point font, and an
average character density no
greater than 18 characters per inch (if
using a non-proportional font
or a typewriter, do not use more than 12
characters per inch.)
Part III--Project Financial Plan (Budget)
Applications must
include a detailed financial plan, which
identifies by line item the
budget plan designed to achieve the goals
of this grant. The
Financial Plan must contain the SF-424, Application
for Federal
Assistance, (Appendix A) and a Budget Information Sheet SF-
424A (Appendix
B).
In addition, the 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
legally bind the responsible financial and administrative entity for
a
grant should that application result in an award. The applicant
must
also include the Assurances and Certifications Signature Page
(Appendix
C).
VIII. Evaluation Criteria/Selection
A. Evaluation Criteria
The application must include appropriate
information of the type
described below.
1. Significance of the
Proposed Project (25 points)
In determining the significance of the
proposed project, the
Department considers the following factors:
a. The potential contribution of the proposed project to increase
knowledge or understanding of problems, issues, or effective
strategies
for providing home-based telework/telecommuting options to
people with
significant disabilities as an alternative to traditional
types of
employment;
b. The extent to which the proposed project
is likely to yield
findings that may be used by other appropriate
agencies and
organizations;
c. The extent to which the proposed
project involves the
development or demonstration of promising new
strategies that build
upon, or are alternatives to, existing
strategies;
d. The likely utility of the products (such as
information,
materials, processes, or techniques) that will result
from the proposed
project, including their potential for being used
effectively in a
variety of other settings;
e. The extent to
which the promising practices of the proposed
project are to be
disseminated in ways that will enable others to use
the information
or strategies;
f. The potential replicability (national significance) of
the
proposed project or strategies, including, as appropriate,
the
potential for implementation in a variety of settings; and
g.
The importance or magnitude of the results that are likely to be
attained by the proposed project.
[[Page 50727]]
2. Quality
of the Project Design (20 points)
In evaluating the quality of the proposed
project design, the
Department considers the following factors:
a. The adequacy of the documentation submitted in support of the
proposed project to demonstrate the commitment of each Federal agency
which is be included in the pilot demonstration or alternatively the
quality of the plan that the applicant will use to recruit, enlist,
and
secure cooperation of Federal agencies which the applicant wishes
to
include in the projects;
b. The extent to which the proposal
provides a description
detailing a plan for designing three distinct
pilot programs, in three
different telework/telecommuting
environments, with DOL and two
additional Federal agencies.
c.
The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
d.
The extent to which the proposal incorporates the 9 key
activities
identified in Part IV, the Statement of Work;
e. The extent to which the
design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will
successfully address the needs of the target
population and other
identified needs;
f. The extent to which the design of the proposed project
can
identify barriers and challenges associated with providing
home-based
telework/telecommuting options to persons with
disabilities;
g. The extent to which the proposed project is designed to
build
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period
of this
grant;
h. The extent to which the design of the proposed
project reflects
a review of disability related literature,
up-to-date knowledge of
research and effective practices relating to
planning and implementing
telework/telecommuting options, and the use
of appropriate
methodological tools to ensure successful achievement
of project
objectives;
i. The extent to which the applicant
encourages involvement of
people with significant disabilities most
likely to benefit from home-
based telework/telecommuting options, and
relevant experts, and
organizations in project activities; and
j.
The extent to which performance feedback and continuous
improvement
are integral to the design of the proposed project.
k. The extent to which
the design of the proposed project
incorporates measures adequate to
ensure that the current employees of
a Federal contractor or Federal
agency involved in the pilot project do
not suffer a loss of wages,
are not displaced, and are not deprived of
any rights conferred as a
result of a collective bargaining agreement
or an existing contract
for their services or as a result of grant
activities.
3. Quality
of Project Personnel (15 points)
The Project Narrative must describe the
proposed staffing of the
project and must identify and summarize the
qualifications of the
personnel who will carry it out. The Project
Narrative should also
describe how the applicant plans to comply with
the employment
discrimination and equal employment opportunity
requirements of the
various laws listed in the assurances
section.
In addition, the Department considers the qualifications,
including
relevant education, training and experience of key project
personnel as
well as the qualifications, including relevant training
and experience
of project consultants or subcontractors. Resumes must
be included in
the Appendices.
4. Budget and Resource Capacity
(10 points)
In evaluating the capacity of the applicant to carry out
the
proposed project, the Department considers the following
factors:
a. The applicant's demonstrated experience in employment
and
disability research, and in providing services related to
telework/
telecommuting or technology generally for people with
disabilities;
b. The extent to which the budget is adequate to support
the
proposed project; and
c. The extent to which the anticipated
costs are reasonable in
relation to the objectives, design, and
potential significance of the
proposed project.
5. Quality of the
Management Plan (10 points)
In evaluating the quality of the management
plan for the proposed
project, the Department considers the following
factors:
a. The extent to which the management plan for project
implementation appears likely to achieve the objectives of the
proposed
project on time and within budget, and includes clearly
defined staff
responsibilities, time allocation to project
activities, time lines,
milestones for accomplishing project tasks,
and project deliverables;
b. The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring
high-quality products
and services relating to the scope of work for
the proposed project;
and
c. The extent to which the time
commitments of the project director
and principal investigator and
other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the
objectives of the proposed
project.
6. Quality of the Project
Evaluation (20 points)
In evaluating the quality of the project's
evaluation design, the
Department considers the following
factors:
a. The extent to which the methods of evaluation are
thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives,
context, and
outcomes of the proposed project;
b. The extent to
which the methods of evaluation include the use of
objective
performance measures that are clearly related to the intended
outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative
data;
c. The extent to which the evaluation will provide information
to
the Federal government and other employers about effective
telework/
telecommuting strategies suitable for replication or testing in
other
settings; and
d. The extent to which the methods of
evaluation measure in both
quantitative and qualitative terms program
results and satisfaction of
adults with disabilities.
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. The selected applicant 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.,
avoid competition.
A panel will objectively rate each complete application
against the
criteria described in this SGA. The panel recommendations
to the Grant
Officer are advisory in nature. The Grant Officer may
elect to award
grants 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
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information that is available
and will make final award decisions based
on what is most
advantageous to the government, considering factors
such as:
(1)
The findings of the grant technical evaluation panel; and
(2) The
geographic distribution of the sites of the three
demonstration
projects.
IX. Reporting
The selected applicant must submit on
a quarterly basis, beginning
ninety days from the award of the grant,
financial and participation
reports under this program as prescribed
by OMB Circulars A-110
codified at 29 CFR part 95. Specifically the
following reports will be
required:
1. Quarterly report: The
quarterly report is estimated to take five
hours to complete. The
form for the Quarterly Report will be provided
by ODEP. The
Department will work with the grantee to help refine the
requirements
of the report, which, among other things, will include
measures of
ongoing analysis for continuous improvement;
2. Standard Form 269:
Financial Status Report Form: This form is to
be completed on a
quarterly basis.
3. Final Project Report: The Final Project Report is to
include an
assessment of project performance and outcomes achieved.
It is
estimated that this report will take twenty hours to complete.
This
report will be submitted in hard copy and on electronic disk
using a
format and following instructions, which will be provided by
the
Department. A draft of the final report is due to the Department
thirty
days before the termination of the grant. The final report is
due to
DOL 60 days following the termination of the grant.
The
Department will arrange for an independent evaluation of
outcomes,
impacts, and benefits of the project. The selected applicant
must
make records and data available to external evaluation personnel,
as
specified by the Department.
X. Administration Provisions
A.
Administrative Standards and Provisions
Applicants are strongly
encouraged to read these regulations before
submitting a proposal.
The grant awarded under this SGA shall be
subject to the following as
applicable:
(1) 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
(2) 29 CFR part 96--Audit
Requirements for Grants, Contracts, and
Other Agreements.
B.
Allowable Cost
Determinations of allowable costs are made in
accordance with the
following applicable Federal cost principles:
(1) Nonprofit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122
(2) Profit-making
Commercial Firms--48 CFR part 31
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 fully 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.)
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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[FR Doc. 02-19640 Filed 8-2-02; 8:45 am]
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