sga-dfa-py-10-07.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Green Jobs Innovation Fund AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/DFA PY-10-07 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.279

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is March 29, 2011. Applications must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A pre-recorded webinar will be on-line (http://www.workforce3one.org) and accessible for viewing on February 25, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and will be available for viewing anytime after that date.

While a review of this webinar is encouraged it is not mandatory that applicants view this recording.

ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 10-07, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or the Department), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announces the availability of approximately $40 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Title I, Subtitle D, Section 171(d), Public Law 105-220 for the Green Jobs Innovation Fund (GJIF). The GJIF supports two of the Department’s goals: to increase the number of individuals completing training programs who receive industry-recognized credentials and to increase the number of individuals completing training programs for employment in green jobs. DOL intends to fund approximately five to eight grants to national and statewide organizations with local affiliates with existing career training programs to provide technical and basic skills training that lead to green job opportunities in at least six communities per grant. Applicants are eligible under one of three categories: 1) national labor-management organizations with local affiliates; 2) national non-profit entities with local affiliates; or 3) statewide non-profit organizations or state Workforce Investment Act administering agencies with local affiliates. These funds are available to applicants who are willing to operate through local affiliates in at least six communities to serve as the central organization that brings together the appropriate partner organizations to ensure that participants receive comprehensive job training and support services that move participants into and along a green career pathway.

With these grants, the Department is emphasizing critical steps along green career pathways by: 1) forging linkages between Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and/or 2) integrating the delivery of technical and basic skills training through community-based partnerships. In addition, the Department is emphasizing coordinating with and leveraging the resources of other Federal, state and local agencies, as well as directing these limited resources toward evidence-based programs and activities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This solicitation consists of nine (9) sections:

Section I provides a description of this funding opportunity.

Section II provides award information.

Section III provides eligibility information.

Section IV provides information on the application and submission process.

Section V describes the criteria against which applications will be reviewed and explains the proposal review process.

Section VI describes award administration information.

Section VII provides agency contacts.

Section VIII provides additional resources of interest to applicants.

Section IX provides other information.

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Overview President Barack Obama has called on the United States to have “the best educated, most competitive workforce in the world,” once again leading the world in the percentage of Americans with postsecondary degrees and/or industry-recognized certificates and credentials by 2020. The GJIF supports this vision as part of the Department’s performance goal to increase the attainment of industry-recognized credentials by American workers.

The GJIF was authorized as a Pilot and Demonstration Project under Section 171 of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 to support competitive grant opportunities that help workers receive job training in green industry sectors and occupations and access green career pathways (see Section V.A.1.ii for a brief discussion of career pathways). Competitive grants funded through this GJIF solicitation are being made available to applicants with existing career training programs, programs that are already established and serving workers, but not necessarily funded by the Department of Labor. The applicant must provide a complete and clear explanation of the proposed education and training program, the proposed project work plan, and the capacity of the applicant to sustain the project.

The Recovery Act provided $500 million for a program of competitive grants to prepare workers for careers in energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors. With this funding, DOL awarded 189 grants across the country that support a number of green job activities including:

job training and placement services; identifying and providing successful green career pathways for workers including those currently living in poverty; capacity building for organizations providing job training; collection, analysis, and dissemination of labor market information; and funds for State Workforce Investment Boards to develop sector strategies that align with the Governor’s overall workforce vision. The outcomes, best practices, and lessons learned by both the grantees and ETA to date have informed the development of this solicitation.

DOL has gathered additional information about successful workforce programs emerging in green sectors and occupations from the public workforce system, employers, community and technical colleges, federal agencies, foundations, and other key stakeholders. Three important themes emerged from these stakeholders including: 1) Registered Apprenticeship is a viable and important workforce strategy that results in job placement; 2) training solely to gain green skills is not always sufficient to ensure job placement, equally critical is upgrading basic skills, including literacy and math skills; and, 3) when existing workers move up and along a career pathway, new employment opportunities are created for additional workers to enter the pathway.

Career pathways are “not a separate program, but a framework for weaving together adult education, training and college programs…and connecting those services to employers’ workforce needs” (Center for Law and Social Policy, May 2010). Therefore, the Department has a specific interest in applications that emphasize the integration of critical components along green career pathways by: 1) forging stronger linkages between Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and 2) integrating the delivery of technical and basic skills training through community-based partnerships. These programs are discussed in detail in Sections I.B.1 and 2 of this SGA.

B. Green Jobs The GJIF is designed to equip workers with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities

(KSAs) to succeed in green industry sectors and occupations. The Department uses a broad framework for defining green jobs with the understanding that green-related KSAs are transferable across industry sectors. WIA, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and O*NET provide a framework for defining green jobs.

First, WIA identifies the following seven energy efficiency and renewable energy industries in Section 171(e)(1)(B)(ii).

The energy-efficient building, construction, and retrofit industries;

The renewable electric power industry;

The energy efficient and advanced drive train vehicle industry;

The biofuels industry;

The deconstruction and materials use industries;

The energy efficiency assessment industry serving residential, commercial, or industrial sectors; and Manufacturers that produce sustainable products using environmentally sustainable processes and materials.

Second, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) conducted considerable research on energy efficiency and renewable energy occupations and further refined the definition of green jobs into two broad categories:

Jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources; and

Jobs in which workers' duties involve making their establishment's production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources.

For more information on the BLS Green Jobs Definition, please visit:

http://www.bls.gov/green/#definition.

Lastly, the Department has funded O*NET research, which is published in the February 2009 O*NET report, Greening of the World of Work: Implications for O*NET-SOC and New and Emerging Occupations (http://www.onetcenter.org/dl_files/Green.pdf). This study reflects three general categories of occupations, based on different consequences of green economy activities and technologies: (1) existing occupations expected to experience primarily an increase in employment demand; (2) existing occupations with significant change to the work and worker requirements; and (3) new and emerging green occupations. O*NET’s list of green occupational sectors is quite comprehensive and includes:

Renewable Energy Generation (including power plant operators);

Energy Efficiency (including electrical powerline installers and repairers);

Energy Trading;

Research, Design, and Consulting;

Agriculture and Forestry;

Recycling and Waste Reduction (including solid waste and wastewater management, treatment, and reduction, and processing recycling materials);

Transportation;

Green Construction;

Energy and Carbon Capture;

Environment Protection (including Brownfield Remediation Specialists and Site

Managers);

Manufacturing; and Governmental and Regulatory.

http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/49-9051.00

All of these reference points – WIA, BLS, and O*NET – provide a broad framework for defining green jobs. Applicants may use any or all of these definitions in identifying the green occupations in which they propose to provide training. Applicants may also propose their own definition of green jobs if they can support their definition with evidence.

C. Workforce Programs

The Department is committed to funding projects that integrate evidence-based activities into education and training programs (Please see Attachment B for examples of related research). This SGA will support projects that utilize at least one of the following evidence-based programs, described below in more detail: 1) forging linkages between Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and/or 2) delivering integrated basic skills and occupational training through community-based organizations. Whether applicants use one or both of these programs, they must propose budgets commensurate with the proposed project design. ETA is interested in funding projects that build on existing programs (e.g., those programs that are already established and serving workers and that build on existing public, private and philanthropic funding streams) which move participants into and along a green career pathway. Lead applicants must serve as the central organization to develop or coordinate the proposed project and convene any relevant partners, and must deliver services through local affiliates in at least six communities.

1. Forging Linkages Between Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

Registered Apprenticeship is an effective “earn and learn” model with a long history of providing career ladders and pathways to the middle class particularly for the building and construction industry. ETA is interested in applications that bring together quality pre-apprenticeship programs with innovative Registered Apprenticeship programs as two critical components of a career pathway model that can expand employment opportunities for under-represented populations in green industry sectors (see Section III.D.1 for more information on participants eligible to receive training).

For purposes of this SGA, applicants must include both pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship program models that meet the quality factors outlined in this section.

At a minimum, pre-apprenticeship is defined as a program or set of services designed to expand opportunities for disadvantaged, low-skilled and/or under-represented populations to meet entry requirements for Registered Apprenticeship programs. Based on analysis of existing Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, additional stakeholder consultations, and other innovative Registered Apprenticeship initiatives, ETA may continue to develop and refine its approach to quality elements for pre-apprenticeship programs and will work with grantees to implement these additional elements.

Pre-apprenticeship programs funded through this SGA will be required to adhere to the following five quality elements that ETA has developed through consultation with a range of stakeholders. For the purposes of this SGA, these elements include:

A documented existing partnership with at least one Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor;

Training and curriculum, approved by a Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor, that will give participants the skills and competencies needed to enter the Registered Apprenticeship program;

Formalized agreements with Registered Apprenticeship sponsors that enable individuals who have successfully completed the pre-apprenticeship program to directly enter into a Registered Apprenticeship program (including the opportunity for advanced credit for skills and competencies already acquired);

A range of training services that prepare individuals for entry into a Registered Apprenticeship program or entry-level employment (e.g., specific career and industry awareness training, job readiness, and math skills); and

Supportive services (see Section IV.F.8).for the duration of the pre-apprenticeship and a significant portion of the Registered Apprenticeship program.

For the purposes of this SGA, innovative Registered Apprenticeship programs are defined to include programs that incorporate at least four of the following six features:

Development or use of new or modified apprenticeship program standards or guideline standards that use competency-based or hybrid training models;

Use of interim credentials;

Adoption and use of technology–based learning strategies;

Partnerships with the public workforce system particularly related to the recruitment of eligible participants into Registered Apprenticeships.

Partnerships with post-secondary education systems that allow apprentices to earn college credit during their apprenticeship;

Partnerships with community-based organizations that have demonstrated experience in providing quality pre-apprenticeship programs; and,

2. Integrating the Delivery of Technical and Basic Skills Training Through Community-Based Partnerships

Community-based organizations are key providers of basic skills training, technical skills training, supportive services, and workforce development services in communities across the country. The current economic downturn has impacted individuals in communities throughout the United States and has left many workers seeking to transition into new industries and new careers. These individuals may lack basic literacy and job readiness skills and may face other barriers to employment, such as the need for childcare or transportation. In order to succeed, these individuals need to acquire the basic skills that will provide the foundation for their employability, learn entry-level technical skills, and gain access to support systems that allow them to meet the needs of their families while they concentrate on gaining new skills and competencies. Community-based organizations are the key to bringing all of the necessary resources together within a local community to better serve their participants. Community-based organizations understand the importance of leveraging resources, engaging employers to better understand their workforce needs and secure employment for their participants, and providing comprehensive supportive services in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate, and to the extent legally allowed, for the workers and training participants. ETA is interested in funding projects that build on existing community-based training programs and partnerships that are already established and serving workers through an integrated delivery of technical and basic skills training.

Community-based partnership programs funded through this SGA will be required to adhere to one critical quality element which is to integrate the delivery of technical and basic skills training, which is a required element for the program. The development of basic skills training in isolation is not encouraged, as existing training is readily available; therefore, the development of basic skills training with grant funds is only appropriate if existing basic skills training does not meet the needs of the eligible participants to be served.

For the purposes of this SGA, innovative community-based partnerships must incorporate at least five of the six following features into their program design:

Development and/or delivery of new or improved curricula, including contextualized learning, distance learning, and customized training;

Initial assessment of skill levels, aptitudes, abilities, competencies, and supportive service needs;

Comprehensive case management services and retention strategies;

Supportive services that will allow individuals to participate in grant activities;

Job search and placement assistance, as well as career counseling; and, Outreach to prospective participants and businesses.

Section II. Award Information A. Award Amount

DOL intends to award up to $40 million in grant funds to eligible applicants as described in Section III.A of the SGA. Individual grant awards will range from $5 million to $8 million, and DOL intends to fund approximately five to eight grants. ETA will consider any grant request exceeding $8 million or lower than $5 million as non-responsive, and such applicants will not be considered for funding. Organizations may either apply directly to this SGA or serve as a partner organization but they may not do both. Applicants that submit more than one application, either as the lead organization or as a partner, will be deemed non-responsive and none of their applications will be considered for funding. It is ETA’s intent that no organization will be funded more than once under this SGA. In the event additional funds become available, ETA reserves the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this solicitation.

B. Period of Performance

The period of grant performance for these awards will be up to 36 months. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities. Applicants should plan to fully expend grant funds during the period of performance while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all expenditures. DOL expects that the grant start date will be July 1, 2011, and start-up activities, such as hiring appropriate program staff, curriculum modification or development, and specialized equipment purchases, will begin immediately.

The Department also expects that education and training activities will begin expeditiously, but no later than January 2012. We strongly encourage grantees to develop their project work plans and timelines accordingly.

Section III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Applicants These funds are available to applicants with existing career training programs, including pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs. DOL intends to award large grants to national and statewide organizations with local affiliates in at least six communities per grant to ensure a broad variety of projects and broad geographic distribution across the country.

For purposes of this SGA, a community will be defined using all or part of the applicant’s existing service areas for each of the local affiliates participating in the training programs. It is anticipated that these service areas will represent a single geographic area such as a neighborhood, city, or county, and the six communities should not overlap. Eligible applicants must apply under one of three categories and state the eligibility in the abstract: 1) national labor-management organizations with local affiliates; 2) national non-profit organizations with local affiliates; or 3) statewide non-profit organizations or state Workforce Investment Act administering agencies with local affiliates. Applicants from any of the three pools must propose training programs that operate in at least six locations. The Department strongly encourages applicants to stretch their reach and resources to serve as many sites and individuals as practical within the project design. Applicants under all three categories should note the partnership requirements in Section III.C.

1. National Labor-Management Organizations with Local Affiliates

A national labor-management organization, such as a non-profit training fund, training trust fund, or an education trust fund, with joint participation of employers and labor organizations on its executive board or comparable governing body, may apply under this category. This entity must have a formalized agreement between the employer(s) and labor organization(s) to operate a joint labor-management training program(s) in multiple sites across the country through the State, local, or regional affiliates associated with the labor-management organization. The national labor-management organization is the lead applicant. However, if the national labor-management organization is not a separate legal entity, the labor organization is the eligible applicant. Applicants under this category must demonstrate that they have the capacity to work in a variety of communities in more than one state.

2. National Non-Profit Organizations with Local Affiliates

Eligible applicants under this category are national or multi-state non-profit organizations that deliver services through local affiliates, coalition members, or other established partners.

Applicants under this category must demonstrate that they have the capacity to work in a variety of communities in more than one state.

3. Statewide Non-profit or State Workforce Investment Act Administering Agency with Local Affiliates

Eligible applicants under this category are statewide non-profit organizations or state Workforce Investment Act administering agencies that deliver services through local affiliates, coalition members, or other established partners. For the purposes of this SGA, the term “State” means each of the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and U.S.

territories. Applicants under this category must demonstrate that they have the capacity to work in a variety of communities within one state.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as a condition for application, but leveraging other resources is strongly encouraged.

C. Other Eligibility Criteria

1. Required Partnerships Applicants are required to partner with organizations in both partnership categories – employer(s) or industry organization(s) and invested partner(s). Through strong and diverse partnerships, projects can maximize participants’ opportunities for training and employment in green industry sectors and occupations. Eligible applicants must include the following organizations in their application:

i. Required Employer(s) or Industry Organization(s) Eligible applicants must involve at least one employer or industry organization in each of the proposed communities to be served. The employer or industry organization must be actively engaged in the project in one or more of the following ways: defining the program goals and activities, identifying necessary skills and competencies, providing resources to support education/training (such as equipment, instructors, funding, internships, or other work-based learning activities), providing assistance with program design, and, where appropriate, hiring qualified participants who complete grant-funded education and training programs based on real job projections (see Section V.A.1.i). While only one employer or industry organization is required in each community to be served, the Department strongly encourages applicants to collaborate with multiple employers within the targeted industry sector(s), ensuring that program graduates will be prepared with the skills and credentials needed by green industry employers in the applicant’s proposed communities and will have a greater chance of obtaining employment following program completion. ETA is particularly interested in applicants that partner with small businesses since they represent new opportunities for green employment.

ii. Required Invested Partner(s) Applicants must include at least one active partner that contributes resources, products, models, and/or tools funded through other sources. These funding sources may include the private sector; public or private philanthropic sources; Federal, state, and local government programs (including Recovery Act initiatives); or other DOL investments such as Community- Based Job Training grants, Recovery Act grants, and other Workforce Investment Act funds. In addition, applicants may include recipients of funding from other Federal agencies that are contributing experience and/or resources – both existing and new – to the project, including Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Department of Education, Department of Commerce, and other Federal agencies (see Section V.A.2.i in the Evaluation Criteria).

2. Other Partnerships or Consultations

In addition to the required partners, eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to partner or consult with the public workforce system (e.g., Local Workforce Investment Boards, One-Stop Career Centers, or State agencies that administer the public workforce system) in developing their application and during grant implementation. Applicants may engage the system in one or more of the following ways: identifying, assessing, and referring candidates for training; connecting workers with employers; providing support services for qualified individuals, where appropriate; and, providing current green sector labor market information and data.

3. Grant Recipient Training

Grant recipients are required to participate in all ETA training activities related to orientation, financial management and reporting, performance reporting, product dissemination, and other technical assistance training during the life of the grant. These trainings may occur via conference calls, through virtual events such as webinars, and in-person meetings. Applicants should budget to attend two in-person training events in Washington, D.C. during the life of the grant.

4. Transparency

The Department is committed to conducting a transparent grant award process and publicizing information about program outcomes. Applicants are advised their application and information related to its review and evaluation (whether or not the application is successful) may be made publicly available, either fully or partially. In addition, information about grant progress and results may also be made publicly available.

5. Third-Party Review of Grant Deliverables Successful applicants must identify independent, third-party subject matter experts to conduct reviews of the deliverables produced through the grant. Applicants must allot funds in their budget for the independent review of their deliverables by subject matter experts. Subject matter experts are individuals with demonstrated experience in developing and/or implementing similar deliverables. These experts could include applicants’ peers, such as representatives from neighboring education and training providers. The applicant must provide ETA with the results of the review and the qualifications of the reviewer(s) at the time the deliverable is provided to ETA.

ETA reserves the right to review the deliverable and the accompanying review at the time of submission and request changes and/or a new review to ensure that the deliverables and reviews are appropriate for broad dissemination through a variety of media, and the products are useful and error-free so that others may easily replicate or adopt existing products.

D. Eligible Participants

1. Participants Eligible to Receive Training

The intent of this SGA is to fund projects that provide education and training services to individuals to help them pursue or advance in full-time employment within the grant period of performance. Applicants must propose projects that primarily focus on providing services to workers in one or more of the following targeted categories: unemployed workers, dislocated workers, and incumbent workers. Within these categories, grantees may serve a wide range of individuals, such as individuals receiving public assistance, high school dropouts, new entrants to the workforce, individuals with disabilities, veterans, Indians and Native Americans, and individuals with Limited English Proficiency. Eligible participants must be at least 16 years of age. If participants are 16-18 years of age, then they must be high school dropouts or out of school youth, as provided in 20 CFR 664.300 and 664.310. Currently enrolled high school students are not eligible participants under this SGA. Applicants who propose innovative Registered Apprenticeship programs must make every effort to recruit women and minorities, with the ultimate goal of increasing diversity. These three targeted categories of workers are defined as follows:

i. Unemployed workers For the purposes of this SGA, ETA defines “unemployed worker” as an individual who is without a job and who wants and is available to work. This can include the long-term unemployed, i.e., individuals who have been unemployed for six months or more, and individuals who have dropped out of school and are seeking their first full-time job as a new entrant into the workforce.

ii. Dislocated workers For the purposes of this SGA, ETA defines “dislocated worker” as an individual who has been terminated or laid-off or has received a notice of termination or lay-off from employment; or was self-employed but are now unemployed.

iii. Incumbent workers For the purposes of this SGA, ETA defines “incumbent worker” as an individual who is employed but needs training to secure full-time employment, advance in their career, or retain their current occupation. This includes low-wage and medium-wage workers who need to upgrade their skills to retain employment or advance in their careers, and workers who are underemployed or currently working part-time.

2. Veterans Priority for Participants

The Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-288) requires grantees to provide priority of service for 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 can be found at 20 CFR part 1010. In circumstances where a grant recipient must choose between two qualified candidates for a service, one of whom is a veteran or eligible spouse, the veterans priority of service provisions require that the grant recipient give the veteran or eligible spouse priority of service by first providing him or her that service. To obtain priority of service, a veteran or spouse must meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Grantees must comply with DOL guidance on veterans’ priority. ETA’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 (issued November 10, 2009) provides guidance on implementing priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in all qualified job training programs funded in whole or in part by DOL. TEGL No. 10- 09 is available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816.

http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2816

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

A. How to Obtain an Application Package

This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

Proposals submitted in response to this SGA must consist of three separate and distinct parts: (I) a cost proposal; (II) a technical proposal; and (III) attachments to the technical proposal. Applications that do not contain all of the three parts or that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.

Part I. The Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal must include the following items:

SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp). 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 shall be considered the authorized representative of the applicant. All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S®) number, and must supply their D-U-N-S® Number on the SF-424. The D- U-N-S® Number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. If you do not have a D-U-N-S® Number, you can get one for free through the D&B website:

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do.

The SF-424A Budget Information Form (available at http://www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_repository_information.jsp). In preparing the Budget Information Form, the applicant 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.

Note that the entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) must be included on the SF-424 and SF-424A and budget narrative. No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF-424 and SF-424A. The amount listed on the SF-424, SF-424A and budget narrative must be the same. Please note, the funding amount included on the SF-424 will be considered the official funding amount requested if any inconsistencies are found. Applications that fail to provide an SF-424 including D-U-N-S® Number, SF-424A, and a budget narrative will be considered non-responsive and not reviewed.

Regardless of the method of application submission, all applicants must register with the Federal Central Contractor Registry (CCR) before submitting an application. Step-by-step instructions for registering with CCR can be found at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step2.jsp. An awardee must maintain an active CCR 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 CCR database after the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and update on an annual basis from the date of http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do initial registration or subsequent updates its information in the CCR 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.

Failure to register with the CCR before application submission will result in your application being found non-responsive and not being reviewed.

Part II. The Technical Proposal. The Technical Proposal must demonstrate the applicant’s capability to implement the grant project in accordance with the provisions of this Solicitation.

The guidelines for the content of the Technical Proposal are provided in Section V of this SGA.

The Technical Proposal is limited to 25 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with 12 point text font and 1 inch margins. Any materials beyond the specified page limit will not be read. Applicants should number the Technical Proposal beginning with page number 1.

Applications that do not include Part II, the Technical Proposal, will be considered non-responsive and not reviewed.

Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the Technical Proposal, the applicant must submit the following attachments:

a) The applicant must provide an Abstract, not to exceed two pages, which will serve as a summary of the grant and will be shared publicly, and which includes the following sections: 1) the applicant’s name and a clear designation of the eligibility category (identified in Section III.A) the applicant is applying under; 2) the applicant’s city/state; 3) a list of at least six proposed communities to be served by the applicant;

4) the project name; 5) the funding level requested; 6) a brief description of the overall proposed project; 7) the targeted industry(ies) and/or occupations and related credentials; 8) the populations to be served; 9) the required employers and invested partner(s) and; 10) public contact information where grantee wants public inquires to be addressed (may be an email, website, or phone number).

b) Each applicant must submit one signed letter of commitment from each community that includes signatures from the employer(s)/industry organization(s) and the invested partners(s) as required in Section III.C.1 of the SGA . The letter must confirm the commitment of each required partner to fulfill their responsibilities during the life of the grant as outlined in the project work plan which is part of the technical proposal (see Section V.A.2.ii). The letters of commitment should not reiterate the activities and other details of the work plan. Each applicant must submit at least six commitment letters representing each community in the proposal.

c) For non-profit applicants, a copy of the most recent (not older than 18 months) IRS Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (without attachments or schedules).

Applications that do not include these required attachments will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.

Only those attachments listed above as required attachments will be excluded from the page limit. The required attachments must be affixed as separate, clearly identified appendices to the application. Additional materials such as résumé or general letters of support or commitment will not be considered.

Applicants should not send documents separately to ETA, because documents received separately will be tracked through a different system and will not be attached to the application for review. ETA will not accept general letters of support submitted by organizations or individuals that are not partners in the proposed project and that do not directly identify the specific commitment or roles of the project partners. Support letters of this nature will not be considered in the evaluation review process.

C. Submission Date, Times, Process and Addresses

The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is March 29, 2011.

Applications may be submitted electronically on http://www.grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or hand delivery (including overnight delivery). Hard copy applications must be received at the address below no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications submitted on grants.gov must also be successfully submitted (as described below) no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted.

Applicants submitting proposals in hard copy must submit an original signed application (including the SF-424) and one (1) ‘‘copy-ready’’ version free of bindings, staples or protruding tabs to ease in the reproduction of the proposal by DOL. Applicants submitting proposals in hard copy are also required to provide an identical electronic copy of the proposal on compact disc (CD). If discrepancies between the hard copy submission and CD copy are identified, the application on the CD will be considered the official applicant submission for evaluation purposes. Failure to provide identical applications in hard copy and CD format may have an impact on the overall evaluation.

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

Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice will be considered non-responsive. No exceptions to the mailing and delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted. Further, documents submitted separately from the application, before or after the deadline, will not be accepted as part of the application.

Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 10-07, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. Applicants are advised that mail delivery in the Washington area may be delayed due to mail decontamination procedures. Hand-delivered proposals will be received at the above address. All overnight mail will be considered to be hand-delivered and must be received at the designated place by the specified closing date and time.

Applications that are submitted through Grants.gov must be successfully submitted at http://www.grants.gov no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then subsequently validated by Grants.gov. The submission and validation process is described in more detail below. The process can be complicated and time-consuming. Applicants are strongly advised to initiate the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems if necessary.

The Department strongly recommends that before the applicant begins to write the proposal, applicants should immediately initiate and complete the “Get Registered” registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. Applicants should read through the registration process carefully before registering. These steps may take as much as four weeks to complete, and this time should be factored into plans for electronic submission in order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application. The site also contains registration checklists to help you walk through the process. The Department strongly recommends that applicants download the “Organization Registration Checklist” at http://www.grants.gov/assets/Organization_Steps_Complete_Registration.pdf and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last minute searches for required information and save time.

As described above, applicants must have a D–U–N–S® Number and must register with the Federal Central Contractor Registry (CCR).

The next step in the registration process is creating a username and password with Grants.gov to become an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). AORs will need to know the D-U-N-S® Number of the organization for which they will be submitting applications to complete this process. To read more detailed instructions for creating a profile on Grants.gov visit: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step3.jsp.

After creating a profile on Grants.gov, the E-Biz point of Contact (E-Biz POC) - a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for CCR – will receive an email to grant the AOR permission to submit applications on behalf of their organization. The E-Biz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and approve an applicant as the AOR, thereby giving him or her permission to submit applications. To learn more about AOR Authorization visit:

http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step5.jsp, or to track AOR status visit:

http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step6.jsp.

An application submitted through Grants.gov constitutes a submission as an electronically signed application. The registration and account creation with Grants.gov, with E- Biz POC approval, establishes an AOR. When you submit the application through Grants.gov, the name of your AOR on file will be inserted into the signature line of the application.

Applicants must register the individual who is able to make legally binding commitments for the applicant organization as the AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submissions.

When a registered applicant submits an application with Grants.gov, an electronic time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. Within two business days of application submission, Grants.gov will send the applicant two email messages to provide the status of the application’s progress through the system. The first email, sent almost immediately, will contain a tracking number and will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The second email will indicate the application has either been successfully validated or has been rejected due to errors. Only applications that have been successfully submitted by the deadline and subsequently successfully validated will be considered. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure a timely submission. While it is not required that an application be successfully validated before the deadline for submission, it is prudent to reserve time before the deadline in case it is necessary to resubmit an application that has not been successfully validated. Therefore, sufficient time should be allotted for submission (two business days) and, if applicable, additional time to address errors and receive validation upon resubmission (an additional two business days for each ensuing submission). It is important to note that if sufficient time is not allotted and a rejection notice is received after the due date and time, the application will not be considered.

To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .xls, .rtf, or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent us from considering the application. ETA will attempt to open the document but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening. In such cases, the non-conforming application will not be considered for funding.

We strongly advise applicants to use the various tools and documents, including FAQs, which are available on the “Applicant Resources” page at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp.

ETA encourages new prospective applicants to view the online tutorial, “Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants,” available through Workforce3One at: http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit. This toolkit provides applicants with an interactive, self-paced overview of ETA’s grant making and evaluation processes. The toolkit also includes a tutorial on the grant application process, an annotated sample SGA, and helpful resources and tips to help applicants develop their applications.

To receive updated information about critical issues, new tips for users and other time sensitive updates as information is available, applicants may subscribe to “Grants.gov Updates” at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription_signup.jsp.

If applicants encounter a problem with Grants.gov and do not find an answer in any of the other resources, call 1-800-518-4726 to speak to a Customer Support Representative or email “support@grants.gov”. The Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It is closed on federal holidays.

Late Applications: For applications submitted on Grants.gov, only applications that have been successfully submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date and then successfully validated will be considered. Applicants take a significant risk by waiting to the last day to submit by Grants.gov.

Any hard copy application received after the exact date and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made, it was properly addressed, and it was: (a) sent by U.S. Postal Service mail, postmarked not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified for receipt of applications (e.g., an application required to be received by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of that month); or (b) sent by professional overnight delivery service to the addressee not later than one working day before the date specified for receipt of applications.