Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices 30623

improvement opportunities to assist

offenders in becoming law-abiding

citizens. The Bureau accomplishes its

mission through the appropriate use of

community correction, detention, and

correctional facilities that are either:

Federally-owned and operated;

Federally-owned and non-Federally

operated; and non-Federally owned and

operated.

The Bureau is facing a period of

unprecedented growth in its inmate

population. Projections show the federal

inmate population increasing from

approximately 120,000 inmates to

205,000 inmates by 2007. As such, the

demand for bedspace within the federal

prison system will continue to grow at

a significant rate. To accommodate a

portion of the growing inmate

population, the Bureau of Prisons has

determined that an additional mediumsecurity Federal Correctional Institution

(FCI) is needed in its system. Therefore,

the Bureau of Prisons is proposes to

build and operate a medium-security

federal correctional facility, with an

adjacent minimum-security satellite

camp, in Pennsylvania. The main

medium-security facility would provide

habitation for approximately 1,200

inmates, with an additional 150–300

inmates to be housed at the minimumsecurity satellite camp.

Several sites in Northumberland

County, Pennsylvania have been offered

to the Bureau for consideration in

developing the medium-security FCI

and satellite camp. The Bureau of

Prisons has preliminarily evaluated

these sites and determined that the

prospective sites appear to be of

sufficient size to provide space for

housing, programs, administrative

services and other support facilities

associated with the correctional facility.

The DEIS to be prepared by the Bureau

will analyzed the potential impacts of

correctional facility construction and

operation at these sites.

The Process

In the process of evaluating the sites,

several aspects will receive detailed

examination including, but are not

limited to: topography, geology/soils,

hydrology, biological resources, utility

services, transportation services,

cultural resources, land uses, socioeconomics, hazardous materials, air and

noise quality, among others.

Alternatives

In developing the DEIS, the options of

‘‘no action’’ and ‘‘alternative sites’’ for

the proposed facility will be fully and

thoroughly examined.

Scoping Process

During the preparation of the DEIS,

there will be opportunities for public

involvement in order to determine the

issues to be examined. A public Scoping

Meeting will be held at 7 P.M., May 31,

2000 at the Northumberland County

Career & Arts Center located at 2 East

Arch Street, Shamokin, Pennsylvania.

The meeting location, date, and time

will be well publicized and has been

arranged to allow for the public as well

as interested agencies and organizations

to attend. The meeting is being held to

allow interested persons to formally

express their views on the scope and

significant issues to be studied as part

of the DEIS process. The Scoping

Meeting is being held to provide for

timely public comments and

understanding of federal plans and

programs with possible environmental

consequences as required by the

National Environmental Policy Act of

1969, as amended, and the National

Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as

amended. In addition, public

information meetings have been held in

Northumberland County by

representatives of the Bureau of Prisons

with interested citizens, elected

officials, and community leaders.

DEIS Preparation

Public notice will be given concerning

the availability of the DEIS for public

review and comment.

Addresses

Questions concerning the proposed

action and the DEIS may be directed to:

David J. Dorworth, Chief, Site Selection

and Environmental Review Branch,

Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First

Street, NW., Washington, D.C. 20534,

Telephone (202) 514–6470,

Telefacsimile (202) 616–6024, E-Mail:

siteselection@bop.gov.

Dated: May 5, 2000.

David J. Dorworth,

Chief, Site Selection and Environmental

Review Branch.

[FR Doc. 00–11788 Filed 5–11–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training

Administration

Notice of Availability of Funds and

Solicitation for Grant Applications

(SGAs) for the Purpose of Training

Child Care Providers

SUMMARY: This notice contains all of the

necessary information and forms

needed to apply for grant funding. The

Department of Labor, Employment and

Training Administration, Bureau of

Apprenticeship and Training, invites

proposals for approximately ten (10)

awards for the implementation of the

Quality Child Care Initiative. It will

assist with the initiation of building a

national system for the education and

training of professional child care

providers and expand the National

Apprenticeship System by incorporating

diversification of occupational entities

through development of new and

innovative strategies for increasing the

participation among the child care

industry.

DATES: Applications will be accepted

commencing on the date of publication.

The closing date for receipt of

applications is July 12, 2000, at 4 P.M.,

(Eastern Time ) at the address below.

Telefacsimile (FAX), Ttelegraphed, or

Electronic Applications will not be

honored.

ADDRESSES: Applications shall be

mailed to the U.S. Department of Labor,

Employment and Training

Administration, Division of Federal

Assistance, Attention: Reda Harrison,

Reference: SGA/DFA 00–106, 200

Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S–

4203, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions

should be faxed to Reda Harrison,

Grants Management Specialist, Division

of Federal Assistance, Fax 202–219–

8739. This is not a toll-free number. All

inquiries should include the SGA

number (DFA 00–106) a contact name,

fax and phone numbers. This

solicitation will also be published on

the Internet on the Employment and

Training Administration’s Home Page at

http://www.doleta.gov. Award

notifications will also be published on

this Home Page.

Quality Child Care Initiative

Solicitation

I. Purpose

To invite proposals for providing a

credentialed career path for

development of professional child care

providers through the utilization of the

National Registered Apprenticeship

System; which will reduce turnover,

increase wages for providers, provide a

more stable environment for children

and lower the concern of parents.

II. Background

The Child Care Industry is in trouble.

A 1989 study by the National Center of

Early Childhood Workforce found that

the quality of services provided by most

day care centers was rated as ‘‘barely

30624 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices

adequate,’’ and a more recent four-State

study by the University of Colorado, at

Denver, found that only 14 percent of

child care centers were rated as good

quality. In addition, child care workers

are faced with relatively low wages,

inadequate benefit coverage and high

job turnover.

On October 23, 1997, President and

Mrs. Clinton hosted the White House

Conference on Child Care to focus the

Nation’s attention on the importance of

addressing the need for safe, affordable,

available and quality child care. Integral

to providing the ‘‘right’’ care is the

quality of the child care worker.

Quality child care service goes hand

in glove with having an adequate supply

of competent, professional child care

providers. This requires enhanced

training opportunities and a redefinition

of the basic concept of what constitutes

a child care provider. A national focus

on accreditation demands that

practitioners have access to education

and training that will promote

professional development. As the field

of early care and education becomes

established as a profession, practitioners

are required to master basic knowledge,

skills and core competencies of early

childhood development. As

professionals, practitioners must

develop practical knowledge that will

enable them to apply new approaches

and strategies for working effectively

with young children.

III. Statement of Work

As our society continues to evolve

and demands are placed on parents to

secure full time job/careers, the need for

safe, affordable, available and quality

child care has been brought to the

forefront. Utilization of the National

Apprenticeship System can provide

needed training for early care and

education practitioners. High quality

training has the potential to change the

culture of the child care industry from

one dominated by low pay and high

turnover to one of respected

professional service. No longer would

child care be equated to baby-sitting.

The apprenticeship model validates

the integral part that child care plays in

the economy, as working families rely

on dependable, accessible care for their

children. As families move from welfare

to work, additional sources of training

child care providers are in demand.

Note: All applicants are expected to

provide information relative to the projected

number of participants (i.e., employers,

apprentices and the diverse make-up of the

participants).

The major tasks of this project will be,

but not limited, to the following:

• System and capacity-building by

incorporating in a collaborative spirit

organizations, agencies, employers,

associations and higher education (i.e.,

State Child Care Association, State Head

Start Association, State Early Childhood

Professional Associations , School Age

Care, Black Child Development

Institution, State Family Child Care

Associations, State Head Start

Collaboration Directors, Post Secondary

Institutions, Child Care Resource and

Referral Agencies, Registered

Apprenticeship Representative), to

develop a vision for implementation of

an individual statewide sustainable

infrastructure built upon successful

registered apprenticeship and best

practice models;

• From the above activity,

establishment of an oversight body to

provide direction and guidance to the

vision, utilizing the services of an

Apprenticeship and Training

Representative.

• Utilization of an established

curriculum or development of a

curriculum based on developmentally

appropriate inclusive practices for

young children and an interactive adult

education teaching approach that is

effective for adult learners.

• Adoption of or establishment of a

train-the-trainer system that will ensure

the availability of knowledgeable,

experienced, skilled instructors for the

related instruction course work;

• Development of a process to

promote career lattice for those

graduates of the registered

apprenticeship system (i.e., articulation

into an Associates Degree or higher);

• Ensuring the inclusion of those

with other nationally recognized

credentials such as the Child

Development Associate (CDA) through

previous credit for documented prior

experience;

• Demonstration of in-kind support

from institutions involved in the

process (i.e., time spent to facilitate and

foster the process and/or free facilities

to conduct related instruction);

• Development and implementation

of a strategy or strategies to ensure

inclusion of practitioners representing

diversity of culture, ethnicity, gender

and ability;

• Development of policies,

procedures and formulas to ensure the

consistency and integrity of system

implementation and beyond. The

system will be sustainable and

ownership established, if the process is

followed throughout the state.

IV. Application Process

Eligible Applicants: Those eligible to

apply are as follows: States that have a

State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA);

State Agencies designated by the

Governor; Governor’s Early Childhood

Initiative; and other State Agencies with

responsibility for child care regulations

or funding. Only one proposal will be

accepted per State; and for States

without an SAA, a letter from the

Governor designating the agency must

accompany the proposal. Those

awardees who received Child Care

Initiative awards in 1999 are not eligible

to compete for this procurement.

V. Application Submittal

Applicants must submit four (4)

copies of their proposal, with original

signatures. The application shall be

divided into two distinct parts: Part I—

which contains Standard Form (SF) 424,

‘‘Application for Federal Assistance,’’

(Appendix A) and ‘‘Budget Information

Sheet,’’ (Appendix B). All copies of the

SF 424 MUST have original signatures

of the legal entity applying for grant

funding. Applicants shall indicate on

the SF 424 the organization’s IRS Status,

if applicable. According to the Lobbying

Disclosure Act of 1995, Section 18, an

organization described in Section 501(c)

4 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986

which engages in lobbying activities

shall not be eligible for the receipt of

federal funds constituting an award,

grant, or loan. The Catalog of Federal

Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number is

17.249. In addition, the budget shall

include—on a separate page(s)—a

detailed cost break-out of each line item

on the Budget Information Sheet. Part II

shall contain the program narrative that

demonstrates the applicant’s plan and

capabilities in accordance with the

evaluation criteria contained in this

section. Applicants must describe their

plan in light of each of the Evaluation

Criteria. Applicants MUST limit the

program narrative section to no more

than 30 double-spaced pages, on one

side only. This includes any

attachments. Applications that fail to

meet the page limitation requirement

will not be considered.

VI. Late Applications

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 and

it—(a) 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 mailed/post

marked by the 15th of that month); or

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices 30625

(b) 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.

VII. 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,

the representative’s identity is made

known and representative signs a

receipt of the proposal.

VIII. 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 P.M., (Eastern

Time), July 12, 2000, at the specified

address. Failure to adhere to the above

instructions will be a basis for a

determination of nonresponsiveness.

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.

IX. Funding Availability and Period of

Performance

The Department expects to make up

to 10 awards with a maximum total

investment for these projects of $3.5

million. The estimated range of awards

is to be from $175,000 to $350,000. The

period of performance will be for 18

months from the date of execution.

X. Review Process

A careful evaluation of applications

will be made by a technical review

panel who will evaluate the

applications against the criteria listed

below. The panel results are advisory in

nature and not binding on the Grant

Officer. The Government may elect to

award the grant with or without

discussions 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. Those

awards made will be in the best

interests of the Government.

Evaluation Criteria

A. System and Capacity Building—

The extent to which the offeror has

delineated collaboration strategies to

develop a vision and implementation

plan for a statewide infrastructure

utilizing the registered apprenticeship

system of training and forecast of

implementation. (25 points)

B. Sustainability—Plan for long term

viability of the system after this funding

ends. (15 points)

C. Curriculum—Delineation of

utilization or development of

curriculum based on developmentally

appropriate inclusive practices for

young children and an interactive adult

educational component for effective

adult learners and a forecast of

implementation. (15 points)

D. Career Lattice—Describe the

process for inclusion of participants

with documented prior experience

linked with substantial increases in

compensation and next steps for

apprenticeship graduates in the process

(awarding of college credit and

articulation with higher education). (20

points)

E. Diversity—Outline the strategy or

strategies developed to ensure inclusion

of participants representing diversity of

culture, ethnicity, gender and ability

(i.e., projected number of employers and

apprentices) and a forecast of

implementation. (15 points)

F. Consistency and Integrity—

Delineation of the policies, procedures,

and formulas developed to ensure

consistency and integrity of the

statewide system. (10 points)

XI. Reporting Requirements

• Attendance to a post award

orientation briefing (i.e., time and place

to be announced), where BAT will

reiterate and delineate the overall

desired outcomes of the project;

• Detailed work plan, budget, and

schedule within 30 days of grant award;

• Quarterly Status Reports within 30

days of quarters end;

• Monthly cost vouchers;

• Final report on completed tasks and

specific recommendations for future

grants for Child Care Initiatives, no later

than 45 days following the end of the

grant.

Signed in Washington, DC, the 5th of May,

2000.

Laura A. Cesario,

Grant Officer, Division of Federal Assistance.

BILLING CODE 4510–30–P

30626 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices 30627

30628 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices 30629

30630 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices

[FR Doc. 00–11977 Filed 5–11–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–30–C

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training

Administration

Workforce Investment Act; Lower

Living Standard Income Level

AGENCY: Employment and Training

Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of determination of lower

living standard income level.

SUMMARY: Under Title I of the Workforce

Investment Act (Pub. L. 105–220), the

Secretary of Labor annually determines

the Lower Living Standard Income

Level (LLSIL) for uses defined in the

Law. WIA defines the term ‘‘Low

Income Individual’’ as one who

qualifies under various criteria,

including an individual who received

income that does not exceed the higher

of the poverty line or 70 percent of the

lower living standard income level. This

issuance provides the Secretary’s annual

LLSIL for 2000 and references the

current 2000 Health and Human

Services ‘‘Poverty Guidelines.’’

EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective

on May 12, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to:

Mr. Ron Putz, Office of Adult Services,

Employment and Training

Administration, Department of Labor,

Room N–4671, 200 Constitution Avenue

NW., Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Ron Putz, Telephone 202–219–7694

x134; Fax (202) 219–0376 (these are not

toll free numbers).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

purpose of the Workforce Investment

Act (WIA) is ‘‘to provide workforce

investment activities, through statewide

and local workforce investment systems,

that increase the employment, retention,

and earnings of participants, and

increase occupational skill attainment

by participants, and, as a result,

improve the quality of the workforce,

reduce welfare dependency, and

enhance the productivity and

competitiveness of the Nation.’’

The LLSIL is used for several

purposes under WIA: specifically, WIA

Section 101(25) defines the term ‘‘low

income individual for eligibility

purposes’’ Sections 127(b)(2)(C) and

132(b)(1)(iii)(IV) define the terms

‘‘disadvantaged adult,’’ and

‘‘disadvantaged youth’’ in terms of the

poverty line or LLSIL for purposes of

State allotments. The Governor and

State/local Workforce Investment

Boards need the LLSIL for determining

eligibility for youth, eligibility for

employed adult/dislocated workers for

certain services, and for the

reauthorized Work Opportunity Tax

Credit (WOTC). We encourage the

Governors and State/local Workforce

Investment Boards to consult WIA and

its Regulations and Preamble for more

specific guidance in applying the LLSIL

to program requirements. The

Department of Health and Human

Services published the annual update of

the poverty-level guidelines in the

Federal Register at 65, FR 7555, (Feb.

15, 2000). The HHS poverty-level

guidelines may also be found on the

Internet at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/

00.htm. ETA plans to have the 2000

LLSIL available on its website at: http:/

/www.wdsc.org/llsil/llsil00.htm.

WIA section 101(24) defines the

LLSIL as ‘‘that income level (adjusted

for regional, metropolitan, urban, and

rural differences and family size)

determined annually by the Secretary

(of Labor) based on the most recent

lower living family budget issued by the

Secretary.’’ The most recent lower living

family budget was issued by the

Secretary of Labor in the fall of 1981.

The four-person urban family budget

estimates, previously published by the

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),

provided the basis for the Secretary to

determine the LLSIL. BLS terminated

the four-person family budget series in

1982, after publication of the Fall 1981

estimates. Currently BLS provides

current data to ETA, from which it

develops the LLSIL tables.

The Employment and Training

Administration (ETA) published the

1999 updates to the LLSIL in the

Federal Register on May 14, 1999, at 64

FR 26452. This notice again updates the

LLSIL to reflect cost of living increases

for 1999 by applying the BLS provided

percentage change in the December

1999 Consumer Price Index for All

Urban Consumers (CPI–U), compared

with the December 1998 CPI–U, to each

of the May 14, 1999 LLSIL figures.

Those updated figures for a family of

four are listed in Table 1 below by

region for both metropolitan and

nonmetropolitan areas. Figures in all of

the accompanying tables are rounded up

to the nearest ten. Since ‘‘low income

individual,’’ ‘‘disadvantaged adult, and

‘‘disadvantaged youth’’ may be

determined by family income at 70

percent of the LLSIL, those figures are

listed below as well.

Jurisdictions included in the various

regions, based generally on Census

Divisions of the U.S. Department of

Commerce, are as follows:

Northeast

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Vermont

Virgin Islands

Midwest

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

North Dakota

Ohio

South Dakota

Wisconsin

South

Alabama

American Samoa

Arkansas

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Northern Marianas

Oklahoma

Palau

Puerto Rico

South Carolina

Kentucky

Louisiana

Marshall Islands

Maryland

Mississippi

Micronesia

North Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

West

Arizona

California

Colorado

Idaho

Montana

Nevada

New Mexico

Oregon

Utah

Washington

Wyoming

Additionally, separate figures have

been provided for Alaska, Hawaii, and

Guam as indicated in Table 2 below.

For Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam, the

year 2000 figures were updated from the