Notice of availability of funds; solicitation for grant
applications (SGA 03-13). [06/06/2003]
Volume 68, Number 109, Page 33969-33989
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Disability Employment Policy
[SGA 03-13]
Customized Employment Grants Initiative
AGENCY: Office of Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds; solicitation for grant
applications (SGA 03-13).
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This notice contains all of the necessary information and forms
needed to apply for grant funding. (SGA 03-13)
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or the Department), Office
of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) announces the availability of
$2.5 million to award up to five competitive grants ranging from
approximately $500,000 to $750,000 for strategic planning and
implementation activities designed to improve the employment and career
advancement of people with disabilities through enhanced availability
and provision of customized employment services through the One-Stop
delivery system established under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998
(WIA) (Pub. L. 105-220, 29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.).
The purpose of this Customized Employment Grant Initiative, begun
by ODEP in FY'01 and continued in FY'02, is to provide funds to
selected Local Workforce Investment Boards (Local Boards), or, if
appropriate, the WIA grant recipient or fiscal agent for the local area
on behalf of the Local Board. The Local Board will be the lead entity
in a consortium/partnership of public and private entities, to build
the capacity in local One-Stop Centers to provide customized employment
services to those persons with disabilities who may not now be
regularly targeted for services by the One-Stop Center system. Grants
funded under this program will also provide a vehicle for Local Boards
to systemically review their policies and practices in terms of service
to persons with disabilities, and to incorporate new and innovative
practices, as appropriate.
Grants are for a one-year period and may be renewed for a period of
up to four additional years at varying funding levels depending upon
the availability of funds and the efficacy of the project activities.
See also Parts IV, IX.
The applicants scoring the highest when evaluated pursuant to the
criteria set forth in Part VII, in conjunction with considerations by
the Grant Officer delineated in Part IX of this Solicitation for Grant
Application will be awarded Customized Employment Grants.
Eligibility: Eligible applicants for these grants are Local
Workforce Investment Boards (Local Boards) or if appropriate, the
Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (Pub. L. 105-220, 29 U.S.C. 2801 et
seq.) grant recipient or fiscal agent for the local area on behalf of
the local board under the Workforce Investment Act. The Local Board may
enter into numerous partnerships with other public and private
entities, consistent with the proposed activities of the grant.
DATES: Applications will be accepted commencing on June 6, 2003. The
closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is
July 21, 2003. Applications must be received by 4:45 p.m. (ET) at the
address below. No exceptions to the mailing and hand-delivery
conditions set forth in this notice will be granted. Applications that
do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice will be considered
non-responsive.
ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to: U.S. Department of Labor,
Procurement Services Center, Attention: Cassandra Willis, Reference SGA
03-13, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.
Telefacsimile (FAX) applications will not be accepted. Applicants are
advised that mail in the Washington area may be delayed due to mail
decontamination procedures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cassandra Willis, U.S. Department of
Labor, Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is
not a toll-free number), prior to the closing deadline. Persons who are
deaf or hard of hearing may contact ODEP via the Federal Relay Service,
(800) 877-8339. This announcement will also be published on the
Internet on ODEP's online Home Page at: http://www2.dol.gov/odep. Award
notifications will also be published on the ODEP homepage.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Part I. Delivery of Applications
1. Late Applications. Any application received after the exact date
and time specified for receipt at the office designated in this notice
will be considered non-responsive, unless it is received before awards
are made and it (a) is determined that its late receipt was caused by
DOL error; (b) was sent by U.S. Postal Service registered or certified
mail not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified
for receipt of applications (e.g., an application submitted in response
to a solicitation requiring receipt of applications by the 20th of the
month must have been post marked by the 15th of that month); or (c) was
sent by the U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day Service to
addressee not later than 5 p.m. at the place of mailing two working
days prior to the date specified for receipt of applications. The term
``working days'' excludes weekends and Federal holidays. ``Post
marked'' means a printed, stamped or otherwise placed impression
(exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily
identifiable, without further action, as having been supplied or
affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal
Service.
2. Withdrawal of Applications. Applications may be withdrawn by
written notice or telegram (including mail gram) received at any time
before an award is made. Applications may be withdrawn in person by the
applicant or by an authorized representative thereof, if the
representative's identity is made known and the representative signs a
receipt of the proposal.
3. Hand-delivered proposals. It is preferred that applications be
mailed at least five days prior to the closing date. To be considered
for funding, hand-delivered applications must be received by 4:45 p.m.,
ET, at the specified address. Failure to adhere to the above
instructions will be basis for a determination of non-responsiveness.
Overnight express mail from carriers other than the U.S. Postal Service
will be considered hand-delivered applications and must be received by
the above specified date and time.
Part II. Authority
Omnibus Appropriations Resolution, 2003, Public Law 1087;
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-554, 29 U.S.C.
557b.
Part III. Background
The President's New Freedom Initiative is designed to increase the
number of people with disabilities who enter, reenter, and remain in
the workforce. It is dedicated to increasing investment in and access
to assistive technologies, a quality education, and increasing the
integration of Americans with disabilities into the workforce and
community life. The WIA provides the infrastructure for streamlining
services
[[Page 33970]]
and securing employment through the One-Stop delivery system.
WIA provides a system in which multiple programs and agencies
(including state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies) to: (a) Form
partnerships in this effort; (b) share expertise and coordinate
resources; and (c) provide services to assist people in gaining and
retaining employment. The One-Stop Career Centers that comprise this
system are in a position to expand employment opportunities for people
with disabilities, thus ensuring that the intent of the New Freedom
Initiative is accomplished.
Under WIA, collaboration with multiple required partners \1\ is
intended to create a coordinated and streamlined system for the
customer seeking employment. It is essential to involve additional
state or local programs as partners with the One-Stop Center to enable
people with disabilities to have increased employment opportunities and
choice in employment. These additional programs include, but are not
limited to, state programs for Mental Retardation and Developmental
Disabilities, Medicaid, Mental Health and Transportation; State
Councils for Developmental Disabilities; state assistive technology
programs, Small Business Development Centers and secondary education
programs. While not required partners under WIA, these programs have
expertise and/or resources that can contribute to expanding employment
and business opportunities for people with disabilities.
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\1\ Some of the required partners are adult education and
literacy activities under Title II of WIA; post-secondary vocational
education activities under the Carl Perkins Act (20 U.S.C. 2301 et
seq.); vocational rehabilitation programs authorized under Title V
of the Workforce Investment Act; welfare-to-work programs; veterans
employment and training activities, community services block grant
employment and training activities; U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development employment and training activities; and activities
authorized under Title V of the Older Americans Act (WIA sec.
121(b), 29 U.S.C.A. 2841(b), 20 CFR 662.200).
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In addition, community colleges, University Centers for Excellence
in Developmental Disabilities, business incubators, lending
institutions, foundations, faith-based and community organizations, and
other state or local programs may also be critical partners. These
agencies and programs may not be informed about the potential for
coordinating resources and expertise with Local Workforce Investment
Boards and One-Stop Centers to increase employment, choice and wages
for people with disabilities.
In addition, One-Stop Centers may elect to become employment
networks under the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Ticket-to-
Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (42 U.S.C. 1320b-19 et
seq.) (TTW), thus making it more likely that they will require
expertise in customized employment strategies to successfully
facilitate employment for people with disabilities who are recipients
of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI). The TTW is providing increased employment
opportunities for people with disabilities who receive SSI and/or SSDI
benefits by addressing some of the major barriers encountered by these
individuals as they attempt to gain or regain employment. Approximately
eight million people with disabilities receive SSI and/or SSDI
benefits. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, less than
one percent of these individuals leave the rolls each year as a result
of paid employment. About one-third of those who do leave the SSI and/
or SSDI roles typically return within three years.
The TTW program provides a variety of work incentives, including
greater choices of needed employment services, the continuation of
Medicare eligibility for SSDI recipients and, at the state's option,
health coverage under the Medicaid program to certain workers with
disabilities, either by permitting them to purchase Medicaid coverage
or by extending Medicaid eligibility to them without charge. As a
result, there is unprecedented opportunity for these individuals to
enter, or return to the workforce.
Therefore, increasing numbers of individuals with disabilities will
be approaching their local One-Stop Centers for assistance.
Many strategies exist for securing integrated, competitive
employment for people with disabilities, including people who
previously might have been considered ``nonfeasible'' for employment,
and people who have been segregated in institutions, nursing homes, and
day activity programs.
Many exemplary practices and promising strategies have emerged
through decades of research and demonstration projects, and through
other public and private activities promoting increased choice and
self-determination for people with disabilities. These include a
variety of approaches such as:
[sbull] Supported employment;
[sbull] Supported entrepreneurship;
[sbull] Individualized job development;
[sbull] Job carving and restructuring;
[sbull] Use of personal agents (including individuals with
disabilities and family members);
[sbull] Development of micro-boards, micro-enterprises,
cooperatives and small businesses; and
[sbull] Use of personal budgets and other forms of individualized
funding that provide choice and control to the person and promote self-
determination.
These and other innovations hold the promise of dramatically
increasing both employment and wages for people with disabilities, in
part by increasing their choices for integrated, competitive
employment, business ownership, micro-enterprise development,
entrepreneurship, and other employment options that were previously
seldom available.
An important focus of these innovations has been on providing non-
stereotypical jobs that provide increased earnings, benefits, and
career advancement potential for people with significant disabilities.
There is a substantial need for a sustained and coordinated initiative
to build professional competency within One-Stop Centers and their
partners, including service providers and employers, about the use of
such customized employment strategies.
Additionally there is a need to:
(1) Effectively expand the availability of personal agents, job
development expertise, and other strategies for achieving customized
employment for people with disabilities;
(2) Increase the number of eligible training providers who register
with the local One-Stop Career Center with expertise in providing
customized employment assistance, including faith-based and community
organizations that have expertise in supporting families and
individuals;
(3) Provide information, technical assistance, training and
strategic planning that focuses on integrating customized employment
strategies into the workforce investment system;
(4) Develop ongoing linkages with employers, professional and
business service organizations and trade associations and market to
employers the abilities of people with disabilities to work in a
variety of jobs;
(5) Coordinate all necessary employment and related supports from
WIA partners and other essential programs that are not required
partners under WIA; and,
(6) Research and demonstrate alternative methods of determining
effective performance by the workforce investment system in terms of
service to people with disabilities.
[[Page 33971]]
This SGA is designed to award strategic planning and implementation
grants for customized employment to develop and/or expand the capacity
of local workforce systems to provide meaningful and effective
opportunity through One-Stops for all persons with disabilities. This
SGA will lead to the development of comprehensive models of direct
service delivery in the context of a One-Stop setting for individuals
with disabilities with the greatest barriers to employment, many of
whom have never been employed, have been limited to subsidized
employment, are underemployed, or may be considered by some as unable
to be employed. The Customized Employment grants will involve cutting
edge approaches such as use of customized employment strategies and
active involvement of essential programs of both mandated and non-
mandated partners of the workforce system.
The result of these efforts will be an increase in employment,
choice, and wages for people with disabilities through the use of
customized employment, and the systemic evaluation and modification, as
appropriate, of policies and practices to ensure that customized
employment strategies for people with disabilities are systemically
included in the services available through the One-Stop Centers.
The U.S. Department of Labor also offers Work Incentive Grants
through its Employment and Training Administration. The Work Incentive
Grants are designed to enhance service delivery throughout the National
One-Stop delivery system for people with disabilities. The Work
Incentive Grants are complementary yet distinct from the Customized
Employment demonstration grants offered in this SGA. The Work Incentive
Grants support systemic change through capacity building of the One-
Stop infrastructure, whereas these Customized Employment Grants will
serve as models of comprehensive service delivery that extend beyond
WIA programs and provide services for individuals with disabilities who
are the most disenfranchised under current service delivery systems.
Part IV. Funding Availability and Period of Performance
ODEP anticipates awarding approximately up to five competitive
grants ranging from $500,000 to $750,000, to develop demonstration
programs to support the development and coordination of customized
community employment opportunities in non-stereotypical jobs for people
with disabilities. This grant initiative is founded in the belief that
in order to fully participate in community life, individuals with
disabilities must have the opportunity for employment.
These demonstration grants will be awarded for one year, with four
additional option years possible, depending upon the availability of
funds and the efficacy of grant activities, established by independent
reviews conducted by ODEP or its designees. It is envisioned that if
funding continues for the full five years, the funding for years four
and five will be at successively lower rates with funding during year
four at 80 percent of the third year funds, and funding during year
five at 60 percent of the third year funds. Grantees are expected to
use this grant to leverage and develop other public and private
resources to ensure sustainability, and the extent to which the
application demonstrates such sustainability is an important rating
criterion for this competition.
Funds shall not be used for modifying buildings or equipment for
physical accessibility, although the strategic planning should address
how resources will be leveraged for such purposes from other sources,
as appropriate.
Part V. Eligible Applicants and Required Partnerships
Eligible applicants: Eligible applicants for these grants are
restricted to Local Workforce Investment Boards (Local Boards) or, if
appropriate, the WIA grant recipient or fiscal agent for the local area
on behalf of the Local Board as established under WIA. The Local Board
may coordinate numerous partnerships with other public and private
entities, consistent with proposed activities of the grant and
applicable administrative requirements. Local Boards are encouraged to
form partnerships with other state and local entities and public and
private non-profit organizations, including faith-based and community
organizations.
Indian and Native American Tribal entities, or consortia of Tribes,
with the written approval of their tribal council, are also eligible to
receive these grants. Grants to Indian and Native American tribal
grantees must recognize principles of sovereignty and self-governance
established under the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act, allowing for the government-to-government relationship
between the Federal and Tribal Governments. Such an application could
involve coordination of services and enhancement to a One-Stop system
approach for people with disabilities in a specific Indian community or
covering multiple Tribal entities that may cut across multiple States
and/or workforce investment areas.
Required partnerships: The purpose of this initiative is to
maximize the capacity of, and outcomes from, One-Stop Centers and their
partners to effectively serve people with disabilities through
customized employment strategies, and to integrate those strategies
into the policy and practice of the One-Stop and its partners in order
to increase employment, choice and wages for people with disabilities.
These efforts must include the involvement of many key partners,
especially those with direct involvement in their area's One-Stop
Career Centers.
For purposes of this solicitation, the target groups are people
with disabilities who are either unemployed or under-employed and are:
(1) Receiving Supplementary Security Income (SSI) and/or Social
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); or
(2) Participating in day programs (such as day habilitation, day
activity or day health programs) or participating in facility-based or
community employment and earning less than minimum wage; or
(3) Participating in segregated employment and choosing to move to
integrated, competitive employment; or
(4) Awaiting employment services and supports following a move from
a residential facility, or as part of a plan to move into a community
under the Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. by Zimring, 527
U.S. 581(1999); or
(5) Transitioning from, or preparing to transition from, secondary
school under a transition plan under part B of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), and
who, without access to customized employment strategies, would likely
be referred to one of the environments identified in (2), (3) or (4)
above, but who prefer integrated, competitive employment or self-
employment.
In addition, this program is subject to the provisions of the
``Jobs for Veterans Act,'' Public Law 107-288, which provides priority
of service to veterans and certain of their spouses in all Department
of Labor-funded job training programs. Please note that, to obtain
priority of service, a veteran must meet that program's eligibility
requirements. Comprehensive policy guidance is being developed and will
be issued in the near future.
As Local Boards, through their local One-Stop Center are required
to coordinate and to form partnerships with other state and local
entities and public and private non-profit
[[Page 33972]]
organizations, grant applications must include proposed methods for
coordinating efforts with a wide variety of state agencies or entities.
Some of the agencies and organizations that should be considered
for inclusion are:
[sbull] State programs for Vocational Rehabilitation;
[sbull] Mental Health, Medicaid, Mental Retardation/Developmental
Disabilities,
[sbull] Housing and/or Transportation;
[sbull] State Councils on Developmental Disabilities;
[sbull] Protection and Advocacy Programs;
[sbull] University Centers for Excellence in Developmental
Disabilities;
[sbull] Institutions of higher education;
[sbull] Centers for Independent Living (CIL);
[sbull] Disability advocacy and provider organizations;
[sbull] Organizations of parents;
[sbull] Federally-funded disability grant entities;
[sbull] Small Business Development Centers;
[sbull] Cooperatives and micro-enterprises;
[sbull] Lending and financial institutions;
[sbull] Training programs;
[sbull] Media and marketing agencies;
[sbull] Employers;
[sbull] Foundations;
[sbull] Grass roots, industry, and faith-based and community
organizations;
[sbull] As well as other organizations or programs that provide or
support services and/or advocacy for people with disabilities.
Letters of support and commitment from these programs may be
included in the Appendix of the proposal.
Part VI. Format Requirements for Grant Application
General requirements: Applicants must submit one (1) paper copy
with an original signature and two (2) additional paper copies of their
signed proposal. To aid with the review of applications, DOL also
encourages Applicants to submit an electronic copy of their proposal on
a disc or CD using Microsoft Word. Applicants who do not provide an
electronic copy will not be penalized. The Application Narrative must
be double-spaced with standard one-inch margins (top, bottom, and
sides) on 8\1/2\ x 11 papers, and be presented on single-sided,
numbered pages with the exception of format requirements for the
Executive Summary. The Executive Summary must be limited to no more
than two single-spaced, single-sided pages on 8\1/2\ x 11 papers with
standard one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides) throughout. A font
size of at least twelve (12) pitch is required throughout. Applications
that fail to meet these requirements will be considered non-responsive.
The three required sections of the application are:
Section I--Project Financial Plan
Section II--Executive Summary--Project Synopsis
Section III--Project Narrative (including Attachments, not to exceed
seventy-five (75) pages)
Mandatory requirements for each section are provided as follows in
this application package. Applications that fail to meet the stated
mandatory requirements of each section will be considered non-
responsive.
Mandatory application requirements: Section I. Project Financial
Plan (Budget) [The Project Financial Plan will not count against the
application page limits.] Section I of the application must include the
following three required parts:
(1) Completed ``SF 424--Application for Federal Assistance'' (See
Appendix A of this SGA for required form)
(2) Completed ``SF-424A--Budget Information Form'' by line item for
all costs required to implement the project design effectively. (See
Appendix B of this SGA for required forms.)
(3) Budget Narrative and Justification that provides sufficient
information to support the reasonableness of the costs included in the
budget in relation to the service strategy and planned outcomes.
The application must include one SF-424 with the original
signatures of the legal entity applying for grant funding and 2
additional copies. Applicants shall indicate on the SF-424 the
organization's IRS Status, if applicable. Under the Lobbying Disclosure
Act of 1995, section 18 (29 U.S.C. 1611), an organization described in
section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engages in
lobbying activities will not be eligible for the receipt of Federal
funds constituting an award, grant, or loan. [See 2 U.S.C. 1611; 26
U.S.C. 501(c)(4).] For item 10 of the SF-424, the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for the program is 17.720.
The Budget Narrative and Justification must describe all costs
associated with implementing the project that are to be covered with
grant funds. Grantees must support the travel and associated costs with
sending at least one representative to the annual ODEP Policy
Conference for Grantees, to be held in Washington, DC at a time and
place to be determined. Grantees must comply with the ``Uniform
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to
State and Local Governments,'' (also known as the ``Common Rule'')
codified at 29 CFR part 97, and ``Grants and Agreements with Institutes
of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations''
(also known as OMB Circular A-110), codified at 29 CFR part 95 and must
comply with the applicable OMB cost principles circulars, as identified
in 29 CFR 95.27 and 29 CFR 97.22(b).
Grantees may use funds in a flexible manner, as determined
appropriate by input from stakeholders and identified needs, so long as
requirements for outcome and evaluation data and other requirements of
Federal statutes, regulations, administrative requirements, and OMB
circulars and the requirements delineated in this SGA are met.
In addition, the budget must include on a separate page a detailed
cost analysis of each line item. Justification for administrative costs
must be provided. Approval of a budget by DOL is not the same as the
approval of actual costs. The individual signing the SF-424 on behalf
of the applicant must represent and be able to legally bind the
responsible financial and administrative entity for a grant should that
application result in an award. The applicant must also include the
Assurances and Certifications Signature Page (Appendix C).
[sbull] Section II. Executive Summary--Project Synopsis [The
Executive Summary is limited to no more than two single-spaced, single-
sided pages on 8\1/2\ x 11 papers with standard margins throughout].
Each application shall include a project synopsis that identifies the
following:
[sbull] The applicant;
[sbull] The amount of funds requested;
[sbull] The planned period of performance;
[sbull] The list of partners, as appropriate;
[sbull] An overview of how the applicant will identify the
population to be served (including the estimated number and types of
disability), the environments such individuals are currently
experiencing (such as institutions, nursing homes, segregated day
programs, etc.), and methods that will be used to promote community
employment, including customized employment strategies listed in this
SGA; and
[sbull] An overview of the plan for sustainability once Federal
funding ceases.
[sbull] Section III. Project Narrative [The Project Narrative plus
attachments are limited to no more than seventy-five (75), 8\1/2\ x 11
pages, double-spaced with standard one-inch margins (top, bottom, and
sides), and must be presented on
[[Page 33973]]
single-sided, numbered pages]. (Note: The Financial Plan, the Executive
Summary, and the Appendices are not included in the seventy-five (75)
page limit). The requirements for the project narrative are described
below under Part VII--Statement of Work.
All text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs must be double-spaced (no more than three
lines per vertical inch); and, if using a proportional computer font,
use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average character density
no greater than 18 characters per inch (if using a non-proportional
font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12 characters per inch).
Applications that fail to meet these requirements will be considered
non-responsive.
Part VII. Government Requirements/Statement of Work (Project Narrative)
The purpose of this initiative is to maximize the capacity of, and
outcomes from, One-Stop Centers and their partners to effectively serve
people with disabilities through customized employment strategies, and
to integrate those strategies into the policy and practice of the One-
Stop and its partners in order to increase employment, choice and wages
for people with disabilities. These efforts must include the
involvement of many key partners, including those with direct
involvement in their area's One-Stop Career Centers, as described in
Section V above.
For purposes of this solicitation, ODEP has specifically targeted
the development and provision of customized employment to those people
with disabilities identified in Part V.
ODEP expects that once capacity for using customized employment
strategies is developed or enhanced, the One-Stop Centers and their
partners will expand use of these strategies to other groups of people
with (and without) disabilities.
For purposes of this solicitation, customized employment means
individualizing the employment relationship between employees and
employers in ways that meet the needs of both. It is based on an
individualized determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of
the person with a disability, and is also designed to meet the specific
needs of the employer. It may include approaches such as supported
employment; supported entrepreneurship; individualized job development;
job carving and restructuring; use of personal agents (including
individuals with disabilities and family members); development of
micro-boards, micro-enterprises, cooperatives and small businesses; and
use of personal budgets and other forms of individualized funding that
provide choice and control to the person and promote self-
determination. These and other job development or restructuring
strategies result in job responsibilities being customized and
individually negotiated to fit the needs of individuals with a
disability. Customized employment assumes the provision of reasonable
accommodations and supports necessary for the individual to perform the
functions of a job that is individually negotiated and developed.
Each applicant for these grants shall describe its plan for
expanding capacity for, and provision of, customized employment
opportunities to the target groups as defined in Part V above. Upon the
commencement of a grant, grantees must begin a strategic planning and
implementation process that will address multiple components of needed
change. Planning, implementation and ongoing evaluation for continuous
improvements are expected to be implemented from year one in
recognition that dynamic planning will occur and evolve over time. By
the end of year five, it is expected that a more long-term strategic
plan will be in place for expanding the availability of customized
employment, and for systemically revising policies and practices
consistent with this goal.
The Project Narrative, or Section III of the grant application,
should provide complete information on how the applicant will address
the following DOL priorities for fiscal year 2003:
(1) Increase the availability of skill training, employment
opportunities and career advancement for persons with disabilities; and
(2) Develop comprehensive One-Stop Centers, which are welcoming and
are valued providers of choice by customers with disabilities seeking
workforce assistance by assuring the availability of staff trained on
disability issues, personalized employment counseling, knowledgeable
support that addresses employment barriers and work incentives and the
availability of accommodations and technologies for diverse disability
needs.
Proposals will be rated based upon the quality of the applicant's
response in addressing the four criteria described below in terms of a
comprehensive strategic approach that addresses ODEP's priorities noted
above. The four criteria (Statement of Need/National Significance,
Comprehensive Service Strategy, Sustainability, and Management Plan and
Outcomes) MUST be addressed and the applicant's goals, accomplishments
or status with regard to each item provided.
ODEP, however, does not expect the applicant to fully incorporate
every item listed as part of their strategy and proposal design. ODEP
recognizes that the needs and requirements of each state and community
may be different, and therefore, some of the options identified may be
more relevant than others in a particular state or community.
2. Statement of Need /Significance of the Project (15 points)
The purpose of the Statement of Need is to establish the overall
status of disability issues relevant to the targeted population in the
applicant's state; to identify strengths and deficiencies to be
addressed by the applicant's proposal; to identify the overall scope of
the proposal's objectives and design; to present the applicant's need
for the grant resources; to demonstrate significance of the proposed
project; and to demonstrate the development or demonstration of
promising new strategies, practices, or innovations. This criteria will
be rated upon the applicant's needs identified and proposed approaches
to addressing the needs in the context of the Department's priorities.
The narrative in this section should include information that
demonstrates:
(1) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increase
knowledge or understanding of problems, issues, or effective strategies
for local workforce boards and other required and potential partners to
use customized employment strategies to increase employment, choice and
wages, and influence systems change in the local workforce system.
(2) The extent to which the applicant has an understanding of the
issues the state and proposed geographic area are currently facing in
their overall Customized Employment implementation efforts;
(3) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to yield
findings that may be used by other appropriate agencies and
organizations;
(4) The extent to which the proposed project involves the
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on,
or are alternatives to, existing strategies;
(5) The extent to which the promising practices of the proposed
project are to be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use
the information or strategies;
(6) The potential replicability (national significance) of the
proposed project or strategies, including, as appropriate, the
potential for
[[Page 33974]]
implementation in a variety of settings; and
(7) The importance or magnitude of the outcomes, which are likely
to be attained by the proposed project.
In evaluating the quality of the proposal narrative, ODEP will
consider needs identified and the applicant's proposed approaches to
addressing the needs in the context of ODEP's priorities.
2. Comprehensive Service Strategy (30 points)
The purpose of the Comprehensive Service Strategy criteria is to
identify the approach proposed by the applicant to implement the
Customized Employment grant. The strategy should implement the purpose
and objectives of this SGA to enhance the capacity of the workforce
investment system to increase employment, choice and wages for persons
with disabilities through the use of customized employment strategies
and to ensure that such strategies are systemically included in the
policy and practice of the One-Stop Center(s).
Proposed Project Design and Its Evaluation--the application must
address the proposed design for the Customized Employment grant
including its response to the requirements outlined in Part V (Eligible
Applicants and Required Partnerships) of this Solicitation.
The Project Design must:
(1) Develop strategic planning and implementation activities across
the One-Stop required partner programs as identified in the WIA (such
as Vocational Rehabilitation and others as appropriate) as well as
other essential programs (such as Medicaid, Medicare, Mental Health,
Transportation, Small Business Development Centers, State Councils on
Developmental Disabilities, community colleges, benefits counseling and
assistance programs, lending and financial institutions), whose
expertise, services, and funds could contribute to employment services
and supports needed by people with disabilities in order to secure
customized employment. Planning activities must include a review of
policy and practice as it relates to people with disabilities to
provide customized employment for persons with disabilities. Such
capacity includes enhancing collaboration between required WIA partners
and building new collaborative initiatives with other essential
programs;
(2) Develop local and statewide policy initiatives to ensure that
customized employment and multiple innovative strategies and promising
practices become part of the menu of services available to people with
disabilities, including investigating alternative methods for
performance accountability that consider the characteristics of the
population;
(3) Develop employment opportunities in a variety of jobs,
industries and at a variety of levels, including self-employment and
entrepreneurship, based on the strengths, needs and desires of the
individual with a disability as well as creating and cultivating demand
for these opportunities by forging and developing relationships with
employers. The design must organize services and supports in ways that
provide informed choice and promote self-determination and provide
services, including follow-up services to ensure job retention and
career development;
(4) Develop and document the capacity of the One-Stop system to
increase the wages of people with disabilities who are currently
working at less than minimum wage through the use of customized
employment strategies;
(5) Develop an increased understanding by One-Stop Centers' staff
about health care, work incentives, benefits planning, ``tickets'' and
other provisions under TTW; and document increased use of these
programs by the One-Stop Center and its partner programs to secure
customized employment for recipients of SSI and SSDI who are entering
the workforce or returning to work. This may include registering as an
Employment Network under TTW;
(6) Document the increasing use of resources from a number of
system partners and other essential programs, including providing
individual budgets and other forms of self-directed accounts (e.g.,
individual training accounts or contractual services; tickets;
vouchers; and other sources of individualized funding or personal
funding accounts) for persons with disabilities to obtain customized
employment;
(7) Develop, leverage and document linkages with other state and
local initiatives that provide services and supports for people with
disabilities (including, but not limited to, state systems change
efforts which promote systems improvement and comprehensive
coordination; initiatives involving health care; benefits planning and
assistance; housing; transportation; education; supported employment;
small business development; technology-related assistance; initiatives
of private foundations; and faith-based and community organization
programs and others, as appropriate);
(8) Establish connections to and collaborate with other entities,
including employers, persons with disabilities, their parents and other
family members, community rehabilitation agencies, lending and
financial institutions, foundations, faith-based and community
organizations, institutions of higher education, small business
development centers and others, as appropriate, to further customized
employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in local
communities. These partners may become a subgroup or an advisory group
of the Local Board. They may be specifically charged with coordinating
funding, resources and expertise to increase customized employment for
people with disabilities in the community and may involve grant design
and implementation;
(9) Educate relevant stakeholders, including state and local
policymakers and systems personnel, about needed changes in policy and
practice in order to increase customized employment and wages for
people with disabilities;
(10) Include education activities to enable customized employment
and personalized supports to become available and used in local
communities, including (as appropriate) activities necessary to secure
adoption of the Medicaid buy-in by the state;
(11) Market and develop ongoing linkages with employers, and their
professional, business and service organizations and trade
associations, as appropriate;
(12) Expand the use of customized employment strategies over time
to:
a. All groups of persons with disabilities targeted under this
solicitation; and
b. Other groups of individuals with disabilities (such as
individuals who are receiving TANF benefits) following completion of
the grant;
(13) Track and respond to customer service and satisfaction for
both persons with disabilities and employers; and
(14) Identify and purse other activities appropriate to achieving
the goals of these grants.
Activities may include the following:
Necessary staffing across agencies to implement grantee activities
and otherwise demonstrate effective partnerships and interactions
necessary to effectively leverage resources and expertise from
partnering systems and programs;
(1) Outreach to relevant stakeholders;
(2) Demonstration activities which provide methods to increase the
employment, choice, and wages of people with disabilities that are
designed for systemic inclusion
[[Page 33975]]
(including but not limited to demonstrating the use of individual
training accounts or contractual services, tickets, and self-directed
individual budgeting initiatives; economic stimulus activities
including low-interest loans for person-centered micro-boards focused
on increasing economic prosperity for specific individuals with
disabilities; entrepreneurial employment initiatives that are consumer-
owned or operated; demonstrations of innovation and cutting-edge
strategies providing personal control, choice and customized assistance
resulting in employment, including business ownership, micro-enterprise
development or development of cooperatives for persons with
disabilities; accessing Individual Development Accounts and financial
literacy training; and other supports needed by specific individuals
with disabilities to increase choice and wages in employment);
(3) Collaboration with the education system, parents, families and
faith-based and community organizations to ensure transition of young
people with disabilities from school to customized employment or
training, and documentation of the outcomes of such efforts;
(4) Training and education activities (including training regarding
Medicaid buy-in provisions and other policies with implications for
increasing employment through state activities) designed to further the
goal of increasing customized employment for persons with disabilities.
These training activities include the education of One-Stop and partner
personnel; educating state systems personnel and policymakers;
developing and disseminating educational information and materials; and
otherwise promoting policy and practice to increase the wide spread
community-based use of customized employment strategies and
personalized supports;
(5) Researching and demonstrating alternative methods of measuring
WIA performance outcomes that consider the various characteristics of
people with disabilities and developing demonstrations of performance
measures that document new methods for measuring program effectiveness;
and coordinating the availability of and access to assistive
technology;
(6) Educating the media and the general public about successful
strategies for and the benefits of securing employment for people with
disabilities. This will assist in obtaining long-term support for
continuation of grantee activities following completion of funding;
(7) Increasing the availability of personal agents and job
development personnel offering customized services through customer-
controlled approaches that result in customized employment (including
demonstrating effectiveness of paying family members or other
individuals with disabilities to serve as personal agents when selected
by the individual with a disability to assist in negotiating and
implementing employment plans and services);
(8) Assisting community providers of segregated employment services
to develop integrated, competitive options for individuals with
disabilities, including implementation of conversion and other
organizational change initiatives conducted with segregated provider
programs that wish to change their services to integrated employment;
and
(9) Other activities necessary to address needs and achieve goals
identified through strategic planning and implementation, including
collection of necessary data and evaluation.
In evaluating the quality of the proposed project design, ODEP's
consideration will be guided by the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
(b) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population and other identified needs and the quality of the
applicant's plans for recruiting and retaining the target population;
(c) The extent to which the design of the proposed project provides
procedures and approaches for collaboration and coordination with key
agencies and organizations and identification of critical roles;
(d) The extent to which the design of the proposed project provides
clear understanding of and experience with utilization of customized
employment strategies for increasing employment, choice and earnings of
individuals with significant disabilities;
(e) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated,
including demonstrated support and commitment from key organizations,
employers, and agencies, including faith-based and community
organizations;
(f) The extent to which the applicant encourages involvement of
people with disabilities and their families, experts and organizations,
and other relevant stakeholders in project activities;
(g) The extent to which the design of the project will facilitate
an increase in the number of faith-based and community organizations
that register as eligible training providers with their local One-Stop
Center.
(h) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.
(i) The extent to which the management plans for project
implementation is likely to achieve the objectives of the proposed
project on time and within budget; and
(j) The extent to which the proposed project design features
innovative strategies to implement customized employment and choice.
3. Sustainability (25 points)
The purpose of the sustainability criteria is to identify
strategies for ensuring that activities funded under the grant will
continue once Federal funding ceases. Resources and partnerships are an
integral element of the project. Sustainability objectives must be
built into the project design and ongoing project operation.
In addition, the applicant should detail how federal, state, and
local public sector commitments contribute to the sustainability of
this project following completion of the grant. Examples of such
commitments could include: Commitment from state vocational
rehabilitation, one-stop center, state developmental disability, state
Medicaid, or state general revenue funding to support expanded
customized employment services for individuals securing employment
through the agency; status as Employment Network under TTW providing
customized employment services to eligible ticket-holders; private
sector funding through foundations, financial or lending agencies, or
other relevant collaborative arrangements for continuing provision and/
or expansion of customized employment services in the community.
To illustrate sustainability planning, the applicant must:
(1) Identify resources and partnerships that are an integral
element of the project. Projects funded under this SGA will be judged
on their ability to leverage a combination of federal, state, and local
public sector resources, as well as local non-profit sector resources
for purposes of sustainability. Accordingly, in this section the
applicant should enumerate these resources, describe any specific
existing contractual commitments, and provide concrete evidence of
sustainability;
(2) Identify activities and in-kind elements of sustained support.
ODEP considers detailed commitments for
[[Page 33976]]
specific new activities as more important than promises of in-kind
supports in showing sustained support for the project. Grants recently
received from another agency can be discussed in the proposal, but the
applicant should be precise about which activities preceded this grant
and which will occur because of the grant; and
(3) Detail how federal, state, and local public sector commitments
contribute to the sustainability of this project following completion
of the grant. Examples of such commitments could include: Commitment
from state vocational rehabilitation, one-stop center, state
developmental disability, state Medicaid, or state general revenue
funding to support expanded customized employment services for
individuals securing employment through the agency; status as
Employment Network under the Ticket to Work and Work Incentive
Improvement Act providing customized employment services to eligible
ticket-holders; private sector funding through foundations, financial
or lending agencies, or other relevant collaborative arrangements for
continuing provision or expansion of customized employment services in
the community.
In evaluating the quality of the plan for sustainability, ODEP
considers the following factors to be of particular importance:
(a) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the grant period,
and the quality of the applicant's plans for implementing the project's
activities in years four and five when Federal funding will be reduced.
(b) The likelihood of the applicant successfully securing state
ownership and participation in these projects when the grant funds
cease.
(c) The extent to which partnerships with outside entities
(including public and private disability and faith-based and community
organizations) and funding from additional federal, state, and local
resources will be effectively leveraged and utilized in continuing the
Customized Employment activities after the expiration of this grant.
Letters of Commitment: Applicants can include letters of support if
they provide specific commitments. Such letters can increase an
applicant's score by showing that the commitments in the text of the
proposal are serious. Form letters will not be considered. See also
Part V.
4. Management and Outcomes (30 points)
The purpose of the Management and Outcomes criteria is to determine
whether the applicant has developed an adequate management plan to
effectively carry out the objectives and scope of the proposed project
on time and within budget, to describe the predicted outcomes resulting
from activities funded under this SGA, and to identify the ``methods of
evaluation'' that will be used by the grantee to determine success.
Applicants should provide a detailed management plan, which
identifies the critical activities, time frames, milestones for
accomplishing grant activities and responsibilities for effectively
implementing the project, including the evaluation process for assuring
successful implementation of grant objectives. Funds must be used in a
flexible manner, as determined appropriate by input from stakeholders
and identified needs.
In addition, applicants should outline the strategy for documenting
and reporting the activities undertaken during the life of the grant
for ODEP's future use in working with other grantees and
constituencies.
Staff Capacity--The applicant must identify how it will ensure that
trained staff are available to provide grant related services who have
adequate knowledge of diverse disabilities, knowledge of diverse
customized employment strategies, and employment-related experience for
the target population. Resumes must be included in the Appendices.
The application must:
(1) Describe the proposed staffing of the project. Identify how it
will ensure that trained staff with adequate knowledge of diverse
disabilities, knowledge of diverse customized employment strategies,
and employment-related experience for the target population will be
available to provide grant-related services.
(2) Summarize the qualifications, including relevant education,
training and experience of key project personnel, as well as the
qualifications, including relevant training and experience of project
consultants or subcontractors. Attach copies of resumes in the
Appendices.
(3) Describe the applicant's experience in serving people with
disabilities and providing customized employment services.
(4) Describe the extent to which the time commitments of the
project director and other key project personnel are appropriate and
adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.
In evaluating the management and outcomes criteria, the ODEP
considers the following factors to be of particular importance:
(a) The extent to which the proposed budget and narrative
justifications are adequate to support the proposed project;
(b) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project;
(c) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies;
(d) The extent to which the evaluation will provide information to
other programs about effective strategies suitable for replication or
testing in other settings;
(e) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the
objective use of performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data;
(f) The extent to which the methods of evaluation measure in both
quantitative and qualitative terms, program results and satisfaction of
customers, both people with disabilities and employers;
(g) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project;
(h) The extent to which the key personnel are appropriate and
adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed projects;
(i) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support and
sustain the proposed project activities over the projected five-year
period.
(j) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
Part VIII. Monitoring and Reporting
Monitoring: ODEP is responsible for ensuring the effective
implementation of each competitive grant project in accordance with the
provisions of this announcement and the terms of the grant award
document. Applicants should assume that ODEP staff, or their designees,
will conduct on-site project reviews periodically. Reviews will focus
on timely project implementation, performance in meeting the grant's
programmatic goals and objectives, expenditures of grant funds on
allowable activities, integration and coordination with other resources
and service providers in the local area, project management and
administration of project activities. Customized Employment Grants may
be subject to other additional reviews at the discretion of the ODEP.
Reporting: Grantees will be required to submit quarterly financial
and
[[Page 33977]]
narrative progress reports. In addition, all grantees will be expected
to provide information on individuals with disabilities securing
employment through use of customized strategies (including information
on types of jobs, wages, and benefits secured by specific individuals
with disabilities) and other areas addressed through the linkages and
networks facilitated by project activities.
Grantees will be required to submit periodic financial and
participation reports. Specifically the following reports will be
required:
A. Quarterly reports: The quarterly report is estimated to take ten
hours to complete. The form for the Quarterly Report will be provided
by ODEP. ODEP will work with the grantee to help refine the
requirements of the report, which will, among other things, include
measures of ongoing analysis for continuous improvement and customer
satisfaction.
B. Standard Form 269; Financial Status Report Form (FSR) will be
completed on a quarterly basis, using the on-line electronic reporting
system.
C. Final Project Report: including an assessment of project
performance and outcomes achieved. The final report is estimated to
take 20 hours. This report will be submitted in hard copy and on
electronic disk using a format and following instructions, which will
be provided by the DOL. A draft of the final report is due to ODEP 45
days before the termination of the grant. The final report is due to
the DOL 60 days following the termination of the grant.
All grantees must agree to cooperate with an independent evaluation
to be conducted by ODEP. ODEP will arrange for and conduct this
independent evaluation of the outcomes, impacts, and accomplishments of
each funded project. Grantees must agree to make available records on
all parts of project activity, including participant employment and
wage data, and to provide access to personnel, as specified by the
evaluator(s), under the direction of ODEP. This independent evaluation
is separate from the ongoing evaluation for continuous improvement
required of the grantee for project implementation. The ODEP's
evaluation of the Customized Employment Grants includes a process
evaluation that includes extensive information pertaining to
achievements under the grant, summary information, number of people
with disabilities receiving services, number of people employed through
then One-Stop system and other sources.
Grantees must also agree to work with ODEP in its various national
technical assistance collaboratives efforts in order to freely share
with others what is learned about delivering customized employment
services to the target population. Grantees must agree to collaborate
with other research institutes, centers, studies, and evaluations that
are supported by DOL and other relevant Federal agencies, as
appropriate. In addition, ODEP has established performance goals that
are consistent with the Department (GPRA) goals as noted in the
introduction of Part VII--Government Requirements/Statement of Work.
Customized Employment grantees will be expected to achieve these
performance goals. Finally, Grantees must agree to actively utilize the
programs sponsored by the ODEP, including the Job Accommodation
Network, (http://:www.jan.wvu.edu), and the Employer Assistance
Referral Network (http://www.earnworks.com).
Part IX. Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
All applications will be reviewed for compliance with the
requirements of this notice. A careful evaluation of applications will
be made by a technical review panel, which will evaluate the
applications against the rating criteria listed in this SGA. The panel
results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer.
ODEP may elect to award grants with or without discussion with the
offeror. In situations without discussions, an award will be based on
the offeror's signature on the SF 424, which constitutes a binding
offer. The Grant Officer may consider any information that is available
and will make final award decisions based on what is most advantageous
to the Government, considering such factors as:
[sbull] Panel findings;
[sbull] Geographic distribution of the competitive applications and
based on location of the existing Customized Employment Grants
(Anchorage, AK; Montgomery, AL; NAPA and San Diego, CA; Marietta, GA;
Indianapolis, IN; Malden, MA; Bucksport, ME; Detroit, MI; Blaine, MN;
Hempstead, NY; Knoxville, TN; El Paso, TX; Fairfax, VA; and Kennewick,
WA;);
[sbull] Assuring a variety of program designs; and
[sbull] Availability of funds
Part X. Administration Provisions
A. Administrative Standards and Provisions
Grantees are strongly encouraged to read these regulations before
submitting a proposal. The grants awarded under this SGA shall be
subject to the following as applicable:
[sbull] 29 CFR part 95--Grants and Agreements With Institutions of
Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations, and
With Commercial Organizations, Foreign Governments, Organizations Under
the Jurisdiction of Foreign Governments, and International
Organizations;
[sbull] 29 CFR part 96--Audit Requirements for Grants, Contracts,
and Other Agreements.
[sbull] 29 CFR part 97--Uniform Administrative Requirement for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments
B. Allowable Costs
Determinations of allowable costs shall be made in accordance with
the following applicable Federal cost principles:
[sbull] State and Local Government--OMB Circular A-87
[sbull] Nonprofit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122
[sbull] Profit-Making Commercial Firms--48 CFR part 31
Profit will not be considered an allowable cost in any case.
C. Grant Assurances
As a condition of the award, the applicant must certify that it
will comply fully with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity
provisions of the following laws:
[sbull] 29 CFR part 31--Nondiscrimination in Federally-assisted
programs of the Department of Labor, effectuation of Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964.
[sbull] 29 CFR part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of
Disability in Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from
Federal Assistance. (Implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act, 29 U.S.C. 794)
[sbull] 29 CFR part 36--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in
Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial
Assistance. (Implementing title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,
20 U.S.C. 1681 et. seq.)
[sbull] 29 CFR part 37--Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity
Provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), (Implementing
Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act, 29 U.S.C. 2938)
The applicant must include assurances and certifications that it
will comply with these laws in its grant application. The assurances
and certifications are attached as Appendix C.
[[Page 33978]]
Signed at Washington, DC this 3rd day of June, 2003
Lawrence J. Kuss,
Grant Officer.
Appendix A. Application for Federal Assistance, Form SF 424
Appendix B. Budget Information Sheet, Form SF 424A
Appendix C. Assurances and Certifications Signature Page
Appendix D. Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity
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