TEGL 16-24 (Accessible PDF).pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION ADVISORY SYSTEM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Washington D.C. 20210 CLASSIFICATION SCSEP CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL OWI-DNPTTA DATE July 1 2025 RESCISSIONS TEGL 13-23 Change 1 EXPIRATION DATE Continuing ADVISORY TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 16-24 TO SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM GRANTEES STATE AND TERRITORIAL WORKFORCE ADMINISTRATORS STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS FROM LORI FRAZIER BEARDEN Acting Assistant Secretary SUBJECT Program Year 2025 Planning Instructions and Allotments for the Senior Community Service Employment Program State and Territorial Grantees 1.Purpose. This Training and Employment Guidance Letter TEGL provides Senior Community Service Employment Program SCSEP state and territory grantees with Program Year PY 2025 SCSEP allotments and the application instructions for PY 2025 grant submissions. 2.Action Requested. To apply for PY 2025 grant funds SCSEP state and territorial grantees must follow the instructions in this TEGL and submit all documents through Grants.gov and no later than 30 days after publication of this TEGL. 3.Summary and Background. a.Summary This TEGL provides grant planning guidance to SCSEP state and territorial grantees for PY 2025 including the number of authorized positions and associated allotments for the program year as well as ETA s requirements before obligating funding to grantees. b.Background SCSEP funds are allocated by a formula set forth in Sec. 506 of the Older Americans Act OAA . Sec. 517 establishes that SCSEP operates on a program year basis from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. Under Division D Title I of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 Pub. L. 118-47 the Secretary of Labor may set aside up to 0.5 percent of each discretionary ETA appropriation for activities related to program integrity and 0.75 percent of most DOL appropriations for evaluations and may transfer up to one percent to other programs projects or activities funded by the Act. On March 15 2025 the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act 2025 P.L. 119-4 was enacted from this point forward referred to as the Act . Section 1101 of the Act makes appropriations to the Department of Labor under the authority 2 and conditions provided in the Departments of Labor Health and Human Services and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2024 Division D of Public Law 118-47 . The 2025 Act applies the provisions of the FY 2024 appropriations act at Public Law 118-47 Division D Title I secs. 102 106 b and 107 which allow the set-asides. In PY 2025 after reducing the appropriation for set-asides and transfers authorized by the Act and authorizing legislation 398 925 000 is available for SCSEP program activities. ETA will distribute any funds not used for these reserve activities by formula to state territorial and national grantees. This TEGL covers the full year grant period for state and territorial grantees totaling 85 869 039. DOL is still reviewing the remaining 307 072 086 available for national grantees. 4. Application Instructions for Annual Allotments. This section provides detailed submission instructions for state and territory grantees. Note that this TEGL is requesting state and territorial grantees to submit copies of their current Individual Durational Limit Termination and Grievance policies with their responses to this TEGL. a. Application Requirements. All grantees must submit the following documents through www.Grants.gov i. Electronically signed SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance The organization s name Employment Identification Number EIN and Unique Entity Identification Number UEI listed on the SF-424 must match its System for Award Management registration. Line 18b of the SF-424 must note the required non-Federal share of at least 10 percent of the total cost OAA Sec. 502 c 1 . Item 14 of the SF-424 requires a list of the Areas Affected by Project. Grantees must list the states and counties the grant will serve and must use https scsepapply.org to validate that information. Grantees may export the data for the service area s to an Excel spreadsheet and attach the list as a separate document. ii. SF-424A Budget Information Form Non-Construction Programs iii. Budget Narrative that fully explains the projected costs reflected in each line item of the SF-424A. See Attachment II for instructions pertaining to all grantees. iv. Project Narrative that includes the information outlined in Attachment III of this TEGL including 3 Required - Services to minorities per OAA Section 515 Please note additional guidance for the Minority Report in Attachment III for instructions. Required - Organizational structure monitoring and audits. Optional State grantees may provide updates in relevant sections of the SCSEP portion of the WIOA Combined Plan Modification or their stand- alone SCSEP State Plan submitted last year. States may modify their plans at any time as well. v. Programmatic Assurances See Attachment IV for complete instructions. Grantees must review sign and submit the programmatic assurances in Attachment IV that outline program requirements based on the OAA and the SCSEP regulations at 20 CFR Part 641. Adobe digital signatures are acceptable. The signatory must be the same individual as the Authorized Representative listed in item 21 of the SF-424. vi. Attachments as applicable Optional Requests See Attachment V for complete instructions. Optional Additional Training and Supportive Services Grantees may submit one or more of the optional requests described in Attachment V. This TEGL provides updated instructions renaming the request to use additional grant funds for training and supportive services activities OATSS requests to Optional Additional Training and Supportive Services. This clarifies that while ETA encourages grantees to consider how incorporating such activities into their overall service strategy may help improve participant outcomes it is an option and not a requirement. To facilitate the allotment review process grantees may submit a copy of their OATSS to their FPO and National Office Liaison prior to the grant submission due date for review. Geographic Service Area Attachment This attachment notes the states and counties included in the grantee s service area. This attachment is required if the grantee chooses not to list the service area in the SF-424 as noted in item 1 above. NICRA cost allocation plan Grantees that have an indirect cost rate must also submit a copy of their negotiated indirect cost rate agreement NICRA or cost allocation plan if applicable . b. Grants.gov Submission Process. Applicants must submit the application package through Grants.gov. ETA encourages application submission as soon as possible however applications must be received by 11 59 PM EST no later than 30 days after publication of this TEGL. This submission process may at times be complicated and time-consuming. As such the Department strongly encourages applicants to initiate 4 the process as soon as possible to allow time to resolve unanticipated technical problems. For technical issues encountered during application submission applicants may call 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035 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 but closes on federal holidays. 5. Inquiries. Questions regarding grant applications should be directed to scsep.ogm dol.gov Please direct all other questions to the appropriate Federal Project Officer. 6. References. Older Americans Act 42 USC 3056 et seq. as amended through Public Law 116-131 March 25 2020 Federal Poverty Guidelines 90 FR 5917 January 17 2025 or HHS website at https aspe.hhs.gov poverty-guidelines effective January 15 2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act 2025 Public Law 119-4 March 15 2025 available at https www.congress.gov 119 plaws publ4 PLAW- 119publ4.pdf SCSEP Performance Data Collection Approval Office of Management and Budget Control No. 1205-0040 See https www.reginfo.gov public do PRAViewICR ref nbr 202401-1205-001 expiration date July 31 2027 and TEGL 05 24 October 8 2024 Implementation of the 2024 Revisions to the Office of Management and Budget OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance available at https www.dol.gov agencies eta advisories tegl-05-24 7. Attachments. Attachment I Funding Allocations and Authorized Positions Attachment II Budget Narrative Instructions Attachment III Program Narrative Instructions Attachment IV Programmatic Assurances Attachment V Optional Requests and Waivers