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References. 4 CFR 1-15.7. Background. In the past, OIG auditors have questioned the interest costs associated with lease purchase and other capital lease arrangements. In response to certain inquiries, OIG reviewed its policy concerning such interest costs and consulted with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The current policy concerning such interest costs is stated below. Policy. Interest costs (either explicit or implicit) associated with lease-purchase and other capital lease arrangements are not allowable except for interest costs associated with certain buildings as noted in OMB Circular A-87, Attachment B, paragraph C2a. OMB has stated that: "With respect to other leases which create a material equity in the leased property, interest is not an allowable cost. For these leases, rental costs are allowable only up to the amount that would be allowed had the organization purchased the property on the date the lease agreement was executed; e.g., depreciation or use allowances, maintenance, taxes, insurance, but excluding interest expenses and other unallowable costs." Action. Grantees should review the principles in OMB Circulars A-87 or A-122 as codified at 41 CFR 1-15.7 and adhere to them in the operation of their JTPA programs. Questions. Address questions concerning past disallowed interest costs to your audit resolution contact person.

Reference. DINAP Bulletin No. 94-21; Federal Travel Regulations at 41 CFR 301-304; and section 401 program regulations at 20 CFR 632.38(k). Information. The Federal Travel Regulations are revised to increase the maximum lodging allowance in certain existing localities for official travel away from official duty stations by Federal employees and section 401 grantees.

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References: Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 6-95, JTPA Titles II-A, II-C, and III Allotments; and Wagner-Peyser Final Planning Estimates for Program Year (PY) 1996; Emergency Supplemental and Rescission Act, 1995, Public Law 104-19; Omnibus Consolidated Recissions and Appropriations Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134; Job Training Partnership Act, Public Law 97-300, as amended; TEGL No. 5-95, Program Guidance and Allocations for the Calendar Year 1996 Summer Youth Employment and Training Program; TEGL No. 12-94 and Change 1, Changes in Restrictions on Program Year 1995 Funds under Title III of the JTPA; and TEIN No. 6-93 and Changes 1 and 2, Instructions for Title II, JTPA Quarterly Financial Status Report. Background: TEGL 6-95 provided to the States the Program Year (PY) 1996 allotments for titles II-A, II-B, II-C and III, pursuant to the Congressional appropriations to the Department. In that communication, we indicated that guidance on intertitle transfers would be forwarded separately. Policy concerning transfer rules and procedures is contained in this TEGL. In addition, in order to be responsive to the entire employment and training community, questions were solicited through the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Regional offices. The answers to the questions received, including a reference table summarizing potential transfers for all years, are contained in an attachment to this TEGL. In the 1996 Omnibus Appropriations Act, Congress authorized the transfers of PY 1996 funds between JTPA titles II-A and III for adults and between title II-B and II-C for youth. The current authorization in JTPA sections 206, and 266 for the transfer of funds between titles II-A and II-C is unaffected. This local flexibility provided to service delivery areas (SDAs) and substate areas (SSAs) in planning and fund transfer requires the approval of the Governor prior to implementation.

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Background: The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) is unique among social service initiatives in the amount of information gathered on its program participants. The Standardized Program Information Reporting (SPIR) system is a national automated data base which includes relevant information on individuals who exit most JTPA training programs in a given year--dislocated workers, older workers, and economically disadvantaged youth and adults. The SPIR data base includes nearly 630,000 individual records for program year 1993 and nearly 850,000 in program year 1994, making it unique in the amount of individualized data it provides to multiple users. The data were assembled from reports submitted by States to the Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Five categories of participant information are included in the database: Demographic characteristics such as age, gender, ethnic group, and persons with disabilities; Wage data before and after participation in the program; Training received by participants who left the program, such as basic education, classroom training, or on-the-job training; Services provided such as counseling or job search services; and Program results, such as who left the program for employment or who received employability enhancements, such as a GED or a certificate. Data Books. SPIR national data books are available for PY 1993 and PY 1994. State data books are also available for PY 94. They contain more than 60 tables of information about the major subgroups in the large SPIR data base. The data books are divided into sections for each of the major JTPA programs covered: Title IIA, Title IIC, Title III, and Section 204(d) Older Workers. The tables in each section include 4-year historical trends, state-by-state counts, and breakouts and cross-tabulations of characteristics of terminees, services received, and outcomes obtained. There are also some cross-program summaries and supplementary information on JTPA performance standards, financial data, and national labor force statistics. Appendices include a table locator index, a glossary of terms, and the SPIR reporting instructions and definitions by which the data were collected from States. CD-ROM. The SPIR data base is also available as a public-use quality CD-ROM file for PY 93 and for PY 94 (September 1996). It has been formatted for use with statistical analysis software such as SAS. Expected Benefits. SPIR gives users a powerful tool for examining the characteristics and job training outcomes of particular participant subgroups. Such information is vital for successful program management and promoting continuous improvements in job training. For example: SPIR can help users analyze what combination of training and services for specific subgroups of customers leads to high-paying jobs with benefits, at the state, regional and federal levels. SPIR can identify the kinds of nontraditional jobs found by women who have completed high school or a GED; SPIR can help identify whether local programs are able to replace the previous salary of dislocated workers who have been laid off for varying periods of time before they entered JTPA-sponsored training; and SPIR can help identify general patterns of characteristics and outcomes across categories of individuals who have completed JTPA services or specific job training programs--such as older workers and youth. For States, this information is a useful management tool that identifies high- and low-achieving local service delivery programs and provides benchmarks for making continuous quality improvements throughout JTPA. SPIR also supports State, local community, and federal policy and management analysis by showing which services lead to retention in jobs up to three months after leaving JTPA. In doing so, users are better able to assess the needs of JTPA customers and create improved job training and employment programs.