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November 06, 2008 DOL Home > Federal Register > Notices > WB
WB Notices

Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D, Demonstration Program: Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations   [6/19/1996]
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SUMMARY: All information required to submit a proposal is contained in this announcement. All applicants for grant funds should read this notice in its entirety and respond to its specificity. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Women's Bureau (WB) announces its Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) first authorized under the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act by its competitive technical assistance grant program for community-based organizations (CBOs). The WANTO competitive grant program is funded through Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D demonstration program. WANTO is co-administered by the Women's Bureau (WB) and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (BAT), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), with the WB having responsibility for implementing the competitive technical assistance program grants. The Department expects to award up to five (5) grants to Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to provide technical assistance to private sector employers and labor organizations to encourage the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in private sector employment. With this year's competition, the Department will give priority consideration to applications where proposals are: (1) LARGE PROJECT SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is designed to assist private sector employers and labor organizations (with large project contracts) to increase women's employment on large employment projects (multi-year and $multi-million) in private and/or public economic development (including building) projects in construction, transportation, utilities and telecommunications industries. Such technical assistance activities include strategies for developing and implementing changes in workplace policy and work practices to support the employment of women, particularly in entering and completing registered apprenticeship employment programs. (2) COMPUTER-BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK: The proposed program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is designed to provide for the maintenance and development of regional and national computer-based telecommunications networks to provide customized off-site technical assistance to small and medium size private sector employers and labor organizations in their development and implementation of strategies to make workplace policy and work practice changes to support the recruitment, training, and retention of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in individual private sector workplaces. Such technical assistance activities should promote the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. (3) GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is designed to implement activities to strengthen technical assistance to private-sector employers and labor organizations in the Southeast and Southwest regions of the United States who want assistance in the development and implementation of strategies that provide for workplace changes in policies and work practices to support women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations, particularly as cited in (1) and (2) above. Such technical assistance activities should promote the employment of minority women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. MOREOVER, the Department will give up to twenty-five (25) bonus rating points to proposals reflecting the above criteria when the proposal includes (1) established partnership with the employers and labor organizations that expands the dollar amount, size and scope of the proposal; and (2) specific and written commitment with timeline for the employment of women in registered apprenticeship and/or nontraditional employment. This notice describes the background, the application process, statement of work, evaluation criteria, and reporting requirements for Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA 96-05). WB anticipates that a total amount of $610,000 will be available for the support of all grants using demonstration funding. The WB will provide the technical and policy leadership with this project. DATES: One (1) ink-signed original, complete grant application (plus five (5) copies of the Technical Proposal and two (2) copies of the Cost Proposal) shall be submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Procurement Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, not later than 4:45 p.m. EST, July 31, 1996. All applications must be received by the Office of Procurement Services by that time. ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Procurement Services, Attention: Lisa Harvey, Reference SGA 96-05, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This announcement consists of five parts: Part I describes the background of this WANTO grant program and identifies its policy and topics. Part II describes the application process, providing detailed guidelines for use in applying for demonstration grants. Part III includes the Statement of Work and Key Features of the demonstration program. Part IV identifies and defines the evaluation criteria to be used in reviewing and evaluating applications. Part V describes the deliverables and reporting requirements. Part I. Background Improving women's employment opportunities and other employment related equity and social issues to promote women in the work force has been the driving force of the Women's Bureau since its inception in 1920. Within the Department of Labor, the Director serves as the policy advisor on women's issues to the Secretary and other DOL agencies charged with improving the economic and workplace life of American workers. The Women's Bureau has a history of encouraging women to consider the wide array of apprenticeable and other occupations nontraditional to women. These jobs include the traditional skilled trades such as carpenter, plumber, electrician, sheetmetal worker, or welder in the construction industry, as well as jobs in the electronics industries, other technical jobs that require computer-based skills to customize, service, build and repair precision machinery in manufacturing, and other technical computer-based jobs in the service sector industries such as health care, finance, utilities, telecommunications and transportation. In fulfilling their responsibilities to promote profitable employment opportunities for women, the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training and the Women's Bureau have come together to [[Page 31153]] jointly administer the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act and its technical assistance demonstration program grants. The Women's Bureau co-administers WANTO with the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (BAT), formerly the Apprentice-Training Service. BAT was established in 1937 as the national administrative agency in the Department of Labor to carry out the objectives of the National Apprenticeship Law, guided by the recommendations of the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship. BAT has the objective to stimulate and assist industry in the development, expansion, and improvement of apprenticeship and training programs designed to provide the skilled workers required by the American economy. Definitions. Nontraditional Occupations are those where women account for less than 25 percent of the persons employed in a single occupational group. Generally speaking, Apprenticeship includes a formal paid training-work agreement where labor and management work together to promote learning on the job; to support the ``hands on'' learning, there must be related theoretical instruction (often classroom). After completing the program standards successfully-- usually 3 to 5 years--the apprentice is awarded a certificate of completion by either the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or the State Apprenticeship Committee Agency. A. Authorities The technical assistance grants were first authorized under the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act, Public Law 102-530, approved October 27, 1992. Funded through the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D, the Bureau of Apprenticeship (BAT/ETA) and the Women's Bureau have a Intra-agency Agreement to co-administer WANTO. The WB has responsibility for implementing the Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) process for the Technical Assistance (TA) grants to Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). B. Purpose of the Demonstration The purpose of the WANTO demonstration program is to provide technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to encourage the increased employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. Further, in accordance with the directives of the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act, the Women's Bureau is continuing to develop a data bank of (1) employers and labor organizations seeking technical assistance and (2) organizations with experience working to promote the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional employment. The Bureau will update and expand its directory of apprenticeship and nontraditional training and employment programs serving women to function as a catalyst in developing a listing of employers and labor organizations and experienced NTO community-based organizations (CBOs) into a data base referred to as the ``WANTO Referral Network.'' To list your preapprenticeship, apprenticeship, or nontraditional occupational training or placement program with the Bureau's ``WANTO Referral Network,'' please provide the following information: (1) Program Name: (2) Administrative Agency: (3) Address: (4) Executive Director: (5) Contact Person: (6) Contact Telephone Number: (7) Brief Description of Services: Please send your response to: Women's Bureau, Office of the Secretary, WANTO Network, Room S-3317, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. (Telephone (202) 219-8913 x114) Part II. Application Process A. Eligible Applicants 1. Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are eligible applicants to receive technical assistance grants. The term ``community-based organization'' as defined in section 4(5) of the Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C 1501(5)), means private nonprofit organizations which are representative of communities or significant segments of communities and which provide job training services. For this solicitation communities or significant segments of communities are the private nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated experience administering programs that recruit, select, train, place, retain, and otherwise prepare women for employment in apprenticeship and other nontraditional occupations (NTO). 2. Employers and Labor Organizations are eligible to receive technical assistance provided by community-based organizations receiving WANTO grants. To be selected to receive technical assistance, employers, and labor organizations must submit a technical assistance request either (1) directly to the Department of Labor, OASAM, Office of Procurement Services, Attention: Lisa Harvey, Washington, D.C. 20210 or (2) the request may be included with the CBOs with whom there is an agreement to partnership in preparing the response to SGA 96-05. B. Contents To be considered responsive to the Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA), each application must consist of and follow the order of the sections listed in Part III of this solicitation. The applicant must also include information which the applicant believes will address the selection criteria identified in Part IV. Technical proposals shall not exceed 20 single sided, double spaced, 10 to 12 pitch typed pages (not including attachments). ANY PROPOSALS THAT DO NOT CONFORM TO THESE STANDARDS SHALL BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE TO THIS SGA AND WILL NOT BE EVALUATED. 1. Technical Proposal Each proposal shall include (a) a two (2) page abstract which summarizes the proposal and (b) a full description of the CBO's program for technical assistance, including information required in Part III and IV. No cost data or reference to price shall be included in the technical proposal. 2. Cost Proposal The cost (business) proposal must be separate from the technical proposal. The transmittal letter and the grant assurances and certifications form (Appendix A) shall be attached to the business proposal, which shall consist of the following: a. Standard Form 424 ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' (Appendix B) signed by an official from the applicant organization who is authorized to enter the organization into a grant agreement with the Department of Labor. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA) is 17.700; b. Standard Budget Form 424A ``Budget Information Form,'' (Appendix C); and c. Budget Narrative: Provide a narrative explanation of the budget which describes all proposed costs and indicates how they are related to the operation of the project. Provide this information separately for the amount of requested Federal funding and the amount of proposed Non-Federal contribution. In those applications which propose to fund staff positions, the budget narrative must provide information which describes the [[Page 31154]] number of proposed positions by title and by the amount of staff time and salary charged to Federal and Non-Federal funding resources. The Budget Narrative provides the detailed description of the costs reflected on the SF 424A. C. Funding Levels The Department expects to have $610,000 to be disbursed through WANTO grants. The Department expects to make up to five (5) awards to Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). The Women's Bureau expects awards to range from approximately $75,000 to $150,000. D. Length of Grant and Grant Awards The initial performance period for the grants awarded under this SGA shall be for eighteen (18) months of program performance, with the option to extend for up to three months as a no cost extension to complete final reports. Each applicant shall reflect in their application the intention to begin operation no later than September 30, 1996. E. Submission One (1) ink-signed original, complete grant application (plus five (5) copies of the Technical Proposal and two (2) copies of the Cost Proposal must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Procurement Services, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, not later than 4:45 pm EST, July 31, 1996. All applications must be received by the Office of Procurement Services by that time. Applications sent by telegram or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. Any application received at the Office of Procurement Services after 4:45 pm EST will not be considered unless it is received before award is made and: 1. It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the fifth calendar day before July 31, 1996 (i.e., not later than July 26, 1996); 2. 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 above address; or 3. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5:00 pm at the place of mailing two working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, prior to July 31, 1996 (i.e., not later than 5:00 pm July 29, 1996). 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 shall request that the postal clerk place a legible hand cancellation bull's-eye postmark on both the receipt and the wrapper or envelope. The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a late application sent by U.S. Postal Service Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to Addressee is the date entered by the post office receiving clerk on the ``Express Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to Addressee'' label and the postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. ``Postmark'' has the same meaning as defined above. Therefore, applicants shall request that 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 Office of Procurement Services on the application wrapper or other documentary evidence of receipt maintained by that office. Part III. Statement of Work--Key Features A. Introduction The Women's Bureau (Washington, D.C.) announces the Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) for competitive grant awards first funded under the technical assistance program authorized by the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act and funded through JTPA Title IV-D. Since then, the Employment and Training Administration, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (ETA/BAT) has continued to fund the program through JTPA Title IV-D and transfer funds to the WB to continue the technical assistance program authorized under the WANTO Act. The WB anticipates a transfer of funds amounting to $610,000 for Fiscal Year 1996 and expects to make up to five (5) grants to CBOs that will provide direct technical assistance to change the workplaces of private sector job creators--employers and labor organizations--to make private sector workplaces more supportive to increasing the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations (NTO). 1. CBOs may solicit employers and labor organizations that request technical assistance in preparing their workplace to promote women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations (NTOs) and include such agreements in their proposal in response to SGA 96-05. Priority will be given to proposals that include specific provisions to providing technical assistance to employers and labor organizations with (1) contracts for work on large employment projects; (2) regional and national computer-based telecommunications networks; and (3) emphasis on geographic areas of the Southeast and Southwest. 2. At the same time, the Department will continue to build an inventory (as directed by the WANTO legislation) of workplace technical assistance requests from employers and labor organizations to promote the increase in employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations sent directly to the Office of Procurement Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, Attention: Lisa Harvey. 3. Technical assistance requests from both CBOs (as a part of the technical proposal) and requests sent directly to the Department of Labor by employers and labor organizations should be in writing. 4. The Department will award only one grant per CBO, with or without multiple service providers or subcontractors. The total amount of each grant will depend upon the total amount of direct technical assistance to be provided. Applicants should provide estimated cost (hourly or fixed rates) for specific technical assistance services they are prepared to perform in the cost proposal. 5. Since the thrust of this SGA is technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to attain workplace change responsive to the increase in women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations, the program of this SGA is designed to be employer- workplace driven. Allowable grant activities do not include CBO capacity building services, or the operation of CBO ongoing training activities unless they are directly related to the provision of technical assistance to make job creators' workplaces--employers and labor organizations--more responsive to increased employment and support for [[Page 31155]] women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. B. Program Requirements The Department, through this competition, is seeking Community- Based Organization grantees with a record of accomplishment, with overall organizational experience and facilities, and with staff who can demonstrate the necessary technical knowledge and experience that can ensure successful completion of provision of technical assistance to employers and labor organizations. In the grant application process, Community-Based Organization grant applicants should include a specific program for providing technical assistance to mega project contractors and others, including the name and address of projects that they have developed working relationships with for this round of WANTO activities. CBOs are also required to present evidence of their experience, qualifications, technical knowledge of programs to assist job creators to recruit, select, train, place and retain women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. 1. Provide Technical Assistance Community-Based Organization (CBO) Eligibility: Definition. The term ``community-based organization'' as defined in section 4(5) of the Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C 1501(5)), means private nonprofit organizations which are representative of communities or significant segments of communities that provide job training services. a. For this solicitation, the significant segment of communities are organizations that have demonstrated and documented experience in providing and administering programs that prepare women for employment in apprenticeable occupations or other nontraditional occupations. b. Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), for this competition, do not include for profit or public entities such as, the Job Training Partnership System, hospitals, educational institutions--schools, colleges and universities. 2. Community-Based Organizations: Scope of Work The Women's Bureau, is seeking Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) with a record of accomplishment in the areas related to increasing the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. a. CBOs will provide Technical Assistance (TA) to employers and labor organizations to assist them in preparing their workplaces to increase the employment of women in apprenticeship training and nontraditional occupations. Each proposal for funding should include a direct and specific statement on how the proposed activities will increase the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional employment in private sector workplaces, increasing self-sufficiency for them and their families. . . . Each proposal for funding should include (1) a specific feasibility study/examination to produce a proposed ``plan of action'' for providing technical assistance to employers and labor organizations included with the proposal; (2) plan for assessing and evaluating the technical assistance activities provided during the grant period, in addition to the grant's final report; (3) plan for a ``how-to-do-it'' technical assistance manual as a result of the grant activities. 3. Scope of CBO Technical Assistance Activities--Key Features CBOs' technical assistance tasks include employer or labor organization requests that will promote the increased employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in the requester's workplace. These technical assistance activities include strategies to implement policy and work practices changes which may include a wide variety of technical assistance to prepare, recruit, promote and retain women in apprentice and nontraditional employment. While WANTO proposals can be submitted for any employer and/or labor organization technical assistance program that is designed to increase the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations, the Department will give priority consideration to applications where proposals focus on: (1) LARGE PROJECT SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is designed to assist private sector employers and labor organizations (with large project contracts) to increase women's employment on large (multi-year and $multi-million) in private and/or public economic development (including building) projects in construction, transportation, utilities and telecommunications industries. Such technical assistance activities include strategies for developing and implementing changes in workplace policy and work practices to support the employment of women, particularly in entering and completing registered apprenticeship employment programs. (2) COMPUTER-BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK: The proposed program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is designed to provide for the maintenance and development of regional and national computer-based telecommunications networks to provide customized off-site technical assistance to small and medium size private-sector employers and labor organizations in their development and implementation of strategies to make workplace policy and work practice changes to support the recruitment, training, and retention of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in individual private-sector workplaces. Such technical assistance activities should promote the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. (3) GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is designed to implement activities to strengthen technical assistance to private-sector employers and labor organizations in the Southeast and Southwest regions of the United States who want assistance in the development and implementation of strategies that provide for workplace changes in policies and work practices to support women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations, particularly as cited in (1) and (2) above. Such technical assistance activities should promote the employment of minority women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. MOREOVER, the Department will award twenty-five (25) bonus rating points to proposals reflecting the above criteria when the proposal includes (1) established partnership with the employers and labor organizations that expands the dollar amount, size and scope of the proposal; and (2) specific and written commitment with timeline for the employment of women in registered apprenticeship and/or nontraditional employment. 4. Capabilities and Qualifications of CBO and Staff Applicant CBOs are asked to provide information on organizational capacity, organizational management and staffing charts, and technical assistance experience with employers and labor organization, qualifications of the principal investigator(s) and staff who will provide both the ``hands on'' services and related written products that describe the project activities in a professional manner in the management and staff loading plans. In addition, [[Page 31156]] applicant CBOs shall provide responses to items a-e and their subparts listed below: a. Briefly describe and * * * Provide complete resumes that describe the qualifications of persons to provide technical assistance in the area of increasing employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. Include both education and work experience. * * * Provide work references, to support principal investigator and support staff qualifications to provide technical assistance in the area of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. * * * Briefly describe physical resource facilities that support your organization's human resources delivery of the technical assistance--book and video library, conference rooms, computer hardware and software, etc. b. Briefly describe your organization's experience in preparing women to gain employment in apprenticeable occupations or other nontraditional occupations; * * * Briefly describe your organization's current services. * * * State your organization's current funding level and sources of funds. * * * Describe your organization's experience and success in the provision of services to women in preparing them for gainful employment in apprenticeable and other nontraditional occupations. * * * Describe what your organization would consider as its most outstanding success over the last two years? * * * Provide customer references that specifically support your organization's experience and qualifications to provide technical assistance in the area of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. c. Briefly describe your organization's experience in delivering technical assistance. * * * Briefly describe the geographic location of your organization's technical assistance services and any experience in policy and/or written technical publications, including ``how-to.'' * * * Include (in the appendix) copies of publications, such as, policy papers/studies, manuals or ``how-tos'' and feasibility studies related to women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations that your organization has developed. * * * Briefly describe target groups of women to which your organization has provided recruitment, training, placement, retention and promotion services; for what types of occupations and industries. * * * Briefly describe your organization's relationship with the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or the State Apprenticeship Committee. d. Briefly describe your organization's experience working with the business community to prepare business to place women in apprenticeable occupations or other nontraditional occupations; * * * Briefly describe your organization's relationship and experience with employers and labor unions who offer apprenticeable and nontraditional occupations. * * * Briefly describe the type(s) of technical assistance to employers provided previously by your organization. What were the results of these services. * * * Provide business references to support your work with the business community to prepare business to place women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. * * * Briefly list the employer and labor unions for which your organization has provided technical assistance. e. List the tradeswomen or women in nontraditional occupations as active members of your organization, as either employed staff or board members. * * * List name, trade, and organizational position of tradeswomen and other women in nontraditional occupations on staff or on your organization's Board of Directors. * * * Include the dates when tradeswomen served in active paid or unpaid positions in your organization. In addition, all applications must also include a management and staff loading plan. The management plan is to include a project organization chart and accompanying narrative which differentiates between elements of the applicant's staff and subcontractors or consultants who will be retained. The staff loading plan must identify all key tasks and the person- days required to complete each task. Labor estimates for each task must be broken down by individuals assigned to the task, including subcontractors and consultants. All key tasks must be charted to show time required to perform them by months or weeks. 5. Use of Funds The Technical Proposal of CBO applicants shall describe both known and anticipated expenditures that may arise in the conduct of providing technical assistance to and on employers and labor organizations relevant to workplace change for women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. The Department is also seeking proposals with leverage or other partnership activities that will enlarge the dollar amount, size, and scope of the proposed WANTO financial application. a. List activities on which grant funds will be expended but not the dollar cost. b. List any leverage of funds activities taken or anticipated with this grant--any partnerships, linkages or coordination of activities, cooperative funding, etc. c. List specific activities on which grant funds will be expended by subgrantees (if applicable) but not the dollar cost. 6. Continuation of Activities The Technical Proposal of CBO applicants shall describe any anticipated strategies proposed by them to encourage and promote the continuation or expansion of grant activities beyond the grant's period of program performance. a. Briefly describe your organization's approach and activities to support and encourage employers and labor organizations in your/their efforts to continue activities that support women employed in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in their workplaces after they are in the workplace and after the completion of this project. b. Briefly describe how your organization will approach employers and organizations to incorporate technical assistance into labor/ management agreements and/or employer policy and work practice changes as a result of this WANTO technical assistance funding. c. To what extend will the changed policy and work practices be made a part of supervisory and employee employment handbooks? G. Technical Assistance Requests 1. The Department is seeking technical assistance requests from private-sector employers and labor organizations who want to receive technical assistance provided by the community-based organizations with WANTO grant funds to provide such assistance. Requesting employers and labor organizations should submit technical assistance requests to the Department of Labor, Attention: Lisa Harvey, Office of Procurement Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. 2. Employers and Labor Organizations may also choose to submit their technical assistance requests to community-based organizations they have established a partnership with in [[Page 31157]] the CBO's application to the Department of Labor for grant award. A description of the technical assistance request, name and address of the requester shall be attached to the end of the Technical Proposal. Part IV. Evaluation Criteria and Selection Applicants are advised that selection for a grant award is to be made after careful evaluation of technical applications by a panel. Each panelist will evaluate applications against the various criteria on the basis of 100 points and a maximum additional 25 points for the bonus category. The scores will then serve as the primary basis to select applications for potential award. Clarification may be requested of grant applicants if the situation so warrants. Please see Part III., Section B. for additional information on the elements against which proposal will be reviewed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Points ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Technical Criteria ------------------------------------------------------------------------ a. Capabilities and Qualifications of CBO and Staff........ 50 b. Use of Funds............................................ 25 c. Continuation of Activities.............................. 25 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Bonus Points ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (See Part III, B-3, Scope of CBOs' Technical Assistance Activities--Key Features) Total................................................ 25 a. Proposal Focus on Large Project; Telecommunications Network or Southeast/Southwest Geographic Area combined with...................................................... 5 b. Established Partnership................................. 10 c. Written Commitment...................................... 10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Cost Criteria Proposals will be scored, based on their costs in relation to other proposals submitted in response to this SGA. Specifically, the lowest priced proposal will receive 25 points, based on the following formula: (lowest priced proposal/proposal cost) x 25 All other proposals will receive points using the above formula. For example, if the lowest priced proposal had a total Federal budget of $5,000, it would receive a cost score of 25. If another proposal had a total Federal budget of $10,000, it would receive a score of 12.5 (i.e. $5,000/$10,000) x 25). 4. Total Score Using the above example, if the proposal requesting $5,000 of Federal funding received a technical score of 50, the Total Score would be 75 points (50 + 25 = 75); if the proposal requesting $10,000 of Federal funding received a technical score of 75, the Total Score would be 87.5. Proposals received will be evaluated by a review panel based on the criteria immediately following. The panel's recommendations will be advisory, and final awards will be made based on the best interests of the Government, including but not limited to such factors as technical quality, geographic balance. The Department wishes to make it clear that it is not simply the best-written proposals that will be chosen, but rather those which demonstrate the greatest experience and commitment to assisting business to successfully recruit, train, and retain women in apprenticeable occupations and nontraditional occupations and to expand the employment and self-sufficiency options of women. During the technical panel evaluation of all proposals and requests, the Department will bring together CBO qualifications and capabilities with employers/labor unions and other nonunion labor organizations requests to develop final grant activities. In addition, the Department will also consider geographic coverage and occupational/ industrial impact in the final TA grant awards, as well as broadening coverage of different CBO service providers. Allowable Costs: Determinations of allowable costs shall be made in accordance with the following applicable Federal cost principles: State and Local Governments--OMB Circular A-87 Educational Institutions--OMB Circular A-21 Non-Profit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122 Profit Making Commercial Firms--FAR 31.2 Profit will not be considered an allowable cost in any case. Administrative Provisions: The grant awarded under this SGA shall be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions: 29 CFR Part 97--Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments; for all others 29 CFR Part 95. 29 CFR Part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded Grants, Contracts and Agreements. Part V. A. Deliverables (This section is provided only so that grantees may more accurately estimate the staffing budgetary requirements when preparing their proposal. Applicants are to exclude from their cost proposal the cost of any requested travel to Washington, D.C.) 1. No later than four (4) weeks after award, the grantee shall meet with the Women's Bureau and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training to discuss technical assistance activities, timelines, and technical assistance outcomes assessment for comment and final approval. At that time the grantee's final technical assistance requests and CBOs will be matched. The CBO and the Department will discuss and make decisions on the following program activities: a. The number of employers and labor organizations to be served. b. The methodology to be used to change management and employee attitudes about women in non- traditional occupations. c. The types of systemic change anticipated by technical assistance strategies anticipated to be incorporated into employer ongoing recruitment, hiring, training and promotion of women in apprenticeship and apprenticeable nontraditional occupations. [[Page 31158]] d. The occupational, industrial and geographical impact anticipated. e. The supportive services to be provided to employers and women after successful placement into apprenticeship or apprenticeable nontraditional occupations. f. The plan for the development and maintenance of a relationship with the State level of the Federal Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. The Women's Bureau and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training will provide input orally and in writing, if necessary, within ten (10) working days after the Post-Award Meeting. 2. No later than ten (10) weeks after award, the grantee and the Women's Bureau will confirm the employers and labor organizations to be served with WANTO grant funds in a final ``plan of action'' that can be added to as requests increase. Such a plan will reflect the grantee's study/examination workplace via an on-site visit and review of the feasibility of the TA request by the employer. 3. No later than twelve (12) weeks after award, the grantee shall begin the program of technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to recruit, promote and retain women in apprenticeable occupations and other nontraditional training for women, characterized by employment growth and above average earnings. 4. No later than sixteen (16) weeks after award, the first quarterly progress report of work done under this grant will be due. Thereafter, quarterly reports will be due ten (10) working days after the end of each of the three remaining quarters. Quarterly progress reports should include: a. A description of overall progress on work performed during the reporting period, including (1) number, name, address, size of the workplace, including proportion of women with brief profiles of employers and labor organizations provided technical assistance during the period; (2) systemic workplace and policy changes--actual or in process, including the hiring and promotion of women already in the workplace, career ladders or other training activities; (3) public presentations; (4) media articles or appearances; (5) publications disseminated and (6) publications developed. b. An indication of any current problems which may impede performance and the proposed corrective action. c. A discussion of work to be performed during the next reporting period. Between scheduled reporting dates the grantee shall also immediately inform the Grant Officer's Technical Representative of significant developments affecting the grantee's ability to accomplish the work. 5. No later than sixty (64) weeks after award, the grantee shall submit, three (3) copies of the draft final report, an integrated draft report of the process and results of the technical assistance activities during the year. The Women's Bureau and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training will provide written comments on the draft report within twenty (20) working days if substantive problems are identified. The grantee's response to these comments shall be incorporated into the final report. 6. No later than seventy-four (74) weeks after award, the grantee shall submit one (1) DOL customer-ready camera ready copy and four (4) copies of the final report; one (1) diskette (IBM compatible, WordPerfect 5.1) of the Final Report. The report shall cover findings, final performance data, outcome results and assessment, and employer or labor organization plans for follow-up of participants. Copies of technical assistance curricula shall be included, as well as any plans for replication and dissemination of information. An Executive Summary of the findings and recommendations, shall either be included in the report or accompany the report. Signed at Washington, D.C. June 7, 1996. Lawrence J. Kuss, Grant Officer. BILLING CODE 4510-23-P [[Page 31159]] Appendices [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.028 [[Page 31160]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.029 [[Page 31161]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.030 [[Page 31162]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.031 [[Page 31163]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.032 [FR Doc. 96-15318 Filed 6-18-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-23-C



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