[Federal Register: April 20, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 76)]
[Notices]
[Page 19972-19980]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20ap07-108]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Workforce Investment Act--Migrants and Seasonal Farmworkers
Program Solicitation for Grant Applications--National Farmworker Jobs
Program for Program Year 2007
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training
Administration.
ACTION: New. Initial announcement of a Program Year (PY) 2007 grant
competition for operating the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP)
under section 167 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), 29
U.S.C. 2912.
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Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA-PY 06-04.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.264.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (the Department or DOL),
Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Office of Workforce
Investment (OWI), Division of Adult Services (DAS), announces a grant
competition for operating the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP),
under section 167 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), 29
U.S.C. 2912. All applicants for grant funds should read this notice in
its entirety. Under WIA section 167 (a) the Secretary must award grants
or contracts on a competitive basis to eligible entities for the
purposes of carrying out the activities authorized under section 167.
Under this solicitation, DAS anticipates that approximately
$74,302,000, allotted among state service areas, will be available for
grant awards for the NFJP.
DATES: Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under
this announcement is May 29, 2007. Applications must be received at the
address below no later than 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.
ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be directed to the U.S. Department
of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal
Assistance, Attention: James Stockton, Room N-4673, 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Other submission options are
discussed in Section IV of this solicitation.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training
Administration, Office of Workforce Investment (OWI), Division of Adult
Services (DAS) is requesting grant applications for operating the
National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) in accordance with section 167
of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), 29 U.S.C. 2912. The NFJP
is designed to serve economically disadvantaged persons who primarily
depend on employment in agricultural labor performed within the United
States, including Puerto Rico, and who experience chronic unemployment
or underemployment. Qualifying participants are typically those persons
employed on a seasonal or part-time basis in the unskilled and semi-
skilled manual labor occupations in crop and animal production. Through
training and other workforce development services, the program is
intended to assist eligible migrants and seasonal farmworkers and their
families to prepare for jobs likely to provide stable, year-round
employment both within and outside agriculture.
The economic transformation brought about by advances in technology
and information has ushered in the globalization era; in turn, this has
caused the U.S. economy to put in place strategic and structural
changes that allow businesses to adapt quickly to different business
conditions. For workers, globalization has meant an increased emphasis
on their ability to retool their skill requirements in response to new
business needs. Agricultural employers and farmworkers face substantial
challenges in adapting to the new, global economy. Increasingly,
globalization has caused U.S. agricultural employers, particularly
those smaller agricultural entities in rural areas, to face worker
shortages and decreased markets for their products. Farmworkers and
other agricultural laborers have found increasingly tighter employment
markets, due in part to technological advances in harvesting a variety
of crops, and the increased use of foreign agricultural workers by U.S.
agricultural entities. In response to these developments, ETA has
pursued, for the last five years, a strategy to assist agricultural
employers and farmworkers alike by emphasizing greater access to the
full spectrum of services available from locally-operated One-Stop
Career Centers, not just services funded through the WIA Section 167
program (NFJP). This strategy is intended to continue the workforce
system's movement towards integrated service delivery that is
responsive to the demands of the labor market.
At the same time, ETA recognizes that while global competition is a
national challenge, the effects are largely seen at the local/regional
level, where localities and regions strive to develop innovative
solutions to restart or reshape their economies. In an effort to assist
such regional economies in accomplishing their goals for economic
transformation, and to expand employment and advancement opportunities
for American workers, ETA launched the Workforce Innovation in Regional
Economic Development (WIRED) initiative in February 2006. The WIRED
framework brings together all the key players in a region to leverage
their collective public and private sector assets and resources in
order to devise strategies that focus on infrastructure, investment,
and talent development that will optimize innovation and successful
regional transformation. The role of the workforce investment system
under the WIRED framework is to focus on talent development strategies
that provide new opportunities for American workers and catalyzes new
job growth and regional economic competitiveness. Applicants are
strongly encouraged to visit http://www.doleta.gov/WIRED for additional
information on the WIRED initiative.
ETA believes that the NFJP can benefit from principles established
under WIRED, particularly talent development strategies, and a
continued commitment to an integration strategy established in previous
years. Therefore, the PY 2007 SGA contains elements of both; i.e., it
requires applicants responding to this SGA to design their programs
around priorities that
[[Page 19973]]
continue to support the system's progress towards fully integrated
services, as well as beginning the movement of the NFJP activities into
the WIRED framework.
To that end, the following priorities are required to be addressed
in all applications:
Expansion of Employment Opportunities for Farmworkers Through Specific
Targeting of Employers and Occupations in High Growth Industries--
Building a Demand-Driven System
The PY 2007 SGA builds upon the requirement initiated in the last
NFJP grants competition that applicants establish an annual goal to
increase the number of employers with whom they do business, to
describe the strategies that demonstrate that continued expansion, as
well as to ensure that such strategies result in enhanced employment
opportunities for farmworkers. Applicants are required to provide an
analysis of the industries currently in the regions where farmworkers
work and live, particularly high growth industries; the occupations in
those industries for which farmworkers could be trained; the outreach
strategies to be used to ensure that opportunities are created for
farmworkers to access those occupations; and an analysis of the
farmworker labor pool in the area. Applicants must describe the
challenges to be addressed in preparing farmworkers for these
employment opportunities, including ``mapping'' the educational
resources available in the requested service area that can be accessed
to prepare farmworkers for these and other employment opportunities.
An analysis of the economic conditions in those areas/regions; how
the conditions influence the availability of jobs in high growth
industries; and how those economic conditions influence the influx of
new industries to the state must be included. In addition, applicants
are required to identify successful micro-enterprise and other
entrepreneurial opportunities and practices for migrants and seasonal
farmworkers, describe the strategies to be developed and implemented to
lead the NFJP towards farmworker talent development through these
entrepreneurial opportunities, and discuss how employers and other key
players in the state will be involved in the development of these
opportunities.
A Balanced Program of Activities--Continued Progress Towards Enhanced
Integration Through the One-Stop System With Improved Service Delivery
and Increased Efficiencies
Integrated service delivery remains essential to a demand-driven
workforce system that effectively serves businesses and individuals.
The workforce system must operate as a seamless system functionally
organized around service delivery rather than as an array of separate
programs with separate processes. The objective is for ``customers'' to
be seen as customers of the workforce investment system, not a
particular program. This goal is particularly important when focusing
on targeted populations such as migrants and seasonal farmworkers.
Better integration and delivery of services within the One-Stop system,
of which the NFJP is a required partner, can significantly increase the
number of farmworkers who receive high quality workforce investment
services that lead to improved employment and earnings. It also leads
to optimum use of limited resources by all the partners in the
workforce system on behalf of their farmworker customers.
Critical to this goal is an applicant's strategy for balancing the
mix of activities and services to be offered to farmworkers. Related
assistance services (such as emergency assistance, supportive services,
English as a Second Language, or other services intended to assist
farmworkers to enter training or retain their employment) are an
important component in the menu of services provided to farmworkers.
However, the central focus of the NFJP remains employment and training
services that lead to higher skilled and higher paid employment for
farmworkers, either within or outside agriculture. Part of that focus
must be to provide for career guidance, lifelong learning
opportunities, and other educational approaches appropriate to the
population to be served, such as apprenticeships and post-secondary
education, that serves the applicant's talent development strategy and
helps to leverage resources from other strategic partners in the
system. Applicants must describe how their intended mix of program
services, including appropriate educational activities, reflects the
central importance of employment and training services that leverage
economic outcomes for farmworkers. In addition, applicants are required
to describe the strategic planning and operational steps they will
undertake to have a significant, consistent impact on services
integration.
The NFJP is subject to the requirements found at WIA section 167
and the Department's regulations at 20 CFR part 669. This program is
also subject to the requirements of 29 CFR parts 93 (New Restrictions
on Lobbying), 96 (Audit Requirements), and 98 (Debarment, Suspension,
and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements), the non-discrimination
regulations implementing WIA Section 188 at 29 CFR part 37, as well as
DOL's Equal Treatment regulations, found at 29 CFR part 2, Subpart D.
Applicants should be familiar with these requirements and consult the
WIA regulations at 20 CFR parts 660 through 671 in developing their
grant proposals. Should the regulations at part 669 of WIA conflict
with regulations elsewhere in 20 CFR, the regulations at part 669 will
control. In addition, this program is subject to the provisions of the
``Jobs for Veterans Act,'' Public Law 107-288, which provides priority
of service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt
of employment, training, and placement services in any job training
program directly funded, in whole or in part, by the U.S. Department of
Labor. In circumstances where a NFJP grant recipient must choose
between two equally qualified candidates for training, one of whom is a
veteran, the Jobs for Veterans Act requires that NFJP grant recipients
give the veteran priority of service by admitting him or her into the
program. Please note that, to obtain priority of service, a veteran
must first meet the program's eligibility requirements. ETA Training
and Employment Letter (TEGL) No. 5-03 (September 16, 2003) provides
guidance on the scope of the Jobs for Veterans Act and its effect on
current employment and training programs. TEGL No. 5-03, along with
additional guidance, is available at the ``Jobs for Veterans Priority
of Service'' Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/programs/vets.
The NFJP is subject to the common performance measures for job
training and employment programs established by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). Guidance on the common performance
measures can be found in ETA's TEGL No. 17-05 (February 17, 2006),
available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2195.
Applications submitted in response to this SGA are required to
include estimates of expected performance against these common
performance measures. The common performance measures are: Entered
Employment, Employment Retention, and Average Earnings. To assist
applicants with their estimates, the current goals (PY 2006)
[[Page 19974]]
for the three measures are: Entered Employment--85%; Employment
Retention--80%; and Average Earnings--$7,500.
Applicants are required to describe their reporting system that
allows for the data collection necessary to report results against the
common measures. The NFJP began data collection for the common measures
on July 1, 2005.
II. Award Information
The type of assistance instrument to be used for the NFJP is the
grant. Grants awarded through this solicitation will be for a two-year
period, as prescribed in WIA Section 167. Please be advised that the
$74,302,000 provides funding for the NFJP for PY 2007 only (July 1,
2007 through June 30, 2008). Therefore, second year funding will be
dependent on the availability of funding through the FY 2008
appropriations process.
The amount available nationally for the NFJP state service area
allotments is $74,302,000. State allocations are established through a
formula process, and are published in a separate Federal Register
Notice. Please refer to our Web site (http://www.doleta.gov/MSFW/pdf/allocationtable.pdf
) for a list of individual state allocations.
For purposes of this SGA, applications are solicited for a single
NFJP operation per state, to serve the migrant and seasonal farmworkers
of each state and Puerto Rico, with the following exceptions:
Connecticut and Rhode Island are a combined state service
area;
Delaware and Maryland are a combined state service area;
Applications for the combined state service areas
mentioned above must address the two states as a single geographic
area, but the proposed service delivery plan for the combined state
area must show that consideration has been given to the entire
population of migrant and seasonal farmworkers working or residing
within the combined geographic area;
Between 4 and 6 applications will be selected to operate
the NFJP program in the agricultural counties in California; and
No application will be accepted to provide services in
Alaska due to the state's small relative share of seasonal agricultural
employment.
Please be advised that in the event that no grant application is
received for a state, or all applications received are considered not
fundable by the Grant Officer after the panel review and scoring
process, or a grant agreement is not successfully negotiated with a
selected applicant, the Department will offer the Governor of that
state an opportunity to submit an application, if that state has not
applied (i.e., if no state agency in that state applied for a grant in
this competition). If the Governor does not accept this offer within 15
days after being notified, or the Department finds the Governor's
application not fundable, the Department reserves the right to
designate another organization to operate the NFJP in that state. In
cases where the state agency was an applicant, and all applications are
found not fundable or are not successfully negotiated, the Department
reserves the right to designate another organization to operate the
NFJP in that state.
Note: Selection of an organization as a grantee does not
constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before
the actual grant is awarded, the Department may enter into
negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and
funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant
implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually
acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to
terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the application.
III. Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants--Applicants need not be a current or prior WIA
Section 167 grantee to establish eligibility to be awarded a grant
under this solicitation. State agencies, Local Workforce Investment
Boards (LWIBs), faith-based and community organizations, institutions
of higher learning, and other entities capable of delivering services
on a statewide basis are all examples of organizations eligible to
apply for WIA Section 167 grants. WIA Section 167(b) describes entities
eligible to receive a grant as those that have:
--An understanding of the problems of eligible migrant and seasonal
farmworkers, including their dependents;
--A familiarity with the geographical area to be served; and
--A demonstrated capacity to effectively administer a diversified
program of workforce investment activities for eligible migrant and
seasonal farmworkers.
Additionally, to be responsive to the requirements of this
solicitation, applicants must demonstrate how the strategies contained
in their applications will support the priorities described in Section
I of this solicitation, i.e., expansion of employment opportunities for
farmworkers through specific targeting of employers and occupations in
high growth industries--building a demand-driven system; and a balanced
program of activities--continued progress towards enhanced integration
through the One-Stop system with improved service delivery and
increased efficiencies.
Applicants must demonstrate how they will work with the State
Workforce Investment Board (State Board) or Local Workforce Investment
Boards (LWIBs), One-Stop operators in the service area(s), or other key
institutions in the region to assure an integrated service delivery
approach to farmworkers through the local One-Stop system and within
the WIRED framework. This may include strategic planning and
operational steps taken by the applicant and the State Board, LWIBs, or
other partners likely to have a significant impact on services
integration in the context of a regional economy.
If the applicant is a state, a LWIB or a One-Stop operator applying
on behalf of the LWIB, the application must instead demonstrate how
efforts have been will be undertaken to integrate services provided by
all One-Stop partners. In addition, the application must also
demonstrate efforts to enhance the workforce services provided to
farmworkers, the expected outcomes for those services, and the ``next
steps'' to be undertaken to continue to improve on any past integration
efforts.
Cost Sharing or Matching--The WIA section 167 program does not
require grantees to share costs or provide matching funds.
Other Eligibility Criteria--In accordance with 29 CFR Part 98,
entities that are debarred or suspended shall be excluded from Federal
financial assistance and are ineligible to receive a WIA Section 167
grant. Prior to awarding a grant, the Department will conduct a
responsibility review of each potential grantee through available
records. The responsibility review relies on examining available
records to determine if an applicant has a satisfactory history of
accounting for Federal funds and property. The responsibility review is
independent of the competitive process. Applicants failing to meet the
standards of the responsibility review may be disqualified for
selection as grantees, irrespective of their standing in the
competition. Any applicant that is not selected as a result of the
responsibility review will be advised of their appeal rights. The
responsibility tests that will be applied are those found in the WIA
regulations (20 CFR 667.170).
Legal rules pertaining to inherently religious activities by
organizations that receive Federal financial assistance--The government
is generally prohibited from providing direct financial assistance for
inherently religious
[[Page 19975]]
activities. Please note that, in this context, the term direct
financial assistance means financial assistance that is provided
directly by a government entity or an intermediary organization, as
opposed to financial assistance that an organization receives as the
result of the genuine and independent private choice of a beneficiary.
These grants may not be used for religious instruction, worship,
prayer, proselytizing, or other inherently religious activities.
Neutral, non-religious criteria that neither favor nor disfavor
religion must be employed in the selection of grant recipients and sub-
recipients. DOL's Equal Treatment regulations are found at 29 CFR part
2, Subpart D.
IV. Application and Submission Information
Address To Request Application Package
This SGA includes all information and forms needed to apply for
this funding opportunity. If additional copies of forms are needed,
they can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/msfw, www.doleta.gov/sga/forms.cfm,
or at the Federal Register Web site, http://www.gpoaccess.gov.
Content and Form of Application Submission
An application must include two (2) separate and distinct parts:
Part I--a cost proposal, and Part II--a technical proposal.
Applications that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section
will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered. Part I, the
Cost Proposal, must include the following items:
A cover letter, an original plus two (2) copies of the
proposal, and an ink-signed original SF 424, ``Application for Federal
Assistance'' must be submitted. Since October 12, 2003, all applicants
for federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a Dun
and Bradstreet (DUNS) number (see OMB Notice of Final Policy Issuance,
68 FR 38402; June 27, 2003). Applicants must supply their DUNS number
in item 8 of the new SF-424 issued by OMB (Rev. 10/2005). The
DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely
identifies business entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there
is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access this Web site: http://www.dunandbradstreet.com.
You can also call 1-866-705-5711.
The Standard Form (SF) 424-A. In preparing the budget
form, the applicant must provide a concise narrative explanation to
support the request. The budget narrative should break down the budget
and discuss precisely how administrative costs support the project
goals.
EEO Survey. Applicants are required to submit OMB Survey
No. 1890-0014: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants,
which can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/sga/forms.cfm.
Part II is the Technical Proposal, which demonstrates the
applicant's capabilities to plan and implement the grant project in
accordance with the provisions of this solicitation.
The Technical Proposal must be limited to 40 numbered pages,
double-spaced, single-sided, in 12-point text font and one-inch
margins. Any pages over the 40-page limit will not be reviewed. Letters
of support and any required attachments will not be subject to the page
limitations, nor will they be included in the materials provided to the
panel for review of the proposal. If any attachments are included,
please label each accordingly and specify the content of the
attachment.
No cost data or reference to prices should be included in the
Technical Proposal. Instead, applicants should provide a two-page
abstract summarizing the proposed project and applicant profile
information, including the applicant's name, the project title, and the
funding level requested. The two-page abstract is not included in the
40 page limit. Applications that do not meet these requirements will
not be considered.
Submission Dates and Times
The closing date for receipt of applications under this
announcement is May 29, 2007. Applications must be received at the
address below no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the closing date
Applications may be submitted at the addresses indicated below by mail
or electronically via http://www.Grants.gov. Applications sent by e-mail,
telegram, or facsimile (fax) will not be accepted. Applications that do
not meet the conditions set forth in this notice will not be honored.
No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in
this notice will be granted. Mailed applications must be addressed to
the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration,
Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: James Stockton, Reference
SGA/DFA PY 04-06, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-4673,Washington,
DC 20210. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington,
DC area may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-
delivered proposals will be received at the above address.
As mentioned earlier, applicants may also apply online at http://www.grants.gov.
Any application received after the deadline will not be
accepted. For applicants submitting electronic applications via
Grants.gov, it is strongly recommended that you immediately initiate
and complete the ``Get Started'' steps to register with Grants.gov at
http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted. These steps will probably take
multiple days to complete, which should be factored into plans for
electronic applications submission in order to avoid facing unexpected
delays that could result in the rejection of an application. Also, it
is recommended that applicants experiencing problems with electronic
submissions submit their proposals by overnight mail until the
electronic issues are resolved.
Late Applications
Any application received after the closing date and time specified
for receipt at the office designated in this notice will not be
considered, unless it is received before awards are made and (a) it was
sent by the U.S. Postal Service registered or certified mail no later
than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of
applications (e.g., an application required to be received by the 20th
of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of that month); or (b) it
was sent via professional overnight delivery service or submitted on
Grants.gov to the addressee not later than one working day prior to the
date specified for receipt of applications. The term ``working days''
excludes weekends and Federal holidays. ``Postmarked'' means a printed,
stamped, or otherwise placed impression that is readily identifiable,
without further action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date
of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service.
Intergovernmental Review
Executive Order No. 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs,'' and the implementing regulations at 29 CFR part 17 are
applicable to this program. Under these requirements, an applicant must
provide a copy of the funding proposal for comment to the states that
have established a consultation process under the Executive Order.
Applications must be submitted to the state's Single Point of Contact
(SPOC), no later than the deadline for submission of the application to
the Department. For states that have not established a consultative
process under E.O. 12372,
[[Page 19976]]
but have a State Workforce Investment Board (State Board), the State
Board will be the SPOC. For WIA implementation purposes, this
consultative process fulfills the requirement of WIA Section 167(e)
concerning consultation with Governors and Local Workforce Investment
Boards (LWIB). To strengthen the implementation of E.O. 12372, the
Department establishes the following timeframe for the treatment of
comments from the state's SPOC on WIA Section 167 applications: (1) The
SPOC must submit comments, if any, to the Department and to the
applicant, no later than 30 days after the deadline date for the
submission of applications; (2) the applicant's response to the SPOC
comments, if any, must be submitted to the Department no later than 15
days after the postmarked date of the comments from the SPOC; (3) the
Department will notify the SPOC (with copy to the applicant) of its
decision regarding the SPOC comments and applicant response; and (4)
the Department will implement that decision within 10 days after it has
notified the SPOC.
The names and addresses of the SPOCs are listed in the Office of
Management and Budget's (OMB) home page at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html
.
Funding and Other Restrictions
Grantees are limited to 15 percent of the grant for administrative
costs (see definition of administrative costs at 20 CFR part 667.220.)
Administrative costs limits higher than 15 percent of the grant will
not be approved.
Indirect Cost Rate
An indirect cost rate is required when an organization operates
under more than one grant or other activity, whether Federally-assisted
or not. Organizations must use the indirect cost rate supplied by the
cognizant Federal agency. If an organization requires a new indirect
cost rate or has a pending indirect cost rate, the Grant Officer will
award a billing rate for 90 days until a provisional rate can be
issued.
Allowable Costs
The Department shall determine what constitutes allowable costs in
accordance with the following Federal cost principles, as applicable:
OMB Circular A-87, State and Local Governments; OMB Circular A-21,
Educational Institutions; OMB Circular A-122, Nonprofit Organizations;
and 48 CFR part 31, Profit-Making Commercial Firms.
Other Submission Requirements
All other material required to be submitted is identified in the
various sections of this solicitation.
V. Application Review Information Criteria
The following review criteria, totaling a maximum of 100 points,
apply to all applications:
Economic Analysis of the Area: Understanding the Problems of the
Eligible Migrants and Seasonal Farmworkers in the State Service Area--
15 Points
To fully understand the problems encountered by migrants and
seasonal farmworkers as they seek enhanced employment opportunities
requires a full understanding and analysis of the economy in the state
service area, its industries and the employment opportunities they
present for farmworkers, and the outreach strategies necessary to
secure those opportunities for farmworkers; i.e., building a demand
driven system (as described in the priorities listed in Section I).
Therefore, applicants must provide an analysis of the economy
(agricultural and non-agricultural) in the geographic area they propose
to serve, the employment outlook for the area, including the number of
employers with whom they currently work, and a plan for outreach to and
recruitment of new employers. A description of the expected job
opportunities for migrants and seasonal farmworkers from these new
employers, and how economic conditions and employer hiring needs affect
the employment prospects of eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers
must also be provided.
This section must also include a detailed description of the state/
regional labor market, both agricultural and non-agricultural, the
economic conditions expected during the course of the program year,
with emphasis on the specific economic challenges of regional
agricultural economies, and the hiring implications those economic
conditions pose for the employers in the region/area. In addition, this
section must include a discussion of the industries that are declining
in the service area/region as well as those industries targeted for
growth and expansion that hold the potential for improved employment
and earnings for farmworkers. Applicants should also discuss the
strategies to be used in securing those opportunities for farmworkers.
Applicants must also describe the socio-economic characteristics
and problems faced by eligible farmworkers, and their dependents, in
the proposed service area/region. To do so, applicants must describe
the implications that economic conditions and challenges in the region,
the labor market outlook, and the analysis of potential high growth
occupations hold for the workforce strategies proposed through this
solicitation. Applicants should also include a ``mapping'' of the
educational resources available in the area that can be assist
farmworkers in accessing employment in the high-growth industries
identified by the applicant. Scoring on this factor will be based on
how well the applicant demonstrates its understanding of the local/
regional economy and how these economic conditions help to define the
challenges to be met, and the problems to overcome, in improving
farmworkers' employment and earnings. Scoring will also be based on how
well the proposal demonstrates the nexus between economic conditions,
the characteristics of the eligible farmworkers, the educational
resources, and the workforce investment needs of the population to be
served. The review and evaluation of this factor will also look at the
strategies developed for outreach to and recruitment of new employers
that can provide improved job placement opportunities, both within and
outside agriculture, for the farmworkers to be served. The proposal
should clearly describe the links between the economic analysis
conducted for this application and the applicant's assessment of the
number of new employers to be recruited, including a description of how
this will result in improved employment opportunities for farmworkers
in higher-skilled, higher-paid occupations.
Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration: Familiarity With the Proposed
Service Area--25 Points
To achieve the goal of integrating services for farmworkers through
the One-Stop system and begin moving the NFJP towards the WIRED
framework, and so ensure that integration assists in driving innovation
and economic transformation in the requested service area, the
applicant must have a clear understanding of the workforce investment
and economic development services in the area, the network of social,
educational, and health services available to help meet the diverse
needs of the eligible farmworkers, and strategic partnerships in place
to ensure the collaboration necessary to develop workforce solutions
that connect farmworkers served through the
[[Page 19977]]
program with employment opportunities.
This section must include a description of the agencies and
strategic partners in the requested service area, including faith-based
and community organizations, and the applicant's experience in
collaborating with these organizations in a service delivery strategy
for migrant and seasonal farmworkers. It should also include a
description of the services available through local service
organizations, including faith-based and community organizations, and
the applicant's strategy to mobilize those organizations to provide
comprehensive services to farmworkers while optimizing the use of
limited NFJP resources, particularly supportive or related assistance
services.
If the applicant is not a state, a LWIB, or a One-Stop operator, it
must describe its prior experience, if any, and demonstrated
effectiveness in working with the One-Stop system in the requested
service area to provide services to farmworkers. Include a description
of the applicant's collaborative efforts to date to integrate services
to farmworkers across all partners in the One-Stop system, and the
steps to be taken to establish a significant, consistent impact on
services integration.
These steps may include, but are not limited to:
Participation in local/state activities to develop the
modification to the State Strategic Plans for Title I of the WIA and
the Wagner-Peyser Act for years three and four of the current five-year
planning cycle;
Participation in activities that connect workforce
investment and education with economic development planning;
Participation in activities that help the State Board or
LWIB to get more agricultural employers involved in the workforce
investment system;
Setting co-enrollment targets (between the NFJP and the
WIA formula funded programs) that represent a substantial increase in
services to farmworkers;
Creating better pathways to both basic and post-secondary
education, specifically with community colleges;
Entering into and implementing agreements with the State
Board or the LWIBs and One-Stop operators to significantly increase
outreach to farmworkers, and to significantly increase the number of
One-Stop staff who are cross-trained in NFJP/adult and dislocated
workers services and requirements.
Applicants must describe their experience with developing or
improving existing working relationships between partners in the One-
Stop system, and how that experience will be translated into improved
services integration for eligible farmworkers.
If the applicant is a state, a LWIB, or a One-Stop operator, this
section should include a detailed description of the efforts to date to
integrate services for farmworkers through the One-Stop system, the
success of those efforts, and the operational steps to be undertaken to
institutionalize services integration, instead of the information
requested above.
Scoring on this factor will be based how the information requested
above represents evidence of the applicant's knowledge of and working
relationship with the network of workforce investment and related
services in the requested service area, including the One-Stop system,
and the services offered by social, educational, faith-based,
community, and health organizations that are available to assist
farmworkers. Scoring will also be based on the applicant's
effectiveness and success with causing these organizations to direct
their resources towards addressing the needs of farmworkers in the
requested service area in ways that maximize the availability of
limited NFJP resources while increasing the services provided to
farmworkers through the One-Stop and/or other service agencies.
If the applicant is a state, a LWIB or a One-Stop operator, scoring
will be based on the success of efforts to integrate services to
farmworkers through the One-Stop system and its partners, or the
demonstrated potential for increased services to farmworkers, instead
of on the factors listed above. Any success to date in enrolling and
serving farmworkers in WIA formula-funded programs must be included.
Administrative Capacity--20 Points
Applicants must demonstrate that they have adequate and sustainable
management information, performance management, case management,
accounting, and program and fiscal reporting systems in place to ensure
program and fiscal integrity. Because the NFJP has eligibility
requirements for participation in the program, the applicant must also
describe the eligibility determination and verification system in place
that will allow for correct eligibility determinations and minimize
enrollment of ineligible participants. Additionally, all ETA-funded job
training programs, including the NFJP, are implementing a data
validation initiative intended to ensure that the data collected and
reported to ETA is accurate. An applicant's participant and reporting
system must be able to implement data validation procedures, as
described in TEGL 3-03, 3-03 change 1, and 3-03 change 2 (OMB clearance
issued August 31, 2004).
Applicants must describe their systems in support of program
integrity, such as management information, performance management, and
program participation (including individual participant records),
needed for quarterly reporting and performance accountability and
management, and to establish and maintain a client-centered case
management system. Applicants are reminded that the NFJP is subject to
OMB's common measures for job training and employment (Entered
Employment, Employment Retention, and Average Earnings, described
earlier in this solicitation); therefore, the data collection and
reporting system, as well as its link to performance management and
accountability, must be described in detail. Fiscal integrity is a
critical component of operating any federally-funded program. The
applicant must describe a system that is sufficient to prepare
financial reports and to trace funds to adequate levels of expenditures
to ensure lawful spending. The system must have the capacity to track
spending by program, to ensure that, for those organizations with
funding from more than one federal program, expenditures are posted
against the appropriate program. The system must also be able to track
program income generated through activities funded by the NFJP funding,
and show the link between program income and those additional
participants and/or services funded through program income.
Applicants must also describe their capacity to manage the
supportive services, also described as related assistance services, and
to account for expenditures related to these services.
The NFJP is required to use electronic reporting via the Internet.
Applicants must describe their capacity to provide the equipment,
access, and staff qualified to perform on-line reporting. The applicant
must also demonstrate its capacity to provide case management as well
as the electronic tools to be utilized (Personal Computer, software,
Internet access, and e-mail accounts) to implement a client-centered,
case management system.
Scoring on this factor will be based on evidence of effective
systems for performance accountability and management, program and
fiscal
[[Page 19978]]
reporting, case management, eligibility determination and verification,
as well as the ability to report electronically through the Internet.
Integrated Service Delivery Strategies: Proposed Plan of Services--40
Points
As mentioned in the priorities listed in Section I, integrated
service delivery remains essential to a demand-driven workforce system
that effectively serves businesses and individuals; it can
significantly increase the number of farmworkers who receive quality
services that lead to improved employment and earnings. Critical to
this element is a strategy for balancing the mix of services and
activities offered to farmworkers. A balanced mix emphasizes employment
and training activities, recognizes the importance of related
assistance services, and includes service delivery strategies that
focus on appropriate educational approaches, such as remediation,
career guidance, GED leading to apprenticeships, and other approaches
appropriate to the population to be served.
Therefore, the proposed service plan should describe in detail the
major program activities planned for the state service area in PY 2007,
given the mix of services mentioned above. The proposal should include
a description of how these program activities will support the
priorities identified in Section I of this solicitation: Expansion of
employment opportunities for farmworkers through specific targeting of
employers and occupations in high growth industries--building a demand-
driven system; and a balanced program of activities--continued progress
towards enhanced integration through the One-Stop system with improved
service delivery and increased efficiencies.
The proposal should describe the applicant's vision, strategy,
goals and objectives that guide the proposed plan of service and the
results expected from implementing the proposed plan. It should include
a description of how this service plan will strengthen migrant and
seasonal farmworkers' ability to obtain or retain employment, to access
appropriate educational opportunities (remediation, career guidance,
apprenticeships), or access employment opportunities in high-growth
occupations. It should also describe any micro-enterprise or other
entrepreneurial activities to be pursued, if appropriate; and
activities to upgrade farmworkers' employment opportunities within
agriculture, if they so choose. The services described should be
directly connected to the basic and occupational skills sets needed for
the talent development of farmworkers in the area's economy. The plan
should provide clear evidence that the service plan expands the
workforce and related services available to farmworkers due to a closer
integration and specific collaboration between the NFJP service
strategy and the local workforce investment service plan, new or
stronger partnerships with faith-based and community organizations, and
new partnerships with key entities involved in regional economic
transformation, as appropriate. Applicants are strongly encouraged to
include service delivery strategies that will provide farmworkers with
career pathways both within and outside agricultural employment; i.e.,
remediation leading to post secondary education or credentialing (if
appropriate); high school diplomas or GED, leading to apprenticeship
opportunities, if applicable; and/or industry-accepted certifications.
Applicants should describe their strategy for providing related
assistance services to farmworkers (see definition at 20 CFR 669.110).
Applicants are reminded that the NFJP is intended to be a job training
program, whose purpose is to assist eligible migrant and seasonal
farmworkers and their families prepare for jobs that provide stable,
year-round employment, both within and outside agriculture. Related
assistance services include supportive services that assist eligible
migrant and seasonal farmworkers to retain employment or enter into or
remain in training. While no limitation is placed on the numbers of
participants receiving related assistance services only, applicants are
expected to describe in full how they will continue to increase the
number of participants receiving employment and training services.
If the applicant is a state, a LWIB or a One-Stop operator, the
application must demonstrate how the service strategy achieves
integration of services by all partners in the One-Stop system, and how
this integration results in enhanced and improved workforce investment
services to farmworkers, within a state service area and/or regional
economy.
The program plan of service section must include descriptions of:
The state service area covered by the plan. If the
proposal is for less than the entire agricultural area of the state (as
could be the case in California, for example) the plan must identify
the geographic area where services will be provided and an explanation
supporting the geographic area selected.
An estimate of the number of migrant and seasonal
farmworker, broken out by category, to be provided training services.
An estimate should be included of the number of migrant and seasonal
farmworkers, broken out by category, who will be provided related
assistance services only.
The strategies for conducting participant outreach and
recruitment, including the involvement, where applicable, of faith-
based and community organizations in those strategies, as well as other
One-Stop partner programs.
The proposed client-centered case management system,
including the staff's responsibilities for managing the system, the
staff development opportunities available to enhance their skills in
case management, and the capacity to increase community resources
available for case management through joint alliances and/or endeavors,
such as through faith-based or community organizations, or through the
One-Stop system.
The core services to be delivered, and how those services
will be delivered in collaboration with the One-Stop system. Include a
description of the eligibility determination system and how the
applicant determines service priorities.
The intensive services proposed, the strategy for
providing them, and the collaboration with the One-Stop system in the
provision of these services (see definition of intensive services at
WIA Section 134(d)(3) and 20 CFR 669.370). Please note that the NFJP
regulations at 20 CFR 669.380 provide that the delivery of intensive
and training services should flow from an objective assessment process
that includes an Individual Employment Plan. The proposal must describe
the strategy for doing this, as well as the organization's capacity to
appropriately address an individual's needs as identified through the
objective assessment. Intensive services are described in WIA
134(d)(3)(C) and 20 CFR 669.370.
If work experience is to be offered as an activity, the
process by which the determination to use it is based, and the strategy
for measuring its success as a program activity. (See 20 CFR 669.370
(b)(i) and (b)(ii)(B) for additional information on work experience
activities.)
The training services to be provided to eligible
farmworkers, including the process used to determine a participant's
enrollment in training services, and the process used when the
determination is made not to place a participant in training. (See 20
CFR 669.410 for a description of, training services.) In addition, the
proposal should describe the strategy to be used
[[Page 19979]]
to promote co-enrollment of participants in the WIA formula funded
programs.
The related assistance services, including supportive
services, needed by migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their
dependents, and the strategy for providing those services, including
the agencies or organizations with whom the applicant will collaborate
and/or coordinate these services. The proposal should provide separate
descriptions for those farmworkers receiving supportive services and
also intensive and/or training services, and those farmworkers for whom
related assistance services will be the only services provided. It
should also include a description of the process used to determine the
need for related assistance services, the differences in the
determination process, if any, among migrant and seasonal farmworker
groups, and the rationale for the differences.
The proposal should describe the applicant's strategy for
balancing related assistance services with the need to increase
employment and training services.
The proposal should describe the educational approaches to
be used, including remediation, GED attainment, GED leading to
apprenticeships, career guidance and other pathways leading to
credentialing or post secondary opportunities, if applicable, to assist
the participant in obtaining the occupational skills that lead to
employment in high-growth occupations or to higher paying employment
within the agricultural industry.
A description of the strategies to be used to achieve
performance results with respect to job placement, employment
retention, and average earnings (i.e., the common measures).
A description of the strategies to address how job
placement opportunities will be pursued among the employers in the
service area, including how job placement opportunities from new
employers will be secured, as well as opportunities in high growth
industries/occupations.
The process by which the applicant will conduct follow-up
services for those who are placed in jobs or engaged in entrepreneurial
activities.
Scoring on this factor will be based on evidence that the applicant
has used the information provided in the first three rating criteria,
described above, to develop a service strategy and a plan of service
that leads to measurable impact on improving the employment and
earnings of farmworkers. It will also be based on evidence that the
plan of service contains a balanced program of activities, and a
rationale for the proposed services, as well as evidence that the
service plan encompasses resources and program activities available
from other One-Stop partners and/or the local services agencies,
including faith-based and community organizations.
The evaluation of this factor will also assess whether the service
strategy and service plan presented by the applicant reflect a
knowledge of the local workforce investment plan and proposes services
that complement that plan in a way that increases employment
opportunities for farmworkers.
If the applicant is a state, a LWIB or a One-Stop operator, the
evaluation of this factor will also assess opportunities for
integrating services through the One-Stop system and its partner
programs to improve the workforce and related services received by
farmworkers. Special emphasis will be placed on the success achieved in
enrolling and serving farmworkers through WIA formula-funded programs.
Review and Selection Process
A review panel will rate each proposal according to the criteria
scoring factors specified in this solicitation. Panel reviews are
critical to the selection of grantees but are advisory in nature, and
their recommendations are not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant
Officer, in selecting potential grantees, may consider any information
that comes to his or her attention, including past performance under a
previous grant and information from the program office, and will make
the final selection determination based on what best meets the needs of
eligible migrants and seasonal farmworkers in the area to be served.
The Grant Officer may consider factors such as panel findings,
geographic presence of the applicants, proposed areas to be served, and
other pertinent factors.
The Grant Officer's determination for award under this SGA is
final. The Grant Officer may elect to make awards either with or
without discussions and negotiations with the applicant. In situations
without discussions, an award will be based on the applicant's
signature on the SF-424, which constitutes a binding offer.
Applications rated by the review panel with a score of less than 80
points will not be recommended for an award. In areas where there are
no applications with a score of 80 or above, the process for selecting
another potential grantee, described in Section II, will be
implemented.
VI. Award Administration Information
Award Notices
The Grant Officer will notify applicants, in writing, if they are
selected as potential grantees. The notification will invite each
potential grantee to negotiate the final terms and conditions of the
grant as applicable, will establish a reasonable time and place for the
negotiations, and will indicate the specific state service area and
amount of funds to be allocated under the grant. FY 2007 funds will be
awarded for the period July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008.
An applicant that is not selected as a potential grantee or whose
application has been denied in part or in whole by the Department will
be notified in writing by the Grant Officer and advised of all appeal
rights. The notification will outline the deficiencies as noted by the
review panel and offer an opportunity for a debriefing. The written
notification by the Grant Officer constitutes a final decision, for the
purposes of 20 CFR 667.800.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements
There are no additional administrative or national policy
requirements.
Reporting
An applicant's proposal becomes the annual grant plan after a grant
award is made, with additional information as appropriate and requested
by the funding agency. WIA Section 167 grantees will be required to
submit reports on financial expenditures, program participation, and
participant outcomes on a quarterly basis. Grantees will also have to
submit planned financial expenditures and planned program participation
forms at the beginning of the program year. Grantees must report
electronically, but may be asked to submit reports in paper form on
occasion. As reflected earlier in this solicitation, this program is
subject to the common measures of performance. Grantees will be
required to provide the data necessary to collect information for
reporting performance results against the common measures.
VII. Agency Contacts
Questions related to this solicitation may be directed to Ms. Mamie
Williams, Grants Management Specialist, phone 202-693-3341; fax: 202-
693-2879 (this is not a toll free number). Please include a contact
name, fax and telephone number.
This announcement is also being made available on the ETA Web site
at
[[Page 19980]]
http://doleta.gov/sga/sga.cfm and http://www.grants.gov.
Signed at Washington, DC this 16th day of April, 2007.
James W. Stockton,
Grant Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-7497 Filed 4-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P