FOA-ETA-15-03.pdf

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: FOA‐ETA‐15‐03

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.270

Addresses: Mailed applications must be addressed to:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Allen Beck, Jail Reentry Roundtable presentation, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, June 2006, available at www.urban.org/projects/reentry-roundtable/upload/beck.PPT.

Amy L. Solomon, et al., Life After Lockup: Improving Reentry from Jail to the Community (Washington: Urban Institute, May 2008), available at www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/220095.pdf.

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This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) provides the opportunity for Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs) to develop and operate specialized AJCs (the requirements for these specialized AJCs will be explained throughout this Announcement) inside of county, municipal, or regional jails and correctional facilities to provide a range of AJC services that will assist soon to be released local inmates to prepare for employment to increase their opportunities for successful reentry into their home communities. This pilot project seeks to strengthen communities by better integrating services already available in the community. This program will build partnerships between local correctional systems and the local workforce systems through the establishment of specialized AJCs within local correctional facilities and linking transitioning offenders with a range of community-based workforce services that lead to successful employment. These grant funds will support the development and implementation of specialized AJCs, which must be linked directly to their existing full service community-based AJCs, enabling local inmates to prepare for employment prior to release and to continue with services in the community once released.

These jail-based specialized AJCs will provide core and intensive services authorized under WIA inside of correctional facilities to address the employment barriers of incarcerated offenders prior to and as they transition into the community and the workforce. Effective July 1, 2015, the community-based AJC’s, under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), will transition into providing “career services” rather than separately designated core and intensive services.

Providing incarcerated offenders with a range of workforce services while they transition out of local correctional facilities engages these soon to be released offenders with existing workforce services, better prepares them to re-enter the workforce, and improves their opportunities for finding suitable employment immediately upon release. These jail-based centers will also provide the opportunity for transitioning offenders to begin the application and interview process and even secure employment pre-release. The jail-based specialized AJCs will support this transition period by directly linking participants to community-based AJCs for a continuum of services and connections to employers or training opportunities upon release. By providing a range of community-based workforce services that lead to successful employment, soon to be released local inmates will develop basic skills, prepare for employment, and increase labor force participation, which will increase successful reentry outcomes in their home communities.

ETA plans to award approximately 10 grants of up to $500,000 each to LWIBs. These grants will have a 24-month period of performance; future funding opportunities may take into account grantee performance on this grant. ETA is focused on sustainability and seeks to fund jail-based specialized AJCs that will be sustained beyond the life of the grant.

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I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

The purpose of this program is to provide locally incarcerated offenders with employability skills by providing them workforce services prior to release from local incarceration and linking them to a continuum of employment, training, education, and support services offered through their community-based AJCs post-release, as well as building connections to local employers that will enable transitioning offenders to secure employment pre-release.

The jail-based specialized AJCs will enable transitioning offenders to prepare for employment prior to release and continue with individual development and service plans (as described in Section IV) in the community once released. The aim of these centers is to improve the workforce outcomes for transitioning offenders. These jail-based specialized AJCs will build upon the successful and effective strategies that currently exist in similar correctional facility-based one-stop centers across the country.

The jail-based specialized AJCs align with the President’s job-driven vision by ensuring that transitioning offenders are prepared to meet the needs of their local labor markets and that they have skills valued by employers. The jail-based specialized AJCs provide an integrated approach that will allow the public workforce system and correctional systems to leverage resources and services to improve employability for this population. Teaching transitioning offenders foundational skills such as job readiness, employability, and job search strategies as well as providing other related interventions can provide access points to employment and reduce the likelihood of reoffending. The employer connections that the jail-based specialized AJCs will build will inform program curricula and ensure relevance to the needs of local businesses.

The jail-based specialized AJCs will provide an integrated service delivery approach, demonstrated through promising practices and proven strategies of other facility-based one-stop center designs, that combines workforce development and reentry services for transitioning offenders prior to release. This integrated approach will help to ease the reentry transition, increase participant employment prospects, and reduce recidivism with transitioning offenders. These centers will provide pre-release employment and career services to support timely post-release employment as well as link directly to the comprehensive workforce development services offered post-release by the community-based AJCs, including follow-up services leading to gainful employment and career advancement.

In addition to linking the jail-based and community-based AJCs, the LWIBs must partner with their county, municipal, or regional correctional facilities as well as their county or municipal governments. Additional, non-required program partners may include non-profit supportive services providers, such as philanthropic, community-based, and faith-based organizations, and other local government agencies that provide relevant services and resources. Through these networks, the jail-based AJCs should have strong employer

- 3 -connections and access to relevant local labor market information. Strong support from community collaborators can lead to greater program sustainability and support better participant outcomes.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

This program is authorized by Section 171 of the Workforce Investment Act and Section 212 of the Second Chance Act of 2007.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. Approximately $5,000,000 is available to fund approximately 10 grants. Organizations may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $500,000. 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. These grants will have a 24-month period of performance; future funding opportunities may take into account grantee performance on this grant.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is 24 months with an anticipated start date of June, 2015. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.

The period of performance must include the following:

• A planning period of up to 9 months; and

• An implementation phase, which includes the delivery of all required services (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(2)(b)), lasting the remaining at least 15 months.

To ensure grantees are prepared to begin program operations, the following milestones must be achieved during the planning period:

• Finalize all necessary arrangements to secure program operation space in partnership with the correctional facility and enable access by all key program personnel;

• Hire or assign core program staff, including the Project Director/Manager, Fiscal Director/Manager, and other key positions;

• Establish a management committee with representatives from all required partners (identified in Section III.A.) and the community-based AJC(s) and hold regular planning meetings to ensure successful delivery of services;

• Finalize and confirm plans for integrated service delivery, including securing assessment tools and curricula; and

• Initiate recruitment and outreach efforts for the enrollment of participants.

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The Department will monitor the completion of these milestones within the grant’s planning phase. The Department may subject grantees who do not meet these milestones to corrective action.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible applicants are Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs).

LWIBs must apply in partnership with their county or municipal governments and their county, municipal, or regional correctional facilities (this excludes any state or Federal correctional facilities that may be located in the local commuting area) and provide evidence of this partnership in their application. In states where the State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB) carries out the functions of the LWIB pursuant to a DOL-approved waiver, or in states designated as a single-state local area, as established under Section 116 (b) of WIA, the SWIB is an eligible applicant.

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program. Please note that any resources contributed to the project are considered leveraged resources and do not constitute cost sharing or matching funds. More information on leveraged resources may be found in Section IV.B. Applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process. Cost sharing or match is not one of the application screening criteria.

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 and will not be considered for funding.

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Application Requirement Instructions Complete?

The deadline submission requirements are met Section IV.C

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

Application does not exceed the ceiling amount of $500,000 Section II.A

Applicant has registered with SAM and maintains an active account Section IV.A

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

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

SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section IV.B

Budget Narrative Section IV.B

Project Narrative Section IV.B.3

Abstract Section 0

2. Number of Applications to Be Submitted Multiple applications from an organization are not allowed. If multiple applications are received, the most recent application submitted will be accepted. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, we will not replace it with an earlier application.

3. Eligible Participants

a) Participants Eligible to Receive Services To participate in a funded project under these grants, an individual must:

• have been convicted as an adult and imprisoned under municipal, county, Federal, or state law;

• have not been convicted of a sexual offense other than prostitution;

• be a sentenced offender confined in the municipal, county, or regional correctional facility for adults in which the jail-based specialized AJC operates on the date of the participant’s enrollment in the program; and

• have a release date scheduled within 180 days of the individual’s enrollment in the program.

b) Veterans’ Priority for Participants 38 U.S.C. 4215 requires grantees to provide priority of service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and

- 6 -placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. The regulations implementing this priority of service can be found at 20 CFR Part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans’ priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans’ priority. ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov and http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm, contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

Applicants should note that hyperlinks to portions of the FOA are included in various parts of the Announcement. Applicants are required to comply with all parts of the FOA, including those parts found at the hyperlinks.

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Applications submitted in response to this FOA must consist of four separate and distinct parts: (1) the SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance;” (2) Project Budget; (3) Project Narrative; and (4) attachments to the Project Narrative. It is your responsibility to 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 http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). 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, 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 http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). The SF-424B is not required to be submitted with the application.

- 7 -http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816 http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15

In addition, the applicant’s Authorized Representative’s signature in block 21 of the SF-424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of compliance with the following requirements in accordance with 29 CFR 37.20.

As a condition to the award of financial assistance from the Department of Labor under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)3, the grant applicant assures that it will comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: Section 188 of the WIA, which prohibits discrimination against all individuals in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against beneficiaries on the basis of either citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States or participation in any WIA Title I—financially assisted program or activity; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color and national origin; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities; The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs. The grant applicant also assures that it will comply with 29 CFR part 37 and all other regulations implementing the laws listed above. This assurance applies to the grant applicant's operation of the WIA Title I-financially assisted program or activity, and to all agreements the grant applicant makes to carry out the WIA Title I-financially assisted program or activity. The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance.

Requirement for DUNS Number All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to 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 D&B website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do. As authorized under 2 CFR 25, grant recipients authorized to make subawards must be aware of the following requirements related to DUNS Numbers:

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

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

Requirement for Registration with SAM Applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting an application. Instructions for registering with SAM can be found at

3 The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (“WIOA,” Public Law 113-128) was signed into law on July 22, 2014. Most provisions of WIOA become effective July 1, 2015. Grants awarded under this FOA are authorized by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), and the terms of the WIA will apply to these grants for the life of the grants. Post-release services provided by the community-based AJCs, which are not funded under this grant, will be subject to WIOA.

- 8 -http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/#1. 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.

2. Project Budget You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 ). In preparing the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.

Budget Narrative: The budget narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. It should also include a description of leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.

Use the following guidance for preparing the budget narrative:

Personnel – List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed). Give the annual salary of each position, the percentage of each position’s time devoted to the project, the amount of each position’s salary funded by the grant, and the total personnel cost for the period of performance.

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

Travel – Specify the purpose, mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other costs for each type of travel.

Equipment – Identify each item of equipment to be purchased which 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 200.33 for the definition of Equipment). List the quantity and unit cost per item. Items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are supplies. In general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year of the grant.

Supplies – Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.94 for the definition of Supplies). The detailed budget should identify categories of supplies (e.g. office supplies). List the quantity and unit cost per item.

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Contractual – Identify each proposed contract and specify its purpose and estimated cost. If applicable, identify any subrecipient agreements, including purpose and estimated costs. See Section VI.B.2.f. for more information on the distinction between contractor and subrecipient.

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 the costs must be shown on other appropriate lines such as Contractual.

Other – List each item in sufficient detail for us to determine whether the costs are reasonable or allowable. List any item, such as stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere here.

Indirect Costs – If indirect costs are included in the budget, then include either, a) the approved indirect cost rate with a copy of the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), a description of the base used to calculate indirect costs along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested, or b) if you meet the requirements to use the 10% de minimis rate as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f), then include a description of the modified total direct costs base (see 2 CFR 200.68 for definition) used in the calculation along with the amount of the base, and the total indirect costs requested based on the 10% de minimis rate. See Section IV.B.4.

and Section IV.E.1. for more information. Additionally, the following link contains DOL-specific information: http://www.dol.gov/oasam/boc/dcd/index.htm.

Note that the entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) must be included on the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative.

No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF-424 and SF-424A. Leveraged resources should be described in the budget narrative. The requested Federal grant amount listed on the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative must be the same. The funding amount included on the SF-424 will be considered the official funding amount requested if any inconsistencies are found.

3. Project Narrative

Preparing the 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 20 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with Times New Roman 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. Any materials beyond the specified page limit will not be read or considered in the application review process. You must number the Project Narrative beginning with page number 1.

- 10 -http://www.dol.gov/oasam/boc/dcd/index.htm

The following instructions provide all of the information needed to complete the Project Narrative. You should carefully read and consider each section, and include all required information in your Project Narrative. The Project Narrative will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V.A.

Applicants must use the same section headers identified below for each section of the Project Narrative:

a) Expected Outcomes and Outputs The applicant must clearly identify how the outcome(s) and output(s) that will result from the project will be tracked and reported. Outcomes are the measurable results of the project. They are the positive benefits, negative changes, or measurable characteristics that occur as a result of project activities or outputs. Outputs are tangible products or services that result from the project.

Jail-based specialized AJCs will provide direct services to participants; upon release, they will directly connect participants to community-based AJCs and other supportive services providers.

• Applicants must describe the system to track and report interim measures for participants pre-release.

• Applicants must identify the strategies they will use to ensure post-release services and the tracking and reporting of participant employment and recidivism outcomes, including all applicable WIA/WIOA common measures.

• Applicants must design and describe a system that will allow them to track and report outcomes for their participants post-release through the community-based AJC. If applicants intend to co-enroll participants in WIA or WIOA, they must describe how the WIA/WIOA reporting systems will be utilized.

• Applicants must articulate a strategy to track participants that have been released to other areas.

• Applicants must describe how they will register program participants in the state’s labor exchange system.

Each jail-based specialized AJC will report on the applicable WIA/WIOA common measures for all enrolled participants. Upon release, participants who transition into a community-based AJC will remain “active” under the state’s workforce system and will follow the same rules for exit and reporting as all other AJC customers. Participants who do not report for additional services at their community-based AJC will be exited after 90 days as required under the common measures.

The jail-based specialized AJCs will measure these additional seven interim and longer-term performance outcomes and outputs, three pre-release and four post-release. Applicants must identify the number of transitioning offenders that they

- 11 -plan to serve (projected enrollment). Specific performance targets will be set based on national goals identified by the Department.

Pre-release, jail-based specialized AJCs will measure:

• Enrollment Rate – the number of participants enrolled in the program compared to the target number of participants identified in the grant application;

• Participation Rate – the rate of continued participation in the program;

and

• Work-Readiness Indicator – the percentage of participants who are deemed work-ready or demonstrate an increase in work-readiness after receiving pre-release services. To assess increases in work-readiness, grantees must administer work readiness pre- and post-tests (at the times of enrollment and exit, respectively), which may include a risk assessment of criminogenic needs (see Section VIII.E.).

Post-release, jail-based specialized AJCs will measure:

• Post-Release Enrollment Rate – the percentage of participants who report for and are enrolled into comprehensive career services post-release;

• Placement Rate – the percentage of participants who are placed in one or more of the following after post-release enrollment: Registered Apprenticeships, unsubsidized employment, post-secondary education, or occupational skills training;

• Retention Rate – the percentage of participants who remain in employment or educational placements in the third quarter after program exit; and

• Recidivism Rate – the percentage of participants who reoffend or are re-incarcerated within one year of program exit.

b) Project Design The applicant must propose methods that will be used to address the stated outcomes and outputs. The applicant must also outline a plan of action that describes in detail the scope of how the proposed work will be accomplished and include a timeline for completion of work. The applicant must account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might accelerate or decelerate the work and state the reason for taking the proposed approach. The applicant must identify any potential barriers, and describe how the project will be able to overcome those barriers.

(1) Implementation

• The applicant must identify a plan for ensuring that all required and additional, non-required partners have access to the facility as needed, including a schedule for proposed partner activities;

• The applicant must develop and describe a plan that includes the process and any regulations regarding the hiring of staff and the

- 12 -procurement of goods and services and how it will overcome hiring and/or procurement barriers;

• The applicant must identify and describe the staffing plan for all core program staff positions, including the Project Director/Manager, Fiscal Director/Manager, and other key positions. For all positions for which potential staff members have already been identified, the applicant must describe their qualifications. For all positions for which potential staff members have not been identified, the applicant must describe the required qualifications that will be used for hiring purposes;

• The applicant must describe how participants will be identified and selected for participation; and

• The applicant must identify the timeline, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, which includes all key activities within the implementation phase, as identified in Section II.B., including the timeframe for beginning program services.

(2) Operations

• The applicant must identify and explain the employment and career services components it will offer and its strategies for implementation, including how participants evaluations will be used to identify individual service strategies;

• The applicant must identify how Individual Development Plans (IDPs) with specific reentry plans will be developed for each program participant. The applicant must describe how they will use local labor market information (LMI) to inform IDP development. The applicant must identify how the IDP links to employment and post-release and follow-up services through a community-based AJC to ensure a continuum of services. The applicant must identify how assessments, including an assessment of each individual’s risk of reoffending and his/her level of job readiness, will be incorporated into the IDP;

• The applicant must describe how it will coordinate with corrections, workforce, and reentry professionals, other service providers, and employers to ensure that interventions and employment services are provided in a way that supports recidivism-reduction and employment goals;

• The applicant must describe:

o How post-release and follow-up planning activities will be delivered;

o A plan for directly linking participants to external service providers before they exit the correctional facility, including a description of the “hand-off” with participants that will occur between the jail-based specialized AJC staff members and community-based AJC staff members to ensure a smooth transition – it is the Department’s expectation that all participants will receive a “hand-off” to their community-based AJCs, even if

- 13 -they have already secured employment, for follow-up and supportive services;

o A plan for ensuring post-release employment or income support to enable participants to fully participate in post-release services;

and o How and where required services will be provided to participants post-release within and outside of the surrounding community;

• The applicant must provide, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, a schedule of activities in a sample month of jail-based specialized AJC operations. These activities must include all required core and intensive services for participants, including but not limited to:

o comprehensive case management, o needs assessment, o career planning, o job-seeking services, o and assistance with educational/training plans (additional information regarding “core” and “intensive” services as defined in WIA can be found in Section VIII.B.; effective July 1, 2015, the community-based AJC’s, under WIOA, will transition into providing “career services” rather than separately designated core and intensive services).

o The sample schedule must take into account the inmates’ opportunities for movement throughout the facility and ensure that all program participants have adequate opportunities to access the jail-based specialized AJC; and

• The applicant must identify the curriculum that will be utilized for employability skills and job readiness development activities.

(3) Partnerships In addition to the required partnerships described in Section III.A., applicants are encouraged to form partnerships with service providers in their local communities. Additional partners may include public or nonprofit career and supportive services providers, including philanthropic and community-and faith-based organizations. These partners may provide required program services such as: case management and wrap-around supportive services; pre-release planning; educational assessments; healthcare, mental healthcare, and substance abuse treatment; job readiness activities;

employment connections; and post-release supervision planning.

The applicant must:

• Describe how partners will be utilized to support program operations and ensure that all required services are available to all program participants;

• Identify how the program partners will work together to ensure that each of the interim and longer-term performance outcomes and outputs (as identified in the Expected Outcomes and

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Outputs section) will be met, including the pre-release measures (enrollment rate, participation rate, and work readiness indicator) and the post-release measures (post-release enrollment rate, placement rate, retention rate, and recidivism rate);

• Describe how communication will be coordinated with and among the partners;

• Identify each required partner (described in Section III.A.) and any additional partners that will be used to support program operations and describe their roles and responsibilities, including the extent to which they will contribute tangible resources that support program implementation and goals (a MOU or Letter of Commitment that clearly identifies the roles and responsibilities and the resources to be committed must be included for each required and additional partner);

• Describe the strategy for how partners will communicate in order to achieve pre-release and post-release performance outcomes;

• Describe how local employers/industry partners will be engaged to ensure that services to participants are in line with employer needs and will lead to future employment; and

• Include in the written commitment from the correctional facility, in addition to the requirements for all written commitments, the facility’s operational structure, a strategy for Internet access and space use within the facility, a schedule of facility activities that might affect jail-based specialized AJC operations, and any requirements for the program staff to access the correctional facility.

(4) Continuum of Services Post-Release The applicant must include a plan to continue services post-release through the community-based AJCs and to secure lasting partnerships with local service providers and employers. The applicant must describe how it will achieve buy-in from local employers and industry associations that are all committed to increasing employment opportunities for jail-based specialized AJC participants post-release.

c) Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity

• The applicant must provide information on the applicant organization’s current mission and structure.

• The applicant must describe how the factors identified in the above bullet contribute to the ability of the organization to conduct the program requirements and meet program expectations. Include information about any organization(s) under contract with the applicant that will have a significant role in implementing the project.

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• The applicant must describe the fiscal and administrative controls in place to properly manage Federal funds. Include the organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after Federal financial assistance has ended.

• The applicant must provide a comprehensive plan that demonstrates how the jail-based specialized AJC will be sustained in the correctional facility for a minimum of two years of continued operation after the grant funding period is over, including:

o How the program partnerships will be sustained beyond the life of the grant;

o How partner resources, including other Federal, State, or local funding, will be leveraged to ensure that the program has adequate funding to continue its operations once the grant period ends; and o How services to participants will be continued after the grant’s period of performance; and

• The applicant must describe how data will be utilized to determine effective strategies, activities, and partnerships.

d) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability Applicants will receive points based on past performance demonstrated by the achievement of their negotiated outcomes on the three WIA Adult common measures (Entered Employment Rate, Retention Rate, and Average Earnings).

Applicants must submit, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, a chart of past performance that identifies the three WIA performance goals and the actual annual performance for the past two program years for the WIA Adult finding stream. In the chart, applicants must identify the expected level of performance (targets) for each goal and the actual outcomes (results) for each goal. Applicants should format the chart as below:

PY 2013

Target

PY 2013

Result

PY 2012

Target

PY 2012

Result

Entered Employment Rate

Retention Rate

Average Earnings

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative In addition to the Project Narrative, you must submit attachments. All attachments must be clearly labeled as Attachments. Only those attachments listed below will be excluded from the page limit. Additional materials such as resumés or general letters of support must not be included. 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.

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Save all files with descriptive file names of 50 characters or less and be sure to only use standard characters in file names: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and underscore (_). File names may not include special characters (e.g. &,–,*,%,/,#), periods (.), blank spaces or accent marks, and must be unique (i.e., no other attachment may have the same file name). An underscore (example: my_Attached_File.pdf) may be used to separate a file name.

Required Attachments The following attachments must be included with the application package; the failure to do so will cause the application package to be screened out.

a) Abstract:

You must submit an up to two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project, including, but not limited to, the scope of the project and proposed outcomes. The proposed project must include the applicant’s name, project title, a description of the area to be served, number of participants to be served, and the funding level requested. The Abstract is limited to two-page double-spaced single sided 8.5x11 inch pages with 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. Applicants must include: 1) applicant’s name; 2) project title; 3) a description of the geographic area to be served, including the correctional facility in which the jail-based specialized AJC will be housed; 4) the number of participants to be served; 5) the community-based AJCs that will be involved in the project; 6) a description of the overall program model, including the scope of the project and proposed outcomes; 7) a description of required and additional partners; and 8) the requested funding level. When submitting in grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and specifically labeled “Abstract.”

Requested Attachments The following attachments are requested, but their omission will not cause the application to be screened out. If the omission of the attachment will impact scoring, such an impact will be noted in the description of the attachment.

b) Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form:

You should submit a Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). This form is in the grants.gov application package. Please note that this is a standard form used for many programs and has a check box for applying as an individual.

Disregard this box on the form as individuals are not eligible to apply for this Announcement. This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

c) Indirect Cost Rate Agreement:

If you are requesting indirect costs based on a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by your Federal Cognizant Agency, then attach the most recently approved Agreement. (For more information, see Section IV.B.2.

and Section IV.E.1.) This attachment does not impact scoring of the application.

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d) Timeline of Start-up (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(2)(i)) This attachment impacts scoring of the application.

e) Sample Month of Activities (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(2)(ii)) This attachment impacts scoring of the application.

f) MOUs and/or Letters of Commitment from all required and any additional partners (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(2)(iii)) This attachment impacts scoring of the application.

g) Chart of Past Performance (as identified in Section IV.B.3.a.(4)) This attachment impacts scoring of the application.

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIMES, PROCESS AND ADDRESSES

The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is April 3, 2015.

Applications must be submitted either electronically on http://www.grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or in hard copy by hand delivery (including overnight delivery).

Applications must be received at the address below no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. Applications submitted on grants.gov must also be successfully submitted (as described below) no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. You are cautioned that applications should be submitted before the deadline to ensure that the risk of late receipt of the application is minimized. Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. Applicants submitting applications in hard copy by mail or overnight delivery must submit an original signed application (including the SF-424) and one (1) ‘‘copy-ready’’ version free of bindings, staples or protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the application by DOL.

Applicants submitting applications in hard copy are also required to include in the hard copy submission an identical electronic copy of the application on compact disc (CD). If discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD copy are identified, the application on the CD will be considered the official applicant submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hardcopy and CD format may have an impact on the overall evaluation.

If an application is physically submitted by both hard copy and through http://www.grants.gov, a letter must accompany the hard-copy application stating which application to review. If no letter accompanies the hard copy, DOL will review the copy submitted through http://www.grants.gov.

No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted. Further, any additional documents submitted separately from the application, before or after the deadline, will not be accepted as part of the application.

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http://www.grants.gov/documents/19/18243/OrganizationRegChecklist.pdf/fc7e7c18‐ 2497‐4b08‐8d9b‐bfac399947a3

registration/step‐3‐username‐password.html

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