FOA-ETA-21-07.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: STATE APPRENTICESHIP EXPANSION, EQUITY, AND

INNOVATION GRANTS

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-ETA-21-07

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.285

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is April 26, 2021. We must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: Submit all applications in response to this solicitation through https://www.grants.gov. For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV

ETA FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT: SAEEI Grant Program ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

C. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES/ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES

1. Registered Apprenticeship Programs and Quality Framework for Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

2. State Apprenticeship Expansion and Innovation Goals

D. Geographic Scope

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

1. Role of the Lead Applicant

2. Required Partners:

3. Optional Partners:

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

3. Eligible Participants

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

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

2. Project Budget

3. Project Narrative

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative

C. SUBMISSION DATE, TIME, PROCESS, AND ADDRESS

1. Hardcopy Submission

2. Electronic Submission through Grants.gov iii

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

1. Indirect Costs

2. Intellectual Property Rights

3. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages

4. On-the-Job Learning

5. Grant Recipient Technical Training

6. Use of Funds for Supportive Services for Apprentices

7. Use of Funds for Subawards to Employers

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

1. Merit Review and Selection Process

2. Risk Review Process

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

1. Administrative Program Requirements

2. Other Legal Requirements

3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions

4. Special Program Requirements

C. REPORTING

1. Quarterly Financial Reports

2. Quarterly Performance Reports

3. Quarterly Narrative Performance Reports

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. WEB-BASED RESOURCES

B. INDUSTRY COMPETENCY MODELS AND CAREER CLUSTERS

C. WORKFORCEGPS RESOURCES

D. SKILLSCOMMONS RESOURCES

iv

IX. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

APPENDIX A: SUGGESTED PERFORMANCE MEASURE OUTCOME TABLE

APPENDIX B: SUGGESTED PROJECT WORK PLAN FORMAT

APPENDIX C: SUGGESTED ABSTRACT FORMAT

APPENDIX D: DEFINITIONS RELEVANT TO THE SAEEI FOA

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $87,500,000 in grant funds authorized by the National Apprenticeship Act for State Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity, and Innovation (SAEEI) Grants to support Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs). We expect to fund 10 to 30 grants, ranging from $2,000,000 to $10,000,000, based on state-specific capacity and needs. You may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $10,000,000.

Of the $87,500,000 in grants funds available for SAEEI, the Department intends to fund up to $40,000,000 to states that not only implement required diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, but also demonstrate their commitment to adopt, expand, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as a key state-wide strategy in their registered apprenticeship expansion efforts.

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements identified in Appendix E, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan, to be considered as part of this set-aside. The Department reserves the right to change this amount depending on the quantity and quality of applications submitted.

Under this new SAEEI grant program, the Department will continue efforts to expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) with states as key facilitators. Grant funds will be awarded to governor-led, state initiatives that are expanding and transforming registered apprenticeship by combining industry expansion, incentives, and reform under the state umbrella. Funding will provide states with the flexibility to meet specific industry needs and demands. Collectively, these efforts will aim to achieve the following goals: 1) System expansion to support the development, modernization, and diversification of RAPs; 2) Partnership and alignment to support workforce system integration; 3) Increasing the number of apprentices enrolled in RAPs, including underrepresented populations; and 4) Innovation in program development and recruitment strategies.

Allowable activities under this grant include activities related to establishing or expanding existing RAPs, pre-apprenticeship leading to a RAP, and wrap-around/supportive services that enable participants to succeed in a RAP or pre-apprenticeship programs that directly lead to grant-funded RAPs.

Eligible participants are persons 16 years of age and older who are not enrolled in a RAP at the time of initial grant service. The Department is particularly interested in increasing the diversity of RAP populations by actively recruiting youth, women, people of color, formerly incarcerated individuals, and persons with disabilities, as well as the protected groups identified in 29 CFR Part 30.1 The Department also remains committed to prioritizing veterans. Further, the Department is interested in targeting the populations and industries most affected or displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

1 https://ecfr.federalregister.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-A/part-30 https://ecfr.federalregister.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-A/part-30

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This Announcement solicits applications for the SAEEI grant program. The purpose of this program is to support the development of new, or the expansion of existing, RAPs, as described in 29 CFR Part 29 (Subpart A) and 29 CFR Part 30. This also includes quality pre-apprenticeship programs that directly lead to grant-funded RAPs during the grant period of performance.2 The SAEEI grants will support states to achieve the following goals: 1) Apprenticeship system expansion to support the development, modernization, and diversification of RAPs, particularly as a support for state reemployment and recovery efforts; 2) Partnership and alignment to support workforce system alignment; 3) Increasing the number of apprentices enrolled in RAPs, including from under-represented populations; and 4) Innovation in apprenticeship expansion efforts to include program development and recruitment strategies.

The workplace is radically changing across some industries and employers are increasingly turning to apprenticeship as a workforce development solution. With a 93 percent retention rate and proven return on investment, companies of all sizes are creating apprenticeship programs to train students and adults for careers of today and tomorrow. Research has also shown the following benefits from RAPs for apprentices and employers:

• For every dollar an employer spends on registered apprenticeship they get a return on investment of $1.47;3

• Over their lifetime, a registered apprenticeship completer earns $300,000 more than peers who did not enter into a RAP;4 and

• From DOL’s most recent fiscal year data, the average registered apprenticeship completer earns $74,000/annum in the year following completion of a RAP.5

In the midst and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding the RAP model within states and across the nation will help more individuals gain the skills necessary to fill these vacancies and help more employers find skilled workers more easily and quickly. Apprenticeship can also be a critical strategy to upskill workers and ensure they have the needed for many current and emerging -occupations. Other factors include an aging workforce and technology changes. The

2 Describing a Quality Pre-Apprenticeship and Related Tools and Resources Training and Employment Notice No.

13-12, available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/TEN_13-12.pdf 3 Jeffrey A. Cantor, 21st-Century Apprenticeship: Best Practices for Building a World-Class Workforce. 2015, available at https://books.google.com/books?id=E5a9CgAAQBAJ&dq=every+%241+invested+in+an+apprentice+their+is+a+re turn+of+%241.47&source=gbs_navlinks 4 An Effectiveness Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Registered Apprenticeship in 10 States. 2012, available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/ETAOP_2012_10.pdf 5 U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship Toolkit Frequently Asked Questions, available at https://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/toolkit/toolkitfaq.htm#2e https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/TEN_13-12.pdf https://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/toolkit/toolkitfaq.htm#2e best way to advance apprenticeship strategies is to ensure that business is an active partner in the development of all apprenticeships and has a seat at the table moving forward.

To support registered apprenticeship expansion efforts, alignment to support workforce system integration and leveraging resources across public and private sectors is a critical component of the project design. States and local communities should coordinate and maximize resources and technical assistance across federal, state and local funding streams, as well as from the private sector, to support training, employment services and social supports to increase access to employment opportunities for all Americans. Workforce system alignment will support a coordinated approach to helping state and local governments, working in conjunction with community organizations and labor organizations, to prepare a skilled and diverse workforce for employers. SAEEI partnerships will share data and expertise, leverage and braid public and private financial and in-kind resources to ensure that resources are sufficient to meet the service and training needs of all apprentices served, and establish connections and resource sharing that will be sustained beyond the life of the grant program. This includes leveraging resources from other federally-funded workforce training resources from across government, including training funded by Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), American Job Center Business Services Teams, the Departments of Transportation, Commerce, Veterans Affairs, and Education, as well as employment support services provided under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Increased coordination across programs will improve long-term sustainability, beyond the grant period. As another measure to leverage these resources, applicants are encouraged to pursue co-enrollment for participants across other federally-funded programs, as nearly all participants can benefit from other services not provided by the grant (See Section I.C.2.(3) “co-enrollment”). In addition to federal resources, applicants may also seek to leverage private, public, and foundation resources.

Building on these efforts, under the SAEEI grant program, the Department will continue efforts to expand RAPs with states as key facilitators. These resources will enable governors to support strategic RAP functions and increase the system’s capacity to create new RAPs while also driving system reform.

Recipients of prior state grants may build on work started under previously awarded grant(s);

however, the Department must be able to distinguish how the work using SAEEI grant funds will further develop and expand current RAP opportunities.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

Funds awarded come from the Department’s annual appropriation to develop and expand RAPs.

This appropriation allows the Department to award funds to “expand opportunities through apprenticeships only registered under the National Apprenticeship Act.”6 This means recipients

6 See Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, Public Law 116-94, Division A, Title I.

must spend these funds on activities that will create or assist in the creation of RAPs and may not spend funds on Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs).

C. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES/ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES

The SAEEI grant program will expand opportunities in RAPs across a diverse group of industry sectors and increase the participation of employers and industry in developing opportunities in apprenticeship. This includes RAPs, and quality pre-apprenticeship programs that can create diverse talent pipelines that directly lead to grant-funded RAPs, during the grant period of performance.

RAPs funded and developed under this grant program must align with the below requirements.

Applicants must demonstrate how well they have met the requirements and how innovative the proposed strategies are to expand RAPs. Further, in meeting SAEEI goals, applicants must leverage and align with DOL-funded registered apprenticeship investments to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts, ultimately ensuring the core customers of the apprenticeship system are served efficiently.

1. Registered Apprenticeship Programs and Quality Framework for Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

a) Registered Apprenticeship Program7 RAPs are a proven model of job preparation, registered by DOL or a DOL-recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA), which employ workers and combine paid On-the-Job Learning (OJL) (also referred to as On-the-Job Training (OJT)) with Related Instruction (RI) to progressively increase workers’ skill levels and wages. RAPs are also a business-driven model that provide an effective way for employers to recruit, train, and retain highly skilled workers.

RAPs allow workforce partners, educators, and employers to develop and apply industry standards to training programs, thereby increasing the quality of the workforce and workforce productivity. RAPs offer job seekers immediate employment opportunities that pay sustainable wages and offer advancement along a career path as they complete their training.

Completers of RAPs receive recognized postsecondary credentials, and their training may be applicable toward further post-secondary education.

RAPs are authorized under the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 (29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), and implementing regulations located at 29 CFR Part 29 (Subpart A) and 29 CFR Part 30. The Department’s Office of Apprenticeship (OA), in conjunction with SAAs, registers programs for federal purposes, ensures that RAPs meet applicable federal and state laws and regulations covering RAPs, issues certificates of completion to apprentices, encourages the development of new programs through outreach and technical assistance, protects the safety and welfare of apprentices, and ensures equal employment opportunity for apprentices. New programs

7 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b9997eeaeab45b77ad8522923a1e0567&mc=true&node=se29.1.29_12&rgn=div8.

developed under this funding opportunity must conform with federal and state laws and regulations covering RAPs.

RAPs supported by this funding opportunity must include the following five key elements:

• Direct Business Involvement

• Structured On-the-Job Learning/Training (OJL/OJT)

• Related Instruction (RI)

• Progressive wage increase

• National Industry Recognized Credential

Please refer to Appendix D for definitions of the five core components referenced above.

RAPs combine an educational or instructional component with a paid work-based learning component. RAPs are registered through the DOL’s Office of Apprenticeship or a DOL-recognized SAA. Each RAP, with approval of the Registration Agency, sets its own apprentice to journeyworker guidelines for supervision within the parameters of 29 CFR 29.5(b)(7). Upon successful completion of all phases of work-based learning and related-instruction components, Registered Apprentice completers receive industry-recognized certificates of completion leading to long-term career opportunities. For more information on RAPs, please visit www.apprenticeship.gov.

b) Quality Framework for Pre-Apprenticeship Programs A pre-apprenticeship program is defined as a set of strategies designed to prepare individuals for entry into a RAP.8 Pre-apprenticeship programs differ from internships, job shadowing, externships, and co-ops, which may also offer individuals an opportunity to experience firsthand a profession or practice, but do not always engage in “real world” experiential learning. Quality pre-apprenticeship programs also support employers’ efforts to ensure a diverse and inclusive workforce. If applicants propose strategies that include pre-apprenticeship programs, these programs must lead towards enrollment in RAP during the life of the grant. Applicants should note that individuals enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship program do not count towards the minimum requirement for “participants enrolled in RAP”.

Participants do not count toward this minimum requirement until they are enrolled in a RAP.

For the purposes of this FOA, pre-apprenticeship programs must include the following five elements to be considered a quality pre-apprenticeship program:

• Designed in Collaboration with RAP Sponsors (Employers). Quality pre-apprenticeship programs are designed by organizations with input from a RAP sponsor and engagement with business. A pre-apprenticeship program’s

8 Describing a Quality Pre-Apprenticeship and Related Tools and Resources Training and Employment Notice No.

13-12, available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/TEN_13-12.pdf https://usdol-my.sharepoint.com/personal/diep_jessica_dol_gov/Documents/State%20FOA/www.apprenticeship.gov https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/TEN_13-12.pdf educational and pre-vocational services prepare individuals to meet the entry requisites of one or more RAPs. They have training goals to teach participants a defined set of skills required and agreed upon by the RAP sponsor for entry into their programs. The start date and length of specific pre-apprenticeship programs may vary. Ideally, pre-apprenticeship programs provide an industry-recognized credential and possibly stipends or wages.

• Meaningful Hands-on Training that Does Not Displace Paid Employees.

Quality pre-apprenticeship programs provide hands-on training to individuals in

1) a workplace, 2) simulated lab experience, or 3) work-based learning environment; and the training does not supplant a paid employee, while accurately simulating the industry and occupational conditions of the partnering RAPs, including observing proper supervision and safety protocols.

• Facilitated Entry and/or Articulation. The purpose of a pre-apprenticeship program is to train individuals for entry into a RAP. A quality pre-apprenticeship program assists in exposing participants to local, state, and national apprenticeship programs and provides direct assistance to participants applying to those programs. When possible, formalized agreements exist with RAPs that enable individuals who have successfully completed the pre-apprenticeship program to enter directly into a RAP. These may also include articulation agreements that allow the individual to earn advanced credit/placement for skills and competencies already acquired.

• Sustainability through Partnerships. To support the ongoing sustainability of a quality pre-apprenticeship partnership, such partnerships collaboratively promote the use of RAPs as a preferred means for employers to develop a skilled workforce and to create career opportunities and pathways for individuals.

• Access to Appropriate Supportive Services. Quality pre-apprenticeship programs facilitate access to appropriate supportive services during the program; these supportive services may continue after the participant leaves the pre-apprenticeship program and enters a RAP. Services may include counseling, transportation assistance, childcare, and rehabilitative services, and can often be leveraged through WIOA and other workforce system services.

In addition to the five elements identified above, the Department supports expanded partnership efforts in model pre-apprenticeship training that are a collaboration among:

• Registered Apprenticeship sponsors;

• Workforce development agencies;

• Economic development agencies;

• Business and industry partners;

• Labor management organizations;

• Community colleges and other education partners; and

• Job Corps and YouthBuild.

Pre-apprenticeships funded through this grant must directly lead to grant-funded RAPs, during the grant period of performance.

2. SAEEI Goals In addition to ensuring programs align with the criteria for RAP and quality pre-apprenticeships that directly leads to grant-funded RAPs outlined above, applicants must design programs that address SAEEI program goals:

• Apprenticeship system expansion to support the development, modernization, and diversification of RAPs;

• Partnership and alignment to support workforce system integration;

• Increasing the number of individuals enrolled in RAPs, including increasing access to

RAPs from under-represented populations; and

• Innovation in apprenticeship expansion efforts to include program development and recruitment strategies.

To support these goals, SAEEI grants must leverage and align DOL-funded registered apprenticeship investments to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts, ultimately ensuring the core customers of the apprenticeship system are served efficiently. DOL-funded registered apprenticeship investments include but are not limited to grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and, the Department’s broader registered apprenticeship diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.9

Apprenticeship System expansion to support the development, modernization, and diversification of RAPs The Department oversees the national apprenticeship system and the expansion and modernization of apprenticeship and supports facilitating the access of job creators to participate in apprenticeships and to support business-led efforts to make apprenticeship a primary human capital solution. In support of these efforts, one of the main goals for SAEEI grants is to expand the apprenticeship system to support the development, modernization, and diversification of RAPs.10 Activities funded under this FOA must support structures and resources to strengthen and improve access to RAPs; improve data collection, data sharing, and data integrity; and diversify RAPs.

Development:

States must develop structures that ensure that all RAPs in the state have the features of high-quality apprenticeship described in 29 CFR Part 29 (Subpart A) and 29 CFR Part 30. All

9 https://www.apprenticeship.gov/investments-tax-credits-and-tuition-support 10https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/legacy-files/budget/2019/FY2018-2022StrategicPlan.pdf https://www.apprenticeship.gov/investments-tax-credits-and-tuition-support https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/legacy-files/budget/2019/FY2018-2022StrategicPlan.pdf states (SAA and Federal) may use grant funds to support structures, resources, and activities that strengthen compliance with 29 CFR Part 29 (Subpart A) and 29 CFR Part 30 by all programs in the state. Federal Apprenticeship States, where the OA administers RAPs, may only propose projects that involve close coordination with OA to improve access to RAPs in the state. This includes developing programs and initiatives that make all potential workforce system partners and stakeholders (including education systems and key employers) aware of RAPs, and empower workers and employers to participate in RAPs, in compliance with 29 CFR Part 29 (Subpart A) and 29 CFR Part 30. Further, applicants should ensure they leverage efforts funded through other DOL-funded investments, to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts.

Modernization:

States must work to improve data sharing and data integrity. States must continue to support integration and improvement of their data systems and development of a data-driven strategic approach. Activities can include:

• Developing or continuing efforts to integrate Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Data System (RAPIDS) as the state’s case management system for sponsors; 11

• Developing or continuing efforts to migrate to the Workforce Integrated Performance System (WIPS);12

• Unifying Information Technology (IT) systems across states to align with Registered Apprenticeship systems, RAPIDS, WIPS, and other workforce systems;

• Continuing to evaluate IT systems, (e.g., WIPS, RAPIDS, and other data portals), and making immediate corrections;

• Creating or updating state data collection systems that allow better tracking of apprentices and apprenticeship programs in the state so as to match the depth of individual-level data already recorded in the RAPIDS case management system;

• Reaching out to employers to encourage listing RAPs opportunities on the Finder app on apprenticeship.gov;13

• Conducting data validation to ensure data is accurate and complete;

• Participating in DOL’s weekly RAPIDS Power User Group (PUG) meetings to collaborate on improving the RAPIDS user experience and data governance; and

• Leveraging efforts funded through other DOL-funded investments, to maximize the

11U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Registered Apprenticeship National Results Fiscal Year 2019, 10/01/2018 to 9/30/2019, available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/about/statistics 12 U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Workforce Integrated Performance System (WIPS), available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/performance/wips 13 For more information on the Finder app, please see https://www.apprenticeship.gov/list-yourapprenticeship-jobs https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/about/statistics https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/performance/wips https://www.apprenticeship.gov/list-yourapprenticeship-jobs https://www.apprenticeship.gov/list-yourapprenticeship-jobs

Diversification:

States must work to diversify RAP opportunities, and develop new industry partnerships and RAPs in new industry sectors. Activities can include but are not limited to:

• Launching or expanding sector strategy(ies) to expand RAPs to new industries and/or new or non-traditional occupations within existing sectors, which for the purposes of this FOA, is defined as occupations that have not traditionally used Registered Apprenticeship;

• Launching or expanding sector strategy(ies) to expand RAPs to new occupations in traditional industries. Efforts should demonstrate how existing apprenticeship sponsors may expand and scale their programs by including new occupations within their enterprise (e.g., IT apprentices within a manufacturing employer);

• Launching or expanding RAPs in health care, mental health care, alternative pain management occupations, and/or occupations providing support to individuals who are affected by substance-use disorder (SUD);

• Developing or expanding RAPs for programming and project management (such as system engineers, database engineers, system architects, application testers, user interface specialists, etc.) that design and support remote learning, (e.g., satellite-based,), over low bandwidth and high latency;

• Launching or expanding RAPs in occupations in the IT or Cybersecurity sectors.

DOL is interested in innovative approaches to equipping workers with technical skills and industry-recognized certifications necessary for employment in middle- to high-skilled jobs. Applicants may opt for a mix of training strategies that work best for a variety of populations, from training older out-of-school youth who are interested in transforming their computer literacy or gaming avocations into tech careers;

• Creating new national guidelines and/or local program standards for new RAPs; and

• Leveraging efforts funded through other DOL-funded investments, to maximize the

Partnership and alignment to support workforce system integration States must explore new and expanded opportunities with industry, employers, education and training providers, the workforce system, state and local governments, labor organizations, and other entities, to better coordinate and maximize resources and assistance across federal, state and local funding streams, as well as from the private sector enrollment in and access to apprenticeship opportunities that support workforce system integration. States must advance partnerships with governors, workforce agencies, workforce development boards, and inter-departmental Federal leaders to further align registered apprenticeship with other work-based learning opportunities within state education and workforce systems. Facilitating economic recovery during and following the COVID-19 national emergency is a priority, as states begin to gradually re-open their economies and seek the types of workforce services and programs that will fuel their recovery and effectively address their acute unemployment challenges.

Applicants must propose strategies that leverages OA and other ETA-funded programs (Registered Apprenticeship, YouthBuild, Job Corps, etc.) to facilitate building statewide capacity to increase the number and quality of RAPs through stronger alignment with state agencies and education and workforce systems by using our expertise to connect established programs and partnerships. Activities must demonstrate coordination with industry, employers, local workforce development programs, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, secondary and post-secondary educational institutions, and other entities that can provide resources. Activities must also promote alignment between the state education system, state human services programs, other state agencies, and the workforce system through the development of or supporting infrastructure(s) that support large-scale system integration for pathways leading to RAPs. In addition to strategies that applicants propose, OA and ETA will help facilitate connections to state agencies, and education and workforce systems to support grantees achieving their goals.

Allowable activities can include, but are not limited to:

• Developing new, formal partnerships to create a pipeline to RAP opportunities in high-demand occupations and professions within the state;

• Creating new systems and structures to maximize programs and apprentices’ access to WIOA and GI Bill benefits and other resources available for RAP in the state;

• Creating formal opportunities for education and training institutions to gauge individuals’ experience, employability, interests, and aptitudes, and present to them RAP opportunities that fit their profile;

• Aligning CTE programs with the quality apprenticeship features described in RAP regulations;

• Developing standardized training that uses RAP as a career pathway (e.g., development of a National Career Clusters Framework standardized career training by providing sample study programs and minimum competency skills in non-traditional RAP career fields, including health care, hospitality and tourism, agriculture, and finance);14

• Leveraging DOL-funded Industry Intermediary contracts to expand access to RAPs in non-traditional apprenticeable industries.15 These Industry Intermediary contractors are organizations uniquely positioned to convene employers within an industry or sub-sector to determine skill needs and workforce trends and to work with employers on a regional and national level to develop apprenticeship programs with the goal of increasing the number of apprenticeship opportunities.16

• Increasing awareness of RAPs as a solution to align employment, training, education, and support services for adults and youth, including women, formerly incarcerated individuals, and any underrepresented populations (and those identified in 29 CFR Part 30);

• Utilizing co-enrollment to meet the education, training, supportive service, and employment needs of program participants and provide as many participants as possible with comprehensive services that may not otherwise be available or allowable under an

14 https://careertech.org/career-clusters 15 For the purposes of this FOA, non-traditional industries are industries that have not traditionally used Registered Apprenticeship.

16 https://www.apprenticeship.gov/investments-tax-credits-and-tuition-support/active-grants-and-contracts https://careertech.org/career-clusters https://careertech.org/career-clusters https://careertech.org/career-clusters https://www.apprenticeship.gov/investments-tax-credits-and-tuition-support/active-grants-and-contracts individual grant or funding source. As programs braid funds together to increase impact, they have the opportunity to show integration in the form of participant co-enrollment, including, but not limited to: co-enrollment in the WIOA Adult program, WIOA Youth program, YouthBuild, Job Corps, Trade Adjustment Assistance, Adult Education, CTE, and Vocational Rehabilitation; and

• Increasing alignment between state education and workforce systems through the development or support of policies that promote RAPs; and

• Leveraging efforts funded through other DOL-funded investments, to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts.

Increasing the number of apprentices enrolled in RAPs, including from under-represented populations A central goal of this FOA is to increase the number of apprentices enrolled in RAPs. In addition to increasing the number of apprentices enrolled in RAPs, the Department is particularly interested in increasing the diversity of RAP populations by actively recruiting and serving youth, women, people of color, formerly incarcerated individuals, and persons with disabilities, as well as the protected groups identified in 29 CFR Part 30. Further, the Department is interested in targeting the populations and industries most affected or displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Projects funded under this FOA must provide participant training and related supportive services (including through other funding streams) that assist participants to successfully complete RAPs, and can include pre-apprenticeship programs that directly lead to grant-funded RAPs during the grant period of performance. Applicants must propose projects that will enroll registered apprentices in numbers at the level corresponding to their proposed funding level. The chart in Section II.A describes the minimum number of registered apprentices that must be enrolled per funding level.

Applicants may also incorporate online training strategies and virtual service delivery models to address challenges impacting RAPs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Allowable activities can include but are not limited to:

• Recruiting and enrolling into RAPs youth, women, people of color, formerly incarcerated individuals, and persons with disabilities, and the protected groups identified in 29 CFR Part 30;

• Creating the training infrastructure or network to deploy RAPs;

• Creating new national guidelines and/or local program standards for a new RAP;

• Modifying and/or developing curricula to prepare individuals for entry into a RAP, including the incorporation of quality pre-apprenticeship programs, as defined in Section I.C.1.b) of this FOA;

• Conducting participant assessments to determine skill levels, aptitudes, abilities, interests, and competencies of apprentices;

• Related Instruction (RI): Grant funds may be used to support the RI (sometimes referred to as classroom training or related technical instruction) of a RAP. Allowable costs include (1) the development of courses; (2) apprentice tuition or other educational fees;

and (3) the delivery of instruction requirements (e.g., virtual learning technology, classroom instructors, etc.);

• OJL/OJT: Grant funds may be used to reimburse employers for the extraordinary costs of OJL/OJT. The negotiated reimbursement percentage may not exceed 50 percent of the participant’s hourly wage (see Section IV.E.4. On-the-Job Learning/Training);

• Online training strategies and virtual service delivery models to address challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic;

• Supportive Services: Supportive services for training participants may include services such as, but not limited to: transportation, childcare, dependent care, housing, and needs-related payments that are necessary to enable an individual to participate in education and training activities funded through this grant. Supportive services activities may include:

the provision of the actual supportive service (i.e. childcare); providing participants with a voucher for the service (i.e. public transportation cards or tokens); or providing a stipend directly to the apprentice. Funding for supportive services may not exceed 10 percent of the funding level (please refer to Section IV.E.6 Use of Funds for Supportive Services for Apprentices);

• Retaining apprentices through the use of supportive services or flexible program design and approaches, with particular attention on individuals including women, formerly incarcerated individuals, and any underrepresented populations (and those identified in 29 CFR Part 30);

• Pre-apprenticeship program training: As applicable, grant funds may be used to support quality pre-apprenticeship programs and other strategies that can serve as on-ramps to RAP opportunities during the grant period of performance;

• Providing all grant recipient designated partners (e.g., education stakeholders, workforce boards, and employers) with technical assistance, advice, and support to help create RAP standards;

• Increasing awareness of employer/sponsors in the targeted service area about the benefits of RAPs;

• Facilitating industry-specific engagement and support to promote registration of apprenticeship programs with OA or the SAA;

• Collecting data on the required program elements for tracking and reporting performance outcomes of enrolled apprentices; and

• Leveraging efforts funded through other DOL-funded investments, to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts.

While grant funds may be used to fund the training, education, and supportive service costs for apprentices enrolled in programs, the Department also encourages SAEEI applicants to submit proposals that maximize the use of their resources and minimize the duplication of efforts through partnership building, system alignment, and leveraging of other federal and non-federal funding sources, such as co-enrolling participants with other programs. (Please see Appendix D for the definition on co-enrollment.)

Innovation in apprenticeship expansion efforts to include program development and recruitment strategies To ensure the federal investment in RAP expansion has as broad of an impact as possible, applicants must propose innovative strategies to support efforts to expand and modernize apprenticeship, particularly around program development and recruitment strategies. Further, applicants should ensure they leverage efforts funded through other DOL-funded investments, to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts.

Applicants must propose innovation activities to address this goal. Allowable activities can include, but are not limited to:

• Innovation in creating access to RAPs for underrepresented populations;

• Innovation in establishing an employer incentive plan to expand or scale RAPs. These can be financial or non-financial incentives but must be designed to increase employer demand. Further, promising practices have shown that employer incentives can play a key role in bringing employers onboard, especially in rural areas. Please see Section IV.E.7 Use of Funds for Subawards to Employers for guidelines around providing incentives to employers;

• Innovation in developing distance learning approaches;

• Innovation in developing occupational frameworks, competencies, standards, or guidelines that can be accessed by multiple employers, especially small businesses, in a given locality, region, or state to quickly start up or expand apprenticeship programs;

• Innovation in developing or modifying training activities to meet the needs of adult and youth populations;

• Innovation in developing and/or expanding programs in industries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and with an emphasis on the workers most affected/displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic. If an applicant proposes serving groups affected or displaced by the pandemic, states must clearly identify these groups and how the pandemic has affected them;

• Applicants must use Labor Market Information (LMI) data to show how the local economy and employment status of their local population have changed when supporting this information to meet the labor demands of the country;17

• Innovation in developing and launching Registered Apprenticeship multi-media statewide marketing and outreach efforts targeted at new employers and career seekers. A recent major milestone for registered apprenticeship is the launch of the Discover Apprenticeship national marketing campaign to promote the registered apprenticeship

17 Traditional LMI is employment statistics, job forecasts, wages, demographics, and other labor market data gathered and made available for the exact purpose of assisting public and private organizations, researchers, and others to better understand today’s complex workforce.

model. States should ensure their marketing efforts align with and leverage the Department’s national marketing campaigns related to Registered Apprenticeship. States should help continue the awareness raised by this marketing campaign, and participate and engage in annual National Apprenticeship Week events;18

• Innovation in records management to make record of credential attainment available in such a manner that permits program participants to make said record digitally available for third-party search and verification after exit; and

• Innovation in the areas of Technology and/or Technical Assistance (TA) and General Business/Employer Outreach include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Leveraging technology to develop innovative TA strategies/approaches for Registered

Apprenticeship sponsors (e.g., tools to increase access for entry of women, formerly incarcerated individuals, and any underrepresented populations (and those identified in 29 CFR Part 30), and e-tools that remove administrative barriers or improve existing processes);

• Identifying and implementing specific TA strategies that change existing or create new effective processes and/or services, in the delivery of TA to sponsors for the purposes of increasing efficiency, improving overall impact, and removing barriers in expanding RAPs; and

• Identifying specific strategies to support engagement with small businesses in non-traditional industries in Registered Apprenticeship, which, for the purposes of this FOA, is defined as industries that have not traditionally used Registered Apprenticeship. Strategies could include establishing incentives for employers to form consortia; developing specific intermediaries that serve as the sponsor of apprenticeship programs for small businesses (e.g., Chambers of Commerce, Community Colleges, Workforce Boards); and, any other strategy identified by the state.

States can also propose innovative activities not listed above, provided its application credibly demonstrates:

• This activity is innovative in the area to be served by the grant, meaning that it is an approach to RAPs, or their creation or expansion, that has not been tried before or not tried in the state before;

• This activity is uniquely tailored to the employment or economic needs of the state; and

• The state has a detailed, achievable plan for meeting this activity during the life of the grant.

Consistent with the scoring criteria below, these activities will be evaluated on how they address their state’s needs, the RAPs will be created and/or expanded, and on the data that supports the need for the innovation. The plan must clearly identify the activity and strategies to meet and/or grow the objectives, leadership support, resources required, and the expected transformative impact, e.g. how the success of the activity will affect the Registered Apprenticeship system.

18 To see existing Registered Apprenticeship marketing materials, please visit https://www.apprenticeship.gov/resource-hub https://www.apprenticeship.gov/resource-hub

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 public, federal funds. To this end, the Department requires that information about all credentials (including but not limited to diplomas, badges, certificates, certifications, apprenticeships, licenses, and degrees of all levels and types) and competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) developed or delivered through the use of these public federal funds be made publicly accessible through the use of linked open data formats that support full transparency and interoperability, such as through the use of credential transparency description language specifications. Moreover, the Department encourages record of credential attainment be made available in such a manner that permits program participants to make said record digitally available for third-party search and verification after exit. ETA will provide specific guidance and technical assistance on data elements to include in the published open data, such as information about the credential provider, the credential and its associated competencies, delivery mode, geographic coverage, the industry sector(s) and occupation(s) for which the credential was developed, related assessments, related accreditations or other quality assurances where appropriate, costs, and available outcomes.

D. GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE

Applicants must serve a statewide geographic scope. The geographic scope is the physical service area in which awarded applicants will serve participants.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant.

We expect availability of approximately $87,500,000 to fund 10 to 30 grants, ranging from $2,000,000 to $10,000,000. You may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $10,000,000.

Applicants should request funding that is commensurate with the scope and scale of the project proposed, as described below, including aggressive outcome objectives.

Of the $87,500,000 in grants funds available for SAEEI, the Department intends to fund up to $40,000,000 to states that not only implement required diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, but also demonstrate their commitment to adopt, expand, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as a key state-wide strategy in their registered apprenticeship expansion efforts.

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements identified in Appendix E, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan, to be considered as part of this set-aside. The Department reserves the right to change this amount depending on the quantity and quality of applications submitted under.

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.

To ensure that the grant meets its stated goals and outcomes, we have established thresholds for the minimum number of individuals who are newly enrolled in a RAP during the period of performance, based on the amount of funds requested by the applicant (see Figure 1 below).

Applicants must clearly identify in the abstract the proposed number of individuals who will newly enroll in a RAP over the life of the grant, based on the minimum thresholds identified in the table below, for which they are seeking funding. Applications that fail to propose the minimum number of individuals who start in a RAP during the period of performance will be considered non-responsive, and the substance of these applications will not be considered and the application not scored.

Figure 1. Minimum Goal Examples for Individuals Enrolled in Registered Apprenticeship During the Grant Period, Based on Funding Request

Funding Request Minimum Individuals who Newly Enroll in a RAP as a Result of this Grant

$2,000,000 – 3,999,999 500 $4,000,000 – 5,999,999 750 $6,000,000 – 7,999,999 1,000 $8,000,000 – 10,000,000 1,250

The minimum goals, listed above in Figure 1, identify the minimum number of apprentices who will newly enroll in a RAP during the grant period based on the applicant’s requested funding amount. Applicants may request any funding amount between $2,000,000 and $10,000,000 as long as the proposed minimum number of newly enrolled apprentices meets or exceeds the minimum required according to the above table. For example, an applicant requesting funding in the amount of $2,000,000 must propose to train no fewer than 500 new apprentices, but may propose to enroll more than 500 new apprentices. The minimum enrollment figures cannot be met by proposing expected enrollment of pre-apprentices.