Amendment One -- FOA-ETA-24-15.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Amendment One for Funding Opportunity Announcement National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) Grants for Career Services and Training

Funding Opportunity Number: FOA-ETA-24-15

Summary: The Employment and Training Administration announced on March 5, 2024, the availability of funds under Funding Opportunity Announcement FOA-ETA-24-15, to be awarded through a competitive process. This amendment clarifies portions of the FOA; however, it does not impact the application submission requirements. The FOA document is amended as follows:

1.) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• The Executive Summary is revised as follows per text in red font:

“Applicants’ proposed project designs for the agricultural sector must commit to helping agricultural employers in the U.S. recruit, hire, and train agricultural workers who are available in the local area for good jobs and, when necessary, leverage the Agricultural Recruitment System. The Agricultural Recruitment System is a part of the Wagner-Peyser Employment Services. Through the Agricultural Recruitment System, State Workforce Agencies can recruit and refer qualified workers from within a state and from other states when they anticipate that there are less agricultural workers available than needed in the local area. Note: H-2A workers are not eligible to receive most NFJP services.

See TEGL 10-23; TEGL No. 18-16, Change 1 or in successive guidance.”

• “ETA is requesting applications in order to make new NFJP awards for program year 2024. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, Public Law 118-47 appropriated funding for this program.”

2.) SECTION I – PROGRAM AUTHORITY

• Section I. B, Program Authority, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“Section 167 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-128) authorizes this program. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, Public Law 118-47 appropriated funding for this program.”

3.) SECTION III - ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

• Section III.A, Service Area Requirements for Eligible Applicants, last sentence, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“Applicants must submit a distinct application for each proposed state (see section III.C.2).”

4.) SECTION IV - APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

• Section IV.B.1, SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”, is revised by adding a new sub-paragraph c. as follows:

“c. Instructions for SF-424, Field 14, Areas Affected by Project

In Field 14 of the SF-424, applicants must include the names of the counties in the proposed project service area within one state. (If there is a discrepancy in the service areas listed on the applicant’s SF-424 and what is discussed in the rest of the application, the Department will use the areas listed on the SF-424.)”

• Section IV.B.2, Project Budget, top of page 18, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“See Section IV.B.4. and Section IV.E for more information.”

• Section IV.B.3.a.i, the last sentence, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“Data sources are provided in this FOA under Section VIII, Other Information.”

• Section IV.B.3.b, Project Design, under Worker-Centered Sector-Based

Training and Employer Partnerships, is revised as follows in red text:

“Applicants must explain their plan to incorporate input and feedback from employer partners and workers to their customer-centered career services strategy, including career assessment and planning, supportive services, and work-based learning, such as apprenticeships or other strategies, in the agriculture industry or other industries.”

• Section IV.B.3.d., Past Performance – Programmatic Capability, is replaced by the following text. These changes clarify: (1) how ETA will account for adult and youth performance when scoring past performance;

(2) how ETA will consider previously served and proposed service areas in scoring past performance; (3) the percent of goal ranges that ETA will apply when scoring past performance.

d. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability (Up to 18 Points) https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-industries/agriculture https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-industries

Organizations will receive points based on past performance data related to participant enrollment, career services and training related WIOA performance indicators, and spending rate analysis. There are different instructions for Category A applicants and Category B applicants.

Applicants must use the below information to determine which instructions are applicable to their organization.

i. Category A Applicant: Career Services and Training Grantees’ Past Performance (Up to 18 points):

Category A applicants do not need to submit past performance data because ETA will use relevant program year 2022 outcome data to score a Category A applicant’s past performance for participant enrollment, WIOA performance indicators, and spending rate analysis, if available, as explained in further detail below.

Considerations for Adult and Youth Performance Some Category A applicants established participant enrollment goals and targets for WIOA performance indicators for both adult and youth participants, while some grantees only established participant enrollment goals and targets for WIOA performance indicators for adult participants. In scoring past performance for Category A applicants under this FOA, ETA will take the following approach:

• For Category A applicants proposing to serve only adults under this FOA (as specified in the application’s abstract), ETA will use relevant program year 2022 outcome data for adult participants only.

• For Category A applicants proposing to serve only youth under this FOA (as specified in the application’s abstract), ETA will use the relevant program year 2022 outcome data for youth participants, if available. In circumstances when relevant program year 2022 outcome data for youth participants is not available, ETA will use the relevant program year 2022 outcome data for adult participants.

• For Category A applicants proposing to serve both adults and youth under this FOA (as specified in the application’s Abstract), ETA will use relevant program year 2022 outcome data for adult and youth participants combined, if available. In circumstances when relevant program year 2022 outcome data for adult and youth participants combined is not available, ETA will use the relevant program year 2022 outcome data for adult participants.

Considerations for Past Performance and Proposed Service Areas

• In general, where feasible, ETA seeks to assess past performance for the same service area proposed in the current application. If a Category A applicant submits an application for a service area that they served in program years 2020-2023, the Department will use relevant program year 2022 outcome data for that same service area, if available. ETA will use this approach to score past performance for participant enrollment, WIOA performance indicators, and spending rate analysis, if available.

• However, if an applicant submits an application for a new service area that they did not serve in program years 2020-2023, then the Department will aggregate relevant program year 2022 outcome data for all the service areas that the applicant served in program years 2020-2023 to score their application for the new service area. ETA will use this approach to score past performance for participant enrollment, WIOA performance indicators, and spending rate analysis, if available.

• Note also that, while this FOA does not allow applications for combined states (i.e. MD/DE, WV/VA, and CT/RI), some NFJP grantees currently serve such combined states. For specific Category A applicants that currently serve a combined state, ETA will:

o Score past performance for participant enrollments based on performance in each state individually; and o Score past performance for the WIOA performance indicators based on pooling together participants from both states.

a. Participant Enrollment (up to 6 points): Category A applicants do not need to submit past performance data. DOL will use a Career Services and Training grantee’s established goals and actual outcomes for participant enrollment levels based on the rolling four quarters of performance data reflected in the program year 2022 Quarterly Performance Report for the quarter ending June 30, 2023.

For Category A applicants, the Department will score past performance on adult and youth participant enrollment rates for their most recently completed grant:

• Applicants that met at least 100 percent of the participant enrollment goal will receive 6 points.

• Applicants that met at least 80 percent of the participant enrollment goal but less than 100 percent will receive 4 points.

• Applicants that met at least 70 percent of the participant enrollment goal but less than 80 percent will receive 2 points.

• Applicants that met less than 70 percent of the participant enrollment goal will receive 0 points.

b. WIOA Performance Indicators (up to 6 points): Category A applicants do not need to submit past performance data. DOL will use a Career Services and Training grantee’s established goals and actual outcomes for WIOA performance measures based on the rolling four quarters of performance data reflected in the program year 2022 Quarterly Performance Report for the quarter ending June 30, 2023.

For Category A applicants, DOL will score past performance on the following WIOA performance measures:

• Education/Employment Rate - 4th Quarter After Exit:

o For adults, the percentage of participants in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit.

o For youth (if applicable), the percentage of participants in education or training activities, or in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit.

• Median Earnings - 2nd Quarter After Exit:

o Median earnings of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit.

• Credential Attainment:

The percentage of those participants enrolled in an education or training program (excluding those in on-the-job training (OJT) and customized training) who attain a recognized postsecondary credential or a secondary school diploma, or its recognized equivalent, during participation in or within one year after exit from the program. A participant who has attained a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent is included in the percentage of participants who have attained a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent only if the participant also is employed or is enrolled in an education or training program leading to a recognized postsecondary credential within one year after exit from the program.

Applicants will be scored as follows on meeting their WIOA performance measure goals for their most recently completed grant, as demonstrated in the chart they provide:

• Applicants that met all three performance goals will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Applicants that met two performance goals but did not meet the other performance goal will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Applicants that met one performance goal but did not meet the other two performance goals will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Applicants that did not meet any performance goals for their most recently completed grant will receive 0 points for this subsection.

c. Spending Rate Analysis (up to 6 points): Category A applicants do not need to submit spending rate data. For Category A applicants, DOL will use data from the

Quarterly Financial Report (ETA-9130 J) for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 or September 30, 2023 to determine an applicant’s score for past performance on the spending rate analysis using the total grant amount and the percentage of grant funds spent during the original period of performance for their grant specified above, as described in the Figure 2 below.

Figure 2: Spending Rate Analysis

Grant Funds Received:

Grant Funds Spent by end of the Original Period of Performance:

Total Spent /

Total Grant Funds

Percentage Rate of Spending:

Example:

$1,000,000

$800,000

$800,000/

$1,000,00

80%

Applicants will be scored as follows on the spending rate for their most recently completed grant, as demonstrated in the chart they provide:

• Applicants that expended 100 percent of the grant funds will receive 6 points.

• Applicants that expended at least 80 percent but less than 100 percent of the grant funds will receive 4 points.

• Applicants that expended at least 70 percent but less than 80 percent of the grant funds will receive 2 points.

• Applicants that expended less than 70 percent of the grant funds will receive 0 points.

ii. Category B Applicant: Other Qualifying Organizations’ Past Performance (up to 18 points) Category B applicants must provide past performance data from the same completed project. Past performance data includes information for participant enrollment per year, career services and training related performance measures, and size and scope for a federally- and/or non-federally-funded assistance agreement that is similar in size and relevance to the proposed project and was completed within the last five years of the closing date of this FOA. The information must be provided in a Past Performance Chart as an attachment to the Project Narrative. The chart must be signed by the grantor or a letter must be provided from the grantor verifying the past performance data. This letter must be on grantor letterhead and contain contact information for the grantor. The Past Performance Chart must include the following information: Grantor name and contact information; project information/grant objectives; and performance goals and size and scope.

a. Participant Enrollment (up to 6 points): Category B applicants must submit past performance data for participant enrollment.

For Category B applicants, the Department will score past performance on participant enrollment:

• Planned participant enrollment goal and actual outcomes for participant enrollment of target population.

Applicants will be scored as follows for meeting their participant enrollment goals for adult participants, youth participants, or both adult and youth participants, as demonstrated in the chart they provide:

• Applicants that met at least 100 percent of the participant enrollment goal will receive 6 points.

• Applicants that met at least at least 80 percent of the participant enrollment goal but less than 100 percent will receive 4 points.

• Applicants that met at least 70 percent of the participant enrollment goal but less than 80 percent will receive 2 points.

• Applicants that met less than 70 percent of the participant enrollment goal will receive 0 points.

b. Workforce Investment Activities Performance (up to 6 points): Category B applicants must submit a Past Performance Chart from the same completed project that includes the overall objectives of the grant, population served, funding amount and grantor contact information. The performance data must be for a completed grant within the past five years. The chart must detail three significant performance goals, the outcomes of those goals, and rate of goal in order to demonstrate if and how the applicant successfully completed and managed the agreement.

Applicants should use three performance indicators most similar to:

• education/employment placement

• recognized postsecondary credential or a secondary school diploma, or its recognized equivalent attainment

• median earnings

ETA views the above indicators as the most critical to demonstrating that the applicant’s past success in a similar program has prepared its organization to succeed in operating a workforce investment project. Applicants may substitute a different indicator if the substituted indicator is applicable to the outcomes required in this FOA.

DOL reserves the right to disqualify indicators that are determined not to be sufficiently similar to the indicators above and award zero points for non-qualifying indicators.

In the Past Performance Chart, applicants must identify three performance indicators, the goals, the outcomes, and rates of goal of achievement, as described in Figure 3 below.

Figure 3: Workforce Investment Activities Performance

Name of Previous Grantor Organization:

Grantor Contact - Name, Title, Signature (if non-ETA grant), E-mail Address, and Telephone Number:

Project Title and Grant Number:

Project Period of Performance:

Number of Participants Enrolled:

Population Served:

Performance Goals

Performance Indicator Goal Outcome Outcome/Goal (Fraction)

Rate of Achievement (Percentage)

Employment/education placement 60 58 58/60 97%

Credential/degree attainment 100 105 105/100 105%

Applicants will receive points based on past performance demonstrated in the performance chart as follows:

• Applicants that met all three performance goals for their most recently completed grant will receive 6 points for this subsection.

• Applicants that met two performance goals but did not meet the other performance goal for their most recently completed grant will receive 4 points for this subsection.

• Applicants that met one performance goal but did not meet the other two performance goals for their most recently completed grant will receive 2 points for this subsection.

• Applicants that did not meet any performance goals for their most recently completed grant will receive 0 points for this subsection.

c. Size and Scope (up to 6 points):

Category B applicants must submit past performance data related to size and scope data from the same completed project. Category B Applicants must have completed a grant similar to their proposed project’s size and scope to the National Farmworker Jobs Program within the last five years.

• The funding amount of the same completed project must have been funded at $100,000 or more and the funding amount for their proposed project must be similar to the project size of a completed grant.

• The completed project must have enrolled at least 20 participants during the grant period of performance and the enrollment level for their proposed project must be similar to the enrollment level of the completed grant.

• The completed project must have provided workforce investment services, including career services, training, or education, to migrant and seasonal farmworkers or other individuals with barrier(s) to employment, as described in Figure 4 below.

• Section IV.B.4.a(1), Abstract, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“Total funding level requested for program year 2024”

• Section IV.B.4.b(3), Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“(For more information, see Section IV.B.2. and Section IV.E)”

• Section IV.B.E, Indirect Costs/Option 1, last sentence, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“(See Section IV.B.2. for more information on NICRA submission requirements.)”

• Section IV.E, Funding Restrictions, Minimum spending of 70 percent on Employment and Training Services (Career Services and Training grants), is revised as follows per text in red font:

Figure 4: Size and Scope

Project Period of Performance

Type of Services and Target Population

Total Grant Funds

Number of Participants

Enrolled

2020-2022 Workforce Development Services for Farmworkers $100,000 20 participants

Language in the NFJP appropriation since 2008 (see P.L. 118-47) specifies that, of the funds provided for Career Services and Training Grants, “not less than 70 percent shall be for employment and training services.”

5.) SECTION V - APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

• Section V.A, Criteria, the scoring table, is revised as follows, per text in red font: added):

Criterion Points Maximum

1. Statement of Need (See Section IV.B.3.a. Statement of Need)

10 Points Total

2. Project Design (See Section IV.B.3.b, Project Design) 40. Points Total

3. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity (See Section IV.B.3.c, Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity)

24 Points Total

4A. Past Performance - Category A ONLY

a. Participant Enrollment

b. WIOA Performance Indicators

c. Spending Rate Analysis

(See Section IV.B.3.d, Past Performance – Programmatic Capability)

18 Points Total

4B. Past Performance - Category B ONLY

a. Participant Enrollment

b. Workforce Investment Activities Performance

c. Size and Scope

(See Section IV.B.3.d. Past Performance – Programmatic Capability)

18 Points Total

5. Budget and Budget Justification (See Section IV.B.2. Project Budget and Section IV.B.3.e.

Budget and Narrative)

8 Points Total

TOTAL 100

• Section V.B.1, Merit Review and Selection Process, is revised as follows per text in red font:

Through the review and selection process described in this section, the Department will make award decisions that best achieve the goals and objectives of the FOA and NFJP.

A technical merit review panel will carefully evaluate applications against the selection criteria to determine the merit of applications. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this FOA. Up to 100 points may be awarded to an applicant, depending on the quality of the responses provided. The final scores (which may include the mathematical normalization of review panels) will serve as the primary basis for selection of applications for funding. The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The Grant Officer reserves the right to make selections based solely on the final scores or to take into consideration other relevant factors when applicable. Such factors may include the geographic distribution of funds, the category of applicant; target population such as adult participants, youth participants, or both adult and youth participants; available funding; proposed service area; coverage for Significant Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker States;

selected sector(s); and other relevant factors. The Grant Officer may consider any information that comes to their attention. Whether the Department awards multiple grants within a given state, how much funding it awards each grantee, and how each grantee’s service area is defined, will depend on the applications the Department receives, the final scores of those applications as determined through the review and selection process, and other relevant factors when applicable.”

6.) SECTION VI – AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

• Section VI.A, Award Notices, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“Selection of an organization as a recipient does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. As discussed above, through the review and selection process described in Section V.B., the Department will make award decisions that best achieve the goals and objectives of the FOA and NFJP.

Whether the Department awards multiple grants within a given state, how much funding it awards each grantee, and how each grantee’s service area is defined, will depend on the applications the Department receives, the final scores of those applications as determined through the review and selection process, and other relevant factors when applicable. The Department may award applicants less funding than requested, particularly in states where it expects to award more than one grant. Consistent with the Department’s general award practices, in instances where it must award a lower amount than originally requested by an applicant, the Department will request modified grant documents that correspond to the revised award amount (for example, an updated budget and budget narrative, and an updated statement of work).

Before the actual grant is awarded, we may enter into negotiations about such items 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 this FOA.”

• Section VI.B.4.d, WIOA Performance Indicators/Career Services and

Training Grants Performance Indicators, is revised as follows per text in red font:

“See Appendix D of this FOA to see proposed targets for WIOA performance indicators.”

7.) APPENDIX C

• Fourth row of Appendix C, Suggested Abstract Format, is revised as follows per text in red font

“Total funding level requested for program year 2024”

For additional information, please email NFJP.OGM@dol.gov.

Signed April 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C. by:

Carla Wills Grant Officer, Employment and Training Administration