WHAT DOES THE COST PROPOSAL CONSIST OF? ARE SPECIFIC ITEMS OR EXPLANATIONS ANTICIPATED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE COST PROPOSAL?
ANSWER: The cost proposal for the National Farmworker Jobs program
consists of the budget information summary (ETA 9093)(attached) and
the Standard Form SF 424. Farmworker Housing Assistance applicant
cost proposal consists of the SF 424 and the SF 424A. A written
explanation in support of the cost proposal is not required.
IS THE SGA ASKING FOR A PROGRAM PLAN OF SERVICE SUCH AS THE FORM
SUBMITTED BY CURRENT GRANTEES AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL PROGRAM PLAN/
REAPPLICATION AND RESPONSES TO 2(A) THROUGH 2I)? OR ARE THE RESPONSES
TO 2(A) THROUGH 2(I) THEMSELVES CONSIDERED THE PROGRAM PLAN OF SERVICE?
ANSWER: The program plan of service requires a description of each
service along with the estimated numbers to receive training services
and related assistance services. The program planning summary
(ETA 9094) and the budget information summary (ETA 9093) are also
required to respond to the SGA; however, completing the ETA 9094
will not satisfy the requirement to provide estimated numbers for those
proposed to receive training services and to receive related assistance
services.
DOES THE 50 NUMBERED PAGE LIMITATIONS INCLUDE THE COST PROPOSAL?
ANSWER: NO
SHOULD APPLICATIONS FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE BE SUBMITTED AS INDIVIDUAL STATE APPLICATIONS OR CAN A REGIONAL APPLICATION BE SUBMITTED?
ANSWER: Applicants are to determine the geographic areas where
they propose to operate a housing assistance program. When preferred
by the applicant, a multi-state or a regional application may be
appropriate.
IF REGIONAL APPLICATIONS ARE ALLOWED, THEN WILL THAT APPLICATION BE LIMITED
TO THE 15-PAGE REQUIREMENT AND MUST A PROGRAM BE PROPOSED FOR EACH
STATE IN THAT REGION?
ANSWER: YES, the 15-page limitation requirement will be imposed for
regional applications. No, it is not a requirement that a program be
proposed for each state in that region. However, applicants must be
guided by the regional allocations, in preparing proposal.
FOR THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE APPLICATION DO WE TREAT DELAWARE/MARYLAND
AS A COMBINED SERVICE AREA?
ANSWER: The Delaware/Maryland and the Connecticut/Rhode Island
combined service areas apply to the national farmworkers jobs
program only. Applicants for housing assistance funds are to
identify the geographic area to which they propose to operate.
FOR THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE APPLICATION, NO BUDGET IS REQUESTED, BUT
WILL WE STILL SUBMIT PAGE 1 OF THE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
WITHOUT A FIXED FUNDING LEVEL?
ANSWER: A financial proposal is requested for the farmworker housing
assistance applications. The housing assistance applicants should
submit a SF 424 &424A.
ARE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS GRANT?
ANSWER: Yes, when the organization responds successfully that it has
1) an understanding of the problems of eligible migrant and seasonal
farmworkers, 2) a familiarity with the area to be served and 3) the ability
to demonstrate a capacity to administer effectively a diversified program
of workforce investment activities and related assistance for eligible
MSFWs. The information needed to demonstrate these capacities is
required by the SGA.
INDIRECT SERVICES MUST FOCUS ON INCREASING OR MAINTAINING THE STOCK OF
EMERGENCY AND TEMPORARY HOUSING, BUT YEAR-ROUND 167 ELIGIBLE
FARMWORKERS HAVE NEEDS FOR YEAR-ROUND HOUSING SUCH AS RURAL
DEVELOPMENT'S SECTION 514/516 FARM LABOR HOUSING PROGRAM. THE
QUESTION IS; CAN INDIRECT SERVICES BE USED TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE
THE AVAILABLITY OF THIS TYPE OF FARMWORKER HOUSING?
Answer: The SGA provides that "indirect services must focus
exclusively on increasing (or maintaining) the stock of emergency and temporary
housing including portable housing units." Services related to
year-round housing may not be financed indirectly with these funds, such as
through leveraging activities.
PLEASE GIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND/OR CLARIFY THE STATEMENT IN
THE NOTE SECTION CONCERNING SOLE-SOURCE PROCUREMENT AND HOW OR
IF IT APPLIES TO STATE GOVERNMENTS AS GRANTEES.
Answer: This provision means that grantees can not simply rely
upon the identification of a service provider in its application as
the grounds to enter into a sole-source procurement transaction.
This provision does not change or add to a grantee's responsibility
for complying with applicable state and/or local procurement
standards, as required by 29 CFR Parts 95 and 97. This does not
prohibit sole-sourcing. A sole-source selection of a service provider
funded under the grant must be authorized under those applicable
state and/or local standards.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A CONSORTIUM TO COVER TWO OR THREE REGIONS?
Answer: Yes. Each applicant for housing assistance funds is free
to select and identify the geographic area or areas for operating its
proposed farmworker housing assistance grant. The allocations to
the agricultural regions will guide ETA in distributing funds.
(The agriculture regions will not be used to decide on the
geographical territories of the grantees.)
THE SGA ELIMINATES THE REGIONAL STRUCTURE AND FARMWORKER HOUSING
GRANTEES. THE SGA DOES NOT INVITE APPLICATIONS FROM HOUSING
CONSORTIUMS. THE REGIONAL STRUCTURE WAS A DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
CREATION. WHY THE CHANGE NOW? IT APPEARS FROM THE SGA THAT DOL
WILL NOT MAKE ANY SEPARATE HOUSING GRANTS, AND IS NOT PLANNING TO
MAKE ANY SINGLE PURPOSE GRANTS FOR HOUSING, BUT INSTEAD, FUND
OTHER WIA GRANTEES. PLEASE EXPLAIN.
Answer: The SGA provides for two separate competitions. One is
the National Farmworker Jobs program grants and the other is for
the farmworker housing assistance grants. Awards will be made
under each competition. The SGA for the farmworker housing
assistance allows for applications that propose to serve a
multi-state area.
THE SGA STATES THAT DOL WILL NOT FUND FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION. WHAT
DO YOU CONSIDER FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION?
Answer: The WIA regulations at 20 CFR 667.260 provide that WIA funds
must not be spent on construction or purchase of facilities or buildings
except as provided in the exceptions.
THE UNITED STATES DEAPRTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT (RD)
IS THE ONLY FUNDING SOURCE - FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL THAT HAS
CONSTRUCTION FUNDS (LOANS AND GRANTS) SPECIFICALLY FOR FARMWORKERS.
THEIR FUNDS ARE SO LIMITED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COST EFFECTIVE TO
CONSTRUCT TEMPORARY HOUSING. TEMPORARY AND EMERGENCY HOUSING
WOULD STILL ENTAIL A MORTGAGE BEING PAID DURING HE TIME THE UNITS ARE
NOT OCCUPIED. NONE OF RD'S PROGRAMS IDENTIFY EMERGENCY HOUSING AS
AN ELIGIBLE OPTION.
Answer: Temporary and portable housing may be obtained through
rental or lease arrangements.
IT IS DIFFICULT AT BEST, TO BUILD PERMANENT HOUSING FOR FARMWORKERS, HOW
DOES AN AGENCY BUILD TEMPORARY AND EMERGENCY HOUSING WITH THE KNOWN
COMMUNITY OBSTACLES: ZONING, THE NOT IN MY BACKYARD SYNDROME? WHERE
DOES THE FUNDING COME FROM?
Answer: The SGA does not require building temporary or emergency
Housing, or any new construction. The SGA emphasizes increasing the
Availability of emergency and temporary housing for migratory
farmworkers. While for some communities new construction may
be a strategy to increase housing availability, another community may
choose a strategy of renting or leasing existing housing units for use
by migratory farmworkers in order to increase their access to housing.
WHAT IS DOL'S DEFINITION OF TEMPORARY AND EMERGENCY HOUSING?
Answer: For this solicitation, we intend for "temporary housing" to mean
housing provided for a temporary requirement, such as housing for a
migrant farm worker while he or she is working or traveling in the
migration stream. We intend for "emergency housing" to primarily address
situations where the absence of available or affordable housing has
led to safety and sanitation concerns, especially if children are present.
Such situations could arise at the farm worker's resident location as the
result of lost earnings opportunities due to natural disasters or from
other causes, including domestic relations causes.
PLEASE EXPLAIN RELATING HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO THE PROMOTION OF A
FARMWORKER'S EMPLOYMENT? ARE WE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AN INDIVIDUAL
EMPLOYMENT PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS?
Answer: The NFJP grantee would assist in the development of the
Individual Employment Plan. Paragraph (d) of WIA Section 167
authorizes assistance related to workforce investment activities be provided "as
needed by eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers and identified
pursuant to the" Program Plan required in Paragraph (c). Housing
assistance Activities are among the types of authorized related
assistance or supportive services. Paragraph (c) (2) (b) requires
that grant plans describe the related assistance and supportive
services to be provided and the manner in which such assistance
and supportive services to be provided and the manner in which
such assistance and services are to be integrated and coordinated
with other appropriate services.
WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES DOES THE DEPARTMENT INTEND AS, "DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN
HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR MIGRANT AND SEASONAL FARMWORKERS AT THEIR HOME
BASE"? CAN DOL PROVIDE ANY EXAMPLES? HOW IS "HOME BASE" IN THIS CONTEXT DEFINED?
Answer: Examples of direct investments in housing assistance are
supportive housing services to a farm worker (which may include
emergency assistance due to lost income from crop damage)
and "housing development assistance" which is defined as
"an organized program of education and on-site demonstrations
about the basic elements of family housing and may include financing,
site selection, permits and construction skills, leading towards home
ownership." Home base is the community the migrant farmworker
considers home. Typically, the home base is located in
California, Texas, Florida and Gulf Coast areas.
LEVERAGING OTHER FUNDS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND/OR MAINTENANCE OF MULTI-FAMILY FARM
LABOR HOUSING (SUCH AS USDA 514/516 PROJECTS) APPEARS TO BE AN UNALLOWABLE
ACTIVITY BECAUSE USDA WILL NOT ALLOW OCCUPANCY RESTRICTIONS SOLELY FOR WIA 167
ELIGIBLE CUSTOMERS AND THE HOUSING IS, TECHNICALLY, A PERMANENT STRUCTURE
INTENDED FOR TEMPORARY OR CONTINUOUS OCCUPANCY AS LONG AS THE OCCUPANTS
ARE ENGAGED IN SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL LABOR AS THEIR PRIMARY OCCUPATION. IS THIS
CORRECT?
Answer: The questions seems to imply that the only allowable
leveraging Activities are those that benefit WIA 167 eligible migrants and seasonal
Farmworkers solely. To clarify, these funds can be used to access other
available housing assistance resources that are intended to finance
temporary or emergency housing for use by WIA 167 eligible participants
and others, as long as the increase in availability of housing increases
the access of WIA 167 eligible participants to such housing.
A SURVEY IS INCLUDED IN THE SGA. IS IT REQUIRED TO BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED.
Answer: Yes