2025 Application Guide.pdf

Program Year 2026 Funding Opportunity Announcement Application Guide

This application guide explains the standard requirements for U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (DOL/VETS) Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP), Incarcerated Veterans’ Transition Program (IVTP), and the Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Grant Program (HWVHVWC) (referred to collectively as HVRP) Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA). It provides supplemental application information, and its requirements are included in any grant or cooperative agreement awarded under the FOA. The requirements in this guide must be followed when applying for a grant or cooperative agreement and when administering the awards.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: See specific FOA for title.

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: See specific FOA for announcement type.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: See specific FOA for number.

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: See specific FOA for number.

All applications for U.S. Department of Labor funding must be submitted through https://www.grants.gov.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), is responsible for the grant award process of the DOL/VETS grant program.

https://www.grants.gov/

Table of Contents

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Application Categories Based on Population Served C. Service Delivery Areas D. Period of Performance E. Cost Sharing

III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Purpose B. Program Goals and Objectives C. Expected Performance Outcomes D. Funding Type E. Eligible Participants F. Program Authority G. Definitions H. Funding Restrictions, Policies and Limitations I. Required Partnerships

IV. APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORMAT

A. SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance B. Project Budget, Composed of the SF-424A and Budget Narrative C. Project Narrative D. Attachments to the Project Narrative

V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

A. How to Obtain an Application Package B. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management C. Submission Instructions D. Intergovernmental Review E. Other Submission Requirements

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Responsiveness Review B. Review Criteria C. Review and Selection Process

D. Risk Review

VII. AWARD NOTICES

A. Award Document B. Award Timing and Notification to Applicants

VIII. POST AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements B. Reporting

IX. RESOURCES

A. Web-Based Resources B. Industry Competency Models and Career Clusters C. WorkforceGPS D. DOL’s Clearinghouse for Evaluation and Research (CLEAR) E. Data and Other Evidence Research Resources

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

B. Application Categories Based on Population Served There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

C. Service Delivery Areas There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

D. Period of Performance requirements.

E. Cost Sharing This program does not require cost sharing. Including such funds is not one of the application screening criteria, and applications that include any form of cost sharing will not receive special 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 * provides more information on leveraged resources.

In accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200.306, cost sharing amounts must be verifiable from the non-federal entity’s records, not included as contributions for any other federal award, necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives, and not provided by the Federal Government under another federal award.

DOL encourages applicants to leverage additional resources to support grant activities. DOL considers any resources contributed to the project beyond the funds provided by the agency as leveraged resources. If leveraged resources are provided, the Budget Narrative must include a description of the leveraged resources, the specific grant activities the resources will support, and the source of the leveraged resource.

III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Purpose There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

B. Program Goals and Objectives There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

C. Expected Performance Outcomes There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

D. Funding Type There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

E. Eligible Participants There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

F. Program Authority requirements.

G. Definitions There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

H. Funding Restrictions, Policies and Limitations There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

I. Required Partnerships There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

IV. APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORMAT

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

A. SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance;

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

C. Project Narrative; and D. Attachments to the Project Narrative.

You must ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application. You must submit your application in one package, because documents received separately will be tracked separately and will not be attached to the application for review. All application components must be contained in the official submission package. Items not included in the application package, including but not limited to websites that must be accessed from a link, will not be considered.

A. SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance You must complete the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance (sample available at https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family). The SF-424 form must be completed and submitted on Grants.gov as part of the application package.

• 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.

• The organization’s legal name on the SF-424 should match its name registered in the System for Award Management at SAM.gov. If unsure of the legal name of your organization, visit SAM.gov to confirm.

• The organization’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) should match its information in SAM.gov. If unsure of the EIN or UEI of your organization, visit SAM.gov to confirm.

• 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 https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action http://sam.gov/ http://sam.gov/ http://sam.gov/ 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/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family). You do not need to submit the SF-424B with the application.

B. Project Budget, Composed of the SF-424A and Budget Narrative You must provide a Project Budget, which is composed of the SF-424A Budget Information Form and a Budget Narrative. The Project Budget does not count against the page limit requirements for the Project Narrative.

Project Budget You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (sample available at grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family). The SF-424A form must be completed and submitted on Grants.gov as part of the application package. In addition to the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request; see requirements below. Applicants must create their own Budget Narrative or use the template available for download on Grants.gov on the Related Documents tab. The applicant must submit the Budget Narrative as part of their application package on Grants.gov in the Budget Narrative section.

C. Project Narrative The Project Narrative demonstrates an applicant’s ability to implement the grant project in accordance with the requirements of the Announcement. Applicants must describe, in their own words, how they will meet the stated requirements in the FOA, and convincingly demonstrate that they are using a sound approach. As appropriate, applicants should see Section IX.

Resources, and specifically IX.E. DOL’s Clearinghouse for Evaluation and Research (CLEAR) and IX.F. Data and Other Evidence Resources for starting places to find research that provides evidence of a sound approach.

D. Attachments to the Project Narrative In addition to the Project Narrative, there are also required and requested attachments. These attachments must be clearly labeled and are excluded from the Project Narrative page limit. Any attachments included beyond those specified as required or requested in the FOA will not be considered in the scoring of the application.

V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

A. How to Obtain an Application Package All active FOAs can be found on Grants.gov, which contain all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

B. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management All applicants for federal grant funding must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be registered in the System for Award Management.

https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family http://grants.gov/

1. Requirement for Unique Entity Identifier

All applicants for federal grant funding must have a UEI and must supply their UEI on the

SF-424.

The UEI is a 12-character (alpha-numeric) code that uniquely identifies all entities. Any entity registering to do business with the government is required to have one. UEIs are issued by SAM.gov and are a part of an entity's record in the Entity Information section of SAM.gov. If you do not have a UEI, you can get one for free at SAM.gov. Organizations should ensure that their legal name in SAM.gov matches the name used on their bank account for future draw-downs of grant funds if selected.

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

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

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

(See Appendix A to 2 C.F.R. Part 25.)

2. 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 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.

C. Submission Instructions Applicants must electronically submit their application as a single package through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date specified in the FOA.

The process can be complicated and time-consuming. We strongly advise you to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems. Note that validation does not mean that your application has been accepted as complete or has been accepted for review by the agency. Rather, Grants.gov verifies only the submission of certain parts of an application.

http://sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/

1. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

Read through the registration process carefully before registering. These steps may take as long as four weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for timely electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application.

Applicants must follow the online instructions for registration at Organization Registration | Grants.gov. We recommend that you prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information and save time.

An application submitted through Grants.gov constitutes a submission as an electronically signed application. The registration and account creation with Grants.gov, with E-Biz Point of Contact (POC) approval, establishes an Agency Organizational Representative (AOR).

When an application is submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the AOR who submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The E-Biz POC must authorize the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of your organization as the AOR; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid submissions.

2. How to Submit an Application to DOL via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For a complete workspace overview, refer to Workspace- Overview | Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to How to Apply for Grants | Grants.gov. When a registered applicant submits an application with Grants.gov, an electronic time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. Grants.gov will send the applicant AOR an email acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) with the successful transmission of the application, serving as proof of timely submission. The applicant will receive two email messages to provide the status of the application’s progress through the system.

• The first email will contain a tracking number and will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov.

• The second email will indicate the application has either been successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors.

Grants.gov will reject applications if the applicant’s registration in SAM is expired.

Only applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and later successfully validated will be considered. It is your responsibility to ensure a timely submission. While it is not required that an application be successfully validated before the deadline for submission, it is prudent to reserve time before the deadline in case it is necessary to resubmit an application that has not been successfully validated. Therefore, enough time should be allotted for submission (24-48 hours) and, if applicable, additional time to address errors and receive validation upon resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing submission). It is important to note that if enough time is not allotted https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/organization-registration https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/organization-registration https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, DOL will not consider the application.

To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .rtf or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent DOL from considering the application. We will attempt to open all required and requested documents but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening such as file corruption.

We strongly advise applicants to use the various tools and documents, including watching the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through WorkforceGPS at WorkforceGPS – Grants Application 101: How to Apply for a Grant.

To receive updated information about critical issues, new tips for users, and other time-sensitive updates as information is available, you may subscribe to “Grants.gov Updates” at Manage Subscriptions | Grants.gov.

If you encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, contact one of the following:

• call 1-800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or

• email support@grants.gov.

The Grants.gov Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week but closed on federal holidays. If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number.

Late Applications We will consider only applications successfully submitted through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated. You take a significant risk by waiting until the last day to submit through Grants.gov.

D. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”

E. Other Submission Requirements If you encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or email support@grants.gov.

https://grantsapplicationandmanagement.workforcegps.org/resources/2022/05/10/15/23/How-to-Apply-for-a-Grant https://grantsapplicationandmanagement.workforcegps.org/resources/2022/05/10/15/23/How-to-Apply-for-a-Grant https://www.grants.gov/connect/manage-subscriptions/ mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:support@grants.gov

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Responsiveness Review The FOA will specify the Application Screening Criteria. Applications that do not meet all the requirements in the Application Screening Criteria table in the FOA will not move forward through the merit review process or be considered for an award.

B. Review Criteria We have instituted procedures for assessing the technical merit of applications to provide for an objective review of applications and to assist you in understanding the standards against which your application will be judged. The evaluation criteria are based on the information required in the application as described in Sections IV.B (Project Budget) and IV.C (Project Narrative).

Reviewers will award points based on the evaluation criteria described below.

Section IV.C (Project Narrative) of the FOA has several “criteria” (e.g. IV.C.1). Each of these criteria of the Project Narrative will include one or more “rating factors,” which provide detailed specifications for the content and quality of the response to each of the criteria. Each of the rating factors have specific point values assigned. These point values are the number of points possible for the application to earn for the rating factor.

Section IV.C, Project Narrative, provides a detailed explanation of the information an application must include (e.g., a comprehensive work plan for the whole period of performance with feasible and realistic dates). Reviewers will rate each rating factor based on how fully and convincingly the applicant responds.

In order to receive the maximum points for each rating factor, applicants must provide a response to the requirement that fully describes the proposed program design and demonstrates the quality of approach, rather than simply re-stating a commitment to perform prescribed activities. In other words, applicants must describe why their proposal is the best strategy and how they will implement it, rather than that the strategy contains elements that conform to the requirements of the FOA.

C. Review and Selection Process There are no additional requirements for this section. See the specific FOA for application requirements.

D. Risk Review Risk Review Process Prior to making an award, ETA will review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. § 2313). All applicants are requested to submit the information on the Financial Risk Assessment template specified below for ETA to assess the applicant’s Financial System.

Applicants may review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov. Before making decisions in the risk review required by 2 C.F.R.

§ 200.206 and 2 C.F.R. § 2900.5, ETA will consider any comments by the applicant, along with information available in the responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.

Additionally, ETA will comply with the requirements of 2 C.F.R. Part 180 implemented at 2 C.F.R. Part 2998 (Non-procurement Debarment and Suspension). This risk evaluation may incorporate results of the evaluation of the applicant’s eligibility (application screening) or the quality of its application (merit review). If ETA determines that an award will be made, special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed may be applied to the award. Criteria to be evaluated include the following:

i. Financial stability: The applicant's record of effectively managing financial risks, assets, and resources;

ii. Management systems and standards: Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed in the Uniform Grant Guidance;

iii. History of performance: The applicant’s record of managing previous and current federal awards, including compliance with reporting requirements and conformance to the terms and conditions of federal awards, if applicable;

iv. Reports and findings from audits performed under Subpart F–Audit Requirements of the Uniform Grant Guidance or the reports and findings of any other available audits and monitoring reports containing findings, issues of non-compliance, or questioned costs;

and

v. Ability to effectively implement requirements: The applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, and other requirements imposed on recipients.

NOTE: As part of ETA’s Risk Review process, the Grant Officer will determine the following:

• If the applicant had any restriction on spending for any ETA or DOL/VETS grant due to adverse monitoring findings;

• If the applicant has generated revenue in recent years to demonstrate they are an organization with a track record of completing projects of similar size, through available records such as Internal Revenue Service non-profit 990 forms; or

• If the applicant received a High Risk determination in accordance with DOL/VETS’ most recent policy on this topic.

Depending on the severity of the findings and whether the findings were resolved, the Grant Officer may, at their discretion, elect not to fund the applicant for a grant award regardless of the applicant’s score in the competition.

All applicants are requested to submit the information in the Financial System Risk Assessment as an attachment to their application for ETA to assess the applicant’s Financial System. This information will be considered as one component of ETA’s Risk Review Process. Applicants may use the suggested template (linked above) or answer the questions in a separate attachment.

It is unlikely that an organization will be able to manage a federal grant without these systems/processes in place. Applicants are expected to have these in place before applying for a grant with DOL/VETS.

VII. AWARD NOTICES

A. Award Document A Federal Notice of Award document, signed by the Grant Officer, is the official document that obligates funds. If selected, this document will be provided electronically.

https://nvtac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Financial-System-Risk-Assessment.pdf

B. Award Timing and Notification to Applicants All award notifications will be posted on the DOL/VETS Homepage (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/). Applicants selected for award will be contacted directly before the grant’s execution. Non-selected applicants will be notified by email and may request a written debriefing on the significant weaknesses of their application.

Selection of an organization as a recipient does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Before the actual grant is awarded, we may enter into negotiations about items such as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support grant implementation. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and decline to fund the application. We reserve the right not to fund any application related to an FOA.

VIII. POST AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND

ADMINISTRATION

A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

1. Administrative Program Requirements All grant recipients will be subject to all applicable federal laws and regulations, including the OMB Uniform Guidance, and the terms and conditions of the award.

The grant(s) awarded with these funds will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions.

i. Non-Profit Organizations, Educational Institutions, For-profit entities, and State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments–2 C.F.R. Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards) and 2 C.F.R. Part 2900 (DOL’s Supplement to 2 C.F.R. Part 200)

ii. All entities must comply with 29 C.F.R. Part 93 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), 29 C.F.R. Part 94 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)), 2 C.F.R. Part 2998 (Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension, the Department’s regulations implementing OMB Guidance at 2 C.F.R. Part 180), and, where applicable, 2 C.F.R. Part 200 (Audit Requirements).

iii. 29 C.F.R. Part 2, subpart D—Equal Treatment in Department of Labor Programs for Faith-Based and Community Organizations; Protection of Religious Liberty of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and Beneficiaries.

iv. 29 C.F.R. Part 31—Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Labor—Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

v. 29 C.F.R. Part 32—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.

vi. 29 C.F.R. Part 35—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Labor.

vii. 29 C.F.R. Part 36—Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/

viii. 29 C.F.R. Part 38 – Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

ix. 29 C.F.R. Parts 29 and 30—Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.

x. The Department of Labor will follow the procedures outlined in the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations (29 C.F.R. Part 70). If DOL receives a FOIA request for your application, the procedures in DOL’s FOIA regulations for responding to requests for commercial/business information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA exemptions and procedures. See generally 5 U.S.C.

§ 552; 29 C.F.R. Part 70.

xi. Standard Grant Terms and Conditions of Award (found at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/resources).

2. Religious Activities Guidance from DOL on the effect of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act on recipients of DOL financial assistance is found at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/grants/religious-freedom-restoration-act/guidance.

In accordance with 29 C.F.R. § 2.32(a), Equal Participation of Faith-Based Organizations, applicants for DOL financial assistance are notified:

(i) Faith-based organizations may apply for DOL awards on the same basis as any other organization, subject to the protections and requirements of subpart D of 29 C.F.R. Part 2 and any applicable constitutional and statutory requirements, including 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq. DOL will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate for or against an organization on the basis of the organization's religious character, motives, or affiliation, or lack thereof, or on the basis of conduct that would not be considered grounds to favor or disfavor a similarly situated secular organization.

(ii) A faith-based organization that participates in this program will retain its independence from the Government and may continue to carry out its mission consistent with religious freedom and conscience protections in federal law.

(iii) A faith-based organization may not use direct federal financial assistance to support or engage in any explicitly religious activities except where consistent with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and any other applicable requirements. An organization receiving federal financial assistance also may not, in providing services funded by DOL, or in conducting outreach activities related to such services, discriminate against a program beneficiary or prospective program beneficiary on the basis of religion, a religious belief, a refusal to hold a religious belief, or a refusal to attend or participate in a religious practice.

3. Other Legal Requirements

a. Lobbying or Fundraising with Federal Funds

In accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Public Law (P.L.)

104-65) (2 U.S.C. § 1611), non-profit entities incorporated under Internal Revenue Service Code section 501(c)(4) that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive federal funds and grants. No activity, including awareness-raising and advocacy activities, may https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/resources https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/grants/religious-freedom-restoration-act/guidance https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:42%20section:2000bb%20edition:prelim) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:42%20section:2000bb%20edition:prelim) include fundraising for, or lobbying of, U.S. federal, state, or local governments (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.450 for more information).

b. Transparency Act Requirements

You must ensure that you have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-282), as amended by the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-101), as follows.

• Except for those excepted from the Transparency Act under sub-paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 below, you must ensure that you have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, should you receive funding.

• Upon award, you will receive detailed information on the reporting requirements of the Transparency Act, as described in 2 C.F.R. Part 170, Appendix A (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-170/appendix- Appendix%20A%20to%20Part%20170).

The following types of awards are not subject to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act.

• Federal awards to individuals who apply for or receive federal awards as natural persons (e.g., unrelated to any business or non-profit organization an individual owns or operates);

• Federal awards to entities that had a gross income of less than $300,000 in the entities’ previous tax year; and

• Federal awards, if the required reporting would disclose classified information.

c. Safeguarding Data Including Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Applicants submitting applications in response to an FOA must recognize that confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the Department of Labor and must be observed except where disclosure is allowed by the prior written approval of the Grant Officer or by court order. By submitting an application, you are assuring that all data exchanges conducted through or during the course of performance of this grant will be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable federal law and TEGL 39-11 (issued June 28, 2012). All such activity conducted by DOL/VETS and/or recipient(s) will be performed in a manner consistent with applicable state and federal laws.

By submitting a grant application, you agree to take all necessary steps to protect such confidentiality by complying with the following provisions that are applicable in governing the handling of confidential information: You must ensure that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained, or otherwise associated with DOL/VETS funded grants is securely transmitted.

i. To ensure that such PII is not transmitted to unauthorized users, all PII and other sensitive data transmitted via e-mail or stored on CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc., must be encrypted using a Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validated https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-170/appendix-Appendix%20A%20to%20Part%20170 https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-39-11 cryptographic module. You must not e-mail unencrypted sensitive PII to any entity, including DOL/VETS or contractors.

ii. You must take the steps necessary to ensure the privacy of all PII obtained from participants and/or other individuals and to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure. You must maintain such PII in accordance with the DOL/VETS standards for information security described in TEGL 39-11 and any updates to such standards we provide to you. Grant recipients who wish to obtain more information on data security should contact their Federal Project Officer.

iii. You must ensure that any PII used during the performance of your grant has been obtained in conformity with applicable federal and state laws governing the confidentiality of information.

iv. You further acknowledge that all PII data obtained through your DOL/VETS grant must be stored in an area that is physically safe from access by unauthorized persons at all times and the data will be processed using recipient-issued equipment, managed information technology (IT) services and designated locations approved by DOL/VETS. Accessing, processing, and storing of DOL/VETS grant PII data on personally owned equipment, at off-site locations (e.g., employee’s home), and non-recipient managed IT services (e.g., Gmail) is strictly prohibited unless approved by

DOL/VETS.

v. Your employees and other personnel who will have access to sensitive/confidential/ proprietary/private data must be advised of the confidential nature of the information, the safeguards required to protect the information, and that there are civil and criminal sanctions for noncompliance with such safeguards that are contained in federal and state laws.

vi. You must have policies and procedures in place under which your employees and other personnel, before being granted access to PII, acknowledge their understanding of the confidential nature of the data and the safeguards with which they must comply in their handling of such data, as well as the fact that they may be liable to civil and criminal sanctions for improper disclosure.

vii. You must not extract information from data supplied by DOL/VETS for any purpose not stated in the grant agreement.

viii. Access to any PII created by the DOL/VETS grant must be restricted to only those employees of the grant recipient who need it in their official capacity to perform duties in connection with the scope of work in the grant agreement.

ix. All PII data must be processed in a manner that will protect the confidentiality of the records/documents and is designed to prevent unauthorized persons from retrieving such records by computer, remote terminal, or any other means. Data may be downloaded to, or maintained on, mobile or portable devices only if the data are encrypted using NIST validated software products based on FIPS 140-2 encryption.

In addition, wage data may be accessed only from secure locations.

x. PII data obtained by the recipient through a request from DOL/VETS must not be disclosed to anyone but the individual requestor, except as permitted by the Grant Officer or by court order.

xi. You must permit DOL/VETS to make onsite inspections during regular business hours for the purpose of conducting audits and/or conducting other investigations to assure that you are complying with the confidentiality requirements described above.

In accordance with this responsibility, you must make records applicable to this Agreement available to authorized persons for the purpose of inspection, review, and/or audit.

xii. You must retain data received from DOL/VETS only for the period of time required to use it for assessment and other purposes, or to satisfy applicable federal records retention requirements, if any. Thereafter, you agree that all data will be destroyed, including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and deletion of electronic data.

d. Record Retention

You must follow federal guidelines on record retention, which require that you maintain all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of at least three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. See 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.334–200.338 for more specific information, including information about the start of the record retention period for awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, and when the records must be retained for more than three years.

e. Use of Contracts and Subawards

You must abide by the definitions of contract, contractor, subaward, and subrecipient.

Contract: Contract means a legal instrument by which a recipient or subrecipient conducts procurement transactions under a federal award. For additional information on subrecipient and contractor determinations, see 2 C.F.R. § 200.331.

Contractor: Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined above in Contract.

Subaward: Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to contribute to the goals and objectives of the project by carrying out part of a federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor, beneficiary, or participant. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement consistent with criteria in with 2 C.F.R. § 200.331, including an agreement the pass-through entity considers a contract.

Subrecipient: Subrecipient means an entity that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a federal award. The term subrecipient does not include a beneficiary or participant. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other federal awards directly from a federal agency.

You must follow the provisions at 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.331–200.333 regarding subrecipient monitoring and management. Also see 2 C.F.R. Part 200.308(f)(6) regarding prior approval requirements for subawards. When awarding subawards, you are required to comply with provisions on government-wide suspension and debarment found at 2 C.F.R. Part 2998, implementing the OMB Guidance at 2 C.F.R. Part 180.

f. Closeout of Grant Award

Any entity that receives an award under this Announcement must close its grant with DOL/VETS at the end of the final year of the grant.

4. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions DOL Disclaimer The following standard DOL/VETS disclaimer needs to be on all products developed in whole or in part with grant funds.

“This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. The product was created by the grant recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S.

Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it.”

Intellectual Property Rights and Open Licensing Pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 2900.13 and 2 C.F.R. § 200.315(d), to ensure that the federal investment of DOL funds has as broad an impact as possible and to encourage innovation in the development of new learning materials, the grant recipient will be required to license to the public all work created with the support of the grant under an open license.

The term “open license” means a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual (for the duration of applicable copyright), irrevocable, standard open copyright license and must grant the public permission to access, reproduce, publicly perform, publicly display, adapt, distribute and otherwise use the work and adaptations of the work for any purposes, subject only to the condition that attribution be given to authors and rights holders as designated.

Work that must be openly licensed includes both new content created with the grant funds and modifications made to pre-existing, grant recipient-owned content using grant funds. This license allows subsequent users to copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt the copyrighted work and requires such users to attribute the work in the manner specified by the grant recipient. Notice of the license shall be affixed to the work. As part of the requirement to openly license grant-funded products, grant recipients must post their products (with the open license affixed) to a public distribution platform.

Only work that is developed by the recipient as a whole or in part with grant funds is required to be licensed under the open license. Pre-existing copyrighted materials licensed to or purchased by the grant recipient from third parties, including modifications of such materials, remain subject to the intellectual property rights the grant recipient receives under the terms of the particular license or purchase. In addition, works created by the grant recipient without grant funds do not fall under the open licensing requirement.

The purpose of the open licensing requirement is to ensure that materials developed with funds provided by these grants result in work that can be freely reused and improved by others. When purchasing or licensing consumable or reusable materials, the grant recipient is expected to respect all applicable federal laws and regulations, including those pertaining to the copyright and accessibility provisions of the Federal Rehabilitation Act.

Questions about open licensing as it applies to this specific funding opportunity should be submitted to the DOL/VETS Grants Management Specialist specified in Section I. The Department will provide technical assistance to support open licensing during the period of performance.

Separate from the open license to the public, the Federal Government reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use for federal purposes (i) the copyright in all products developed under the grant, including a subaward or contract under the grant or subaward; and (ii) any rights of copyright to which the recipient, subrecipient, or a contractor purchases ownership under an award (including, but not limited to, curricula, training models, technical assistance products, and any related materials). Such uses include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise. The grant recipient may not use federal funds to pay any royalty or license fee for use of a copyrighted work, or the cost of acquiring by purchase a copyright in a work, where the Department has a license or rights of free use in such work. If revenues are generated through selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual property, DOL treats such revenues as program income. Such program income is added to the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities in accordance with the provisions of the grant award and 2 C.F.R. § 200.307.

Credential Transparency (FOAs requiring development of credentials) The Department wishes to ensure that individuals, employers, educators and training providers have access to the most complete, current and beneficial information about providers, programs credentials, and competencies supported with these federal funds.

To this end, we require that grant recipients make information about industry-recognized credentials publicly accessible through the use of linked open data formats that support full transparency and interoperability. This requirement applies to all industry-recognized credentials that are awarded using grant funds under the Announcement, where such credentials were previously developed by a grant lead or partner or are developed using grant funds. Credentials include, but are not limited to, diplomas, badges, certificates, certifications, and degrees of all levels and types. Formats may include, but are not limited to, the use of credential transparency description language specifications. DOL will provide specific guidance and technical assistance on credential transparency. Grant recipients must submit an implementation plan for credential transparency and must complete implementation of the plan before the period of performance ends, as specified in DOL technical assistance.

5. Special Program Requirements

a. DOL Evaluation

As a condition of grant award, as per 2 C.F.R. § 200.301, grant recipients are required to participate in an evaluation, if undertaken by DOL. Participating in an evaluation may require an investment of time and/or resources from grant recipients, and costs related to data and evaluation are allowable, as defined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.455(c). The evaluation may include an implementation assessment across grant recipients, an impact and/or outcomes analysis of all or selected sites within or across grant recipients, a benefit/cost analysis or assessment of return on investment, or other type of program evaluation. Conducting an impact analysis could involve random assignment (which involves random assignment of eligible participants into a treatment group that would receive program services or enhanced program services, or into control group(s) that would receive no program services or program services that are not enhanced). Grant recipients may also be required to collect data elements to aid the evaluation. As a part of the evaluation, as a condition of award, grant recipients must agree to: (1) make records available to DOL’s evaluation team on participants, employers, or other grant partners, and funding; (2) provide access to program operating personnel, participants, and operational and financial records, and any other relevant documents; (3) in the case of an impact analysis, facilitate the assignment by lottery of participants to program services, including the possible increased recruitment of potential participants; and (4) follow evaluation procedures as specified by the evaluation team under the direction of DOL. DOL’s evaluation team may include federal staff as well as contractors with specific technical skills that are engaged to conduct evaluations, analyses, and other assessments of DOL programs and investments.

b. Performance Goals

Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes provided at application, and failure to meet those outcomes may result in technical assistance or other intervention by DOL/VETS, such as a Corrective Action Plan. Failure to meet performance goals may also have a significant impact on future grants with DOL/VETS. Grant recipients that request a reduction of planned goals throughout their period of performance, in accordance with the most current guidance on this subject, may be subject to reduced funding.

c. National Veterans’ Technical Assistance Center (NVTAC)

DOL/VETS funds NVTAC. NVTAC provides training and technical assistance on veterans’ homelessness issues to grant recipients,…