FOA-VETS-17-01.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP), Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP) and the Homeless Female Veterans’ and Homeless Veterans’ with Families Program (HFVVWF) (referred together throughout this funding opportunity announcement as HVRP)

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-VETS-17-01

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.805

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is March 31, 2017. We must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: Address mailed applications to:

The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management Attention: Thomas Martin, Grant Officer Reference FOA-VETS-17-01 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716 Washington, DC 20210

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

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), announces the availability of approximately $12 million in grant funds authorized under Title 38 of United States Code (U.S.C.), Sections 2021 and 2023. You may apply for a 12-month grant. The grant period of performance is July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. We anticipate awarding approximately $12 million in different communities throughout the country. The maximum limit for an individual award is $500,000. Please note that an applicant operating an HVRP grant during July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017, must plan in its application to provide follow-up services for former program participants using funds made available under this solicitation. Follow-up services are described in more detail in Section II.C and Section IV.B.3.d.

Consistent with the Opening Doors national campaign directed by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), the purpose of these funds is to conduct programs to provide job training, counseling, placement, and related services to expedite the reintegration of homeless and incarcerated veterans (eligible veterans0F

1) into the labor force. As the applicant, you are encouraged to design programs that address the employment challenges faced by eligible veterans in consultation with industry, employers and employer associations to identify the skills needed for in-demand jobs and careers.

Each application selected for funding will demonstrate the following:

• A clear need for the program using current statistical evidence, including the numbers and characteristics of the eligible veterans who are homeless in your proposed service area;

• Ability to develop and execute strategies with attainable goals for job-driven training based on Labor Market Information and evidence-based practices;

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

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

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

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

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This Announcement solicits applications for HVRP. The purpose of this program is to provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans.

1 ”Eligible veterans” are those veterans eligible for grant services under sections 2021 and 2023 of Title 38 of the United States Code. Under 38 U.S.C. 2021, this program can serve homeless veterans. Under 38 U.S.C. 2023, this program can serve incarcerated veterans. For more information on the definitions of homeless veterans and incarcerated veterans, please see Attachment C, Definitions and Terms.

In its 2016 annual point in time count of homeless persons in the nation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates there are 39,471 veterans experiencing homelessness. It is worthwhile to note the 2016 estimate of homeless veterans reflects a continued decrease in homeless veterans since the inception of the Opening Doors campaign in 2010. The 2010 annual point in time count found 76,329 veterans experiencing homelessness. The 2016 estimate of 39,471 represents a decrease of 48% in the veteran homeless population since 2009.

While the percentage of homeless veterans has gone down, those veterans who are currently homeless are more likely to be elderly and more likely than not to have multiple barriers to employment—for example, mental illness and chronic and acute health problems. When a homeless veteran has multiple health-related challenges, they face a heightened risk of dying on the street. Many unsheltered homeless veterans have been the victims of violent crimes since becoming homeless.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General states in its “Homeless Incidence and Risk Factors for Becoming Homeless in Veterans” report from 2012 that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 8% female as reported by HUD. The majority of the homeless veterans are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or a substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. Roughly 42% of all homeless veterans are non-whites. Homeless veterans are younger on average than the total veteran population.

Approximately half (50%) of the homeless veterans are between the ages of 18 and 50. Conversely, only 28% of all veterans are between the ages of 18 and 50.

In order to meet the needs of those veterans experiencing homelessness, grant recipients are expected to provide an array of client-focused services utilizing a case management approach that directly assists homeless veterans as well as provide critical linkages for a variety of support services available in their local communities. The program is employment focused and veterans are to receive the employment and training services they need in order to re-enter the labor force. Job placement, training, job development, career counseling, and resume preparation are among the services that should be provided. Support services such as clothing, provision of or referral to temporary, transitional, and permanent housing, referral to medical and substance abuse treatment, and transportation assistance are also expected to be provided to meet the needs of this target group.

For the grants awarded under this solicitation, we established the following national goals: 69% overall placement rate; an overall average hourly wage at placement of $12.50; and a 60% placement rate for chronically homeless veterans. We recognize there are differences in labor markets when comparing urban to non-urban areas; these differences are described in more detail in section IV.B.3.b.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

38 U.S.C. §§ 2021 and 2023.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. We expect availability of approximately $12 million. You may apply for a maximum 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. We also reserve the right to proportionally reduce or increase the size of a requested award for an applicant selected for funding under this solicitation to ensure adequate geographic coverage.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance will be for the 12-month period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, unless modified by the Grant Officer. We expect that successful applicants will begin program operations on July 1, 2017. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.

C. CONTINUATION OF FUNDING

Should Congress appropriate additional funds for this purpose, we may consider up to two additional option years and a third additional year to provide follow-up services only. Follow-up services are described in greater detail at the end of this subsection and in Section IV.B.3.d. We do not guarantee the continuation of funding for any grantee. In reviewing whether to award funding for option years and follow-up services, the Department will review the availability of funds and whether the grantee has been meeting performance expectations in the aggregate or overall as defined in Section IV.B.3.b., as well as any other factors the Department determines necessary in making the decision of whether to award additional funds. If you receive option year funding, you will be required to provide follow-up services for previous HVRP grant awards.

Follow-up services are the activities necessary to report on former participants, including the administrative activities related to contacting or attempting to contact former participants and their employers, if applicable, for the purpose of securing documentation for the case file in order to report post-program or post-exit employment and earnings performance outcomes.

The conduct of follow-up services for each participant begins the first quarter after the quarter of exit and ends the fourth quarter after the quarter of exit.

VETS homeless veterans program plans to incorporate the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) performance accountability indicators as critical performance indicators for HVRP recipients, to the maximum extent possible. WIOA was signed into law on July 22, 2014. It is designed to help job seekers access the employment, education, training, and support services necessary for success in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. This FOA begins the integration of the WIOA performance accountability indicators as information-only indicators, (see section IV.B.3.b). However, VETS reserves the right to alter the list of critical performance indicators, which determine the overall success or failure of a grant, so that they include WIOA performance accountability indicators.

VETS also reserves the right to make this alteration during the life of the grants awarded under this FOA. If this change occurs, all grantees will be notified and required to implement the change. VETS will develop appropriate policy and training and release it to all applicable grantees.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• State Government

• County Government

• City or Township Government

• Special District Government

• Regional Organization

• U.S. Territory or Possession

• Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education

• Private Institution of Higher Education

• Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)

• Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)

• Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization

• Public and Indian Housing

• Nonprofit Organization with IRS 501(c)(3) Status

• For profit/commercial entities

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

(WIOA)

• Other State and Local Government Agencies

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

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

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria

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

Application Requirement Instructions Complete?

The deadline submission requirements are met Section IV.C

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 Federal funds request does not exceed $500,000 Section II.A

SAM Registration Section IV.B.1 SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Section IV.B.1 SF-424 includes a DUNS Number Section IV.B.1 SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section IV.B.2 Budget Narrative Section IV.B.2 Project Narrative Section IV.B.2 Abstract included as an attachment Section IV.B.4

Intent to Work Collaboratively Statement included as an attachment Section IV.B.4

Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart included as an attachment Section IV.B.4

2. Priorities and Number of Applications Applicants May Submit The Department is establishing three priorities for this FOA. Every application will be assigned one of these priorities. The first priority (HVRP Priority) is for all applications that meet the requirements of this FOA but don’t fall under priorities 2 or 3. The second priority (HFVVWF Priority) is for applicants proposing to use 100% of their funding to serve homeless female veterans and veterans with families. The third priority (IVTP Priority) is for applicants proposing to use 100% of their funding to serve incarcerated veterans. The Department plans to make at least three awards each under the HFVVWF Priority and the IVTP Priority.

Applicants falling under either of these two priorities will only be considered for an award if their application otherwise meets the FOA’s requirements and is minimally competitive. More than three awards may be made to applicants satisfying the criteria for the HFVVWF Priority or the IVTP Priority if more than three applications for that priority are competitive when compared with the HVRP Priority applications.

If you do not explicitly identify in the abstract that you intend for an application to be reviewed under the HFVVWF or IVTP priorities, then the application will be reviewed under the HVRP Priority.

Applicant organizations may submit multiple applications to serve the same geographic service area, provided that each application is for a different priority. We will not review grant applications with essentially the same geographic service area from the same applicant organization for the same priority. If we receive multiple applications from the same organization for the same geographic service area and priority, we will only consider the most recently received application that met the deadline. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, we will not replace it with an earlier application.

3. Eligible Participants The intent of this FOA is to fund projects that provide training, employment and related support services to eligible veterans. An “eligible veteran” is a veteran eligible for grant services under sections 2021 and 2023 of Title 38 of the United States Code. Under 38 U.S.C. 2021, this program can serve homeless veterans. Under 38 U.S.C. 2023, this program can serve incarcerated veterans. In the unlikely event that statutory eligibility requirements change, we will work with awardees to modify their projects to accommodate the new requirements.

A Homeless Veteran is a veteran who meets one of the following definitions of homelessness:

1. A person who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;

2. A person living in a supervised public or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living arrangements;

3. A person who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided;

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

5. An individual who will imminently lose his or her housing, has no subsequent residence identified, and who lacks the resources or support network needed to obtain other permanent housing;

6. Unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other federal statutes who have experienced a long period without permanent housing;

have experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period; and can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment; or

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

An Incarcerated Veteran: Veterans who have been convicted as an adult and imprisoned under municipal, county, tribal, federal, or state law and fall into one of the following categories:

• Category 1 – The veteran was released within the previous 12 months from a penal institution into homelessness and needs employment assistance;

• Category 2 – The veteran has been incarcerated for at least six months and is scheduled for release within six months with no known housing destination and needs employment assistance;

• Category 3 – The veteran was released within the previous 12 months from a penal institution into temporary or permanent housing, but is now at imminent risk of homelessness and needs employment assistance; or

• Category 4 – The veteran is a resident of an institution that provides long-term care for mental illness and is scheduled for release with no known housing destination and needs employment assistance.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov and https://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/hvrp/, contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

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

• The SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance;”

• Project Budget;

• Project Narrative; and

• Attachments to the Project Narrative.

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

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

• You must complete the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424_2_1-V2.1.pdf .

• In the address field, fill out the nine-digit (plus hyphen) zip code.

Nine-digit zip codes can be looked up on the USPS website at https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action.

• The SF-424 must clearly identify the applicant and must be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF-424 on behalf of the applicant is considered the Authorized Representative of the applicant. As stated in block 21 of the SF-424 form, the signature of the Authorized Representative on the SF-424 certifies that the organization is in compliance with the Assurances and Certifications form SF-424B (available at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424B-V1.1.pdf ).

You do not need to submit the SF-424B with the application.

Requirement for DUNS Number: All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities must have a DUNS number, and must supply their http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/hvrp/ http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424_2_1-V2.1.pdf https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424B-V1.1.pdf

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.

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

• Grant recipients must notify potential subawardees that no entity may receive a subaward 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. Find instructions for registering with SAM at https://www.sam.gov.

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

2. Project Budget

You must complete the SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at:

http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424A-V1.0.pdf). 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.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do https://www.sam.gov/ http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424A-V1.0.pdf

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.

You should include funds to provide for an annual post-award conference, allowing for two staff to travel to and from an estimated national location, with four–nights lodging, and allowable expenses.

Travel expenditures may not exceed 10% of the total HVRP funds requested in the application.

Equipment: Identify each item of equipment you expect to purchase 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, not “equipment”. In general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year of the grant.

Supplies: Identify categories of supplies (e.g. office supplies, to include laptops and cell phones) in the detailed budget and list the quantity and unit cost per item. Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.94 for the definition of Supplies).

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 you must show the costs 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 conducting Stand Down events, stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere here.

Indirect Costs: If you include indirect costs 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.F.1. for more information.

Additionally, the following link contains information regarding the negotiation of Indirect Cost Rates at DOL:

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

Note that the SF-424, SF-424A, and budget narrative must include the entire Federal grant amount requested. Applicants must also show cost sharing or match on the SF-424 (line 18b), SF-424A, and budget narrative.

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

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

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

3. Project Narrative

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

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

You must number the Project Narrative beginning with page number 1.

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

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

a) Statement of Need Describe in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the need for assistance, including the nature and scope of the problem, and the consequences of not addressing the need. You must identify the specific geographical area you propose to serve, including the Congressional district(s) and/or Native American tribal area(s) contained within the proposed geographic service area. Your description of the geographic area must also state if the area is urban or non-urban. The distinction between urban and non-urban areas will be used in determining starting points for you to use in deriving planned performance goals for your project.

For this application, urban areas are the 75 largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) in population in 2014 as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau. Please see Attachment A, List of 75 Largest in Population Urban Areas, 2014 Census Estimates. Areas not listed in Attachment A are considered non-urban. For applicants proposing to serve both urban and non-urban areas, please identify your service area as urban if over half the population you propose to serve is in an urban area.

The statement of need presents current facts and evidence to support the need for the proposed project, including an analysis to determine the nature and extent of the problem or need, and the reasons and causes. Your statement of need must include:

• A description of the geographic area to be served by the project, including the number of eligible veterans in need, demographic information describing the employment and training needs of the eligible veterans targeted for participation and identification of the proposed service area as urban or non-urban;

• Supportive evidence to describe clearly the nature and extent of the employment-related need or problem facing eligible veterans to be served;

• A description of the labor market conditions in the geographic area, including the types of jobs and careers appropriate for eligible veterans;

• A description of the factors contributing to the problem or the circumstances creating the need; and

• A discussion of the current gaps in services or programs to meet the needs of eligible veterans in order to obtain and retain meaningful employment.

b) Expected Outcomes and Outputs We require grants to have measurable outcomes of the grant’s effect in order to maximize the impact of grant dollars. Each awarded grantee will be required to report on progress toward its planned outcomes on a quarterly basis each year and at the end of the grant.

You will provide numeric goals for the following critical performance indicators and include these performance targets in the Competitive Grants Planned Goals Chart (see Attachment B) as part of your application: the number of enrollments, the overall placement rate, the overall average hourly wage at placement and the placement rate for the chronically homeless.

We recognize there are differences in labor markets when comparing urban to non-urban areas, where enrollments, placement rates and average hourly wages are typically higher in urban areas. A lower capacity for homeless service provider infrastructure in non-urban areas is one of the largest differences between homelessness in non-urban versus urban areas. In order to account for these differences when proposing targets, we ask you to consider the adjusted PY 2015 values in Table 1 as starting points when setting targets for your project. These values may be further adjusted to account for the ease or difficulty in serving a particular group based on their characteristics and other mitigating factors and should be justified in the project narrative.

Table 1

Cost Per Enrollment, Placement Rates and Hourly Wage Data to Consider in Setting Targets

Urban Area Non-Urban Area

Cost Per Enrollment1 $2,3672 $2,726

Overall Placement Rate 70% 66%

Hourly Wage Overall3 $12.68 $11.34

Placement Rate for the Chronically Homeless 61% 57%

1 Used to determine the total enrollments for your project. The cost per enrollment values were adjusted upward to reflect a 18% increase over PY 2015 median values to account for the effects of inflation and the anticipated increased intensity of services to participants due to the anticipated increase in serving participants who are facing multiple barriers to employment.

2 For example, if an urban area applicant proposed to spend $500,000 in its application, then the calculated enrollment result is 211 (500,000/2,367=211).

3 The PY 2015 median hourly wage rate values were adjusted to account for the effects of inflation.

The number of enrollments, the overall placement rate, the average hourly wage at placement overall and the placement rate for the chronically homeless are considered critical performance indicators for which national goals have been set (see Section I.A.).

The determination of overall success or failure of a grant-funded project is limited to actual performance on the critical indicators.

The remaining advisory indicators are considered non-critical.

Please refer to the Attachment C for definitions of the performance indicators.

Performance on each indicator will be defined as a range, bounded by an upper value representing the performance goal and a lower value representing 85% of the performance goal. Performance below 85% of the goal on an indicator is considered failure.

Minimum acceptable performance overall is defined as meeting or exceeding planned goals for more than half of the critical indicators. Failure to meet minimum acceptable performance overall is defined as not meeting planned goals for more than half of the critical indicators. This constitutes failure overall and will result in the grant being designated as “high risk” (see 2 CFR 200.207).

Please note that we will also collect data from each grant recipient to compute performance on the following advisory or as information only indicators: the average cost per placement and the three WIOA post-program indicators described here.

The three WIOA-based indicators are:

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

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

• The median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program.

c) Project Design

You must describe your overall strategy for providing job-driven employment and training services delivered through a client-centered case management approach that imparts relevant skills, connects participants with local employment opportunities, and that lead to improvements in employment and earnings outcomes over time. You must also describe the types of support services to be offered to participants and the approaches to providing these support services, with an emphasis on meeting the complex employment-related needs of special population groups of veterans, as defined in Attachment C. The strategy must address:

i. Population to be Served – A person must be an eligible veteran in order to be eligible for enrollment as a participant in the program. We place special emphasis on serving special population groups of veterans, also defined in Attachment C, as chronically homeless veterans, female homeless veterans, homeless veterans with families and incarcerated or recently incarcerated veterans who are at risk of homelessness. Approximately 35% of the individuals served nationwide by HVRP grantees were determined to be in one or more of these special population groups in 2015. You must identify in your application the number and percentage of individuals to be served by your project that fall into each special group when considering the total number of persons.

ii. Outreach and Engagement – You must describe in your application how your program will conduct effective client outreach and engagement or recruitment to meet your participant enrollment goals, including the recruitment of special population groups and the use of Stand Down1F

2 events. The description must include evidence to support the proposed recruitment and engagement strategy with references from published research studies or government reports.

Effective case management with veterans who are homeless includes an active phase of outreach and engagement that is non-threatening, persistent over time, and patiently offers a flexible array of services, including help with basic survival needs. Effective engagement and outreach also builds on actions that show commitment to client choice, maintenance of dignity, and investment in a relationship. Describe how you will provide effective outreach and engagement as outlined above.

You must describe how your project will promote the active engagement of industry, employers, and employer associations in determining the available types of occupations and the skills needed to pursue in-demand jobs and careers.

iii. Intake, Assessment, and Case Management – You must fully explain how you will design and implement your proposed intake, assessment, and case management process to serve eligible veterans. You must provide evidence to support the proposed intake, assessment and case management process. This evidence may reference published research studies, government reports, or the applicant

2 Stand Downs are typically one- to-three day events providing supplies and services to homeless veterans, such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings and benefits counseling.

organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past. You must demonstrate that your proposed intake process involves the collection of necessary information on individuals seeking services in order to determine eligibility for the program and for the assessment of the types of services needed to assist the eligible veteran in gaining and retaining meaningful employment. The assessment is the foundation for development of the participant service plan and budget used by the case manager in coordinating services on behalf of the participant. The assessment process must demonstrate how you will determine a participant’s readiness to enter employment following the receipt of services, including the use of information about the individual’s strengths, preferences, medical, social and environmental issues, and behavioral and cognitive status.

iv. Job-Driven Employment, Training, and Support

Services – You must describe in your application the employment, training, and support services you will make available to participating veterans to assist these individuals in obtaining and retaining meaningful employment. Please note a minimum of 80% of your participants must receive one or more training services. You must also describe in your application how you will develop formal job-driven employment, training, and support services plan based on the training needs assessment results for participants and how you will manage and note the progress made by participants within a formal case management process. The description must include evidence to support the proposed job-driven employment, training, and support services strategy. This evidence may reference research studies, government reports, or the applicant organization’s experience showing the strategy yielded promising results in the past.

Employment and training services included in service plans must be focused on in-demand jobs, imparting relevant skills with job-market value and should align with and leverage other federal education and training program resources. You must describe the array of employment and training services you will make available to participants.

Examples of employment and training services include:

• Career technical skills training

• Registered apprenticeships

• Occupational skills training, including on-the-job training (OJT);

• Short-term unpaid work experience activities;

• Internships;

• Individualized job search assistance, including resume writing, interviewing skills, and counseling services; and

• Work readiness training, including basic skills training.

Please note the job-driven employment, training services, and support services received by participants may be provided directly through the grant or provided to participants through partnerships with American Job Centers (AJCs) and other organizations. At a minimum, all participants in your proposed program must be enrolled in Wagner-Peyser Act, Jobs for Veterans State Grant Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) or another WIOA-title I-funded service offered through AJCs to maximize the array of services available to participants. Please refer to Veterans’ Program Letter (VPL) No. 03-16, https://www.dol.gov/vets/VMS/VPLs/VPL-03-16.pdf.

Support services for overcoming barriers to employment include, but are not limited to, physical rehabilitation, drug or alcohol treatment, and/or mental health services. As part of your plan for support services, you must also propose a specific housing assistance strategy. You must describe in your application how HVRP participants will be rapidly re-housed, highlighting the provisions that will be made for program participants to access emergency, temporary, transitional, and/or permanent housing through various community resources, including, but not limited to the VA’s Grant and Per Diem Program, which funds emergency and transitional housing programs; the https://www.dol.gov/vets/VMS/VPLs/VPL-03-16.pdf

Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) food and shelter programs; and HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program; and the Section 8 single room occupancy housing programs, as well as any other supportive, affordable, and permanent housing programs for homeless persons. You must demonstrate how they will incorporate both affordable housing alternatives and permanent supportive housing options into the service mix.

Please note that grant funds may only be spent directly on housing assistance for participants who meet the definition of incarcerated veterans in Attachment C. For all other participants, you cannot spend any grant funds on housing.

Therefore, you may propose to use funds for housing assistance for incarcerated veterans. However, if you propose to use funds for this purpose, you must demonstrate in writing that you have worked with the eligible incarcerated veteran and others, including penal institution transition staff and community based housing providers, to exhaust all other housing assistance options before using grant funds for such assistance. If an incarcerated veteran can obtain housing by any other means, such as through other federal or state programs, then grant funds cannot be used for housing assistance.

The use of grant funds for housing assistance is limited to 90 days and the amount of assistance must meet the test of rent reasonableness. To meet this test and to be able to pay a landlord up to 90 days of reasonable rent, you must secure at least three samples of rents for housing units located in the specific community and zip code of the desired housing that meets the needs of the eligible incarcerated veteran. You may not provide housing funds directly to project participants.

v. Quality of Linkages - Stable housing, health care and other support services are critical to help veterans experiencing homelessness reintegrate into the labor force. You must describe how you will partner and coordinate proposed activities with a wide array of federal, state, and local housing, health care, and other support service programs and their associated agencies and/organizations, including prisons and halfway houses, if appropriate. The description must include evidence to support the proposed network of housing assistance, healthcare and other support service linkages to enable the applicant to successfully provide employment and training services to participants.

d) Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal Capacity You must describe in your application your organization’s ability to manage the operational, administrative, programmatic, and financial reporting requirements specified within this funding announcement. You must demonstrate the strength of the fiscal and administrative controls to properly manage Federal funds.

You must describe key staff skills, experience, history, knowledge, qualifications, capabilities, and office locations, and provide an organizational chart. The description must include evidence to support the organization’s capacity to carry out the proposed project, including the conduct of follow-up tracking activities, sustaining the project once Federal funding ceases, and the sufficiency of qualifications and experience of personnel to fulfill the needs and requirements of the proposed project.

You must also address your capacity for timely implementation of the program, programmatic reporting and participant tracking, including the conduct of follow-up services to capture and report post-program outcomes. The conduct of follow-up services for each participant begins the first quarter after the quarter of exit and ends the fourth quarter after the quarter of exit. Applicants must describe all associated costs for obtaining and retaining participant information pertinent to the follow-up services, including any costs of using State Unemployment Insurance data to substantiate an applicant’s follow-up results, if applicable.

Procedures for safeguarding all follow-up information will be provided after the award of the grant is determined.

For each PY 2017 award made under this solicitation, the grant recipient will be responsible for: 1) tracking and reporting post-program outcomes occurring during the 12-month grant period of performance AND 2) tracking and reporting post-program outcomes for up to 12-months after exit for former participants served by any HVRP grant operated by the grant recipient in PY 2016.

You must fully describe how the proposed program can or will outlast the federal funding being provided under this grant. You must describe in your application a diverse funding base or illustrate an organizational strategic plan that will lead to the attainment of financial resources beyond those secured through the HVRP grant.

e) Past Performance – Programmatic Capability

If you have previously operated a HVRP program, then you must include the planned and actual performance outcomes from your last or most recent completed program year’s Technical Performance Report (TPR) and Planned Goals Chart.

If you have not received an HVRP grant award in the past but do have experience operating comparable federally and/or non-federally funded assistance agreements, then please submit a list of no more than three such agreements. For each agreement, please describe and document past accomplishments achieved against expected outcomes while operating the comparable program. Explain how your experience operating a comparable program prepared you to undertake the complexities of operating the proposed project. Describe how long the comparable program has been in operation.

f) Budget and Budget Narrative

Please see Section IV.B.2 for information on requirements related to the budget and budget narrative.

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative

In addition to the Project Narrative, you must submit attachments. All attachments must be clearly labeled as Attachments. We will only exclude those attachments listed below from the page limit.

You must not include additional materials such as résumés or general letters of support. 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.

Save all files with descriptive file names of 50 characters or less and 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). You may use an underscore (example: my_Attached_File.pdf) to separate a file name.

Required Attachments: Please note that if your application does not contain all of the required attachments, it will not move forward through the merit review process.

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 summary must include the applicant’s name, project title, a description of the area to be served, number of participants to be served, the total cost per participant, and the funding level requested.