PKG00265094-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: PATHWAY HOME 2

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-ETA-21-02

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.270

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is March 16, 2021. We must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

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

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

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

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

1. Indirect Costs

2. Salary and Bonus Limitations

3. Intellectual Property Rights

4. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

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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. ADMISTRATIVE 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

E. LINKING EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES PRE-RELEASE (LEAP)

IMPLEMENTATION STUDY

IX. OMB INFORMATION COLLECTION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $57,500,000 in grant funds authorized by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94), for ex-offender activities and under Section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), for Program Year 2020 (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021). Subject to receiving sufficient applications of satisfactory quality, ETA intends to award approximately 50 percent of the available funds to organizations serving persons incarcerated in state correctional facilities and approximately 50 percent of available funds to organizations serving persons incarcerated in local or county jails.

This grant design builds on the findings of the Linking Employment Activities Pre-Release (LEAP) implementation study. The LEAP pilots provided pre-release services through jail-based American Job Centers and linked participants to post-release services. These two-year grants, which ended in 2017, have shown potential for breaking the cycle of recidivism by linking participants to the workforce system early—while still in jail—and then immediately upon reentry into the community. The experiences of the LEAP grantees highlight important lessons learned and some areas for continued refinement or potential replication in similar contexts. The final LEAP implementation report can be found at https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OASP/legacy/files/LEAP-Final-Report.pdf.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) provides the opportunity for organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, including women’s, minority, community, and faith-based organizations;

public institutions of higher education, including Hispanic-serving, Historically Black, Tribally-controlled, and Alaska and Hawaii Native-serving higher education institutions; nonprofit post-secondary education institutions with or without 501(c)(3) status; state or local governments; for-profit organizations; and any Indian or Native American entity eligible for grants under Section 166 of WIOA to provide reentry programming to eligible, incarcerated individuals prior to release from state correctional facilities or county or local jails and to continue comprehensive services after release. By providing for reentry services to begin while participants are still incarcerated and to continue post-release, these projects are designed to eliminate the time gap between release from prison and enrollment into a reentry program leading to employment.

Pre-release services will assist inmates who enter the program within 20 to 180 days from their scheduled release date to prepare for returning to their communities. Pre-release services must include job preparation, developing individual development plans (IDPs) that identify barriers to employment, career exploration and planning, counseling, assistance obtaining state identification required for employment, and assistance with linking inmates to the social services required to help them transition back to their communities. Pre-release occupational training is highly encouraged. Post-release activities must include skill-building services, including apprenticeships and occupational training in in-demand industries that lead to industry-recognized credentials. Applicants must ensure that occupational training provided has no https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OASP/legacy/files/LEAP-Final-Report.pdf federal, state, or local regulations that restrict individuals with criminal records from obtaining licenses or other necessary credentials in that career. Participants must be able to maintain the same caseworker pre- and post-release, which was suggested as a “best practice” in the LEAP Implementation Study.

Pre-release and post-release service delivery are more challenging due to COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions and concerns. Yet, service delivery in both contexts remains important to the overall success of the enrolled participants, as well as the reentry and workforce systems. This FOA provides an opportunity for organizations focused on employment and training, corrections, and community supervision to collaborate and develop or improve upon strategies and solutions to the ongoing COVID-19-related challenges in support of the Department’s “One Workforce” initiative. The One Workforce initiative encourages states and local communities to 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.

ETA plans to award approximately 15 grants of up to $4 million each. Applicants may propose a lesser amount based on the number of participants they propose to serve. ETA may award more grants if funds are available. These grants will have a 3- to 6-month planning period, a 24- to 27-month period of employment and training services, and 12 months of follow-up services for a total of 42-months grant performance period. Future funding opportunities may take into account grantee performance on this grant. These projects will serve adults aged 18 or older who have been convicted under federal, state, or local law and are incarcerated in state correctional facilities or local or county jails with scheduled release dates within 20 to 180 days of enrollment in the project. These grants cannot be used to support projects in a federal facility. Applicants may submit only one application.

Applicants must provide a detailed description of the need for services in their target communities; how they plan to accomplish outcomes; their project design; their organizational, administrative, and fiscal capacity; and their past performance and programmatic capability.

ETA is committed to awarding grants to high-quality applicants who are serving geographic areas that have a scarcity of reentry services. In making awards, ETA will consider the existing landscape of reentry services in the geographic area being targeted for service by an applicant.

Applicants proposing to serve target areas that are already heavily saturated with reentry services will have to show that there is unmet demand.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This Announcement solicits applications for Pathway Home projects. The purpose of this pilot program is to provide eligible, incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities or local or county jails with workforce services prior to release and to continue services after release by transitioning the participants into reentry programs in the communities to which they will return.

These grants are job-driven and build connections to local employers that will enable transitioning offenders to secure employment.

These projects ensure that transitioning offenders are prepared to meet the needs of their local labor markets with the skills valued by employers. Applicants must ensure that occupational training provided has no federal, state, or local regulations that restrict individuals with criminal records from obtaining licenses or other necessary credentials in that career. Therefore, applicants will need to research existing barriers for individuals with criminal records in relation to specific industries. Employer connections will inform specific program curricula and ensure relevance to the needs of local businesses and jobs. Teaching transitioning offenders foundational skills, such as job readiness, employability, and job search strategies, in addition to providing apprenticeships and occupational training leading to industry-recognized credentials, can provide access to employment and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

This program is authorized by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116- 94), for ex-offender activities and under Section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant.

ETA plans to award approximately $57.5 million to fund approximately 15 grants. Grantees may apply for up to $4 million. Applicants should request funding that is commensurate with the scope and scale of the project proposed, as described below. 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 grant funds meet required targets, we have established goals for the minimum number of enrollees during the period of performance, based on the amount of funds requested by the applicant (see Figure 1 below). Applicants must clearly identify the proposed number of participants to be enrolled over the life of the grant, based on the minimum thresholds identified in table below, for which they are seeking funding. Applicants that fail to propose to serve the minimum number of participants required per the table below will be disqualified because their applications will be considered non-responsive.

Figure 1. Minimum Targets for Participants Enrolled During the Grant Period Based on Funding Request Funding Request Minimum Participants Enrolled During Grant

Period $1,000,000 – 1,499,999 150 $1,500,000 – 1,999,999 200 $2,000,000 – 2,499,999 250 $2,500,000 – 2,999,999 300 $3,000,000 – 3,499,999 350 $3,500,000 – 3,999,999 400

The minimum goals, listed above in Figure 1, identify the minimum number of participants the project must enroll during the grant period based on the applicant’s requested funding amount.

Applicants may request any funding amount up to $4,000,000 as long as the proposed minimum number of participants enrolled 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 enroll no fewer than 250 participants, but may propose to enroll more than 250. Applicants should refer to Section IV.B.3.a. Statement of Need for info on how they will be scored on the proposed targets.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is 42 months with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2021. These grants will have a 3 to 6-month planning period, a 24 to 27-month period of employment and training services, and 12 months of follow-up services.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

Non-profit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, including women’s, minority, community, and faith-based organizations; public institutions of higher education, including Hispanic-serving, Historically Black, Tribally-controlled, and Alaska and Hawaii Native-serving higher education institutions; nonprofit post-secondary education institutions with or without 501(c)(3) status; state or local governments; any Indian or Native American entity eligible for grants under Section 166 of WIOA; and for-profit businesses and business-related nonprofit organizations.

Applicants, based on Employer Identification Numbers, who received funding from the FY 2019 Pathway Home competition [FOA-ETA-20-02] are not eligible to participate in this competition, and their applications will be considered non-responsive.

Among eligible applicants listed above, the applicant agency or organization must also have access to participants during their incarceration as documented through Letters of Commitment or Memoranda of Understanding between the applicant and each identified mandatory partner as described in Section IV.B.3(d)(i).

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

Eligibility Section III.A

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.2

Application federal funds request does not exceed the ceiling amount of $4,000,000 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

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

We will consider only one application from each organization. If we receive multiple applications from the same organization, we will consider only 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

a) Participants Eligible to Receive Training The intent of this FOA is to fund projects that serve participants who:

• Are at least 18 years old;

• Were convicted under federal, state, or local law and are incarcerated;

• Reside, at the time of enrollment in the project, in a state correctional facility or local or county jail for adults; please note that these grants cannot support projects in a federal facility or juvenile facility;

• Have a release date scheduled between 20 to 180 days of the individual’s enrollment in the program;

• Upon release, are scheduled to return to reside in the target area identified in the applicant’s application; and

• Are legally eligible to work in the United States.

Pathway Home participants are eligible for the Federal Bonding Program (FBP). The fidelity bonds, issued by the FBP, give employers a peace of mind when hiring job candidates considered higher risk. For more information on how to collaborate with state bonding coordinators, visit www.bonds4jobs.com.

Grantees have the discretion to enroll individuals convicted of violent offenses or sexual offenses, and those assessed as high-risk of violent offenses or sexual offenses. Grantees that choose to serve these populations must conduct a rigorous risk assessment of criminogenic need (i.e., causing or likely to cause criminal behavior). In all cases, the grantee must have a clear and consistent written enrollment policy that addresses program enrollment. Grantees will be required to submit their written enrollment policies if awarded a grant. More information on risk assessments can be found at https://reentry.ojp.gov/best-practices/risk-and-needs-assessment.

Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) or Letters of Commitment from State Correctional Facility or

Local Jails as Mandatory Partner

Section

IV.B.3(d)(i)

SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section IV.B.2

Budget Narrative Section IV.B.2

Project Narrative Section IV.B.3 http://www.bonds4jobs.com/ https://reentry.ojp.gov/best-practices/risk-and-needs-assessment https://reentry.ojp.gov/best-practices/risk-and-needs-assessment

Grantees must determine individuals eligible for the grant before serving them with grant funds. Applicants should consider establishing orientation activities such as initial recruitment, screening, and informal interviews during which grantees can conduct a preliminary program eligibility screen prior to actually enrolling potential participants into a grant-funded program.

NOTE: Male participants are required to register for the Selective Service before participating in services. Grantees should determine eligibility of male participants by accessing the Selective Service System at: https://www.sss.gov/. For additional guidance, including how this requirement applies to male participants incarcerated at the time of their 18th birthdays, please see Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 11-11. Change 2 clarifies the implementation of the Selective Service registration requirements of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 § 189(h) for grantees funded or authorized by Title I of WIA, located at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=8779. This guidance applies to grants authorized by WIOA.

b) Veterans’ Priority for Participants 38 U.S.C. 4215 requires grantees to provide priority of service to veterans and spouses of certain veterans for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services in any job training program directly funded, in whole or in part, by DOL. The regulations implementing this priority of service are at 20 CFR Part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans’ priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements.

Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans’ priority. ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10-09 is available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816. This guidance applies to programs funded under WIOA. For additional information on veteran’s priority of service and WIOA, please see TEGL 19-16. TEGL 19-16 is available at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3851.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.Grants.gov and https://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm, 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:

https://www.sss.gov/ https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=8779 https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816 https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3851 http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm

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

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

3. Project Narrative; and

4. 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1).

• 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). You do not need to submit the SF-424B with the application.

In addition, subject to the provisions of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb, the applicant’s Authorized Representative’s signature in block 21 of the SF- 424 form constitutes assurance by the applicant of compliance with the WIOA 188 rules issued by the Department at 29 CFR 38.25, which includes the following language:

As a condition to the award of financial assistance from the Department of Labor under Title I WIOA, the grant applicant assures that it has the ability to comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the following laws: Section 188 of the WIOA, which, as interpreted through Departmental regulations, prohibits discrimination against all individuals in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, transgender status, and gender identity), national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against beneficiaries on the basis of either citizenship status or participation in any WIOA Title I—financially assisted program or activity; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color, and national origin; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination against https://usdol-my.sharepoint.com/personal/luetkenhaus_eric_dol_gov/Documents/All%20FOAs%202020/Application_for#_SF-424,_ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction!input.action https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 qualified individuals with disabilities; The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age; and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs.

The grant applicant also assures, subject to RFRA, that as a recipient of WIOA Title I financial assistance [as defined at 29 CFR 38.4(zz)], it will comply with 29 CFR part 38 and all other regulations implementing the laws listed above. This assurance applies to the grant applicant's operation of the WIOA Title I-financially assisted program or activity, and to all agreements the grant applicant makes to carry out the WIOA Title I-financially assisted program or activity. The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance. Note that the RFRA applies to all federal law and its implementation. If an applicant organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be entitled to receive federal financial assistance under this grant solicitation and maintain that hiring practice. If a faith-based organization is awarded a grant, the organization will be provided with more information.

a) Requirement for DUNS Number All applicants for federal grant and funding opportunities must have a DUNS number, and must supply their DUNS Number on the SF-424. The DUNS Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a DUNS Number, you can get one for free through the D&B website:

https://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 unless the entity has provided its DUNS number.

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

(See Appendix A to 2 CFR Part 25.)

b) 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 https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do https://www.sam.gov/ 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). In preparing the Budget Information Form, you must provide a concise narrative explanation to support the budget request, explained in detail below.

a) Budget Narrative The Budget Narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each line item on the SF-424A. The Budget Narrative should also include a section describing any leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities. Leveraged resources are all resources, both cash and in-kind, in excess of this award Applicants are encouraged to leverage resources to increase stakeholder investment in the project and broaden the impact of the project itself.

The Budget Narrative must be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate the cost-per-participant.

While there is no set limit, and some customers may require more intensive or expensive services than others, ETA expects that grantees use funds efficiently and maintain fiscal oversight to ensure that grants serve a reasonable number of participants for a given amount of funds. Therefore, if requested, applicants must be able to provide information to justify their cost-per-participant, including financial documentation, contracts or subawards, and information on program services (inclusive of casefiles).

Each category should include the total cost for the period of performance. Use the following guidance for preparing the Budget Narrative.

Personnel: List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed) including the roles and responsibilities. For each position give the annual salary, the percentage of time devoted to the project, and the amount of each position’s salary funded by the grant.

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

Travel: For grantee staff only, specify the purpose, number of staff traveling, mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other costs for each type of travel.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1

Equipment: Identify each item of equipment you expect to purchase that 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 200.1 for the definition of Equipment). List the item, quantity, and the 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) in the detailed budget and list the item, quantity, and the unit cost per item. Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment” (see 2 CFR 200.1 for the definition of Supplies).

Contractual: Under the Contractual line item, delineate contracts and subawards separately.

Contracts are defined according to 2 CFR 200.1 as a legal instrument by which a non-federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a federal award. A subaward, defined by 2 CFR 200.1, means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a federal program.

For each proposed contract and subaward, specify the purpose and activities to be provided, and the estimated cost.

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: Provide clear and specific detail, including costs, for each item so that we are able to determine whether the costs are necessary, reasonable, and allocable. List items, such as stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere.

While budgeting for this work, note that up to 5 percent of grant funds may be used to provide emergency assistance for housing, substance abuse treatment, and mental health treatment for participants. Grantees are strongly encouraged to have partnerships in place to address routine barriers to reentry (e.g. housing, substance abuse treatment, and mental health treatment) and avoid the need for emergency assistance, which support a One Workforce vision of collaboration among partners to support individual economic mobility. However, grantees must submit a written policy on the use of these funds as a condition of award.

Indirect Costs: If you include an amount for indirect costs (through a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or De Minimis) on the SF-424A budget form, then include one of the following:

a) If you have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), provide an explanation of how the indirect costs are calculated. This explanation should include which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Also, provide a current version of the NICRA.

or

b) If you intend to claim indirect costs using the 10 percent de minimis rate, please confirm that your organization meets the requirements as described in 2 CFR 200.414(f). Clearly state that your organization has never received a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), and your organization is not one described in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix VII(D)(1)(b).

Applicants choosing to claim indirect costs using the de minimis rate must use Modified Total Direct Costs (see below for definition) as their cost allocation base. Provide an explanation of which portion of each line item, along with the associated costs, are included in your cost allocation base. Note that there are various items not included in the calculation of Modified Total Direct Costs. See the definitions below to assist you in your calculation.

• 2 CFR 200.1 Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may be excluded only when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

The definition of MTDC in 2 CFR 200.1 no longer allows any sub-contracts to be included in the calculation. You will also note that participant support costs are not included in modified total direct cost. Participant support costs are defined below.

• 2 CFR 200.1 Participant Support Cost means direct costs for items such as stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences or training projects.

See Section IV.B.4. and Section IV.E.1 for more information. Additionally, the following link contains information regarding the negotiation of Indirect Cost Rates at DOL:

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/business-operations-center/cost-determination

Note that the SF-424, SF-424A, and Budget Narrative must include the entire federal grant amount requested (not just one year).

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.

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 25 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 (Up to 4 points) Scoring under this criterion will be based on the extent to which the following factors are clearly and accurately addressed:

(i) Applicants must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the need, including the poverty rate of the planned target area, the gap in resources in the community to serve this population, and the consequences of not addressing the need. Applicants must describe existing service delivery offerings for the target population in the intended service area, including within the state correctional facility or local jail, and show that there is unmet demand for your services. (Up to 2 points)

(ii) Applicants must clearly indicate the number of participants to be served and demonstrate that there is a sufficient pool of eligible participants in the area you plan to serve. Applicants must clearly identify the target area and demonstrate that there is appropriate demand for services, and not currently an oversaturation of reentry services, within it. (Up to 2 points)

b) Performance Data Collection Strategies (Up to 6 points) clearly and accurately addressed:

(i) Applicants must describe a clear and realistic plan to track performance on the WIOA primary indicators below, including staff and/or partner roles in tracking and reporting. Plans and strategies are to be specific, quantifiable statements and clearly linked to each WIOA primary indicator of performance. If applicants are not local workforce development boards, they may collaborate with such organizations around data collection. Applicants may propose their own additional performance measures with specific numeric goals. Plans should address outcomes pre- and post-release from incarceration, and include co-enrollment of participants in WIOA, if applicable.

(Up to 4 points)

(ii) Applicants must describe a clear and realistic plan to track and report recidivism rate based on the definition provided in this FOA. Plans should specify the intended source(s) of recidivism data, and staff and/or partner roles in tracking and reporting.

(Up to 2 points)

Additional information on allowable data sources is available in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 23-19, Attachment II: “Guidance for Validating Required Performance Data Submitted by Grant Recipients of U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Workforce Programs, Attachment II: Source Documentation for WIOA Core/Non-Core Programs” available at: https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=9155.

WIOA Primary Indicators of Performance:

Grantees must report on the following five WIOA primary indicators of performance. These indicators are:

o Employment Rate – Second Quarter After Exit o Employment Rate – Fourth Quarter After Exit o Median Earnings – Second Quarter After Exit o Credential Attainment. For this grant, the goal for this measure is 60 percent.

o Measurable Skill Gains

Additional information on these performance indicators is available in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 10-16, Change 1: “Performance Accountability https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL_23-19_Attachment_2.pdf https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL_23-19_Attachment_2.pdf https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=9155

Guidance for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV Core Programs,” found at https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=3255.

ETA will use grantees’ data reported for the WIOA indicators as baseline performance information. Therefore, ETA will not set WIOA primary performance goals at this time, except for the credential attainment goal. Nevertheless, ETA may set targets for the WIOA measures post-award.

Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) Performance Indicator Grantees must also track and report:

o Recidivism rate: The percentage of participants convicted of a new criminal offense committed within 12 months of their release from the correctional facility.

Grantees must track recidivism until the end of the grant period of performance to achieve this measure. The goal for this measure is a rate lower than the recidivism rate for the state in which the grantee is operating.

The Department expects grantees to track and report the primary indicators of performance as listed in WIOA section 116(b)(2)(A)(i), as well as recidivism rate. As part of their data collection, all grantees must request participants’ social security numbers (SSNs). While REO grantees are required to request participants’ SSNs, participants cannot be denied services if they choose not to disclose.

c) Project Design (Up to 22 points)

(i) Applicants must propose a coherent, realistic and clear plan (taking COVID-19-related concerns into account) to meet DOL outcomes of the grant, as well as any applicant-proposed performance outcomes. (Up to 6 points)

(ii) Applicants must address factors that might accelerate or decelerate the required work, such as COVID-related restrictions. Justify your approach while taking into account barriers that may affect the project’s success. Include viable procedures to provide services in the event internet is unavailable inside the state correctional facility or local jail. (Up to 2 points)

(iii) Applicants must describe a coherent and realistic recruitment plan to ensure that partners can access the participants inside the state correctional facility or local jail as needed. The plan must include a feasible process to identify and select participants, including the waiting list process. (Up to 2 points)

(iv) Applicants must identify and explain how they will provide, at a minimum, all of the following employment and career services pre-release: job preparation, comprehensive case management, developing IDPs using state and local labor market information (LMI) that identify barriers to employment (additional information regarding “career” services, as defined in WIOA, can be found in Section 134(c)(2) https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=3255 and in TEGL 19-16), needs assessment, career exploration and planning, assistance with obtaining state identification, legal assistance (e.g., modification of child support orders, expungement proceedings, securing participant licenses, child custody assistance, and protective and restraining order assistance), counseling, and referrals to the legal and social services required to help them transition back to their communities. Pre-release occupational training is highly encouraged. (Up to 4 points)

(v) The applicant must provide, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, a clear and realistic sample schedule of activities for a month of pre-release operations. These activities must include, at a minimum, the items listed above in Section IV.B.3(c)(iv).

The sample schedule must take into account the inmates’ opportunities for movement throughout the facility and ensure that all program participants have adequate opportunities to access the pre-release program; the applicant must identify the curriculum that will be utilized for employability skills and job readiness development activities. (Up to 2 points)

(vi) Applicants must identify and explain how they will provide post-release skill-building services, including apprenticeships and occupational training in in-demand industries that lead to industry-recognized credentials. Describe how the IDP links to employment, post-release and follow-up services, ensuring a continuum of services.

Explain how assessments, including an assessment of each individual’s risk of reoffending and their level of job readiness, will be incorporated into the IDP. (Up to 2 points)

(vii) Applicants must clearly and realistically describe the following: how the same caseworker providing pre-release services for a participant will be retained and engaged post-release; what services, if any, will be delivered to the participant during his or her first 72 hours of the transition from correctional custody to the community, and how follow-up activities will be delivered and by whom. Follow-up services must include more than contacts solely to secure performance outcome documentation. (Up to 2 points)

(viii) Applicants must provide, as an attachment to the Project Narrative, a clear, coherent and realistic timeline of key events (as described in the Project Narrative’s subsections on Performance Data Collection Strategies, Project Design, and Partnerships) to meet stated outcomes. (Up to 2 points)

d) Partnerships (Up to 24 points) Applicants must identify and provide a written commitment from each state correctional facility or local or county jail with which the applicant intends to partner for this project.

Applicants may propose to partner with state correctional facilities and local jails.

NOTE: Memoranda of Understanding and Letters of Commitment must be included as attachments and will not count against the page limit for the project narrative.

Mandatory Partnerships (Up to 10 points)

(i) The comprehensiveness of the identified partnership with the state correctional facility or local or county jail for the project, documented through Letters of Commitment or Memoranda of Understanding (an email or other form of written commitment is also acceptable). The written commitment(s) (including an email or other form of written commitment) must address: how the applicant and partner staff will access the facility, how partners will provide services pre-release, accommodations for services to be provided, a strategy for internet accessibility or an alternative, resources and space supplied by the correctional facility, facility requirements for inmate participation and selection, and security for applicant and partner staff. (Up to 8 points)

(ii) The strength of the MOU(s) or Letter(s) of Commitment (an email or other form of written commitment is also acceptable). This criterion is influenced by a host of factors including, but not limited to: amount and type of access to participants granted, a tone of strong commitment rather than weak support, alignment between commitments and project design and objectives, and up-to-date commitments rather than outdated ones. (Up to 2 points)

Recommended Partnerships (Up to 14 points) Grantees are encouraged to work with additional partners (other than the partner correctional facility) to leverage resources.

(iii) Applicants must identify local organizations that will provide services to support program operations (e.g. housing, substance abuse treatment, mental health, social services, and legal assistance), and must fully describe the specifics of each partnership and provide a Memorandum of Understanding or Letter of Commitment (including any resources to be committed to the program) signed by the authorizing agent of each partner organization. (An email or other form of written commitment with the above information is also acceptable.) Applicants must explain a clear and realistic plan to engage and coordinate partners, both pre- and post-release, and ensure that all required services are available to all program participants. Include a plan for directly linking participants to programs and external service providers before they exit the correctional facility (Up to 6 points)

(iv) Applicants must describe their approach to working with local workforce entities

(Workforce Development Boards, American Job Centers, one-stop operators, or one-stop partner programs that administer WIOA title I funds. This includes a thorough and clear description of the capacity and role of the partner’s involvement. The workforce organizations have expertise in workforce development and may provide leadership in implementing the following types of activities: (1) understanding and analyzing the need for education and training in the local area, including identifying targeted industries, occupations, sector strategies, hiring needs, and populations to be served, and providing relevant sources of data, including labor market information and other tools or reports; (2) assessing potential participants for the grant program;

(3) identifying and referring candidates for education and training in the grant program; (4) providing additional supportive services; (5) connecting and placing participants with employers that have job openings; (6) leverage other WIOA resources; and (7) collecting, tracking, and reporting participant data. Applicants need to provide a Memorandum of Understanding or Letter of Commitment (including any resources to be committed to the program) signed by an authorized agent.