[Federal Register: June 6, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 109)] [Notices]
[Page 33969-33989] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr06jn03-101]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Disability Employment Policy
[SGA 03-13]
Customized Employment Grants Initiative
AGENCY: Office of Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds; solicitation for grant
applications (SGA 03-13).
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This notice contains all of the necessary information and forms needed
to apply for grant funding. (SGA 03-13)
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or the Department), Office of
Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) announces the availability of $2.5 million
to award up to five competitive grants ranging from approximately $500,000 to
$750,000 for strategic planning and implementation activities designed to
improve the employment and career advancement of people with disabilities
through enhanced availability and provision of customized employment services
through the One-Stop delivery system established under the Workforce Investment
Act of 1998 (WIA) (Pub. L. 105-220, 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.).
The purpose of this Customized Employment Grant Initiative, begun by
ODEP in FY'01 and continued in FY'02, is to provide funds to selected Local
Workforce Investment Boards (Local Boards), or, if appropriate, the WIA grant
recipient or fiscal agent for the local area on behalf of the Local Board. The
Local Board will be the lead entity in a consortium/partnership of public and
private entities, to build the capacity in local One-Stop Centers to provide
customized employment services to those persons with disabilities who may not
now be regularly targeted for services by the One-Stop Center system. Grants
funded under this program will also provide a vehicle for Local Boards to
systemically review their policies and practices in terms of service to persons
with disabilities, and to incorporate new and innovative practices, as
appropriate.
Grants are for a one-year period and may be renewed for a period of up
to four additional years at varying funding levels depending upon the
availability of funds and the efficacy of the project activities. See also
Parts IV, IX.
The applicants scoring the highest when evaluated pursuant to the
criteria set forth in Part VII, in conjunction with considerations by the Grant
Officer delineated in Part IX of this Solicitation for Grant Application will
be awarded Customized Employment Grants. Eligibility: Eligible applicants for
these grants are Local Workforce Investment Boards (Local Boards) or if
appropriate, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (Pub. L. 105-220, 29 U.S.C.
2801 et seq.) grant recipient or fiscal agent for the local area on behalf of
the local board under the Workforce Investment Act. The Local Board may enter
into numerous partnerships with other public and private entities, consistent
with the proposed activities of the grant.
DATES: Applications will be accepted commencing on June 6, 2003. The
closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is July 21,
2003. Applications must be received by 4:45 p.m. (ET) at the address below. No
exceptions to the mailing and hand-delivery conditions set forth in this notice
will be granted. Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this
notice will be considered non-responsive.
ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to: U.S. Department of Labor,
Procurement Services Center, Attention: Cassandra Willis, Reference SGA 03-13,
Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Telefacsimile
(FAX) applications will not be accepted. Applicants are advised that mail in
the Washington area may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cassandra Willis, U.S. Department of
Labor, Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is not a
toll-free number), prior to the closing deadline. Persons who are deaf or hard
of hearing may contact ODEP via the Federal Relay Service, (800) 877-8339. This
announcement will also be published on the Internet on ODEP's online Home Page
at: http://www.dol.gov/odep. Award
notifications will also be published on the ODEP homepage.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Part I. Delivery of Applications
1. Late Applications. Any application received after the exact date and
time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice will be
considered non-responsive, unless it is received before awards are made and it
(a) is determined that its late receipt was caused by DOL error; (b) 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 post marked by the 15th of
that month); or (c) was sent by the U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day
Service to addressee not later than 5 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.
2. 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, if the representative's identity is made
known and the representative signs a receipt of the proposal.
3. 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 4:45 p.m., ET, at the
specified address. Failure to adhere to the above instructions will be basis
for a determination of non-responsiveness. 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.
Part II. Authority
Omnibus Appropriations Resolution, 2003, Public Law 1087; Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-554, 29 U.S.C. 557b.
Part III. Background
The President's New Freedom Initiative is designed to increase the
number of people with disabilities who enter, reenter, and remain in the
workforce. It is dedicated to increasing investment in and access to assistive
technologies, a quality education, and increasing the integration of Americans
with disabilities into the workforce and community life. The WIA provides the
infrastructure for streamlining services
[[Page 33970]]
and securing employment through the One-Stop delivery system. WIA
provides a system in which multiple programs and agencies (including state
Vocational Rehabilitation agencies) to: (a) Form partnerships in this effort;
(b) share expertise and coordinate resources; and (c) provide services to
assist people in gaining and retaining employment. The One-Stop Career Centers
that comprise this system are in a position to expand employment opportunities
for people with disabilities, thus ensuring that the intent of the New Freedom
Initiative is accomplished.
Under WIA, collaboration with multiple required partners \1\ is
intended to create a coordinated and streamlined system for the customer
seeking employment. It is essential to involve additional state or local
programs as partners with the One-Stop Center to enable people with
disabilities to have increased employment opportunities and choice in
employment. These additional programs include, but are not limited to, state
programs for Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Medicaid,
Mental Health and Transportation; State Councils for Developmental
Disabilities; state assistive technology programs, Small Business Development
Centers and secondary education programs. While not required partners under
WIA, these programs have expertise and/or resources that can contribute to
expanding employment and business opportunities for people with
disabilities.
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\1\ Some of the required partners are adult education and literacy
activities under Title II of WIA; post-secondary vocational education
activities under the Carl Perkins Act (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.); vocational
rehabilitation programs authorized under Title V of the Workforce Investment
Act; welfare-to-work programs; veterans employment and training activities,
community services block grant employment and training activities; U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development employment and training activities;
and activities authorized under Title V of the Older Americans Act (WIA sec.
121(b), 29 U.S.C.A. 2841(b), 20 CFR 662.200).
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In addition, community colleges, University Centers for Excellence in
Developmental Disabilities, business incubators, lending institutions,
foundations, faith-based and community organizations, and other state or local
programs may also be critical partners. These agencies and programs may not be
informed about the potential for coordinating resources and expertise with
Local Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Centers to increase employment,
choice and wages for people with disabilities.
In addition, One-Stop Centers may elect to become employment networks
under the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Ticket-to- Work and Work
Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (42 U.S.C. 1320b-19 et seq.) (TTW), thus
making it more likely that they will require expertise in customized employment
strategies to successfully facilitate employment for people with disabilities
who are recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI). The TTW is providing increased employment
opportunities for people with disabilities who receive SSI and/or SSDI benefits
by addressing some of the major barriers encountered by these individuals as
they attempt to gain or regain employment. Approximately eight million people
with disabilities receive SSI and/or SSDI benefits. According to the U.S.
General Accounting Office, less than one percent of these individuals leave the
rolls each year as a result of paid employment. About one-third of those who do
leave the SSI and/ or SSDI roles typically return within three years.
The TTW program provides a variety of work incentives, including
greater choices of needed employment services, the continuation of Medicare
eligibility for SSDI recipients and, at the state's option, health coverage
under the Medicaid program to certain workers with disabilities, either by
permitting them to purchase Medicaid coverage or by extending Medicaid
eligibility to them without charge. As a result, there is unprecedented
opportunity for these individuals to enter, or return to the workforce.
Therefore, increasing numbers of individuals with disabilities will be
approaching their local One-Stop Centers for assistance. Many strategies exist
for securing integrated, competitive employment for people with disabilities,
including people who previously might have been considered ``nonfeasible'' for
employment, and people who have been segregated in institutions, nursing homes,
and day activity programs.
Many exemplary practices and promising strategies have emerged through
decades of research and demonstration projects, and through other public and
private activities promoting increased choice and self-determination for people
with disabilities. These include a variety of approaches such as:
[sbull] Supported employment; [sbull] Supported
entrepreneurship; [sbull] Individualized job development; [sbull] Job
carving and restructuring; [sbull] Use of personal agents (including
individuals with disabilities and family members); [sbull] Development of
micro-boards, micro-enterprises, cooperatives and small businesses; and
[sbull] Use of personal budgets and other forms of individualized funding that
provide choice and control to the person and promote self- determination.
These and other innovations hold the promise of dramatically increasing
both employment and wages for people with disabilities, in part by increasing
their choices for integrated, competitive employment, business ownership,
micro-enterprise development, entrepreneurship, and other employment options
that were previously seldom available.
An important focus of these innovations has been on providing non-
stereotypical jobs that provide increased earnings, benefits, and career
advancement potential for people with significant disabilities. There is a
substantial need for a sustained and coordinated initiative to build
professional competency within One-Stop Centers and their partners, including
service providers and employers, about the use of such customized employment
strategies.
Additionally there is a need to:
(1) Effectively expand the availability of personal agents, job
development expertise, and other strategies for achieving customized employment
for people with disabilities; (2) Increase the number of eligible training
providers who register with the local One-Stop Career Center with expertise in
providing customized employment assistance, including faith-based and community
organizations that have expertise in supporting families and individuals;
(3) Provide information, technical assistance, training and strategic planning
that focuses on integrating customized employment strategies into the workforce
investment system;, (4) Develop ongoing linkages with employers,
professional and business service organizations and trade associations and
market to employers the abilities of people with disabilities to work in a
variety of jobs; (5) Coordinate all necessary employment and related
supports from WIA partners and other essential programs that are not required
partners under WIA; and, (6) Research and demonstrate alternative methods
of determining effective performance by the workforce investment system in
terms of service to people with disabilities.
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This SGA is designed to award strategic planning and implementation
grants for customized employment to develop and/or expand the capacity of local
workforce systems to provide meaningful and effective opportunity through
One-Stops for all persons with disabilities. This SGA will lead to the
development of comprehensive models of direct service delivery in the context
of a One-Stop setting for individuals with disabilities with the greatest
barriers to employment, many of whom have never been employed, have been
limited to subsidized employment, are underemployed, or may be considered by
some as unable to be employed. The Customized Employment grants will involve
cutting edge approaches such as use of customized employment strategies and
active involvement of essential programs of both mandated and non- mandated
partners of the workforce system.
The result of these efforts will be an increase in employment, choice,
and wages for people with disabilities through the use of customized
employment, and the systemic evaluation and modification, as appropriate, of
policies and practices to ensure that customized employment strategies for
people with disabilities are systemically included in the services available
through the One-Stop Centers. The U.S. Department of Labor also offers Work
Incentive Grants through its Employment and Training Administration. The Work
Incentive Grants are designed to enhance service delivery throughout the
National One-Stop delivery system for people with disabilities. The Work
Incentive Grants are complementary yet distinct from the Customized Employment
demonstration grants offered in this SGA. The Work Incentive Grants support
systemic change through capacity building of the One- Stop infrastructure,
whereas these Customized Employment Grants will serve as models of
comprehensive service delivery that extend beyond WIA programs and provide
services for individuals with disabilities who are the most disenfranchised
under current service delivery systems.
Part IV. Funding Availability and Period of Performance
ODEP anticipates awarding approximately up to five competitive grants
ranging from $500,000 to $750,000, to develop demonstration programs to support
the development and coordination of customized community employment
opportunities in non-stereotypical jobs for people with disabilities. This
grant initiative is founded in the belief that in order to fully participate in
community life, individuals with disabilities must have the opportunity for
employment.
These demonstration grants will be awarded for one year, with four
additional option years possible, depending upon the availability of funds and
the efficacy of grant activities, established by independent reviews conducted
by ODEP or its designees. It is envisioned that if funding continues for the
full five years, the funding for years four and five will be at successively
lower rates with funding during year four at 80 percent of the third year
funds, and funding during year five at 60 percent of the third year funds.
Grantees are expected to use this grant to leverage and develop other public
and private resources to ensure sustainability, and the extent to which the
application demonstrates such sustainability is an important rating criterion
for this competition.
Funds shall not be used for modifying buildings or equipment for
physical accessibility, although the strategic planning should address how
resources will be leveraged for such purposes from other sources, as
appropriate.
Part V. Eligible Applicants and Required Partnerships
Eligible applicants: Eligible applicants for these grants are
restricted to Local Workforce Investment Boards (Local Boards) or, if
appropriate, the WIA grant recipient or fiscal agent for the local area on
behalf of the Local Board as established under WIA. The Local Board may
coordinate numerous partnerships with other public and private entities,
consistent with proposed activities of the grant and applicable administrative
requirements. Local Boards are encouraged to form partnerships with other state
and local entities and public and private non-profit organizations, including
faith-based and community organizations.
Indian and Native American Tribal entities, or consortia of Tribes,
with the written approval of their tribal council, are also eligible to receive
these grants. Grants to Indian and Native American tribal grantees must
recognize principles of sovereignty and self-governance established under the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, allowing for the
government-to-government relationship between the Federal and Tribal
Governments. Such an application could involve coordination of services and
enhancement to a One-Stop system approach for people with disabilities in a
specific Indian community or covering multiple Tribal entities that may cut
across multiple States and/or workforce investment areas.
Required partnerships: The purpose of this initiative is to maximize
the capacity of, and outcomes from, One-Stop Centers and their partners to
effectively serve people with disabilities through customized employment
strategies, and to integrate those strategies into the policy and practice of
the One-Stop and its partners in order to increase employment, choice and wages
for people with disabilities. These efforts must include the involvement of
many key partners, especially those with direct involvement in their area's
One-Stop Career Centers.
For purposes of this solicitation, the target groups are people with
disabilities who are either unemployed or under-employed and are: (1) Receiving
Supplementary Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Insurance
(SSDI); or (2) Participating in day programs (such as day habilitation, day
activity or day health programs) or participating in facility-based or
community employment and earning less than minimum wage; or (3)
Participating in segregated employment and choosing to move to integrated,
competitive employment; or (4) Awaiting employment services and supports
following a move from a residential facility, or as part of a plan to move into
a community under the Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. by Zimring,
527 U.S. 581(1999); or (5) Transitioning from, or preparing to transition
from, secondary school under a transition plan under part B of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), and who,
without access to customized employment strategies, would likely be referred to
one of the environments identified in (2), (3) or (4) above, but who prefer
integrated, competitive employment or self- employment.
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 certain of their spouses in all Department of Labor-funded job
training programs. Please note that, to obtain priority of service, a veteran
must meet that program's eligibility requirements. Comprehensive policy
guidance is being developed and will be issued in the near future.
As Local Boards, through their local One-Stop Center are required to
coordinate and to form partnerships with other state and local entities and
public and private non-profit
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organizations, grant applications must include proposed methods for
coordinating efforts with a wide variety of state agencies or entities. Some of
the agencies and organizations that should be considered for inclusion are:
[sbull] State programs for Vocational Rehabilitation; [sbull]
Mental Health, Medicaid, Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities,
[sbull] Housing and/or Transportation; [sbull] State Councils on
Developmental Disabilities; [sbull] Protection and Advocacy Programs;
[sbull] University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities;
[sbull] Institutions of higher education; [sbull] Centers for Independent
Living (CIL); [sbull] Disability advocacy and provider organizations;
[sbull] Organizations of parents; [sbull] Federally-funded disability grant
entities; [sbull] Small Business Development Centers; [sbull]
Cooperatives and micro-enterprises; [sbull] Lending and financial
institutions; [sbull] Training programs; [sbull] Media and marketing
agencies; [sbull] Employers; [sbull] Foundations; [sbull] Grass
roots, industry, and faith-based and community organizations; [sbull] As
well as other organizations or programs that provide or support services and/or
advocacy for people with disabilities. Letters of support and commitment
from these programs may be included in the Appendix of the proposal.
Part VI. Format Requirements for Grant Application
General requirements: Applicants must submit one (1) paper copy with an
original signature and two (2) additional paper copies of their signed
proposal. To aid with the review of applications, DOL also encourages
Applicants to submit an electronic copy of their proposal on a disc or CD using
Microsoft Word. Applicants who do not provide an electronic copy will not be
penalized. The Application Narrative must be double-spaced with standard
one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides) on 8\1/2\ x 11 papers, and be
presented on single-sided, numbered pages with the exception of format
requirements for the Executive Summary. The Executive Summary must be limited
to no more than two single-spaced, single-sided pages on 8\1/2\ x 11 papers
with standard one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides) throughout. A font size
of at least twelve (12) pitch is required throughout. Applications that fail to
meet these requirements will be considered non-responsive. The three required
sections of the application are:
Section I--Project Financial Plan Section II--Executive
Summary--Project Synopsis Section III--Project Narrative (including
Attachments, not to exceed seventy-five (75) pages)
Mandatory requirements for each section are provided as follows in this
application package. Applications that fail to meet the stated mandatory
requirements of each section will be considered non- responsive.
Mandatory application requirements: Section I. Project Financial Plan
(Budget) [The Project Financial Plan will not count against the application
page limits.] Section I of the application must include the following three
required parts:
(1) Completed ``SF 424--Application for Federal Assistance'' (See
Appendix A of this SGA for required form) (2) Completed ``SF-424A--Budget
Information Form'' by line item for all costs required to implement the project
design effectively. (See Appendix B of this SGA for required forms.) (3)
Budget Narrative and Justification that provides sufficient information to
support the reasonableness of the costs included in the budget in relation to
the service strategy and planned outcomes.
The application must include one SF-424 with the original signatures of
the legal entity applying for grant funding and 2 additional copies. Applicants
shall indicate on the SF-424 the organization's IRS Status, if applicable.
Under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, section 18 (29 U.S.C. 1611), an
organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 that engages in lobbying activities will not be eligible for the receipt
of Federal funds constituting an award, grant, or loan. [See 2 U.S.C. 1611; 26
U.S.C. 501(c)(4).] For item 10 of the SF-424, the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) number for the program is 17.720. The Budget Narrative and
Justification must describe all costs associated with implementing the project
that are to be covered with grant funds. Grantees must support the travel and
associated costs with sending at least one representative to the annual ODEP
Policy Conference for Grantees, to be held in Washington, DC at a time and
place to be determined. Grantees must comply with the ``Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local
Governments,'' (also known as the ``Common Rule'') codified at 29 CFR part 97,
and ``Grants and Agreements with Institutes of Higher Education, Hospitals, and
Other Non-Profit Organizations'' (also known as OMB Circular A-110), codified
at 29 CFR part 95 and must comply with the applicable OMB cost principles
circulars, as identified in 29 CFR 95.27 and 29 CFR 97.22(b).
Grantees may use funds in a flexible manner, as determined appropriate
by input from stakeholders and identified needs, so long as requirements for
outcome and evaluation data and other requirements of Federal statutes,
regulations, administrative requirements, and OMB circulars and the
requirements delineated in this SGA are met. In addition, the budget must
include on a separate page a detailed cost analysis of each line item.
Justification for administrative costs must be provided. Approval of a budget
by DOL is not the same as the approval of actual costs. The individual signing
the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant must represent and be able to legally
bind the responsible financial and administrative entity for a grant should
that application result in an award. The applicant must also include the
Assurances and Certifications Signature Page (Appendix C).
[sbull] Section II. Executive Summary--Project Synopsis [The
Executive Summary is limited to no more than two single-spaced, single-
sided pages on 8\1/2\ x 11 papers with standard margins throughout]. Each
application shall include a project synopsis that identifies the
following: [sbull] The applicant; [sbull] The amount of funds
requested; [sbull] The planned period of performance; [sbull] The list
of partners, as appropriate; [sbull] An overview of how the applicant will
identify the population to be served (including the estimated number and types
of disability), the environments such individuals are currently
experiencing (such as institutions, nursing homes, segregated day programs,
etc.), and methods that will be used to promote community employment, including
customized employment strategies listed in this SGA; and [sbull] An
overview of the plan for sustainability once Federal funding ceases.
[sbull] Section III. Project Narrative [The Project Narrative plus
attachments are limited to no more than seventy-five (75), 8\1/2\ x 11 pages,
double-spaced with standard one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides), and must
be presented on
[[Page 33973]]
single-sided, numbered pages]. (Note: The Financial Plan, the Executive
Summary, and the Appendices are not included in the seventy-five (75) page
limit). The requirements for the project narrative are described below under
Part VII--Statement of Work.
All text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables,
figures, and graphs must be double-spaced (no more than three lines per
vertical inch); and, if using a proportional computer font, use no smaller than
a 12-point font, and an average character density no greater than 18 characters
per inch (if using a non-proportional font or a typewriter, do not use more
than 12 characters per inch). Applications that fail to meet these requirements
will be considered non-responsive.
Part VII. Government Requirements/Statement of Work (Project
Narrative)
The purpose of this initiative is to maximize the capacity of, and
outcomes from, One-Stop Centers and their partners to effectively serve people
with disabilities through customized employment strategies, and to integrate
those strategies into the policy and practice of the One- Stop and its partners
in order to increase employment, choice and wages for people with disabilities.
These efforts must include the involvement of many key partners, including
those with direct involvement in their area's One-Stop Career Centers, as
described in Section V above.
For purposes of this solicitation, ODEP has specifically targeted the
development and provision of customized employment to those people with
disabilities identified in Part V.
ODEP expects that once capacity for using customized employment
strategies is developed or enhanced, the One-Stop Centers and their partners
will expand use of these strategies to other groups of people with (and
without) disabilities.
For purposes of this solicitation, customized employment means
individualizing the employment relationship between employees and employers in
ways that meet the needs of both. It is based on an individualized
determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of the person with a
disability, and is also designed to meet the specific needs of the employer. It
may include approaches such as supported employment; supported
entrepreneurship; individualized job development; job carving and
restructuring; use of personal agents (including individuals with disabilities
and family members); development of micro-boards, micro-enterprises,
cooperatives and small businesses; and use of personal budgets and other forms
of individualized funding that provide choice and control to the person and
promote self- determination. These and other job development or restructuring
strategies result in job responsibilities being customized and individually
negotiated to fit the needs of individuals with a disability. Customized
employment assumes the provision of reasonable accommodations and supports
necessary for the individual to perform the functions of a job that is
individually negotiated and developed. Each applicant for these grants shall
describe its plan for expanding capacity for, and provision of, customized
employment opportunities to the target groups as defined in Part V above. Upon
the commencement of a grant, grantees must begin a strategic planning and
implementation process that will address multiple components of needed change.
Planning, implementation and ongoing evaluation for continuous improvements are
expected to be implemented from year one in recognition that dynamic planning
will occur and evolve over time. By the end of year five, it is expected that a
more long-term strategic plan will be in place for expanding the availability
of customized employment, and for systemically revising policies and practices
consistent with this goal.
The Project Narrative, or Section III of the grant application, should
provide complete information on how the applicant will address the following
DOL priorities for fiscal year 2003:
(1) Increase the availability of skill training, employment
opportunities and career advancement for persons with disabilities; and (2)
Develop comprehensive One-Stop Centers, which are welcoming and are valued
providers of choice by customers with disabilities seeking workforce assistance
by assuring the availability of staff trained on disability issues,
personalized employment counseling, knowledgeable support that addresses
employment barriers and work incentives and the availability of accommodations
and technologies for diverse disability needs.
Proposals will be rated based upon the quality of the applicant's
response in addressing the four criteria described below in terms of a
comprehensive strategic approach that addresses ODEP's priorities noted above.
The four criteria (Statement of Need/National Significance, Comprehensive
Service Strategy, Sustainability, and Management Plan and Outcomes) MUST be
addressed and the applicant's goals, accomplishments or status with regard to
each item provided.
ODEP, however, does not expect the applicant to fully incorporate every
item listed as part of their strategy and proposal design. ODEP recognizes that
the needs and requirements of each state and community may be different, and
therefore, some of the options identified may be more relevant than others in a
particular state or community.
2. Statement of Need /Significance of the Project (15 points)
The purpose of the Statement of Need is to establish the overall status
of disability issues relevant to the targeted population in the applicant's
state; to identify strengths and deficiencies to be addressed by the
applicant's proposal; to identify the overall scope of the proposal's
objectives and design; to present the applicant's need for the grant resources;
to demonstrate significance of the proposed project; and to demonstrate the
development or demonstration of promising new strategies, practices, or
innovations. This criteria will be rated upon the applicant's needs identified
and proposed approaches to addressing the needs in the context of the
Department's priorities. The narrative in this section should include
information that demonstrates:
(1) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increase
knowledge or understanding of problems, issues, or effective strategies for
local workforce boards and other required and potential partners to use
customized employment strategies to increase employment, choice and wages, and
influence systems change in the local workforce system. (2) The extent to
which the applicant has an understanding of the issues the state and proposed
geographic area are currently facing in their overall Customized Employment
implementation efforts; (3) The extent to which the proposed project is
likely to yield findings that may be used by other appropriate agencies and
organizations; (4) The extent to which the proposed project involves the
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, or are
alternatives to, existing strategies; (5) The extent to which the promising
practices of the proposed project are to be disseminated in ways that will
enable others to use the information or strategies; (6) The potential
replicability (national significance) of the proposed project or strategies,
including, as appropriate, the potential for
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implementation in a variety of settings; and (7) The importance or
magnitude of the outcomes, which are likely to be attained by the proposed
project.
In evaluating the quality of the proposal narrative, ODEP will consider
needs identified and the applicant's proposed approaches to addressing the
needs in the context of ODEP's priorities.
2. Comprehensive Service Strategy (30 points)
The purpose of the Comprehensive Service Strategy criteria is to
identify the approach proposed by the applicant to implement the Customized
Employment grant. The strategy should implement the purpose and objectives of
this SGA to enhance the capacity of the workforce investment system to increase
employment, choice and wages for persons with disabilities through the use of
customized employment strategies and to ensure that such strategies are
systemically included in the policy and practice of the One-Stop Center(s).
Proposed Project Design and Its Evaluation--the application must
address the proposed design for the Customized Employment grant including its
response to the requirements outlined in Part V (Eligible Applicants and
Required Partnerships) of this Solicitation. The Project Design must:
(1) Develop strategic planning and implementation activities across the
One-Stop required partner programs as identified in the WIA (such as Vocational
Rehabilitation and others as appropriate) as well as other essential programs
(such as Medicaid, Medicare, Mental Health, Transportation, Small Business
Development Centers, State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, community
colleges, benefits counseling and assistance programs, lending and financial
institutions), whose expertise, services, and funds could contribute to
employment services and supports needed by people with disabilities in order to
secure customized employment. Planning activities must include a review of
policy and practice as it relates to people with disabilities to provide
customized employment for persons with disabilities. Such capacity includes
enhancing collaboration between required WIA partners and building new
collaborative initiatives with other essential programs; (2) Develop local
and statewide policy initiatives to ensure that customized employment and
multiple innovative strategies and promising practices become part of the menu
of services available to people with disabilities, including investigating
alternative methods for performance accountability that consider the
characteristics of the population; (3) Develop employment opportunities in
a variety of jobs, industries and at a variety of levels, including
self-employment and entrepreneurship, based on the strengths, needs and desires
of the individual with a disability as well as creating and cultivating demand
for these opportunities by forging and developing relationships with employers.
The design must organize services and supports in ways that provide informed
choice and promote self-determination and provide services, including follow-up
services to ensure job retention and career development; (4) Develop and
document the capacity of the One-Stop system to increase the wages of people
with disabilities who are currently working at less than minimum wage through
the use of customized employment strategies; (5) Develop an increased
understanding by One-Stop Centers' staff about health care, work incentives,
benefits planning, ``tickets'' and other provisions under TTW; and document
increased use of these programs by the One-Stop Center and its partner programs
to secure customized employment for recipients of SSI and SSDI who are entering
the workforce or returning to work. This may include registering as an
Employment Network under TTW; (6) Document the increasing use of resources
from a number of system partners and other essential programs, including
providing individual budgets and other forms of self-directed accounts (e.g.,
individual training accounts or contractual services; tickets; vouchers; and
other sources of individualized funding or personal funding accounts) for
persons with disabilities to obtain customized employment; (7) Develop,
leverage and document linkages with other state and local initiatives that
provide services and supports for people with disabilities (including, but not
limited to, state systems change efforts which promote systems improvement and
comprehensive coordination; initiatives involving health care; benefits
planning and assistance; housing; transportation; education; supported
employment; small business development; technology-related assistance;
initiatives of private foundations; and faith-based and community organization
programs and others, as appropriate); (8) Establish connections to and
collaborate with other entities, including employers, persons with
disabilities, their parents and other family members, community rehabilitation
agencies, lending and financial institutions, foundations, faith-based and
community organizations, institutions of higher education, small business
development centers and others, as appropriate, to further customized
employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in local communities.
These partners may become a subgroup or an advisory group of the Local Board.
They may be specifically charged with coordinating funding, resources and
expertise to increase customized employment for people with disabilities in the
community and may involve grant design and implementation; (9) Educate
relevant stakeholders, including state and local policymakers and systems
personnel, about needed changes in policy and practice in order to increase
customized employment and wages for people with disabilities; (10) Include
education activities to enable customized employment and personalized supports
to become available and used in local communities, including (as appropriate)
activities necessary to secure adoption of the Medicaid buy-in by the
state; (11) Market and develop ongoing linkages with employers, and their
professional, business and service organizations and trade associations, as
appropriate; (12) Expand the use of customized employment strategies over
time to: a. All groups of persons with disabilities targeted under this
solicitation; and b. Other groups of individuals with disabilities (such as
individuals who are receiving TANF benefits) following completion of the
grant; (13) Track and respond to customer service and satisfaction for both
persons with disabilities and employers; and (14) Identify and purse other
activities appropriate to achieving the goals of these grants.
Activities may include the following:
Necessary staffing across agencies to implement grantee activities and
otherwise demonstrate effective partnerships and interactions necessary to
effectively leverage resources and expertise from partnering systems and
programs;
(1) Outreach to relevant stakeholders; (2) Demonstration activities
which provide methods to increase the employment, choice, and wages of people
with disabilities that are designed for systemic inclusion
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(including but not limited to demonstrating the use of individual
training accounts or contractual services, tickets, and self-directed
individual budgeting initiatives; economic stimulus activities including
low-interest loans for person-centered micro-boards focused on increasing
economic prosperity for specific individuals with disabilities; entrepreneurial
employment initiatives that are consumer- owned or operated; demonstrations of
innovation and cutting-edge strategies providing personal control, choice and
customized assistance resulting in employment, including business ownership,
micro-enterprise development or development of cooperatives for persons with
disabilities; accessing Individual Development Accounts and financial literacy
training; and other supports needed by specific individuals with disabilities
to increase choice and wages in employment); (3) Collaboration with the
education system, parents, families and faith-based and community organizations
to ensure transition of young people with disabilities from school to
customized employment or training, and documentation of the outcomes of such
efforts; (4) Training and education activities (including training
regarding Medicaid buy-in provisions and other policies with implications for
increasing employment through state activities) designed to further the goal of
increasing customized employment for persons with disabilities. These training
activities include the education of One-Stop and partner personnel; educating
state systems personnel and policymakers; developing and disseminating
educational information and materials; and otherwise promoting policy and
practice to increase the wide spread community-based use of customized
employment strategies and personalized supports; (5) Researching and
demonstrating alternative methods of measuring WIA performance outcomes that
consider the various characteristics of people with disabilities and developing
demonstrations of performance measures that document new methods for measuring
program effectiveness; and coordinating the availability of and access to
assistive technology; (6) Educating the media and the general public about
successful strategies for and the benefits of securing employment for people
with disabilities. This will assist in obtaining long-term support for
continuation of grantee activities following completion of funding; (7)
Increasing the availability of personal agents and job development personnel
offering customized services through customer- controlled approaches that
result in customized employment (including demonstrating effectiveness of
paying family members or other individuals with disabilities to serve as
personal agents when selected by the individual with a disability to assist in
negotiating and implementing employment plans and services); (8) Assisting
community providers of segregated employment services to develop integrated,
competitive options for individuals with disabilities, including implementation
of conversion and other organizational change initiatives conducted with
segregated provider programs that wish to change their services to integrated
employment; and (9) Other activities necessary to address needs and achieve
goals identified through strategic planning and implementation, including
collection of necessary data and evaluation.
In evaluating the quality of the proposed project design, ODEP's
consideration will be guided by the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable; (b)
The extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and
will successfully address, the needs of the target population and other
identified needs and the quality of the applicant's plans for recruiting and
retaining the target population; (c) The extent to which the design of the
proposed project provides procedures and approaches for collaboration and
coordination with key agencies and organizations and identification of critical
roles; (d) The extent to which the design of the proposed project provides
clear understanding of and experience with utilization of customized employment
strategies for increasing employment, choice and earnings of individuals with
significant disabilities; (e) The extent to which the proposed project will
be coordinated, including demonstrated support and commitment from key
organizations, employers, and agencies, including faith-based and community
organizations; (f) The extent to which the applicant encourages involvement
of people with disabilities and their families, experts and organizations, and
other relevant stakeholders in project activities; (g) The extent to which
the design of the project will facilitate an increase in the number of
faith-based and community organizations that register as eligible training
providers with their local One-Stop Center. (h) The extent to which
performance feedback and continuous improvement are integral to the design of
the proposed project. (i) The extent to which the management plans for
project implementation is likely to achieve the objectives of the proposed
project on time and within budget; and (j) The extent to which the proposed
project design features innovative strategies to implement customized
employment and choice.
3. Sustainability (25 points)
The purpose of the sustainability criteria is to identify strategies
for ensuring that activities funded under the grant will continue once Federal
funding ceases. Resources and partnerships are an integral element of the
project. Sustainability objectives must be built into the project design and
ongoing project operation. In addition, the applicant should detail how
federal, state, and local public sector commitments contribute to the
sustainability of this project following completion of the grant. Examples of
such commitments could include: Commitment from state vocational
rehabilitation, one-stop center, state developmental disability, state
Medicaid, or state general revenue funding to support expanded customized
employment services for individuals securing employment through the agency;
status as Employment Network under TTW providing customized employment services
to eligible ticket-holders; private sector funding through foundations,
financial or lending agencies, or other relevant collaborative arrangements for
continuing provision and/ or expansion of customized employment services in the
community.
To illustrate sustainability planning, the applicant must:
(1) Identify resources and partnerships that are an integral element of
the project. Projects funded under this SGA will be judged on their ability to
leverage a combination of federal, state, and local public sector resources, as
well as local non-profit sector resources for purposes of sustainability.
Accordingly, in this section the applicant should enumerate these resources,
describe any specific existing contractual commitments, and provide concrete
evidence of sustainability; (2) Identify activities and in-kind elements of
sustained support.
ODEP considers detailed commitments for
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specific new activities as more important than promises of in-kind
supports in showing sustained support for the project. Grants recently received
from another agency can be discussed in the proposal, but the applicant should
be precise about which activities preceded this grant and which will occur
because of the grant; and (3) Detail how federal, state, and local public
sector commitments contribute to the sustainability of this project following
completion of the grant. Examples of such commitments could include: Commitment
from state vocational rehabilitation, one-stop center, state developmental
disability, state Medicaid, or state general revenue funding to support
expanded customized employment services for individuals securing employment
through the agency; status as Employment Network under the Ticket to Work and
Work Incentive Improvement Act providing customized employment services to
eligible ticket-holders; private sector funding through foundations, financial
or lending agencies, or other relevant collaborative arrangements for
continuing provision or expansion of customized employment services in the
community.
In evaluating the quality of the plan for sustainability, ODEP
considers the following factors to be of particular importance:
(a) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the grant period, and the
quality of the applicant's plans for implementing the project's activities in
years four and five when Federal funding will be reduced. (b) The
likelihood of the applicant successfully securing state ownership and
participation in these projects when the grant funds cease. (c) The extent
to which partnerships with outside entities (including public and private
disability and faith-based and community organizations) and funding from
additional federal, state, and local resources will be effectively leveraged
and utilized in continuing the Customized Employment activities after the
expiration of this grant. Letters of Commitment: Applicants can include letters
of support if they provide specific commitments. Such letters can increase an
applicant's score by showing that the commitments in the text of the proposal
are serious. Form letters will not be considered. See also Part V.
4. Management and Outcomes (30 points)
The purpose of the Management and Outcomes criteria is to determine
whether the applicant has developed an adequate management plan to effectively
carry out the objectives and scope of the proposed project on time and within
budget, to describe the predicted outcomes resulting from activities funded
under this SGA, and to identify the ``methods of evaluation'' that will be used
by the grantee to determine success. Applicants should provide a detailed
management plan, which identifies the critical activities, time frames,
milestones for accomplishing grant activities and responsibilities for
effectively implementing the project, including the evaluation process for
assuring successful implementation of grant objectives. Funds must be used in a
flexible manner, as determined appropriate by input from stakeholders and
identified needs.
In addition, applicants should outline the strategy for documenting and
reporting the activities undertaken during the life of the grant for ODEP's
future use in working with other grantees and constituencies.
Staff Capacity--The applicant must identify how it will ensure that
trained staff are available to provide grant related services who have adequate
knowledge of diverse disabilities, knowledge of diverse customized employment
strategies, and employment-related experience for the target population.
Resumes must be included in the Appendices. The application must:
(1) Describe the proposed staffing of the project. Identify how it will
ensure that trained staff with adequate knowledge of diverse disabilities,
knowledge of diverse customized employment strategies, and employment-related
experience for the target population will be available to provide grant-related
services. (2) Summarize the qualifications, including relevant education,
training and experience of key project personnel, as well as the
qualifications, including relevant training and experience of project
consultants or subcontractors. Attach copies of resumes in the Appendices.
(3) Describe the applicant's experience in serving people with disabilities and
providing customized employment services. (4) Describe the extent to which
the time commitments of the project director and other key project personnel
are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project.
In evaluating the management and outcomes criteria, the ODEP considers
the following factors to be of particular importance:
(a) The extent to which the proposed budget and narrative
justifications are adequate to support the proposed project; (b) The extent
to which performance feedback and continuous improvement are integral to the
design of the proposed project; (c) The extent to which the methods of
evaluation provide for examining the effectiveness of project implementation
strategies; (d) The extent to which the evaluation will provide information
to other programs about effective strategies suitable for replication or
testing in other settings; (e) The extent to which the methods of
evaluation include the objective use of performance measures that are clearly
related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative
and qualitative data; (f) The extent to which the methods of evaluation
measure in both quantitative and qualitative terms, program results and
satisfaction of customers, both people with disabilities and employers; (g)
The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products and services from
the proposed project; (h) The extent to which the key personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed projects;
(i) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support and sustain the
proposed project activities over the projected five-year period. (j) The
extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design,
and potential significance of the proposed project.
Part VIII. Monitoring and Reporting
Monitoring: ODEP is responsible for ensuring the effective
implementation of each competitive grant project in accordance with the
provisions of this announcement and the terms of the grant award document.
Applicants should assume that ODEP staff, or their designees, will conduct
on-site project reviews periodically. Reviews will focus on timely project
implementation, performance in meeting the grant's programmatic goals and
objectives, expenditures of grant funds on allowable activities, integration
and coordination with other resources and service providers in the local area,
project management and administration of project activities. Customized
Employment Grants may be subject to other additional reviews at the discretion
of the ODEP. Reporting: Grantees will be required to submit quarterly financial
and
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narrative progress reports. In addition, all grantees will be expected
to provide information on individuals with disabilities securing employment
through use of customized strategies (including information on types of jobs,
wages, and benefits secured by specific individuals with disabilities) and
other areas addressed through the linkages and networks facilitated by project
activities.
Grantees will be required to submit periodic financial and
participation reports. Specifically the following reports will be required:
A. Quarterly reports: The quarterly report is estimated to take ten
hours to complete. The form for the Quarterly Report will be provided by ODEP.
ODEP will work with the grantee to help refine the requirements of the report,
which will, among other things, include measures of ongoing analysis for
continuous improvement and customer satisfaction. B. Standard Form 269;
Financial Status Report Form (FSR) will be completed on a quarterly basis,
using the on-line electronic reporting system. C. Final Project Report:
including an assessment of project performance and outcomes achieved. The final
report is estimated to take 20 hours. This report will be submitted in hard
copy and on electronic disk using a format and following instructions, which
will be provided by the DOL. A draft of the final report is due to ODEP 45 days
before the termination of the grant. The final report is due to the DOL 60 days
following the termination of the grant.
All grantees must agree to cooperate with an independent evaluation to
be conducted by ODEP. ODEP will arrange for and conduct this independent
evaluation of the outcomes, impacts, and accomplishments of each funded
project. Grantees must agree to make available records on all parts of project
activity, including participant employment and wage data, and to provide access
to personnel, as specified by the evaluator(s), under the direction of ODEP.
This independent evaluation is separate from the ongoing evaluation for
continuous improvement required of the grantee for project implementation. The
ODEP's evaluation of the Customized Employment Grants includes a process
evaluation that includes extensive information pertaining to achievements under
the grant, summary information, number of people with disabilities receiving
services, number of people employed through then One-Stop system and other
sources.
Grantees must also agree to work with ODEP in its various national
technical assistance collaboratives efforts in order to freely share with
others what is learned about delivering customized employment services to the
target population. Grantees must agree to collaborate with other research
institutes, centers, studies, and evaluations that are supported by DOL and
other relevant Federal agencies, as appropriate. In addition, ODEP has
established performance goals that are consistent with the Department (GPRA)
goals as noted in the introduction of Part VII--Government
Requirements/Statement of Work. Customized Employment grantees will be expected
to achieve these performance goals. Finally, Grantees must agree to actively
utilize the programs sponsored by the ODEP, including the Job Accommodation
Network, (http://www.jan.wvu.edu),
and the Employer Assistance Referral Network (http://www.earnworks.com).
Part IX. Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
All applications will be reviewed for compliance with the requirements
of this notice. A careful evaluation of applications will be made by a
technical review panel, which will evaluate the applications against the rating
criteria listed in this SGA. The panel results are advisory in nature and not
binding on the Grant Officer. ODEP may elect to award grants with or without
discussion 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. The Grant Officer may consider any information that is available and
will make final award decisions based on what is most advantageous to the
Government, considering such factors as:
[sbull] Panel findings; [sbull] Geographic distribution of the
competitive applications and based on location of the existing Customized
Employment Grants (Anchorage, AK; Montgomery, AL; NAPA and San Diego, CA;
Marietta, GA; Indianapolis, IN; Malden, MA; Bucksport, ME; Detroit, MI; Blaine,
MN; Hempstead, NY; Knoxville, TN; El Paso, TX; Fairfax, VA; and Kennewick,
WA;); [sbull] Assuring a variety of program designs; and [sbull]
Availability of funds
Part X. Administration Provisions
A. Administrative Standards and Provisions
Grantees are strongly encouraged to read these regulations before
submitting a proposal. The grants awarded under this SGA shall be subject to
the following as applicable:
[sbull] 29 CFR part 95--Grants and Agreements With Institutions of
Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations, and With
Commercial Organizations, Foreign Governments, Organizations Under the
Jurisdiction of Foreign Governments, and International Organizations;
[sbull] 29 CFR part 96--Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts, and Other
Agreements. [sbull] 29 CFR part 97--Uniform Administrative Requirement for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments
B. Allowable Costs
Determinations of allowable costs shall be made in accordance with the
following applicable Federal cost principles:
[sbull] State and Local Government--OMB Circular A-87 [sbull]
Nonprofit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122 [sbull] Profit-Making
Commercial Firms--48 CFR part 31 Profit will not be considered an allowable
cost in any case.
C. Grant Assurances
As a condition of the award, the applicant must certify that it will
comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the
following laws:
[sbull] 29 CFR part 31--Nondiscrimination in Federally-assisted
programs of the Department of Labor, effectuation of Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964. [sbull] 29 CFR part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis
of Disability in Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal
Assistance. (Implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.
794) [sbull] 29 CFR part 36--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in
Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
(Implementing title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 1681 et.
seq.) [sbull] 29 CFR part 37--Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity
Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), (Implementing Section
188 of the Workforce Investment Act, 29 U.S.C. 2938) The applicant must include
assurances and certifications that it will comply with these laws in its grant
application. The assurances and certifications are attached as Appendix C.
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Signed at Washington, DC this 3rd day of June, 2003 Lawrence J.
Kuss, Grant Officer.
Appendix A. Application for Federal Assistance, Form SF 424
Appendix B. Budget Information Sheet, Form SF 424A
Appendix C. Assurances and Certifications Signature Page
Appendix D. Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity
BILLING CODE 4510-CX-P
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[FR Doc. 03-14350 Filed 6-5-03; 8:45 am]
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