U.S.
Department of Labor
Employment
& Training Administration
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1. PURPOSE: To announce a limited grant competition for
additional Older Americans Act (OAA) funds in the amount of $2.3 million to
conduct private sector projects under Section 502(e) of the OAA. The
competition is limited to current SCSEP grantees. 2. REFERENCES:
Older Worker Bulletins No.
94-12, No. 97-7, No. 98-15, No. 00-13 and No. 01- 8. 3. BACKGROUND:
Section 502(e)(1)
of the OAA Amendments of 2000 authorizes the Department to conduct projects
providing SCSEP participants with second career training and placement
opportunities with private business concerns. Such projects can facilitate the
achievement of economic self-sufficiency for SCSEP participants. In addition,
Section 502(e) provides grantees and subgrantees with opportunities to initiate
or enhance their relationships with the private sector, fostering collaboration
with the One-Stop Delivery System, improving their ability to meet and exceed
performance standards, and broadening the range of options available to SCSEP
participants, including new work modes such as flex-time, job sharing, and other
arrangements relating to reduced physical exertion. OAA Title V funds, in the
amount of $2.3 million, are available for obligation and expenditure for 502(e)
projects in Program Year (PY) 2002. Section 502(e) projects can
be effective tools to move participants into unsubsidized employment. These
projects may assist SCSEP grantees to become more active partners in the
One-Stop System by having another resource to offer employers and applicants.
Further, OAA Section 502(e) projects may be the best vehicle for obtaining job
placements in the private for-profit sector, where wages and fringe benefits
often exceed those in the public or non-profit sectors. The private sector, particularly the private for-profit sector, should
be involved in the development and implementation of each project. ETA plans to
fund several grants, ranging considerably in size, for Section 502(e) projects
to be conducted during PY 2002.
Although the amount of available funding is small, the flexibility to
work in the private sector often produces positive results. The main
differences between the Section 502(e) projects and regular SCSEP activities
are: Sec. 502(e) projects are not required to
have community service project components; Sec. 502(e) private sector training
activities are focused solely on providing SCSEP-eligible individuals with second career training
and placement opportunities and other assistance necessary to obtain
unsubsidized employment in the private sector; and Sec. 502(e) projects do not require non-federal matching funds. Generally, a
project should not be proposed if it can be conducted within the regular SCSEP
program guidelines without the flexibility provided by Section 502(e). Applicants should note that the overall
requirement that 75 percent of SCSEP grant funds be used for wages and fringe
benefits applies to the entire SCSEP grant, including any Section 502(e)
modifications. (OW Bulletin No.
01-09). 4. ACTION: Grantees
are encouraged to compete for the available funds. For PY 2002, each Section
502(e) project must be identified separately. Multiple projects bundled under
one "umbrella" proposal are acceptable, where appropriate. An
applicant/grantee may submit multiple proposed projects within a single proposal;
however, each project that is included in a single proposal must have an
identifiable budget and narrative. 5. PLANS: ETA plans to fund several grant modifications,
ranging in size from $50,000 to $1 million, for Section 502(e) projects to be
conducted during PY 2002, including but not to exceed, the period that will end
August 31, 2003. Grant modifications
for Section 502(e) projects will be awarded using the criteria and procedures
outlined in this bulletin. In addition, a limited amount of funds may be reserved
for technical assistance and other materials related to fostering Section
502(e) program activities and other matters of interest to SCSEP grantees. 6. PROCEDURES: A review panel will consider
the applications against the criteria detailed below. The panel results will be
advisory in nature, and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer may
decide to fund some but not all projects from those proposed under an umbrella
proposal. The Department may elect to award the grant with or without discussions.
In situations without discussions, an award will be based on the applicant’s
signature on the form SF 424, which constitutes a binding offer. Awards will be
made based on the best interest of the Government. 7. SECTION
502(e) TRAINING PROJECT APPLICATION OUTLINE AND CRITERIA: Applicants must prepare their application using the
following outline. Please note that
there is a 15-page limit. The panel
will only read the first 15 pages of applications. If an application exceeds the 15-page limit, the panel will not
read beyond page 15. a. Target Populations. (15 Points)
Describe the participant and employer populations to be targeted. Include such information as: Where are they located? Are the locations rural, urban, or
suburban? What are the recent poverty
and unemployment rates for those areas?
What are the expected participants’ skill and education levels? What barriers to employment, if any, do your
expected participants face, including those who are minorities, have limited
English proficiency or disabilities, or are Indian-eligible individuals? What percentage of the expected participants
face each of those barriers? What
additional services will the project provide to assist those with barriers to
employment? What training
does the target population need to obtain employment in the area? Is/Are
the community(ies) economically depressed?
Describe how the community will benefit as a result of this project. b. Service Strategy, Benefits to Participants. (25 points)
Describe the service strategy you propose to meet the needs of
participants you plan to serve. How
will participants benefit from participation in the Section 502(e)
program? How will you recruit and
select participants? How will your
service strategy prepare participants for the skills and positions employers
require? How do you propose to match
participants’ skills and interests with employers? How will you ensure that participants have the support they need
to stay in their positions (transportation and dependent care assistance, other
supportive services)? How will
participants benefit from the program, both on and off the job? (Will they
obtain new career and life skills? If
so, which ones? Will the project
address significant barriers to employment or participation in community
life? Which barriers?) Why do you expect the proposed jobs will be
a good match for the SCSEP-eligible participants you propose to serve? What is the
expected average wage at placement? c. Service Strategy, Benefits to Employers. (20 Points) How will employers benefit from participation in the Section
502(e) program? What employer needs will be addressed? How will the service
strategy prepare participants for the skills and positions employers require? Successful applicants
for Section 502(e) projects generally have expected entered employment rates
(EER) of 75 percent and above. What is
your project’s expected EER? (The EER
is calculated by dividing the number of participants placed in unsubsidized
jobs by the total number of Section 502(e) project participants.) What is the
expected retention rate 6 months after placement? How will you
recruit and select employers for participation in the program? Describe the steps you will take to ensure
your program is meeting the needs of the employers you are serving. Describe how
employers have been or will be involved in designing your Section 502(e)
program. Which employers or employer
association will be involved in the program?
d. Cost Reasonableness.
(15 points) Any average cost over $2500 per participant will be
considered carefully in view of the nature of the training and prospective
placements. The cost per placement is
the Federal cost divided by the number of participants. Applicants should address the
following: What is the expected cost
per placement (the total Federal cost of the project divided by the number
of participants placed)? Are there additional non-Federal resources
provided, such as donations or contributions from the private sector? Describe
how the project will coordinate with adult services under WIA and participate
in One-Stops in the project’s service area.
Does the applicant
coordinate with a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) partner (Welfare to Work,
Vocational Rehabilitation, etc.)? Does
this increase the value and quality of services offered to the participants? To
what extent are there firm commitments through any partner, which would result
in lower costs and/or increase the quality of the training. Submit the project budget and
a budget narrative (maximum two pages).
The budget should include the Federal share of funds allocated among the
following categories: Administration: This category includes the cost of providing adequate
management of the project. Enrollee
Wages and Fringe Benefits (EWFB): This
category includes the cost of wages and fringe benefits connected with work
experience, or stipends to attend classroom or other special training. In the narrative, this should be broken out
in number of slots, expected number of participants to move through the slots,
hours of training per enrollee, and anticipated cost per enrollee for training
leading to unsubsidized placement.
NOTE: Reimbursement to employers
for the costs of on-the-job training should be charged to the EWFB cost
category. Other
Enrollee Costs: This category includes the costs of
providing training, counseling and supportive services. A budget form SF 424 A
(Sections A and B only) should be completed for the project. Budgets should include a detailed cost
breakout in the same manner as is provided for in the regular SCSEP
grants. If more than one discrete
project is submitted, in addition to a single budget application indicating
total costs for all proposed projects, separate budget sheets should be
submitted for each project along with sufficient information to determine the
costs associated with each project. e. Administration/Ability
to Implement Project Quickly. (20 points)
Briefly describe how the
project will be administered, including the staff structure, lines of
authority, and potential sub-grantees, if any.
Describe the applicant’s role in the project. Applicants must provide a
discussion of the strategy for project implementation. Is it anticipated that
the project will start no later than one month after funding? Provide a timeline
for implementation that includes how many days after award it will take to hire
and train staff, recruit participants to the program, provide training to
participants, place participants in assignments, and any other major steps,
using the service strategy (Criteria b and c) as a guide. f. Emphasis on New Work
Modes. (5 points) Are there proposal features that support the
legislative direction at Section 502(e) (2) (A) that the projects involve
second career training, innovative work modes such as flex-time, job sharing,
flexi-place, and reduced physical activity?
Please describe these features. TOTAL............................................100
points 8. OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS: Applicants may be funded for more or less
than the proposed amount. If more applications are received than available
dollars can accommodate, ETA will fund as many applicants as feasible.
Geographic distribution will be taken into consideration as well. 9. SCHEDULE: Section 502(e) grant application packages
under this competition must be received at the ETA Office below no later than
4:00 PM July 15, 2002 or must be post marked on or before July 12, 2002*. Acceptable
Methods Of Submission. Due to the erratic mail delivery in the
Washington, D.C. area, in addition to using the U.S. Postal Service or
overnight delivery, applicants can submit their applications via
E-Mail. In submitting by E-Mail, the
return receipt option must be utilized in order to verify receipt of the
application (see instructions below); and, an originally signed
signature sheet, along with a copy of the grantee's E-Mail/written verification
of receipt, must follow via overnight mail. E-mailed applications will be accepted in Microsoft WORD only and
should be addressed to JCarter@doleta.gov. Prior to sending
the E-Mail, click on "file," go to "properties, return
notification," and then click on "mail receipt." The sender will automatically receive an
E-Mail notification when the E-Mail message is opened. Send the completed and
signed grant application (maximum 15 pages) and four copies to: U.S.
Department of Labor - ETA Division
of Federal Assistance ATTN.:
JACQUELYN CARTER- SGA 200
Constitution Avenue NW, Room S-4203 Washington
D.C. 20210 *LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT
BE ACCEPTED! 10. RECISION: Older Worker
Bulletin No. 01-8 11. INQUIRIES: Questions should be directed to your Federal
Representative at (202) 693-3842 or Jacquelyn Carter at 693-3339.
___________________________ ____________________________ ERICH W. ("RIC")
LARISCH SHIRLEY
M. SMITH Chief Administrator Division of Older Worker
Programs Office of Adult Services ________________________________ LORRAINE H. SAUNDERS Grant Officer Division of Federal Assistance Office of Grants and Contract Management TDNO:Blunz-Merickson/MJ/5-21-02/N5636
Cc:
Saunders/Smith/Larisch/Files- s:/ostp/dowp/bulletins.02/02-09 SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ON APPLICATION PROCEDURES
FOR PROJECTS UNDER SECTION 502(E) OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT (OAA) 1. Purpose. This attachment
describes plans and procedures for the training and employment activities
authorized by OAA Section 502(e). 2. Background and
Introduction. Section 502(e)(1) of the OAA states that the Secretary of Labor " shall conduct projects that are
designed to assure second career training and the placement of eligible individuals
into employment opportunities with private business concerns." To comply
with this section, the DOL has undertaken limited competitions during the past
several years. In addition, all SCSEP
grantees are invited to initiate projects that comply with the SCSEP
Regulations at 29 CFR section 641.326, in conjunction with their regular Title
V activities. Although the amount of available funding is small, the
flexibility to work in the private sector often produces positive results. 3. Permissible Activities
and Private Sector Emphasis. The objective of all Section 502(e) projects is
the development of skills and/or work modes that will result in unsubsidized
employment. Section 502(e)(2) of the OAA suggests activities, such as flextime,
job sharing and other arrangements relating to reduced physical exertion; and
projects involving second careers and job placement, giving consideration to
placement in growth industries and in jobs reflecting new technological skills. In addition to the
activities described above, the Department prefers projects that demonstrate
coordination with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), particularly
private-sector projects in which Title V enrollees also participate in WIA
supported training. When considering whether a
project is suitable, grantees may consider whether the project can be
accomplished within the regular Title V program guidelines. A project should
not be proposed if the activities could be conducted within the regular SCSEP
program guidelines without the flexibility provided by Section 502(e). The private sector,
particularly the private for-profit sector, should be involved in the
development and implementation of each project. Placements in the private
non-profit sector, including on-the-job training placements, are permitted.
Public agencies may serve as work sites, but applicants should explain why
these sites would not be appropriate under the regular SCSEP program. 4. General Information. a) Eligible Grantees. All SCSEP grantees are eligible to
apply. b) Amount of Funds Available. $2.96 million is available for these projects. The actual amounts
will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the review panel's
ratings. c) Limitation on the Amount of Funds. No less than
$50,000 and no more than $1,000,000 will be provided to any grantee selected
under this limited competition. d) Participant Eligibility. Current Title V eligibility
criteria will be used to select enrollees. Grantees are encouraged to select
participants with the greatest economic need. e) Funding Cycle. The plan is to fund all projects as
early as possible after July 1, 2002. Projects may be designed for up to 14
months but not to exceed August 31, 2003. f)
Geographic
Distribution. Through communication with other SCSEP State and national
grantees, Section 502(e) projects should be widely distributed. Grantees should
minimize duplication of projects in the same labor market areas. In addition,
grantees are encouraged to conduct their projects in different localities from
year-to-year. g) Equipment. Generally, grantees of projects should no
more purchase equipment than is absolutely necessary. 5. Other Considerations: a. New Work Modes. Grantees are encouraged to utilize
new work modes such as flex-place, flex time, and reduced physical activity. b. Hours of Participation. The regulatory limit of no
more than 1,300 hours of participation in the SCSEP during a 1-year period does
not apply. Hours spent in training and related activities in projects funded
under Section 502(e) will not be counted toward the 1,300-hour limit. There is
no limit on the number of training hours. c. Part-time or Full-time Training. Training may be
part-time or full-time. If the training is part-time, participants may also
work at regular SCSEP assignments during the non-training hours. d. Reasonableness of Costs. Applicants are advised that
reasonableness of costs is a rating factor.
While there is no set figure that applies across the board, the
effective use of the Federal funds will be considered along with the use of or
availability of non-Federal resources,
particularly that of private-for-profit contributions. Describe the applicant organization’s role in
the project. Is that organization
simply passing through funds or is it providing oversight coordination,
monitoring, etc.? 6. Other Training Resources. Grantees should seek training
assistance from all available resources, and particularly from programs
operated under the WIA or the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical
Education Act. Where possible, dual enrollment in Section 502(e) training and
WIA activities is strongly encouraged. 7. Matching Share. A matching share is not required specifically for
Section 502(e) funds. If private sector or other appropriate non-Federal
contributions are involved, these funds may be included in the non-Federal
contribution. The panel may consider matching funds in rating cost
reasonableness. Contributions from the private sector are desirable. 8. Current Competitive Private Sector Project Grantees. Applications
from grantees of current or previously funded competitively awarded training
projects will be considered. Information on performance and experiences, such
as the number of previous participants who obtained training-related
employment, would be helpful. Data from the prior program year or the most
recent quarter may be used as evidence of performance. 9. Reporting/Performance Goals. a. Each
project must establish placement goals. Progress toward those goals will be
reported on a twice-yearly basis as part of the regular SCSEP narrative reporting
process in a separate section titled " Private Sector Projects." A
separate Progress Report must be submitted. Multiple private sector projects
may be "rolled up" together in one report. Other reports will be
requested as needed. (Contact your GOTR for information on filling out forms.)
10. General Procedures. The
basic steps that will be followed to implement the Section 502(e) projects for Program
Year 2002 are: a. Applicants must prepare and submit the
application by the deadline, using the
format for the application contained in the bulletin. b. A panel will review all applications, rate them and
provide a report to the Grant Officer who will make the final selection based
largely on panel scores, geographic distribution and responsibility review
criteria. The 502(e) project will be incorporated into the current SCSEP grant
via a modification. Contents of the APPLICATION
PACKAGE: (4 copies). The application package must include: - SF 424, Application Form - A Project Narrative
including a description of each proposed project using the format
provided. - SF 424A Budget, Sections A
and B. The detailed cost breakout must include sufficient budget detail to
determine costs associated with each discrete project within an umbrella
application.
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