About the Project

In 2020, the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) partnered with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to fund contractors Mathematica, Social Policy Research Associates, and the National Association of Workforce Boards to conduct the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Research Portfolio Project. The project is generating a wide range of short and long-term research options for the Department of Labor to consider as it seeks to strategically build rigorous evidence to support the continuous improvement of ETA programs and services.

This Department of Labor-funded project supports ETA in fulfilling requirements under WIOA Section 169 related to conducting evaluations of WIOA activities and conducting stakeholder consultations regarding ETA’s 5-year research and evaluation strategic plan. It contributes to the labor evidence-base to inform employment and training programs and policies and addresses Departmental strategic goals and priorities.
 

Project Duration: 4 years

Contract End Date: September 2024

Contractors: Mathematica Policy Research, Social Policy Research Associates, and the National Association of Workforce Boards

For More Information: ChiefEvaluationOffice@dol.

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy. CEO’s research development process includes extensive technical review at the design, data collection and analysis stage, including: external contractor review and OMB review and approval of data collection methods and instruments per the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), Institutional Review Board (IRB) review to ensure studies adhere to the highest ethical standards, review by academic peers (e.g., Technical Working Groups), and inputs from relevant DOL agency and program officials and CEO technical staff. Final reports undergo an additional independent expert technical review and a review for Section 508 compliance prior to publication. The resulting reports represent findings from this independent research and do not represent DOL positions or policies.