Billing Code 4510-30
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
AGENCIES: Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGAs) for the Purpose of Training Child Care Providers.
SUMMARY: THIS NOTICE CONTAINS ALL OF THE NECESSARY INFORMATION
AND FORMS NEEDED TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING. The Department of Labor,
Employment and Training Administration, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, invites proposals
for approximately ten (10) awards for the implementation of the Quality Child Care Initiative. It
will assist with the initiation of building a national system for the education and training of
professional child care providers and expand the National Apprenticeship System by incorporating
diversification of occupational entities through development of new and innovative strategies for
increasing the participation among the child care industry.
DATES: Applications will be accepted commencing on the date of publication. The closing date
for receipt of applications is July 12, 2000, at 4 P.M., (Eastern Time ) at the address below.
TELEFACSIMILE (FAX), TELEGRAPHED, OR ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS WILL NOT
BE HONORED.
ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Reda Harrison, Reference:
SGA/DFA 00-106, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room S-4203, Washington, D.C. 20210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions should be faxed to Reda Harrison, Grants
Management Specialist, Division of Federal Assistance, Fax 202- 219-8739. This is not a toll-free
number. All inquiries should include the SGA number (DFA 00-106) a contact name, fax and
phone numbers. This solicitation will also be published on the Internet on the Employment and
Training Administration's Home Page at http://www.doleta.gov. Award notifications will also be
published on this Home Page.
QUALITY CHILD CARE INITIATIVE SOLICITATION
I. Purpose. To invite proposals for providing a credentialed career path for development of professional child care providers through the utilization of the National Registered Apprenticeship
System; which will reduce turnover, increase wages for providers, provide a more stable environment
for children and lower the concern of parents.
II. Background. The Child Care Industry is in trouble. A 1989 study by the National Center of Early Childhood Workforce found that the quality of services provided by most day care centers was
rated as "barely adequate," and a more recent four-State study by the University of Colorado, at
Denver, found that only 14 percent of child care centers were rated as good quality. In addition,
child care workers are faced with relatively low wages, inadequate benefit coverage and high job
turnover.
On October 23, 1997, President and Mrs. Clinton hosted the White House Conference on child Care
to focus the Nation's attention on the importance of addressing the need for safe, affordable,
available and quality child care. Integral to providing the "right" care is the quality of the child care
worker.
Quality child care service goes hand in glove with having an adequate supply of competent,
professional child care providers. This requires enhanced training opportunities and a redefinition of
the basic concept of what constitutes a child care provider. A national focus on accreditation
demands that practitioners have access to education and training that will promote professional
development. As the field of early care and education becomes established as a profession,
practitioners are required to master basic knowledge, skills and core competencies of early childhood
development. As professionals, practitioners must develop practical knowledge that will enable them
to apply new approaches and strategies for working effectively with young children.
III. Statement of Work. As our society continues to evolve and demands are placed on parents to secure full time job/careers, the need for safe, affordable, available and quality child care has been
brought to the forefront. Utilization of the National Apprenticeship System can provide needed
training for early care and education practitioners. High quality training has the potential to change
the culture of the child care industry from one dominated by low pay and high turnover to one of
respected professional service. No longer would child care be equated to baby-sitting.
The apprenticeship model validates the integral part that child care plays in the economy, as working
families rely on dependable, accessible care for their children. As families move from welfare to
work, additional sources of training child care providers are in demand.
NOTE: All applicants are expected to provide information relative to the projected number
of participants (i.e., employers, apprentices and the diverse make-up of the participants).
The major tasks of this project will be, but not limited, to the following:
- System and capacity-building by incorporating in a collaborative spirit organizations,
agencies, employers, associations and higher education (i.e., State Child Care
Association, State Head Start Association, State Early Childhood Professional
Associations , School Age Care, Black Child Development Institution, State
Family Child Care Associations, State Head Start Collaboration Directors, Post
Secondary Institutions, Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, Registered
Apprenticeship Representative), to develop a vision for implementation of an
individual statewide sustainable infrastructure built upon successful registered
apprenticeship and best practice models;
- From the above activity, establishment of an oversight body to provide direction and
guidance to the vision, utilizing the services of an Apprenticeship and Training
Representative;
- Utilization of an established curriculum or development of a curriculum based on
developmentally appropriate inclusive practices for young children and an interactive
adult education teaching approach that is effective for adult learners;
- Adoption of or establishment of a train-the-trainer system that will ensure the
availability of knowledgeable, experienced, skilled instructors for the related
instruction course work;
- Development of a process to promote career lattice for those graduates of the
registered apprenticeship system (i.e., articulation into an Associates Degree or
higher);
- Ensuring the inclusion of those with other nationally recognized credentials such as
the Child Development Associate (CDA) through previous credit for documented
prior experience;
- Demonstration of in-kind support from institutions involved in the process (i.e.,
time spent to facilitate and foster the process and/or free facilities to conduct related
instruction);
- Development and implementation of a strategy or strategies to ensure inclusion of
practitioners representing diversity of culture, ethnicity, gender and ability;
- Development of policies, procedures and formulas to ensure the consistency and
integrity of system implementation and beyond. The system will be sustainable and
ownership established, if the process is followed throughout the state.
IV. Application Process. Eligible Applicants: Those eligible to apply are as follows: States that have a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) ; State Agencies designated by the
Governor; Governor's Early Childhood Initiative; and other State Agencies with responsibility for
child care regulations or funding. Only one proposal will be accepted per State; and for States
without an SAA, a letter from the Governor designating the agency must accompany the
proposal. Those awardees who received Child Care Initiative awards in 1999 are not eligible
to compete for this procurement.
V. Application Submittal. Applicants must submit four (4) copies of their proposal, with original signatures. The application shall be divided into two distinct parts: Part I - which contains
Standard Form (SF) 424, "Application for Federal Assistance," (Appendix A) and "Budget
Information Sheet," (Appendix B). All copies of the SF 424 MUST have original signatures of the
legal entity applying for grant funding. Applicants shall indicate on the SF 424 the organization's
IRS Status, if applicable. According to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, Section 18, an
organization described in Section 501(c) 4 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which engages in
lobbying activities shall not be eligible for the receipt of federal funds constituting an award, grant,
or loan. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number is 17.249. In addition, the
budget shall include -- on a separate page(s) -- a detailed cost break-out of each line item on the
Budget Information Sheet. Part II shall contain the program narrative that demonstrates the
applicant's plan and capabilities in accordance with the evaluation criteria contained in this section.
Applicants must describe their plan in light of each of the Evaluation Criteria. Applicants MUST
limit the program narrative section to no more than 30 double-spaced pages, on one side only. THIS
INCLUDES ANY ATTACHMENTS. Applications that fail to meet the page limitation requirement
will not be considered.
VI. Late Applications. Any application received after the exact 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 it - (a) was sent by U.S. Postal Service registered or certified mail not later
than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application
submitted in response to a solicitation requiring receipt of applications by the 20th of the month must
have been mailed/post marked by the 15th of that month); or (b) was sent by the U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail Next Day Service to addressee not later than 5:00 P.M. at the place of mailing two
working days prior to the date specified for receipt of applications. The term "working days"
excludes weekends and Federal holidays. "Post-marked" means a printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine 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.
VII. Withdrawal of Applications. Applications may be withdrawn by written notice or
telegram (including mail gram) received at any time before an award is made. Applications may be
withdrawn in person by the applicant or by an authorized representative thereof, the representative's
identity is made known and representative signs a receipt of the proposal.
VIII. Hand Delivered Proposals. It is preferred that applications be mailed at least five days
prior to the closing date. To be considered for funding, hand-delivered applications must be
received by 4:00 P.M., (Eastern Time), July 12, 2000, at the specified address. Failure to adhere to
the above instructions will be a basis for a determination of nonresponsiveness. Overnight express
mail from carriers other than the U.S. Postal Service will be considered hand-delivered applications
and MUST BE RECEIVED by the above specified date and time.
IX. Funding Availability and Period of Performance. The Department expects to make up to 10 awards with a maximum total investment for these projects of $3.5 million. The estimated
range of awards is to be from $175,000 to $350,000. The period of performance will be for 18
months from the date of execution.
X. Review Process. A careful evaluation of applications will be made by a technical review panel who will evaluate the applications against the criteria listed below. The panel results are
advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Government may elect to award the
grant with or without discussions with the offeror. In situations without discussions, an award will
be based on the offeror's signature on the SF 424, which constitutes a binding offer. Those awards
made will be in the best interests of the Government.
Evaluation Criteria:
A. System and Capacity Building -- The extent to which the offeror has delineated
collaboration strategies to develop a vision and implementation plan for a statewide
infrastructure utilizing the registered apprenticeship system of training and forecast
of implementation. (25 points)
B. Sustainability -- Plan for long term viability of the system after this funding ends. (15 points)
C. Curriculum -- Delineation of utilization or development of curriculum based on
developmentally appropriate inclusive practices for young children and an
interactive adult educational component for effective adult learners and a forecast of
implementation. (15 points)
D. Career Lattice -- Describe the process for inclusion of participants with
documented prior experience linked with substantial increases in compensation and
next steps for apprenticeship graduates in the process (awarding of college credit and
articulation with higher education). (20 points)
E. Diversity -- Outline the strategy or strategies developed to ensure inclusion of
participants representing diversity of culture, ethnicity, gender and ability (i.e.,
projected number of employers and apprentices) and a forecast of implementation.
(15 points)
F.Consistency and Integrity -- Delineation of the policies, procedures, and formulas
developed to ensure consistency and integrity of the statewide system. (10 points)
XI. Reporting Requirements:
- Attendance to a post award orientation briefing (i.e., time and place to be
announced), where BAT will reiterate and delineate the overall desired outcomes of
the project;
- Detailed work plan, budget, and schedule within 30 days of grant award;
- Quarterly Status Reports within 30 days of quarters end;
- Monthly cost vouchers;
- Final report on completed tasks and specific recommendations for future grants for
Child Care Initiatives, no later than 45 days following the end of the grant.
Signed in Washington, D.C., the 5th of May, 2000.
Laura A. Cesario
Grant Officer
Division of Federal Assistance
Appendix A: SF 424 - Application Form
Appendix B: Budget Information Form
