FOA-VETS-21-01.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP), Incarcerated Veterans’ Transition Program (IVTP), and the Homeless Female Veterans’ and Veterans’ with Families Program (HFVVWF) (referred to collectively as HVRP)

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-VETS-21-01

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.805

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is March 01, 2021. We must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: Address mailed applications to:

The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management Attention: Kia Mason, Grant Officer Reference FOA-VETS-21-01 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716 Washington, D.C. 20210

For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), is responsible for the grant award process of the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service grant program.

A Prospective Applicant Webcast will be available on January 26, 2021 at 2:00 pm Eastern Time. While a review of this Webcast is strongly encouraged to support successful grant applications, it is not mandatory. Register to receive the link to the live Webcast at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4676659871238672399.

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4676659871238672399 ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria

2. Population Categories and Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

3. Eligible Participants

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”

2. Project Budget

3. Project Narrative

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS, AND ADDRESS

1. Hardcopy Submission

2. Electronic Submission through Grants.gov

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

1. Indirect Costs

2. Intellectual Property Rights

3. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

iii

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA

1. Statement of Need

2. Expected Outcomes and Outputs

3. Project Design

4. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity

5. Past Performance–Programmatic Capability

6. Budget and Budget Narrative

7. Opportunity Zone – Bonus Points (2 bonus points)

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

1. Merit Review and Selection Process

2. Risk Review Process

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. ADMISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

1. Administrative Program Requirements

2. Other Legal Requirements

3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions

4. Special Program Requirements

C. REPORTING

1. Quarterly Financial Reports

2. Quarterly Technical Performance Report (TPR)

3. Quarterly Technical Performance Report (TPN)

4. Closeout

5. Continuity of Operations

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. WEB-BASED RESOURCES

B. WORKFORCEGPS RESOURCES

C. SKILLSCOMMONS RESOURCES

D. APPRENTICESHIP

IX. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), announces the availability of approximately $11 million in grant funds authorized under Title 38 of United States Code (U.S.C.) Sections 2021, 2021A, and 2023 for the HVRP program.

Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $500,000 each year, with a total of up to $1,500,000 for the three-year period of performance. The awards will be funded annually over the period of performance (July 1, 2021

– June 30, 2024) with a maximum yearly award of $500,000.

Historically, HVRP grantees have demonstrated the following:

• Clear need for the program based upon current statistical or empirical evidence, including the numbers and characteristics of the eligible veterans who are homeless in their proposed service delivery area;

• Ability to develop and implement strategies with attainable goals for job training based on Labor Market Information (LMI) and evidence-based practices;

• Ability to collaborate and coordinate with organizations to ensure that local, state, and federal resources are used effectively and efficiently to expedite the reintegration of eligible veterans into the labor force;

• Ability to deliver or connect participants to effective job training, counseling, and other wraparound services, such as the provision of housing and necessary health services, as the means for expediting the reintegration of eligible veterans into the labor force;

• Ability to provide services specifically tailored to the needs of female homeless veterans and homeless veterans with families, as appropriate;

• Ability to provide services specifically tailored to the needs of incarcerated or recently incarcerated veterans who are at risk of homelessness; and

• Ability to provide services to episodically homeless veterans, as appropriate.1

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This Announcement solicits applications for the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program.

The purpose of this program is to provide services to reintegrate homeless veterans into the labor force by placing them into family-sustaining employment and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans. DOL defines family-sustaining employment as paid employment in line with the

1 An episodically homeless person is an individual who has been continuously homeless for one (1) year or more or has experienced at least four (4) episodes of homelessness in the last three (3) years with a combined length of time of at least 12 months. Please note the definition of “episodically homeless” differs from the chronically homeless definition used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as the individual is not required to have a verified disability.

homeless veteran’s aspirations, talents, and abilities. Ideally, the employment will provide a family sustaining wage or, in other words, at least the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet his or her basic financial needs.

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) stated, in Homelessness in America: Focus on Veterans that just over nine percent of all adults experiencing homelessness in the United States are veterans of the U.S. Military.2 Most veterans who experience homelessness are men over age 50 living in urban areas. Older veterans are expected to be a majority of the population of veterans who experience, or are at risk of, homelessness in the coming years. As members of this group get older, they are likely to have increasingly complex age-related needs. Women make up about nine percent of veterans who are experiencing homelessness. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), veteran women are more than twice as likely as non-veteran women to experience homelessness.3 Less than three percent of veterans experiencing homelessness were in families with children. The VA further reports that veteran women experiencing homelessness are more likely to be part of a family with children than veteran men are. USICH reported that, among veterans who experience homelessness, and particularly among those who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other behavioral health disorders, involvement in the criminal justice system may be a risk factor for homelessness and/or a consequence of homelessness. About one-half of all veterans experiencing homelessness who have participated in VA homeless assistance programs are involved in the justice system.4

Each year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in collaboration with the VA conducts a physical count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless veterans. This count is referred to as the Point in Time (PIT) count. The HUD 2019 PIT count found that 37,085 veterans experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2019. The 2019 PIT count suggests a reduction of 2.1 percent from the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in 2018.5

To meet the fluctuations in the population and changing needs of veterans experiencing homelessness, VETS requires grant recipients to provide an array of client-centered services utilizing a case management approach that directly assists homeless veterans and provides critical linkages to a variety of support services available in their local communities. The HVRP approach is focused on obtaining employment for the veteran. Veterans are to receive the job training and employment services required to re-enter the labor force. To realize long-term benefits for veterans experiencing homelessness, grant recipients must address the complex

2 U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (June 2018) Homelessness in America: Focus on Veterans, https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Homelessness_in_America._Focus_on_Veterans.pdf.

3 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, July 2016. Homeless Evidence & Research Round Table Series: Women Veterans and Homelessness, https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/nchav/docs/HERS-Womens-Proceedings.pdf.

4 U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (June 2015) Breaking the Cycle of Veteran Incarceration and Homelessness: Emerging Community Practices, https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Justice_Involved_Veterans.pdf.

5https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_19_163.

https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Homelessness_in_America._Focus_on_Veterans.pdf https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/nchav/docs/HERS-Womens-Proceedings.pdf https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Justice_Involved_Veterans.pdf https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_19_163 employment-related needs and provide support services to meet the needs of this population.

This can be achieved either through direct services or through a robust referral system establishing tools, resources, and partnerships to identify, recruit, prepare, and support veterans experiencing homelessness for employment success. Through one of these methods, grant recipients will provide job placement, job training, job development, career counseling, and resume preparation services among other services to assist with obtaining employment.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

Title 38 U.S.C. Sections 2021, 2021A, and 2023 authorize this program.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant.

We expect availability of approximately $11 million in grant funds to award the first year of the three-year period of performance. Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $500,000 each year, with a total of up to $1,500,000 for the three-year period of performance. The awards will be funded annually over the period of performance (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024).

Although this grant has a three-year period of performance, budget documents must reflect only the first year of funding. Awards made under this Announcement are subject to the availability of federal funds. In the event that additional funds become available, we reserve the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this Announcement.

VETS will not accept an application from a current grantee who intends to serve the same population(s) and service delivery area(s) as their current HVRP grant.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is 36 months with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2021, and an end date of June 30, 2024. This performance period includes all necessary implementation, start-up activities, and follow-up activities.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• State Government

• County Government

• City or Township Government

• Special District Government

• U.S. Territory or Possession

• Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education

• Indian/Native American Tribal Government (federally recognized)

• Indian/Native American Tribal Government (other than federally recognized)

• Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization

• Public/Indian Housing Agencies

• Non-profit Organization

• For-profit/commercial entities

• State and Local Workforce Development Boards (SWDBs/LWDBs) established under the

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

• Private Institution of Higher Education

• Other State and Local Government Agencies

• Faith-based organizations

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

This program does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Including such funds is not one of the application screening criteria and applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process. Instead, the agency considers any resources contributed to the project beyond the funds provided by the agency as leveraged resources. Section IV.B.2 provides more information on leveraged resources.

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria You should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package to ensure that the application has met all of the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for applicants and should not be included in the application package. We urge you to use this checklist to ensure that your application contains all required items. If your application does not meet all of the screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process.

Application Requirement Instructions Complete?

The deadline submission requirements are met Section IV.C

Eligibility Section III.A

If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.)

Section IV.C.2

2. Population Categories and Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

This FOA establishes three population categories:

1) Category 1 (HVRP) consists of applicants that meet the requirements of this FOA, but do not fall under categories 2 or 3.

2) Category 2 (HFVVWF) consists of applicants that propose to use 100 percent of their grant funding to serve homeless female veterans and homeless veterans with families.6

3) Category 3 (IVTP) consists of applicants that propose to use 100 percent of their grant funding to serve incarcerated and/or recently incarcerated veterans at risk of homelessness.

The Department plans to make at least one grant award under Category 2 and at least one under Category 3, if we receive competitive applications.

Applicants must identify, in the Abstract, if an application is in Category 1 (HVRP), Category 2 (HFVVWF), or Category 3 (IVTP). If the applicant does not explicitly identify one single

6 Homeless veterans with families means homeless veterans with dependents. For the definition of “dependents,” we are using the definition of “child” at 38 USC 101(4).

Application federal funds request does not exceed the one-year ceiling amount of $500,000 Section II.A

SAM Registration Section IV.B.1

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Section IV.B.1

SF-424 includes a DUNS Number Section IV.B.1

SF-424A, Budget Information Form (one year) Section IV.B.2

Budget Narrative (one year) Section IV.B.2

Project Narrative Section IV.B.3

A letter of support from a State Workforce Agency (SWA) or a local American Job Center (AJC)

This letter must be included as an attachment.

Section IV.B.3

Abstract (included as an attachment) Section IV.B.4

Completed VETS-700 Summary of Proposed Goals by Quarter & Overall for the Project

Section IV.B.4 category in the Abstract, the application will be reviewed under Category 1 (HVRP). There will be no additional changes or discussions of this category determination during or after the competition.

Applicants must identify one or more service delivery areas for each unique application submitted; a service delivery area is defined as a county, parish, independent city, or Native American tribal area. See Attachment B for definitions. The service delivery area and corresponding category MUST be stated clearly in the Abstract. DOL will not read the entire application to make this determination.

Applicants will receive two (2) bonus points if the applicant’s proposed service delivery area overlaps with a qualified Opportunity Zone as designated by the Secretary of the Treasury (see IRS Notices 2018–48 and 2019–42); applicants will not receive additional bonus points for more than one Opportunity Zone. For more information on Opportunity Zones, go to https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/opportunity-zones-frequently-asked-questions.

DOL will not accept multiple grant applications, regardless of the category type, with the same service delivery area by the same applicant. If DOL receives multiple applications from the same applicant for the same service delivery area, regardless of the category type, DOL will only consider the most recently received application that meets the deadline. If the most recent application is deemed non-responsive for any reason, we will not replace it with an earlier application.

3. Eligible Participants

Veterans served by this program include:

(a) Homeless veterans (including veterans who were homeless, but have found housing during the 60-day period preceding the date on which the veteran begins to participate in the program);

(b) Veterans who, at the time of enrollment in the program, are “at risk” of homelessness within the next 60 days;

(c) Veterans participating in the Department of Veterans Affairs supported housing program for which rental assistance is provided pursuant to section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. § 1437f(o)(19)) or the Tribal HUD–VA Supportive Housing (Tribal HUD–VASH) program;

(d) Indians who are veterans and receiving assistance under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. § 4101 et seq.);

(e) Veterans described in section 2023(e) of Title 38 of the U.S. Code or any other veterans who are transitioning from being incarcerated;

(f) Veterans recently released from incarceration who are at risk of homelessness; and

(g) Veterans participating in the Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program authorized in 38 U.S.C. § 2044.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/opportunity-zones-frequently-asked-questions

Note: The number of enrollments that can come from the “at-risk” of homelessness category is limited to no more than 10 percent of planned enrollments unless approved by the Grant Officer Technical Representative (GOTR). This limitation is to ensure the program’s integrity and will be reviewed on an annual basis. If a grantee is unsure of participant eligibility, they must contact their respective GOTR.

Veterans Transitioning from Incarceration:

• A veteran who is a resident of a penal institution, or an institution that provides long-term care for mental illness; and

• Is at risk for homelessness absent referral and counseling services provided under the program. VETS considers “at risk” to include that the veteran is scheduled to be released from such institution within 12 months.

Veterans who meet the definition of “at risk” of homelessness include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Veterans who are low-income;

• Veterans who are at risk of losing their current housing due to significant changes in family dynamics (i.e., separated, loss of spousal support, or loss of employment);

• Veterans referred from a shelter, the VA, or local continuum of care provider (CoC);

• Welfare and/or public assistance recipients (defined in Attachment B); and

• Veterans with an eviction notice from a landlord or an eviction/foreclosure judgment.

Note: Written documentation of the participant’s status in the categories above is required and self-attestation should be used only in rare instances to document the circumstances of “at risk” of homelessness. Recently housed veterans and veterans at imminent risk (14 days or less) of homelessness are considered homeless, not “at risk” of homelessness for HVRP eligibility purposes.

The HVRP services veterans who are homeless. “Homeless” is defined by the HEARTH Act as follows:

• An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;

• An individual or family with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;

• An individual or family living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including hotels and motels paid for by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, congregate shelters, and transitional housing);

• An individual who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided;

• An individual or family who— o will imminently lose their housing, including housing they own, rent, or live in without paying rent, are sharing with others, and rooms in hotels or motels not paid for by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, as evidenced by— a court order resulting from an eviction action that notifies the individual or family that they must leave within 14 days;

the individual or family having a primary nighttime residence that is a room in a hotel or motel and where they lack the resources necessary to reside there for more than 14 days; or credible evidence indicating that the owner or renter of the housing will not allow the individual or family to stay for more than 14 days, and any oral statement from an individual or family seeking homeless assistance that is found to be credible shall be considered credible evidence for purposes of this clause;

o has no subsequent residence identified; and o lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing;

• Unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other federal statutes who— o have experienced a long term period without living independently in permanent housing, o have experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period, and o can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment; or

• Any individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in the individual’s or family’s current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized, and who have no other residence and lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

For purposes of determining status as an eligible “veteran,” VETS considers full-time active duty service (see 38 U.S.C. § 101(21)) to include time spent in basic training, regardless of completion, consistent with program guidance from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

http://www.grants.gov/

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Applications submitted in response to this FOA must consist of four separate and distinct parts:

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”;

2. Project Budget, composed of the SF-424A and Budget Narrative;

3. Project Narrative; and

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative.

You must ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” You must complete the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1).

• In the address field, fill out the nine-digit (plus hyphen) zip code. Nine-digit zip codes can be looked up on the USPS website at https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action.

• The SF-424 must clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant is considered the Authorized Representative of the applicant. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, the signature of the Authorized Representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization is in compliance with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). You do not need to submit the SF-424B with the application.

a) Requirement for DUNS Number All applicants for federal grant and funding opportunities must have a DUNS number, and must supply their DUNS Number on the SF-424. The DUNS Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a DUNS Number, you can get one for free through the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) website:

https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.

Grant recipients authorized to make subawards must meet these requirements related to DUNS Numbers:

• Grant recipients must notify potential subawardees that no entity may receive a subaward unless the entity has provided its DUNS number.

• Grant recipients may not make a subaward to an entity unless the entity has provided its DUNS number.

https://usdol-my.sharepoint.com/personal/luetkenhaus_eric_dol_gov/Documents/All%20FOAs%202020/Application_for#_SF-424,_ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do

(See Appendix A to 2 CFR Part 25.)

b) Requirement for Registration with SAM Applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application. Find instructions for registering with SAM at https://www.sam.gov.

A recipient must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application under consideration. To remain registered in the SAM database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update the registration at least every 12 months from the date of initial registration or subsequently update its information in the SAM database to ensure it is current, accurate, and complete. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicant is the entity that meets the eligibility criteria and has the legal authority to apply and to receive the award. If an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the time the Grant Officer is ready to make a federal award, the Grant Officer may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

2. Project Budget You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). In preparing the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.

a) Budget Narrative Applicants must provide a one-year budget of up to $500,000 that supports the targeted population and the service delivery area(s); additionally, proposed allocations must be proportional to the resources needed to implement the proposed project. For example, in the project narrative, applicants may propose to serve a large service delivery area that includes several counties or states. The allocation in the budget for staff conducting outreach must be proportional to the outreach resources needed to accomplish a multi-county/multistate outreach effort.

Line items in the budget must crosswalk with the proposed project design. For example, if the project design includes training for 30 veterans to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), there must be an allocation in the budget for 30 veterans to attend training for CDL licenses.

The Budget Narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. The Budget Narrative should also include a section describing any leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities. Leveraged resources are all resources, both cash and in-kind, in excess of this award. Valuation of leveraged resources follows the same requirements as match. Applicants are encouraged to leverage resources to increase stakeholder investment in the project and broaden the impact of the project itself.

https://www.sam.gov/

Each category should include the total cost for the first year of the period of performance. Use the following guidance for preparing the Budget Narrative.

Personnel: List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed) including the roles and responsibilities for each staff member. For each position give the annual salary, the percentage of time devoted to the project, and the amount of each position’s salary funded by the grant.

Fringe Benefits: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement, etc.

Travel: For grantee staff only, specify the purpose, number of staff traveling, mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other costs for each type of travel. Applicants should include, in their budget, funds to cover travel to DOL-sponsored training events such as the annual post-award conference, professional conference, and/or any other offered trainings. Applicant must provide a justification for travel expenditures that exceed 10 percent of the one-year budget.

Equipment: Identify each item of equipment you expect to purchase that has an estimated acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (or if your capitalization level is less than $5,000, use your capitalization level) and a useful lifetime of more than one year (see 2 CFR 200.1 for the definition of Equipment). List the item, quantity, and the unit cost per item.

Items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are supplies, not “equipment.” In general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year of the grant.

Supplies: Identify categories of supplies (e.g., office supplies) in the detailed budget and list the item, quantity, and the unit cost per item. Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.1 for the definition of Supplies).

Contractual: Under the Contractual line item, delineate contracts and subawards separately.

Contracts are defined according to 2 CFR 200.1 as a legal instrument by which a non-federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a federal award. A subaward, defined by 2 CFR 200.1, means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a federal program.

For each proposed contract and subaward, specify the purpose and activities to be provided, and the estimated cost.

Construction: Construction costs are not allowed and this line must be left as zero. Minor alterations to adjust an existing space for grant activities (such as a classroom alteration) may be allowable. We do not consider this as construction and you must show the costs on other appropriate lines such as Contractual.

Other: Provide clear and specific detail, including costs, for each item so that we are able to determine whether the costs are necessary, reasonable, and allocable. List items, such as participant support costs, stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere.

Indirect Costs: If you include an amount for indirect costs (through a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or De Minimis) on the SF-424A budget form, then include one of the following:

a) If you have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), provide an explanation of how the indirect costs are calculated. This explanation should include which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Also, provide a current version of the NICRA.

or

b) If you intend to claim indirect costs using the 10 percent de minimis rate, please confirm that your organization meets the requirements as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f). Clearly state that your organization does not have a current negotiated (including provisional) rate, and is not one described in 2 CFR 200, Appendix VII (D)(1)(b).

Applicants choosing to claim indirect costs using the de minimis rate must use Modified Total Direct Costs (see 2 CFR 200.1 below for definition) as their cost allocation base. Provide an explanation of which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Note that there are various items not included in the calculation of Modified Total Direct Costs. See the definitions below to assist you in your calculation.

• 2 CFR 200.1 Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may be excluded only when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

The definition of MTDC in 2 CFR 200.1 no longer allows any sub-contracts to be included in the calculation. You will also note that participant support costs are not included in modified total direct cost. Participant support costs are defined below.

• 2 CFR 200.1 Participant Support Cost means direct costs for items such as stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences or training projects.

See Section IV.B.4. and Section IV.E.1 for more information. Additionally, the following link contains information regarding the negotiation of Indirect Cost Rates at DOL:

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination.

Note that the SF-424, SF-424A, and Budget Narrative must include the federal grant amount requested for the first year of the period of performance.

Do not show leveraged resources on the SF-424 and SF-424A. You should describe leveraged resources in the Budget Narrative.

Applicants should list the same requested federal grant amount on the SF-424, SF-424A, and Budget Narrative. If minor inconsistencies are found between the budget amounts specified on the SF-424, SF-424A, and the Budget Narrative, DOL will consider the SF-424 the official funding amount requested. However, if the amount specified on the SF-424 would render the application nonresponsive, the Grant Officer will use his or her discretion to determine whether the intended funding request (and match if applicable) is within the responsive range.

3. Project Narrative The Project Narrative must demonstrate your capability to implement the grant project in accordance with the provisions of this Announcement. It provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed project. It must be succinct, self-explanatory, and well-organized so that reviewers can understand the proposed project.

The Project Narrative is limited to 15 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with Times New Roman 12-point text font and 1-inch margins. You must number the Project Narrative beginning with page number 1.

We will not read or consider any materials beyond the specified page limit in the application review process.

The following instructions provide all of the information needed to complete the Project Narrative. Carefully read and consider each section, and include all required information in your Project Narrative. The agency will evaluate the Project Narrative using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V.A. You must use the same section headers identified below for each section of the Project Narrative.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination

a) Statement of Need

1) Present current evidence (within the last two years) to support the need for the proposed project, including any supporting evidence that identifies the nature and extent of the need and the reasons the proposed service delivery area will benefit from HVRP services. The description must include both quantitative and qualitative information as listed below:

(i) Clearly state at the onset, your selected category (as described in Section III.C.2), the specific service delivery area you propose to serve and whether the service delivery area is urban or non-urban (see Attachment D). DOL defines a service delivery area as a county, parish, independent city, or Native American tribal area.

(ii) Specify the planned number of eligible veterans to be enrolled, annually, by the project. The planned number of enrollments must be supported by the number of eligible veterans in need of project services in your proposed service delivery area and the demographic information of the population to be served. Describe the employment and job training needs of the local employers.

(iii) Provide estimates of sheltered and unsheltered homeless veterans in the identified service delivery area (cite the date of the reported estimates). Local estimates of veteran homelessness can be found at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2019-AHAR-Part-1.pdf. Other data sources are encouraged. All data sources must be cited. Examples of other data sources are CoC data, VA Domiciliary/ Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program Housing data, or even SSVF/HUD data in the local area.

(iv) Provide labor market information (LMI) for the identified service delivery area including in-demand occupations as determined by the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB), industry, or employers, and the types of jobs and careers that are in demand.

(v) Describe factors in the service delivery area contributing to the problem or the circumstances creating the need.

(vi) Provide the unemployment and poverty rates in the identified service delivery area (cite the source).

(vii) Explain how you propose to coordinate HVRP efforts with the Governor’s or Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, if applicable.7

Coordinating HVRP efforts with the Governor’s or Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness is a call to action for all mayors and other state and local leaders to publicly commit to making sure that every veteran who served America has a home in America.

VETS will use the distinction between urban and non-urban areas to derive performance goals for the project. Utilize Attachment D, which identifies the 75 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in population in 2018, as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau;

these are considered urban areas. Areas not listed in Attachment D are considered non-urban. For applicants proposing to serve both urban and non-urban areas, identify the service delivery area as urban if over half of the population you propose to serve is in an urban area.

7 Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness link: https://www.usich.gov/solutions/collaborative-leadership/mayors-challenge/.

https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2019-AHAR-Part-1.pdf

In cases where there are other HVRP grantees who are already serving homeless veterans in a proposed service delivery area (see Attachment C), applicants must submit justification that an additional award is needed to serve the homeless veteran population. The justification must include the service delivery area, the remaining participants available to be served, and the reasons why another award will enhance HVRP services being provided within the identified service delivery area. The justification must also include the name of the current grantee and the number of veterans by category that the grantee serves (see Attachment C).

b) Expected Outcomes and Outputs

Grantees are required to have measurable outcomes in order to maximize the impact of federal grant dollars. For this FOA, each applicant must submit first year performance goals. Each grantee will be required to report on its progress toward its goals on a quarterly basis, throughout the three-year period of performance.

Grantees will be held to performance goals submitted each year of the period of performance.

Failure to meet those goals may result in technical assistance, or intervention by VETS. Inability to achieve performance goals may have a significant impact on competition for a new award.

Overall success or failure of a grant-funded project is based on seven performance indicators.

Performance on each active participant performance indicator will be defined as a range, bounded by an upper value representing the performance goal and a lower value representing 85 percent of the performance goal. Performance below 85 percent of the goal on a critical performance indicator will be considered failure of that indicator. Please refer to Attachment B for definitions of the performance indicators. You will provide numeric goals for the following performance indicators in the VETS-700 Planned Goals Chart (see Attachment A):

The performance indicators are as follows:

• Number of Participants Enrolled (Addressed in the Statement of Need section and Attachment A; not included in the chart below for scoring purposes);

• Average Hourly Wage at Placement;

• Placement Rate Overall (Rate = Employed/Exited);

• Placement Rate for the Episodically Homeless;

• Percent of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit from the program;

• Percent of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the fourth quarter after exit from the program; and

• Median quarterly earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit from the program.

We recognize there are differences in labor markets, both when developing participant performance indicators and comparing urban to non-urban areas. For example, applicants in non-urban areas of the country may not have the same training resources available as in urban areas. Additionally, some areas of the country have higher unemployment rates. Therefore, to account for these differences when proposing goals, we ask you to use the adjusted Program Year (PY) 2019 values in Table 1 as a starting point. These values may be further adjusted to account for the ease or difficulty in serving a particular group based on characteristics and other mitigating factors. Describe the methodology used to identify your goals (applicant’s methodology will not impact scoring).

Table 1 Goal Setting Parameters

Urban Area Average Non-Urban Area Average

Placement Rate Overall (Rate = Employed/Exited) 68 percent 72 percent

Cost Per Enrollment8 $2,223 $2,525 Placement Rate for the Episodically

Homeless 69 percent 73 percent

Percent of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit from the program

44 percent 46 percent

Percent of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the fourth quarter after exit from the program 34 percent 34 percent

Median quarterly earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit from the program

$6,890 $6,396

The averages outlined in Table 1 were derived from the collection of PY 2019 actual HVRP outcome data reported by grant recipients. The highest and lowest five data outliers were removed from the data when calculating the averages. Please note a grant is considered to be operating in an urban area if its service area falls into one of the 75 Largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas as determined by the United States Census Bureau (see Attachment D). For applicants proposing to serve both urban and non-urban areas, please identify your service delivery area as urban if over half of the population you propose to serve is in an urban area.

All applicants must propose a goal for average hourly wage at placement. VETS has created a table (Attachment E) using state median hourly wage data to allow applicants to propose goals

8 This may be useful to determine the total amount of funding requested, for example, if an urban area applicant proposes to enroll 150 participants in the Statement of Need, which the applicant should base on the identified need in the service delivery area, then the estimated funding request would be $333,450 ($2,223 x 150 = $333,450).

for the average hourly wage at placement to align with wages in a state as opposed to using the national average. (Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_al.htm.)

c) Project Design Applicants must describe their overall strategy for providing employment and job training services. Services must be delivered through a client-centered case management approach that imparts relevant skills, connects participants with local employment opportunities, and leads to improvements in employment and earnings over time. The grantees that have had the most success in addressing veteran homelessness are those that have taken an expansive multi-disciplinary approach to the problem. Applicants must describe the types of support services that will be offered and the approaches to provide these support services. Applicants applying under Category 2 (HFVVWF) or Category 3 (IVTP) are limited to serving only individuals who are part of that Category’s population. Applicants are to propose methods that the project will use to address the stated outcomes. Applicants are to describe a plan of action that describes the scope and details how the project will accomplish the proposed work. Applicants must account for all functions or activities identified in the application and cite factors that might accelerate or decelerate the work. Applicants must identify any potential barriers and describe how the project will overcome those barriers. Applicants are to fully describe how the partnerships in place for the project are comprehensive.

(i) Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement – Applicants must describe in their application how their program will conduct effective client outreach, recruitment, and engagement to meet participant enrollment goals. Outreach, recruitment, and engagement must include a strategy that is non-threatening, persistent over time, and offers a flexible array of services, including help with basic survival needs. All outreach should be person-centered and emphasize building rapport and trust as a means of helping veterans obtain employment with appropriate services.

These efforts should seek to reach and connect with all veterans who are sheltered and unsheltered within the applicant’s service delivery area, including veterans living in encampments or tent cities, as well as veterans in institutional settings, such as jails and hospitals.

In fact, today’s police and sheriffs’ departments share a role in ending homelessness through leadership and innovative solutions, which often involve multi-faceted coordination with social service organizations, government agencies, and other community partners. Today, many law enforcement agencies are implementing direct outreach to homeless individuals, building partnerships with a wide range of service providers, and encouraging law enforcement officers and deputies to be resourceful and to show compassion for homeless persons.9 Law enforcement agencies and penal institutions must be an integral part of these multi-disciplinary, multi-agency efforts. Applicants must describe in their application how they will coordinate efforts with local law enforcement and/or penal institutions to address veteran homelessness and reintegration of veterans into the civilian workforce.

9 Police Executive Research Forum, Critical Issues in Policing Series, The Police Response to Homelessness, June 2018.

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_al.htm

Other effective outreach strategies that are vital to program success include participating in local Stand Down events planned in the applicant’s service delivery area and collaborating with HUD CoC Coordinated Entry.