Fill and Sign the Puerto Rico Exemption Form 2011

Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Comment Request for Information Collection for Jobs for Veterans Act Priority of Service Provisions: OMB Control No. 1205–0468, Extension Without Revisions AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration. ACTION: Notice. WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting comments concerning the extension of OMB Control No. 1205–0468, Jobs for Veterans Act, Priority of Service Provisions (currently expires July 31, 2010). A copy of the proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this notice. DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the addressee’s section below on or before June 7, 2010. ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Michael Qualter, Office of Workforce Investment, Room S–4209, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Telephone number: 202– 693–3014 (this is not a toll-free number). Fax: 202–693–3587. E-mail: Qualter.Michael@dol.gov, subject line: JVA Priority of Services ICR Extension. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002 enacted a new priority of service requirement for veterans and eligible spouses in all DOL-funded employment and training programs (codified at 38 U.S.C. 4215). The Department of Labor (DOL) has implemented that requirement through issuance of a final rule at 20 CFR Part 1010, which took VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 effect on January 19, 2009. In conjunction with the issuance of the final rule on priority of service, DOL also published an ICR which was approved by OMB under OMB Control Number 1205–0468. Prior to the publication of the Final Rule on December 19, 2008, DOL had received OMB approval of the Workforce Investment Streamlined Performance Reporting (WISPR) System, under OMB Control Number 1205–0469. The Department originally intended that both of these new requirements would be implemented for PY 2009. To minimize the impact of these requirements upon the States, it also was DOL’s intent to implement the specific priority of service reporting requirement in conjunction with the implementation of the generic integrated reporting and performance measurement requirement. However, the approval of the priority of service reporting requirement also includes a back-up plan for collecting the required information within the context of the current reporting and performance measurement systems. Early in 2009, DOL, with OMB’s concurrence, delayed the implementation of both requirements in light of the impact of the current recession on the public workforce system, as well as the impact of the various initiatives authorized under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), in response to the recession. It is the Department’s intent to implement both reporting requirements as soon as circumstances permit. Therefore, this extension is requested so that the DOL will retain the option to implement the priority of service reporting requirement as soon as possible, whether in conjunction with the implementation of the new system or independently within the context of the current reporting and performance measurement systems. II. Review Focus The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments which: • Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; • Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; • Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 17771 • Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. III. Current Actions Type of Review: Extension without change. Title: Jobs for Veterans Act Priority of Services Provisions. OMB Number: 1205–0468. Affected Public: Administrators of qualified job training programs, as defined in the Jobs for Veterans Act, Section 4215(a)(2), Covered Entrants, and New Covered Participants. Form(s): Priority of Service Aggregate Quarterly Report and Individual Record Data Elements. Total Respondents: 237. Frequency: Quarterly. Total Annual Responses: 948 (237 × 4 times per year). Average Time per Response: 168.7 hours (includes the time needed to complete over 1.5 million individual records). Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 159,429. Total Burden Cost for Respondents: 0. Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be summarized and/or included in the request for the Office of Management and Budget’s approval of this information collection request; they will also become a matter of public record. Signed: at Washington, DC, this 1st day of April 2010. Jane Oates, Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration. [FR Doc. 2010–7816 Filed 4–6–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–FN–P DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for Category 1— Healthcare Virtual Career Platform (HVCP) and Category 2—Enhancing the Ability of Community- and FaithBased Organizations To Deliver Virtual Career Exploration Services, Including Healthcare Careers AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1 17772 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation for Grant Applications. Funding Opportunity Number: SGA/ DFA PY 09–09 WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 17.275. SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department), announces the availability of approximately $13.2 million in grant funds authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) for projects that use virtual service-delivery models to promote career opportunities in the healthcare sector. This Solicitation provides applicants with the option to choose from two categories to submit a single grant application. These categories are: Category 1—Healthcare Virtual Career Platform (HVCP) and Category 2—Enhancing the Ability of Community- and Faith-Based Organizations to Deliver Virtual Career Exploration Services, Including Healthcare Careers Grants to support the above mentioned categories will be awarded through a competitive process. Applicants must indicate in the abstract of their proposal the category under which they are applying. Applicants are encouraged to read the entire SGA since applicants under both Categories 1 and 2 are required to work collaboratively on some part of the project. The Category 1 grant recipient is required to create an HVCP and give Category 2 grant recipients training on how to use the service, and Category 2 grant recipients are required to train their staff, as well as staff from local One-Stop Career Centers, on the HVCP as part of year 2 grant activities. Under Category 1, ETA intends to award one grant for up to $6.6 million to develop and operate an HVCP. Under Category 2, ETA intends to award two to four grants totaling approximately $6.6 million to national communityand faith-based organizations and nonprofit One-Stop Career Center operators. The Category 2 grantees will increase access to virtual career exploration services by (a) building their capacity to deliver these services to their customers in local communities and (b) increasing the ability of their customers to make use of and benefit from online resources. Eligible applicants for Category 1 include private nonprofit organizations with a nationally-focused mission. Eligible applicants under Category 2 of this grant Solicitation include private national nonprofit organizations that VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 deliver services through networks of local affiliates, coalition members, or other established partners, including non-profit operators of One-Stop Career Centers. See section III.A for additional information related to eligible applicants. This Solicitation provides background information and describes the application submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible entities must use to apply for funds covered by this Solicitation, and details how grantees will be selected. Applicants should read the entire SGA and note the specific sections that contain required information, such as in section II.A, section III.A, and section IV.B, where failure to comply will be considered non-responsive and those applicants will not be considered for funding. The Department of Labor is committed to providing the public with an open and transparent grant selection process and providing useful information to assist prospective applicants with developing quality proposals. One way to achieve these goals is through public access to selected and non-selected grant applications. Applicants are advised that the information they submit in response to this Solicitation may be posted on a publicly accessible Web site or may otherwise be made available to the public. DATES: Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is May 7, 2010. Applications must be received no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. A prerecorded Webinar will be online (http: //www.workforce3one.org) and accessible for viewing on April 14, 2010, 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. Mailed applications must be addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Federal Assistance, Attention: James Stockton, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA PY 09–09, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N4716, Washington, DC 20210. For complete ‘‘Application and Submission Information,’’ please refer to section IV. ADDRESSES: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 I. Funding Opportunity Description A. The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (Recovery Act): Competitive Grants for Worker Training and Placement in High Growth and Emerging Industry Sectors On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Recovery Act, through which Congress intended to preserve and create jobs, promote the nation’s economic recovery, and assist those most impacted by the recession. Among other funding directed toward the Department, the Recovery Act provides $750 million for a program of competitive grants for worker training and placement in high growth and emerging industries. Of the $750 million allotted for competitive grants, the Recovery Act designates $500 million for projects that prepare workers for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries described in Section 171(e)(1)(B) of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The Recovery Act further provided that in awarding grants for the remaining $250 million, projects that prepare workers for careers in the healthcare sector would receive priority. To date, ETA has awarded $720 million in competitive grants to 244 grantees and will use a portion of the funds to provide technical assistance to Recovery Act grantees. With this SGA, DOL is devoting $13.2 million to prepare workers for careers in the healthcare sector by promoting the creation of an online platform that will use standardized data, application programming interfaces (APIs), and hosting infrastructure to support new applications, which will help individuals learn about and prepare for careers in the healthcare industry. The SGA will also build the capacity of community- and faith-based organizations to provide diverse customers with access to virtual resources and to assist their customers in using virtual and other resources to pursue career pathways, including those in the healthcare sector. These efforts will help participants prepare for and find employment, while leveraging other Recovery Act investments intended to create jobs and promote economic growth. B. The Need for Virtual Career Services in the Healthcare Industry In December 2009, ETA held a series of conference calls and a web-based meeting with healthcare subject matter experts from federal, state and local government, education institutions, and other public and private organizations to explore the need for virtual E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES healthcare career resources. Among the stakeholders, there was general consensus that there are gaps in the information that individuals have about healthcare career opportunities and occupations; some of these gaps could be filled via virtual services. In addition, there are many healthcare career resources online that may not be having maximum impact because they are difficult to find, especially for underserved populations, and they are not interconnected. There is a need to better connect and inform the public or ‘‘publicize’’ the information, practices and resources that are currently available and being used, as well as a need to build certain additional components that are not presently available. Resources identified from these consultations, from the Jobs for America’s Job Seekers Challenge, and selected Federal resources have been compiled and can be accessed on the Workforce3One site at: http:// www.workforce3one.org/view/ 2001008333909172195/info. The objectives for the HVCP were developed based on the input received as a result of these conference calls. C. Healthcare Sector and Occupations As many industries experience layoffs and job losses, the healthcare industry remains a critical driver in regional economies across the nation. In December 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the healthcare sector continued to grow. Hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other ambulatory care settings added 21,500 new jobs in December 2009. Healthcare providers employ large numbers of workers and contribute significantly to the strength of regional economies. BLS projects that healthcare employers will generate about 4 million new wage and salary jobs between 2008 and 2018, with the health services and social assistance sector projected to grow by 25.3 percent, adding more jobs (nearly 4.0 million) than any other industry sector. Employment growth in the healthcare sector will be driven by significant increases in demand for healthcare and assistance because of an aging population and longer life expectancies. In addition, projected retirements for current healthcare workers will necessitate a pipeline of skilled individuals ready to enter healthcare occupations. The growing diversity of our nation’s population will also require additional skills and competencies, such as linguistic and cultural competencies, that impact the quality of care. The need for qualified workers in this diverse sector impacts the quality and VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 availability of medical care, and the economic stability and growth potential of local communities in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Moreover, the growing complexity of healthcare delivery, including changing technologies and introduction of advanced medical devices, will require both incumbent workers and new entrants to continuously upgrade their skills. Although job opportunities exist for workers without extensive specialized training, most healthcare occupations require training leading to a vocational license, certificate, or degree. ETA is particularly interested in supporting the development of a platform that will emphasize opportunities within health technology and healthcare support occupations such as: medical and clinical laboratory technologists, medical and clinical laboratory technicians, dental hygienists, cardiovascular technologists and technicians, diagnostic medical sonographers, nuclear medicine technologists, radiologic technologists and technicians, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, dietetic technicians, pharmacy technicians, psychiatric technicians, respiratory therapy technicians, surgical technologists, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, community health workers and patient navigators, medical records and health information technicians, dispensing opticians, orthotists and prosthetists, occupational health and safety specialists, occupational health and safety technicians, home health aides, nursing aides/orderlies/attendants, psychiatric aides, occupational therapist assistants and aides, physical therapist assistants and aides, dental assistants, medical assistants, medical equipment preparers, medical transcriptionists, and pharmacy aides. D. Grant Objectives ETA is interested in projects that expand access to healthcare career information, especially to diverse populations, and reduce barriers to accessing those resources. The development of the HVCP by the grantee funded under Category 1 of this SGA will be complemented by activities of grantees funded under Category 2. Category 2 grantees will provide technical assistance to help connect their customers to virtual workforce development services. By expanding access to online career services, including healthcare careers, ETA seeks to achieve the following objectives: • Assist current and future workers to consider healthcare career options by PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 17773 providing information on the required education and preparation, the nature of the day-to-day work, the work environment, experience, tasks performed on the job, and expectations for the continuing education required to advance along a career pathway or ladder; • Assist individuals, through appropriate assessment, who have an interest in and aptitude for healthcare careers, with career decision-making, in order to help them select among the range of healthcare career options; • Assist individuals in developing a plan of action to achieve their healthcare career goals through information on education and training requirements, licensing requirements, available training options, and links to local One-Stop Career Centers, community colleges, and other appropriate organizations; • Provide selected online training to assist individuals in obtaining prehealthcare competencies so that they will be ready to enroll in training toward their career goal—this could include courses to increase literacy and mathematics proficiency as well as prerequisite courses in science fundamentals; • Support individuals in achieving their career goals through media and social networking, such as virtual tutoring, virtual mentoring, virtual study groups or forums, virtual job clubs, and similar virtual services; • Enable third-party software developers to build, ‘‘beta’’-test, and launch applications that utilize standardized information resources and associated APIs; • Provide hosting infrastructure for healthcare career information, training resources, and other data, along with standardized APIs, to support both inhouse and third-party applications; • Develop, launch, iterate, and provide in-house applications that provide the information and services outlined above; • Enable a new marketplace of applications that can use the HVCP to support existing and new business models around healthcare career information; • Promote the HVCP services, and help disadvantaged populations use virtual services by providing train-thetrainer training and support to (1) Community-and Faith-Based Organizations and One-Stop Career Center Staff, and (2) Community- and Faith-Based Organizations and OneStop Career Center customers to help them make use of the services and information in the HVCP, through a variety of means such as tutorials, E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1 17774 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES training, and videos. As appropriate, this training may be made available to other partners such as libraries. This outreach and technical assistance can include both virtual and in-person training; and • Provide linkages to national, state, regional, and local healthcare career resources, services, and applications. • Provide linkages to training and employment including Registered Apprenticeship and joint labormanagement programs. E. Key Project Elements for Category 1— Healthcare Virtual Career Platform (HVCP) The following are key activities and deliverables required for the HVCP grant Solicitation: i. Develop Asset Map. Identify what virtual tools and services are available for persons interested in a healthcare career and which ones would be valuable to include in on the HVCP; ii. Develop a Gap Analysis. Analyze the resources identified in the asset map and identify gaps in information and tools that need to be developed as inhouse applications running on the HVCP to adequately promote healthcare career exploration and career planning; iii. Build and Operate Platform. Design, build, and operate an open platform for healthcare career information resources and services, together with APIs and hosting infrastructure for healthcare career information and in-house and thirdparty applications; iv. Develop an HVCP as an open source platform. Both the system and the uncompiled source code should be open source or located in the public domain. The structure of the site should look beyond the current operating environment and integrate the long-term Open Government objectives of universal access and cross-platform integration. See the Open Government Directive issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in Memorandum M–10–06 dated December 8, 2009 located at: http:// www.whitehouse.gov/open/documents/ open-government-directive. Please note that all tools and components developed for the HVCP must be discrete and separate, capable of being decoupled from the platform and added to other systems. v. Develop Assessment Tool. The HVCP must include an assessment tool as one of the applications developed for the platform. Through its review, ETA found generic assessments for occupation sectors but was unable to identify assessments that match users to specific healthcare occupations. VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 Therefore, we are specifying that one of the tasks will be to provide a healthcare occupation-specific assessment. To address this need, applicants in Category 1 will provide an interest, aptitude, and readiness assessment tool for specific healthcare careers. Furthermore, the assessment and results should be detailed enough to be able to direct an individual to specific occupations within the overall healthcare career field at the level of detail as described within the Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network (O*NET) system or additional detail provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services, rather than just providing a general vocational interest indicating that the healthcare industry as a whole is a possible career option. The assessment tool should also assess current educational and work readiness and potential transferable skills so as to help diverse individuals develop a career pathway plan that includes needed education as well as jobs or occupations along a career ladder to higher, family-supporting wages. vi. Incorporate Online Training Component. The HVCP must include an online training application that would consist of noncredit prerequisite courses for entry-level healthcare careers. Many training courses already exist; these as well as any gaps should be identified in the asset-mapping portion of the project. The training would assist individuals in preparing for postsecondary level education and training and in obtaining pre-healthcare career competencies so that they will be ready to enroll in training for their career goal. Examples of the training courses to be offered could include courses to increase literacy, mathematics and science fundamental prerequisites, such as introductions to basic biology, chemistry, and anatomy. vii. Develop and deliver outreach materials and staff training. Outreach materials must be developed describing the HVCP and its components. Staff training on the use of the HCVP and the resources available on the platform must be developed to be delivered to OneStop Career Centers and Communityand Faith-Based Organizations (including Category 2 grantees) regarding the use of the HVCP and the resources available on the site. viii. The HVCP will be developed during year 1 and will be maintained and updated throughout year 2. PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 F. Key Project Elements for Category 2— Enhancing the Ability of Communityand Faith-Based Organizations To Deliver Virtual Career Exploration Services, Including Healthcare Careers Grantees will use funds to build their capacity to both offer virtual services to diverse clients and customers, and to assist their customers in making good use of such resources, through any of the following: i. Capacity-Building Activities (not to exceed 30 percent of proposed project budget). Grantees can augment their information technology capacity through any of the following: • Providing additional computer workstations for customers in Year 1; • Increasing broadband capacity or Internet access (e.g., more lines, faster connections) in Year 1; • Obtaining software, including computer literacy assessments and training modules to help customers learn about and become comfortable using online services in Year 1; and ii. Customer Service Activities • Providing training for their own staff and customers, and staff from local One-Stop Career Centers, on effective use of online career and workforce development services to help jobseekers prepare for and find employment, in Year 1 and Year 2; • Providing computer literacy and career development training for their customers; specifically assisting customers to use virtual resources and Internet based sites for planning career pathways, including identifying career goals, planning required education and training, and applying for jobs in their chosen career field, in Year 1 and Year 2; and • Implementing training for staff and customers using the HVCP and its materials (developed by the Category 1 grantee), in Year 2 II. Award Information A. Award Amount Under this SGA, ETA intends to award approximately $13.2 million in grant funds authorized by the Recovery Act for two categories of projects that use virtual service-delivery models to promote career opportunities, including those in the healthcare sector. The eligible applicant criteria for each category of projects are defined in section III.A. Within the funding ranges specified below, applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for quality projects at a funding level that is appropriate to the project. E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices 1. Category 1—Healthcare Virtual Career Platform (HVCP) ETA anticipates that it will award one grant for up to $6.6 million to develop and operate an HVCP. ETA reserves the right to change this amount depending on the quantity and quality of applications submitted under this SGA. However, ETA will consider requests for greater than $6.6 million to be nonresponsive, and such applicants will not be considered for funding. 2. Category 2—Enhancing the Ability of Community- and Faith-Based Organizations to Deliver Virtual Career Exploration Services, Including Healthcare Careers ETA intends to award two to four grants in amounts ranging from $1 to $3 million, for a total of up to $6.6 million to build the capacity of national community- and faith-based organizations to provide virtual services to their clients and customers in support of career exploration, including healthcare careers. ETA reserves the right to change this amount depending on the quantity and quality of applications submitted under this SGA. ETA does not expect to fund any project for less than $1 million, but this does not preclude funding grants at a lower amount based on the type and number of quality submissions. However, ETA will consider requests for greater than $3 million nonresponsive, and such applicants will not be considered for funding. WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES B. Period of Performance The period of grant performance for all awards will be up to 24 months from the date of execution of the grant documents. This performance period includes all necessary grant activities, including implementation and start-up activities. Applicants must submit a timeline of activities planned for the entire 24-month period. ETA expects to make grant awards under this SGA by June 30, 2010, and also expects that the grant start date will be July 1, 2010. Applicants should plan for start-up activities under the grant to begin immediately after award, and we strongly encourage grantees to develop their project work plans and timelines accordingly. In addition, the Department intends for the HVCP (Category 1) grantee to complete development of an initial operating version of the HVCP within the first year of the grant. While grant awards will be funded for a period of performance of two years, ETA may make available up to three additional years of funding, depending VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 upon the availability of funds and the demonstrated performance of grant activities. However, applications must include a timeline of activities that reflects full expenditure of grant funds and completion of grant activities during the 24-month period of performance, while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all expenditures. III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Applicants and Strategic Partnerships Under this Solicitation, applicants may apply under one of two categories: Category 1—Healthcare Virtual Career Platform (HVCP); or Category 2—Enhancing the Ability of Community- and Faith-Based Organizations to Deliver Virtual Career Exploration Services, Including Healthcare Careers. Applicants may only submit a grant application under one category and only one application per applicant will be accepted. Applicants must indicate in the abstract of their proposal the category under which they are applying. Applications that do not adhere to the above instructions will be considered to be nonresponsive and not reviewed or funded. In particular, if an applicant submits more than one application, none of the applications will be considered. (Please see section IV.F for instructions for withdrawing an application before submitting a new application.) These two applicant categories will compete separately for funding under this SGA, and each Category will be paneled and reviewed separately. This section provides separate eligibility and partnership information for each of the two categories. 1. Category 1—Healthcare Virtual Career Platform i. Eligible applicants for Category 1 Eligible applicants for Category 1 grants are private nonprofit organizations with a nationally-focused mission to promote education, workforce development, career pathways, employment, or retention (such as national healthcare occupational associations, national health associations with experience in working with diverse populations, national educational associations with experience in healthcare workforce development, national workforce development associations, or nationwide healthcare systems that focus on both healthcare service delivery and education). An organization with a mission that focuses PO 00000 Frm 00095 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 17775 on a specific State, region, or local area (such as a State Workforce Agency, local workforce investment board, or community college) is not eligible to apply as the lead applicant, but may be included as part of the strategic partnership described in section III.A.ii. ii. Strategic Partnerships for Category 1 To be eligible to apply for funding under Category 1, applicants must demonstrate that the proposed project will be implemented by a robust strategic partnership that maximizes available resources, either virtual resources or additional financial resources, to support the project and represents the level of combined organizational expertise, in the following areas, which is necessary to effectively execute the project: • Workforce Development and Training. The applicant and/or its strategic partners must have significant knowledge and experience in designing and delivering career exploration services and training, particularly in online and virtual environments. To ensure that this knowledge and experience is represented in the project, the applicant may partner with educational institutions (such as community or technical college systems) and the public workforce investment system (such as State Workforce Agencies or local workforce investment boards and their One-Stop systems). • Healthcare Occupations. The applicant and/or its strategic partners must have significant knowledge of the healthcare occupations described in section I.C of this SGA, including an understanding of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for these occupations, as well as associated training, education, and licensure or certification programs. To ensure that this knowledge is represented in the project, the applicant may partner with healthcare occupational associations, healthcare employers and industryrelated organizations, and/or educational institutions with healthcare programs successful in placing individuals in employment in the industry. • Development and Deployment of Virtual Service Delivery Platforms. The applicant and/or its strategic partners must have expertise and experience in programming open-source platforms, and developing and implementing online virtual service-delivery models, particularly online virtual training and education services. To ensure that the project partnership is well-equipped to design a site to serve the public, the applicant may partner with (or procure E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1 17776 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices the services of) information technology providers or other organizations, including for-profit organizations, with significant relevant expertise and experience. • Public Outreach Expertise. The applicant and/or its strategic partners must have significant knowledge and experience in conducting public outreach and awareness campaigns that could be employed in promoting a new site to its intended users and have experience in working with diverse populations. These outreach capabilities could include use of traditional media avenues, such as press releases or interviews; public service announcements; networking; use of social media; as well as search engine optimization strategies to direct traffic to the site. existing collaboration betweens OneStops and community- and faith-based organizations to provide career services to individuals whose role may include, but is not limited to, identifying, assessing, and referring candidates for training, and connecting and placing participants with employers that have existing job openings; and • Public and private employers or industry-related organizations who employ or represent the healthcare occupations described in section I. C of this SGA. which it was acquired, as long as needed after grant termination, unless directed otherwise by the agency. • Staff training, including training programs and/or personnel assessments or tests leading to a credential attesting to competency in providing career development services to individual customers. B. Cost Sharing Cost sharing or matching funds are not required as a condition for application, but applicants may use leveraged resources. This SGA contains all of the information and links to forms needed to apply for grant funding. 2. Category 2—Enhancing the Ability of Community- and Faith-Based Organizations To Deliver Virtual Career Exploration Services, Including Healthcare Careers 1. Required Collaboration Between Category 1 and Category 2 Grantees Following the selection of grant recipients under this Announcement, the grantee under Category 1 must enter into a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with each grant awarded under Category 2. The MOUs will detail the HVCP services and training that the Category 1 grantee will provide to Category 2 grantees, and will describe how Category 2 grantees will utilize the HVCP platform and associated tools developed by the Category 1 grantee. i. Eligible Applicants for Category 2 Eligible applicants for Category 2 grants are private national or multi-state nonprofit community- or faith-based organizations that deliver services through networks of local affiliates, coalition members, or other established partners, including labor management organizations and non-profit organizations that operate One-Stop Career Centers in more than one state. It is ETA’s intent that investments in Category 2 achieve geographic balance across the country and increase capacity in both rural and urban settings in at least six different sites. Therefore, applicants under Category 2 must demonstrate that they have the capacity to work in a variety of communities in more than one state. WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES ii. Strategic Partnerships for Category 2 To be eligible for funding under Category 2 of this SGA, applicants must demonstrate that the proposed project, in each community served, will be implemented by a robust strategic partnership that maximizes available resources to support the project, provides access to diverse job seekers, and provides access to employment opportunities within the healthcare sector. At a minimum, this strategic partnership must include at least one representative, for each community served through the project, from each of the following categories: • The public workforce investment system, such as State or local Workforce Investment Boards and their One-Stop systems, to further strengthen the VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 C. Other Grant Specifications 2. Other Grant Specifications for Category 1 i. Sustainability: The grantee is required to explore options for sustaining the HVCP in the event that additional Federal funds are not available at the close of the grant period. Such options could include potential sponsors, foundations, or associations or organizations that would be interested in maintaining the benefits obtained through the HVCP in building the healthcare workforce pipeline. The applicant must provide a plan to develop a sustainability options paper as part of the grant deliverables. 3. Other Grant Specifications for Category 2 i. Allowable Activities for Category 2 • The purchase of automated data processing (ADP) equipment, considered essential for the implementation of the project, will be allowed with the prior approval of the Agency. However, no more than 30 percent of the grant funds can be used for such purchases. Also, in accordance with 29CFR 95.34, equipment may be retained for use in the grant project for PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 IV. Application and Submission Information A. How To Obtain an Application Package B. Content and Form of Application Submission for Category 1—Healthcare Virtual Career Platform and Category 2—Enhancing the Ability of Community- and Faith-Based Organizations To Deliver Virtual Career Exploration Services, Including Healthcare Careers Proposals submitted in response this SGA will consist of three separate and distinct parts: (I) A cost proposal; (II) a technical proposal; and (III) attachments to the technical proposal. Applications must include the following or will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered: (1) The Standard Form (SF)–424, ‘‘Application for Federal Assistance;’’ (2) the SF–424A Budget Information Form; (3) Data Universal Numbering System (D–U–N–S®) Number; (4) Budget Narrative; (5) A request grant funds within the appropriate funding range noted in section II.A; and (6) Abstract. Applications that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered. The amount listed in Part I: Cost Proposal and the amount listed on the SF–424 ‘‘Application for Federal Assistance should be the same. Please note, the funding amount included on the SF–424 will be considered the official funding amount requested. 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 and http:// www.doleta.gov/grants/find_ grants.cfm). 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 E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1 WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices applicant. Applicants must supply their D–U–N–S® Number on the SF–424. If submitting a hard copy application, the SF–424 must be signed by the authorized representative. All applicants for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a D– U–N–S® Number. See Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Notice of Final Policy Issuance, 68 FR 38402, June 27, 2003. The D–U–N–S® Number is a non-indicative, nine-digit number assigned to each business location in the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) database having a unique, separate, and distinct operation, and is maintained solely by D&B. The D&B D–U–N–S® Number is used by industries and organizations around the world as a global standard for business identification and tracking. If you do not have a D–U–N–S® Number, you can get one for free through the D&B Web site: http:// smallbusiness.dnb.com/webapp/wcs/ stores/servlet/Glossary?fLink=glossary& footerflag= y&storeId=10001&indicator=7. • The SF–424A Budget Information Form (available at http:// www07.grants.gov/agencies/forms_ repository_information.jsp and http:// www.doleta.gov/grants/find _grants.cfm). 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 to support grant activities. In addition, the applicant should address precisely how the administrative costs support the project goals. The entire Federal grant amount requested (not just one year) should be included on both the SF–424 and SF–424A. No leveraged resources should be shown on the SF– 424 and SF–424A. Applications that fail to provide an SF–424, SF–424A, a D–U–N–S® Number, and a budget narrative will be considered non-responsive and not reviewed. • Applicants are also encouraged, but not required, to submit OMB Survey N. 1890–0014: Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants, which can be found under the Grants.gov, Tips and Resources From Grantors, Department of Labor section at http:// www07.grants.gov/applicants/ tips_resources_from_grantors.jsp#13 (also referred to as Faith-Based EEO Survey PDF Form). Part II. The Technical Proposal. The Technical Proposal must demonstrate VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 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 for Category 1: Healthcare Virtual Career Platform is limited to 25 double-spaced single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with 12-point text font and 1-inch margins. The Technical Proposal for Category 2: Category 2—Enhancing the Ability of Community- and FaithBased Organizations to Deliver Virtual Career Exploration Services, Including Healthcare Careers is limited to 20 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. Part III. Attachments to the Technical Proposal. In addition to the Technical Proposal, applicants must submit letters of commitment from all required partners or one letter of commitment that is co-signed by all partners that describes the roles and responsibilities of each partner. Electronic signatures are permissible in the letter(s) of commitment. Applicants should not send letters of commitment separately to ETA, because letters received separately will be tracked through a different system and will not be attached to the application for review. ETA does not permit 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 included in the evaluation review process. The applicant also must provide an Abstract, not to exceed two doublespaced single-sided pages and must include the following sections: (1) Summary of the proposed project, including applicant name; (2) applicant category as referenced in section III.A; (3) project title; (4) key partners; (5) projected outcomes; and (6) funding level requested. Attachments to the technical proposal do not count against the page limit for the Technical Proposal, but may not exceed 10 pages for Category 1 and Category 2 applicants. Any additional materials beyond the 10-page limit for attachments will not be read. Applications that do not include the abstract will be considered nonresponsive and will not be considered. PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 17777 C. Submission Process, Date, Times, and Addresses Applications may be submitted electronically on Grants.gov or in hard copy by mail or hand delivery. 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 hardcopy and CD format may have an impact on the overall evaluation. The closing date for receipt of applications under both Category 1 and Category 2 of this announcement is May 7, 2010. Applications must be received at the address below no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications sent by email, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. If an application is submitted by both hard-copy and through http://www.grants.gov a letter must accompany the hard-copy application stating why two applications were submitted and the differences between the two submissions. 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 nonresponsive. 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: James Stockton, Grant Officer, Reference SGA/DFA, PY 09–09, 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. E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1 WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES 17778 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices Applications that are submitted through Grants.gov must be successfully submitted at http://www.grants.gov no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time on May 7, 2010, 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. To register with Grants.gov, applicants applying electronically must have a D–U–N–S® Number and must register with the Federal Central Contractor Registry (CCR). Step-by-step instructions for registering with CCR can be found at http://www.grants.gov/ applicants/org_step2.jsp. All applicants must register with CCR in order to apply online. Failure to register with the CCR will result in your application being rejected by Grants.gov during the submission process. 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 VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 POC)—a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for CCR—will receive an e-mail 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 e-mail messages to provide the status of application progress through the system. The first email, almost immediate, will contain a tracking number and will confirm receipt of the application by Grants.gov. The second e-mail 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, subsequent 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 PO 00000 Frm 00098 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 date and time, the application will not be considered. To ensure consideration, the components of the application must be saved as .doc, .xls or .pdf files. If submitted in any other format, the applicant bears the risk that compatibility or other issues will prevent our ability to consider 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 plethora of 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. 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 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 E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / Notices working day before the date specified for receipt of applications. ‘‘Postmarked’’ 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. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ‘‘bull’s eye’’ postmark on both the receipt and the package. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be a basis for a determination that the application was not filed timely and will not be considered. Evidence of timely submission by a professional overnight delivery service must be demonstrated by equally reliable evidence created by the delivery service provider indicating the time and place of receipt. D. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, ‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.’’ WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES E. Funding Restrictions Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles. Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will not be entitled to reimbursement of pre-award costs. 1. Indirect Costs As specified in OMB Circular Cost Principles, indirect costs are those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot be readily identified with a particular final cost objective. In order to use grant funds for indirect costs incurred, the applicant must obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with its cognizant Federal agency either before or shortly after grant award. An indirect cost rate (ICR) is required when an organization operates under more than one grant or other activity whether Federally-assisted or not. Organizations must use the ICR supplied by the cognizant agency. If an organization requires a new ICR or has a pending ICR, the Grant Officer will award a temporary billing rate for 90 days until a provisional rate can be issued. This rate is based on the fact that an organization has not established an ICR agreement. Within this 90 day VerDate Nov2008 15:18 Apr 06, 2010 Jkt 220001 period, the organization must submit an acceptable indirect cost proposal to their cognizant Federal agency to obtain a provisional ICR. 2. Administrative Costs Under this SGA, an entity that receives a grant to carry out a project or program may not use more than 10 percent of the amount of the grant to pay administrative costs associated with the program or project. Administrative costs could be direct or indirect costs, and are defined at 20 CFR 667.220. Administrative costs do not need to be identified separately from program costs on the SF–424A Budget Information Form. However, they must be discussed in the budget narrative and tracked through the grantee’s accounting system. To claim any administrative costs that are also indirect costs, the applicant must obtain an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement from its cognizant Federal agency. 3. Salary and Bonus Limitations Under Public Law 109–234, none of the funds appropriated in Public Law 109–149 or prior Acts under the heading ‘‘Employment and Training Administration’’ that are available for expenditure on or after June 15, 2006, may be used by a recipient or subrecipient of such funds to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual, either as direct costs or indirect costs, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II. Public Laws 111–8 and 111–117 contain the same limitations with respect to funds appropriated under each of these Laws. These limitations also apply to grants funded under this SGA. The salary and bonus limitation does not apply to vendors providing goods and services as defined in OMB Circular A–133 (codified with 29 CFR Parts 96 and 99). See Training and Employment Guidance Letter number 5–06 for further clarification: http://wdr.doleta.gov/ directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=2262. 4. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages Organizations that receive grants through this SGA may not use grant funds to pay for the wages of participants. Further, the provision of stipends to training enrollees for the purposes of wage replacement is not an allowable cost under this SGA. 5. Intellectual Property Rights The Federal Government reserves a paid-up, nonexclusive and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use for Federal purposes: (1) The copyright in all products developed PO 00000 Frm 00099 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 17779 under the grant, including a subgrant or contract under the grant or subgrant; and (2) any rights of copyright to which the grantee, subgrantee or a contractor purchases ownership under an award (including but not limited to curricula, training models, technical assistance products, and any related materials). Such uses include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise. Federal funds may not be used to pay any royalty or licensing fee associated with such copyrighted material, although they may be used to pay costs for obtaining a copy which are limited to the developer/seller costs of copying and shipping. If revenues are generated through selling products developed with grant funds, including intellectual property, these revenues are program income. Program income is added to the grant and must be expended for allowable grant activities. The source code, including all code incorporated to create the components and system that will comprise the HVCP developed under this grant will be considered open-source, subject to copyright by the grantee under the express provisions of an open-source software license. To this end, in lieu of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) standard reservation of a license in copyrighted works developed under a grant per 29 CFR 95.36, the intellectual property rights of DOL, its grantees and subgrantees (including contractors of the grantee/subgrantee) in the HVCP will be governed by an open-source software license, namely, the GPLv3 license (attached, Appendix A), unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by authorized representatives of both DOL and the grantee. Grantees must include the following language on all products developed in whole or in part with grant funds: ‘‘This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership.’’ For asse