[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 102 (Thursday, May 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33830-33841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13153]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Work Incentive Grants

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), DOL.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds; Solicitation for Grant 
Applications (SGA).

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This notice contains all of the necessary information and forms needed 
to apply for grant funding.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) announces the availability of $20 million to award 
competitive grants designed to enhance the employability, employment 
and career advancement of people with disabilities through enhanced 
service delivery in the new One-Stop delivery system established under 
the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. The Work Incentive Grant program 
will provide grant funds to consortia and/or partnerships of public and 
private non-profit entities working in coordination with a state and/or 
local One-Stop delivery system to augment the existing programs and 
services and ensure programmatic access and streamlined, seamless 
service delivery for people with disabilities.

DATES: Applications will be accepted commencing on the date of 
publication. The closing date for receipt of applications under this 
announcement is Tuesday, August 1, 2000, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time (EST) at the address below. Telefacsimile (fax), telegraphed, 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: Ms. B. Jai Johnson, SGA/DFA 00-107, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW Room S-4203, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions should be faxed to Ms. B.Jai 
Johnson, 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 00-107) and a contact name, fax and 
phone numbers. This solicitation is also being published on the 
Internet on the ETA's disability On-line Home Page at wdsc.org/disability, or the ETA homepage at doleta.gov. Award notifications will 
also be published on the ETA homepage.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Authority

    Provisions relating to the One-Stop delivery system are at Section 
121, 134(c) of the Workforce Investment Act (29 USC 2841, 2864); 
Wagner-Peyser Act 53(c)(1) (29 USC 496(c)(1)) and Department of Labor 
Appropriations Act 2000 (Pub. L. 106-113). Regulations governing the 
Workforce Investment Act are at 20 CFR parts 660-671. An Interim Final 
Rule was published in the Federal Register at 64 FR 18662 (Apr. 
19,1999) with issuance of final rule planned for the summer of 2000.

II. Background

    The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 establishes comprehensive 
reform of existing Federal job training programs with amendments 
impacting service delivery under the Wagner Peyser Act, Adult Education 
and Literacy Act, the Rehabilitation Act and supersedes the Job 
Training Partnership Act. A number of other Federal programs are also 
identified as required partners under the One-Stop delivery system with 
the intention of providing comprehensive services for all Americans to 
access the information and resources available to them in the 
development and implementation of their career goals. The intention of 
the One-Stop system is to establish programs and providers in co-
located, coordinated and integrated settings that are coherent and 
accessible for individuals and businesses alike in approximately 600 
workforce investment areas which will be established throughout the 
nation.
    The Workforce Investment Act establishes State and Local Workforce

[[Page 33831]]

Investment Boards focused on strategic planning, policy development, 
and oversight of the workforce system with significant authority for 
the Governor and chief elected officials to build on existing reforms 
in order to implement innovative and comprehensive workforce investment 
systems. Although systemic change of the magnitude envisioned by the 
Workforce Investment Act is a long term process, State and local 
planning processes are required to be in place by July 1, 2000. The 
Work Incentive Grants will facilitate model service delivery for people 
with disabilities involving coordination of the multiple programs and 
agencies which frequently impact their ability to achieve self-
sustaining employment, skill attainment and long range career 
opportunities. Recognizing that many One-Stop delivery systems may not 
currently have the capacity to provide comprehensive services to people 
with disabilities, the Work Incentive Grant is designed to provide seed 
monies for the enhancement of service delivery in the One-Stop delivery 
system.
    Many people with disabilities are looking to the new workforce 
investment system to address their employment and training needs in a 
progressive, enlightened environment with cutting-edge technologies. 
They also expect the One-Stop delivery system to provide comprehensive 
services to meet multiple barriers which frequently limit their access 
to a productive, economically rewarding work life. These may include, 
but are not limited to, the availability of basic and skill 
development; vocational skill training or advanced educational 
opportunities; apprenticeship and entrepreneurial training; 
transportation assistance to reach training or employment; housing 
assistance or advise on retaining existing housing upon employment; and 
access to medical health coverage upon employment.

Additional Background Information

    There are approximately 50 million Americans with disabilities, 30 
million of whom are of working age. Of the latter, many are relegated 
to lives of poverty and reliance on public assistance and supports. The 
economic boom of recent years has had little to no impact on the more 
than 70% of those with significant disabilities of working age who are 
not employed. In addition, many people have hidden disabilities which 
may or may not be recognized or officially diagnosed but which impact 
their ability to obtain, retain or advance in employment.
    Approximately 10 million people with disabilities are recipients or 
beneficiaries of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security 
Disability Insurance (SSDI). Many other individuals with disabilities 
receive public assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy 
Families (TANF) program. The benefits or payments to these individuals 
are generally at or below Federal poverty income levels.
    Generally eligibility for Medicaid, access to subsidized housing 
and other benefits are automatically tied to receipt of SSI or TANF, 
while Medicare and some other public supports are closely linked to 
SSDI benefits. Public policy systems, particularly those related to 
necessary health coverage, have for many years encouraged dependency on 
income supports and created many obstacles to employment and economic 
independence.
    The loss of health care benefits and other structural disincentives 
to working and achieving self-sufficient, living wages have been 
partially addressed in the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives 
Improvement Act of 1999 (TWWIIA) [Public Law 106-170] which, among 
other provisions, encourages States to enact expanded and more readily 
accessible health care coverage for working age individuals with 
disabilities. Although not authorized under the TWWIIA, the Department 
of Labor intends for the Work Incentive Grant program to further 
support the employment objectives of TWWIIA for SSI and SSDI recipients 
by enhancing the State and local workforce investment system for all 
people with disabilities.
    The Department of Labor has worked with the Social Security 
Administration (SSA) and the Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) in designing the Work Incentive Grant program, in a coordinated 
and strategic effort to support the issuance and objectives of separate 
SSA's cooperative agreement and HHS's grant programs authorized under 
the TWWIIA. The SSA will be awarding $50,000 to $300,000 grants for a 
$23 million Planning, Assistance and Outreach program to establish the 
capacity to provide comprehensive information on work incentives to SSI 
and SSDI recipients throughout each State. Workforce Investment Boards 
and One-Stop systems, among other entities, are eligible applicants for 
the SSA Planning, Assistance and Outreach Cooperative Agreement 
program. The HHS Medicaid Infrastructure Grant program is authorized 
for five years with approximately $40 million to be awarded annually to 
State Medicaid Agencies for establishing Medicaid buy-in opportunities 
for individuals who are working. Each of the three grant programs is 
administered separately by its respective agency but are expected to be 
implemented in Fiscal Year 2000.
    The Department of Education also provided input for the 
requirements of this Solicitation for Grant Application. The 
Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities, 
established under Executive Order 13078, facilitated and provided 
guidance to this multi-agency process as part of their charge to design 
a coordinated and aggressive national policy that will bring working-
age individuals with disabilities into gainful employment at a rate 
approaching that of the general population.

III. Submission of Applications

    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 
(b) was sent by the U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day Service 
to addressee not later than 5 p.m. 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.
    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, if the 
representative's identity is made known and the representative signs a 
receipt of the proposal.
    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., 
EST, August 1, 2000, at the specified address. Failure to adhere to the 
above instructions will be basis for a determination of 
nonresponsiveness.

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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.

IV. Funding Availability and Period of Performance

    The Department of Labor anticipates awarding 20-40 grants ranging 
from $500,000 to $1.5 million. The period of performance will be 
approximately 30 months from the date of execution by the Department. 
The grant funds would be available for expenditure until June 30, 2003 
when the authority for these funds will expire. The Department may make 
subsequent grant awards, which would extend grant objectives, to the 
original grantees based on satisfactory performance and the 
availability of funds.

V. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants may be a State and/or Local Workforce 
Investment Board(s) (State Board/Local Board(s)) established under the 
Workforce Investment Act or other State/local public entities 
including, Vocational Rehabilitation, Mental Health, Mental 
Retardation/Developmental Disability, TANF; and/or a private non-profit 
organization including, but not limited to Centers for Independent 
Living (CILs), disability advocacy and provider organizations, 
federally-funded disability grant entities, and other non-profit 
organizations which provide services and/or advocacy for people with 
disabilities; or a consortium thereof.
    To the extent practicable and possible, the Department of Labor is 
encouraging consortia of entities to develop and submit applications 
under this grant program. If the applicant is not the State or Local 
Workforce Investment Board, the Board(s) must be a partner in the 
consortium.
    Applications can be statewide in scope. Statewide projects must 
propose strategies for enhancing and improving services to people with 
disabilities involving all local workforce investment areas in the 
State. State-wide grant projects should obtain and provide letters of 
commitment from local Workforce Investment Boards to the extent 
possible. However, a statewide project must include the State Workforce 
Investment Board as a consortium partner, with applicable letters of 
commitment provided in the application.
    Indian and Native American Tribal entities, or consortia of Tribes, 
may apply for Work Incentive Grants. These would involve coordination 
of services and enhancements to a One-Stop system approach for people 
with disabilities in a specific Indian community or covering multiple 
Tribal entities which may cut across multiple States and/or workforce 
investment areas. In such cases, letters of commitment from Local 
Boards may not be applicable. Grants to Indian and Native American 
tribal grantees are treated differently because of sovereignty and 
self-governance established under the Indian Self-Determination and 
Education Assistance Act allowing for the government to government 
relationship between the Federal and Tribal Governments.

VI. Section Format Requirements for Grant Application

General Requirements

    Applicants must submit four (4) copies of their proposal, with 
original signatures. The Application Narrative must be double-spaced, 
and on single-sided, numbered pages with the exception of format 
requirements for the Executive Summary. The Executive Summary must be 
limited to no more than two single-spaced, single sided pages. A font 
size of at least twelve (12) pitch is required throughout.
    There are three required sections of the application. Requirements 
for each section are provided in this application package. Applications 
that fail to meet the requirements will not be considered.

Section I--Project Financial Plan;
Section II--Executive Summary--Project Synopsis
Section III--Project Narrative (including Appendices, not to exceed 
40 pages)

Section I. Project Financial Plan

    Section I of the application must include the following two 
required elements: (1) Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal 
Assistance, and (2) Budget Information Form and budget narrative. 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 17.207. Section I will not count 
against the application page limits.
    The financial plan must describe all costs associated with 
implementing the project that are to be covered with grant funds. All 
costs should be necessary and reasonable according to the Federal 
guidelines set forth in the ``Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments,'' 
(also known as the ``Common Rule'') codified at 29 CFR part 97 (97.22), 
and ``Grants and Agreements with Institutes of Higher Education, 
Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations'' (also known as OMB 
Circular A-110), codified at 29 CFR part 95 (95.27).
    The financial plan must contain the following parts:

--Completed ``SF 424--Application for Federal Assistance'' (see 
Appendix A for required form.)
--Completed ``Budget Information Form'' by line item for all costs 
required to implement the project design effectively. (See Appendix 
B for these required forms.)
--Budget narrative/justification which provides sufficient 
information to support the reasonableness of the costs included in 
the budget in relation to the service strategy and planned outcomes.

    Please note: Work Incentive Grant project designs which incorporate 
development, procurement or implementation of information technologies 
involving linkage, and/or to assure accessible technologies in the One-
Stop setting, must provide a 50 percent grantee match for those Work 
Incentive Grant funds which will be utilized for this (these) purposes. 
That is, if an applicant intends to use $50,000 in grant funds to 
develop, procure or implement information technology they must identify 
$50,000 to be provided by the applicant and/or consortium partner(s). 
Also, grant funds directed to development, procurement and 
implementation of these technologies cannot exceed 10% (not including 
matching funds) of the total grant award. Identification of these funds 
should be made noted in the remarks section of the Budget Information 
Sheet and described in the budget narrative/justification, including 
source of matching funds.

Section II. Executive Summary--Project Synopsis

[Format requirements limited to no more than two single-spaced, single-
sided pages]
    Each application shall provide a project synopsis which identifies 
the following:
    <bullet> The applicant;
    <bullet> The type of organization the applicant represents;
    <bullet> Identification of consortium partners and the type of 
organizations they represent;
    <bullet> The project service area;

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    <bullet> Whether the service area is an entire local workforce 
investment area, more than one local area, and/or all local areas in a 
State;
    <bullet> The specific areas of focus in the announcement which are 
addressed by the project;
    <bullet> The amount of funds requested;
    <bullet> The planned period of performance;
    <bullet> The comprehensive strategy proposed for providing seamless 
service delivery, for addressing the multi-faceted barriers to training 
and employment which affect people with disabilities, and for improving 
access for people with disabilities in the generic workforce system;
    <bullet> The ways in which the proposal is coordinated with a State 
HHS grant and/or SSA benefits planner grant;
    <bullet> How counseling and other support needs will be addressed 
in the One-Stop Center system;
    <bullet> The actions already taken by the State or Local Workforce 
Investment Board to address the needs of people with disabilities in 
the One-Stop delivery system;
    <bullet> The extent to which the One-Stop facilities and satellite 
site incorporate physical access for people with disabilities;
    <bullet> The extent to which Vocational Rehabilitation is 
integrated or coordinated with the One-Stop delivery system;
    <bullet> Data on the extent to which people with disabilities have 
been served under the prior Job Training Partnership Act program and 
under the Wagner-Peyser Act;
    <bullet> The level of commitment the applicant and consortium 
members have to serving people with disabilities; and
    <bullet> The extent to which the needs of individuals with 
disabilities from diverse cultural and/or ethnic groups will be 
addressed.

Section III. Project Narrative

[Format requirements limited to no more than forty (40) double-spaced, 
single-sided, numbered pages]
    Section III of the application, the project narrative, must not 
exceed forty (40) pages for the Government Requirements/Statement of 
Work section, as described below in the ``Required Content for Work 
Incentive Grant Applications--Program Year 2000.'' The forty (40) page 
limit includes any Attachments which are provided by the applicant. 
Letters of general support or recommendation for a proposal should NOT 
be submitted and will count against the page limits. However, letters 
of commitment are required from partner/consortia organizations, 
including State and/or Local Workforce Investment Board(s) clearly 
stating their intent to provide services and resources to the grant.

VII. Program Scope and Objectives

    The Department of Labor, in consultation with the President's Task 
Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities, has designed the Work 
Incentive Grant program to achieve the following objectives:
    --Provide seamless service delivery within a One-Stop delivery 
system for people with a wide range of disabilities which may include 
both documented and undocumented physical, sensory, developmental/
cognitive (e.g., mental retardation and learning disabilities, among 
others), mental and other health related functional disabilities.
    --Maintain a referral source of diverse services and information 
that commonly impact the employability of people with disabilities, 
such as transportation, housing, education and training programs, 
access to technology, and health care coverage;
    --Provide model One-Stop service delivery through availability of--
    <bullet> comprehensive services and programs designed to meet 
multiple needs and common employment barriers such as a procedures for 
identifying those individuals with hidden disabilities through 
appropriate screening and diagnostic testing;
    <bullet> state-of-the-art, fully accessible technologies and/or 
other accommodations that would be available for use in the One-Stop 
setting as well as establishing a process for the availability of 
accommodations in training settings; and
    <bullet> knowledgeable, experienced and skilled staff support on a 
broad range of disability issues.
    --Ensure access to knowledgeable benefits counselors who can do the 
following
    <bullet> provide information on education and training program 
options and opportunities available under a broad array of programs 
such as Adult Education; Individuals with Disability Education Act for 
those under 22 without a high school degree; Vocational Education and 
School-to-Work programs;
    <bullet> address the impact of employment on individual benefits 
such as SSDI, SSI, TANF, Medicaid, Medicare, subsidized housing, and 
food stamps;
    <bullet> provide accurate information on the availability of Social 
Security work incentive programs and Ticket-to-Work options available 
to SSDI and SSI recipients;
    <bullet> make available to employers detailed information on the 
array of tax benefits and incentives to employers of people with 
disabilities that provide financial support for workplace modifications 
and accommodations; and
    <bullet> leverage the diverse range of program resources that may 
be critical to successful employment, retention and career advancement 
such as medical or psychological testing or transportation subsidies 
available to One-Stop customers in local areas, as applicable.
    --Establish and carry out extensive and wide-ranging outreach to 
the disability community, including those with physical, sensory, 
developmental/cognitive (mental retardation and learning disabilities, 
among others), mental and other health related impairments, so that 
core and Title I workforce services are readily available and welcoming 
to customers with disabilities;
    --Ensure linkages and technical assistance to public and private 
providers of services to people with disabilities such as centers for 
independent living; State Developmental Disability Councils; State and 
local mental health agencies; Federal Social Security Agencies, State 
Medicaid Agencies, Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities 
Offices, TANF agencies; public special education and adult education 
programs, private schools and training programs designed to meet the 
needs of persons with disabilities, and other non-profit organizations 
which support integration into the One-Stop delivery system and which 
have knowledge regarding the benefits of employment and training 
information and services available through the workforce system.
    --Develop One-Stop capacity as a valued provider of choice for 
beneficiaries of SSDI and SSI, and to facilitate One-Stop eligibility 
to be an Employment Network provider established under provisions of 
the TWWIIA, which assumes responsibility for coordination and delivery 
of services under the Ticket to Work program, meets professional and 
educational qualifications, where applicable, and provides appropriate 
employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, or other 
support services either directly or by entering into agreement with a 
qualified entity.
    <bullet> Leverage available funds and services, including TANF and 
public education resources, currently available to individuals with 
disabilities under a variety of public and private non-profit resources 
to achieve the individual objectives of these customers; and

[[Page 33834]]

    <bullet> Provides individual customer choice as a primary, key 
component of program availability and delivery which provide models for 
how Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) under Title I of WIA, SSA 
Ticket-to-Work vouchers, Vocational Rehabilitation resources, and other 
appropriate funding sources can be used to provide seamless service 
delivery that is responsive to the customer.
    --Implement information technologies which may be used to 
facilitate linkage or consolidation of information or services provided 
by existing State, local and other Federal program providers; and/or 
establish innovative accessible technologies in the workforce system to 
assure universal access to One-Stop information and resources for 
individuals with disabilities. Please note: Work Incentive Grant 
project designs which incorporate development, procurement or 
implementation of information technologies involving linkage, and/or to 
assure accessible technologies in the One-Stop setting, must provide a 
50 percent grantee match for those Work Incentive Grant funds which 
will be utilized for this (these) purposes. Also, grant funds directed 
to development, procurement and implementation of these technologies 
cannot exceed 10% (not including matching funds) of the total grant 
award.
    To the extent appropriate and practicable, the applicant Work 
Incentive Grant proposals should be developed in coordination with 
SSA's Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach Cooperative Agreement 
program and/or HHS's Medicaid Infrastructure Grant program as part of a 
multi-pronged approach to increase the employment rate of people with 
disabilities. For example, an applicant for the Work Incentive Grant 
might consider applying for the SSA Benefit Planning, Assistance and 
Outreach Cooperative Agreement program, or coordinate with entities who 
may be applying, with the intent of establishing benefits planning 
capacity in a One-Stop Center. However, there may be additional 
strategies to support the Medicaid infrastructure development.
    Likewise, the Department is encouraging coordination with formula 
and competitive Welfare-to-Work grant programs. Coordination should 
also occur with State/Local five year plans required under Title I of 
WIA.
    The SSA Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach Cooperative 
Agreement Request for Proposal and HHS Medicaid Infrastructure Grant 
Request for Application requirements are accessible through ETA's 
disAbility Online homepage: http://wdsc.org/disability. Additional 
information and resources are also available at this website.

VIII. Monitoring and Reporting

Monitoring

    The Department shall be responsible for ensuring the effective 
implementation of each competitive grant project in accordance with the 
provisions of this announcement and the negotiated grant agreement. 
Applicants should assume that on-site project reviews will be conducted 
by Department staff, or their designees periodically throughout the 
implementation of the grant. Reviews will focus on the timely project 
implementation, performance in meeting the grant's programmatic goals 
and objectives, expenditure of grant funds on allowable activities, 
integration and coordination with other resources and service providers 
in the local area, and project management and administration in 
achieving project objectives. Work Incentive Grants may be subject to 
other additional reviews at the discretion of the Department.

Reporting

    Grantees will be required to submit periodic financial and 
participant reports under the Work Incentive Grant program covering the 
workforce area(s) included in the grant project design. Customer survey 
information will also be required. Specific reporting requirements have 
not been established at the time of issuance of this Solicitation for 
Grant Application. However, data collection will probably incorporate 
some detailed information about the people with disabilities being 
served under the grant, by the grant applicant and consortium partners 
where applicable. To the extent possible, reporting will be conducted 
electronically through web-based applications.
    1. Financial reports will be required on a quarterly basis. This 
will be the Standard Form 269--Financial Status Report (FSR).
    2. Customer Satisfaction Surveys: Customer satisfaction surveys 
will be required to be conducted with people with disabilities applying 
for services through the One-Stop delivery system(s) participating in 
the grant award. The Department of Labor will issue guidelines and 
reporting instructions related to the Customer Satisfaction Survey 
process at a later date.
    3. Other Reporting: The Department of Labor may require additional 
reporting requirements, including implementation progress reports and 
quarterly narrative and/or data reports on participants served in the 
workforce area(s) included in the grant for grant management and 
knowledge development purposes. The Department of Labor will issue 
guidelines and reporting instructions related to progress, narrative 
and participant reporting at a later date.

IX. Government Requirements/Statement of Work--Project Narrative

    The Project Narrative, or Section III, of the grant application 
should provide complete information on how the applicant will address 
government requirements and statement of work provisions outlined here, 
and not to exceed forty (40) double-spaced numbered pages, including 
appendices. The application should include information of the type 
described below, as appropriate.

Description of Service Area and Consortium Configuration

    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominately under the ``Statement of Need'' criteria.
    --Identify the number of workforce areas in the State and the 
jurisdiction of each local workforce investment area(s) in the State.
    --Identify what local areas(s) in the State will be covered by the 
project and whether the project is Statewide, multiple local areas or a 
single local area.
    --Identify consortium members if any, their primary mission 
irrespective of participation in the grant proposal, and what political 
and geographic jurisdictions (e.g., cities, counties, subsections of 
cities/counties) they cover.
    --Identify the percent of people with disabilities in the State 
and/or local area, including the percentage of people who are 
beneficiaries of SSDI and/or SSI.
    --Identify the most recent unemployment rate(s) in the workforce 
investment area(s) covering the project.
    --Describe the significant deficiencies in the State or local 
workforce investment system that represent barriers to employment for 
people with disabilities.
    --Identify additional State and/or local funds and resources that 
will be used to support the overall objectives of the grant and which 
will assist in addressing the identified issues the grant project is 
addressing.
    --For proposals targeted to a specific Indian community or covering 
multiple Tribal entities which may cut across multiple States and/or 
local areas, describe the overall approach of the

[[Page 33835]]

project, identify the inadequacies and deficiencies of the service 
delivery to the applicable community, and how the project expects to 
address these.

Disability Related Knowledge and Skills

    The Department will evaluate information provided in this section 
predominately under the ``Comprehensive Action Plan/Statement of Need'' 
criteria.
    --Describe how the project will address a primary objective of the 
Work Incentive Grant program to assure the integration of people with 
disabilities into the workforce investment system, including the 
availability of WIA Title I programs and services, as well as the many 
partner programs operating through the One-Stop delivery system.
    --Recognizing that the One-Stop delivery system may not have 
extensive knowledge or skills in working with people with disabilities, 
describe the level of expertise of the One-Stop system in the local 
area(s) addressed in the grant and the projects plans for addressing 
inadequacies.
    --Describe the overall status and actions taken to-date by the One-
Stop delivery system to address services to people with disabilities. 
This should include actions to assure State and/or local facilities are 
physically and programmatically accessible, training provided to staff, 
the number and percent of people with disabilities receiving services 
under JTPA and Employment Service programs during the previous three 
years compared with that of people without disabilities, and plans to 
increase services to people with disabilities, if applicable.
    --Identify the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding or 
other agreements between Title I of the WIA, State Vocational 
Rehabilitation (VR) Agency, the State Rehabilitation Council, and the 
State and/or local Workforce Investment Board in terms of the provision 
of services to people with disabilities; the plans for cost sharing; 
the arrangements for referral of people with disabilities between Title 
I of the WIA and VR as appropriate; the extent of integration and co-
location of VR in One-Stop Centers, including sharing of MIS systems or 
participation in case management data base technologies; the extent to 
which there is joint funding of participant services or leveraging of 
funds to expand access to services; and utilization of Individual 
Training Accounts (ITA's) for people with disabilities.
    --Identify plans and strategies to develop the capacity of the 
comprehensive One-Stop Center to function as an Employment Network 
under the TWWIIA. Project plans in this regard should involve building 
the capacity of the WIA Title I program and One-Stop system so that 
more in-depth services and information will be readily available to 
individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the description of 
increased capacity should be as an adjunct to the State Vocational 
Rehabilitation Agency which is an automatic Employment Network provider 
under the TWWIIA. Descriptions may include the planned coordination, 
interaction and relationship between the universal One-Stop service 
delivery system and Vocational Rehabilitation services, planned 
memorandums of understanding on how the Ticket program may be 
implemented within the One-Stop system or in partnership with non-
profit entities in the local area, and expectations for more services 
directed to SSI and SSDI recipients.
    --Identify whether assessment tools are utilized to identify 
individuals with learning disabilities in the One-Stop delivery system, 
including (1) whether assessment tools are utilized to identify 
individuals with learning disabilities in the One-Stop; (2) plans and 
processes to identify applicable assessment tools, train staff and 
incorporate such assessments as part of the service delivery structure; 
and (3) use of individualized, person-driven processes for 
identification of strengths, needs and desires related to employment.

Summary of Strategy of Collaboration/Coordination

    Information provided in this section will be evaluated 
predominately under the ``Comprehensive Service Strategy'' and 
``Collaboration and Coordination'' criteria. This should include the 
identification and interaction of a variety of disability-related 
organizations and entities. These may include but should not be limited 
to the following: Independent Living Centers, State Mental Health, 
Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability Agencies, State Planning 
Councils on Developmental Disabilities, State Independent Living 
Councils (SILCs), State Rehabilitation Councils, State Governors' 
Committee, State Medicaid Agency, State and/or local TANF agency, 
Vocational Rehabilitation Agency and local Welfare-to-Work Programs.
    --Identify specific organizational/service provider capabilities 
that will be provided as a result of grant activities to ensure the 
full range of assistance required for receiving and participating in 
training, skill development, job development, job placement in 
unsubsidized employment, job retention services and career advancement 
opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
    --Describe the process that will be used to maintain and expand the 
service structure for individuals with disabilities accessing the 
workforce investment system after receipt of the grant funds. Describe 
what linkages are expected to occur that will be sustained over time 
and what resources various public and private entities will make 
available in the workforce system that ensure expanded services and 
integration of people with disabilities.
    --Describe the extent to which people with physical and mental 
disabilities are represented in the development and implementation of 
plans to improve and enhance One-Stop services for people with 
disabilities, plans for outreach and marketing to the disability 
community and organizations which represent or work with people with 
disabilities; and plans for training disability-related organizations 
on the resources and programs available to them in the One-Stop system.
    --Describe coordination and linkage with regional Disability 
Business and Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) and State Governor's 
Committees on Employment of People with Disabilities. Have DBTACs 
provided training to the One-Stop delivery system on the Americans with 
Disabilities Act (ADA), section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, or other 
disability-related training? If not, are plans to do so incorporated 
into the applicant project?
    --Describe coordination and linkage with the State and local 
Independent Living Center (CIL) system. Are they part of the consortium 
membership? If not, what outreach is planned to establish linkage with 
them and their core constituency of people with disabilities?
    --Describe coordination and linkage with Mental Health Departments, 
Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability Agencies, State Councils on 
Developmental Disabilities, State Vocational Rehabilitation, and 
Councils on Employment, and other local provider or advocate 
organizations serving individuals with developmental and/or psychiatric 
disabilities. Are they part of the consortium membership? If not, what 
outreach is planned to establish linkage with them and their core 
constituency of people with disabilities?
    --Describe coordination and linkage with Learning Disabilities and 
Training Dissemination hub centers established under grants from the 
Department of Education's Office of Vocational and

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Adult Education. Have these centers provided training to the One-Stop 
delivery system or are plans to do so incorporated into the applicant 
project?
    --Identify how State TANF programs and Welfare to Work (WtW) 
competitive grant projects will be linked or leveraged with objectives 
of the applicant's project. States and local areas have been in the 
process of implementing numerous WtW projects under formula and 
discretionary grants. Additionally, many TANF agencies have refocused 
resources on skill attainment and employment outcomes for TANF 
recipients. In addition to the fact that many TANF recipients have 
functional disabilities, many WtW and TANF projects address significant 
structural barriers to employment which are similar in nature to those 
facing most individuals with disabilities (e.g., health, housing, 
transportation). Systems which address these barriers for WtW and TANF 
recipients can be expanded or leveraged to address similar barriers for 
people with disabilities.
    --Describe how the planned project will be coordinated with grant 
programs which are funded under the SSA Benefits Planning, Assistance 
and Outreach Cooperative Agreement and HHS Medicaid Infrastructure 
Grant programs, if applicable.

Analysis of Barriers to Employment Impacting People With Disabilities 
in State/Local Workforce Investment Area

    The Department will evaluate information provided in this section 
under ``Statement of Need'' and ``Coordination and Collaboration'' 
criteria.
    --Identify public and private non-profit provider entities 
participating in the grant program and what barriers to employment may 
be addressed by the programs and services that are contributing to the 
overall applicant proposal. Specifically, describe how the State or 
local area is addressing (1) health insurance benefits, including 
relevant Medicaid and/or Medicare provisions, required by many people 
with disabilities to enter and retain employment; (2) the current 
transportation infrastructure, the availability of public 
transportation, and how individuals with all types of disabilities will 
access training and employment; (3) housing, food stamps and other 
support services; and (4) assistive technology needs.
    --Describe how public supports needed by people with disabilities 
may be affected by their employment or training and State or local 
conditions and actions to sustain benefits and services following 
successful job placement. For example, does the State or local area 
have provisions to continue supported or Section 8A housing, where 
applicable, for individuals who enter unsubsidized employment? Has the 
State adopted Medicaid ``buy-in'' options, or are there Medicaid 
waivers which extend health care coverage for individuals who enter 
employment?
    --If the applicant's proposal does not incorporate the capacity for 
benefits counselors or planners, what coordination is planned that 
ensures that individuals with disabilities who access One-Stop Center 
services will be able to obtain accurate work incentive and benefits 
information from knowledgeable and skilled staff?

Innovative Strategies and Model One-Stop Service Designs

    The Department will evaluate information provided in this section 
predominately under the ``Innovations and Model Services'' criteria.
    --Describe how the project will provide innovative approaches to 
increasing competitive, unsubsidized employment to individuals with 
disabilities.
    --Provide information on how the project adds value to the 
workforce system from a national perspective (e.g., fills a gap in 
policy or service approach), and the potential for replication and 
dissemination to the workforce system at large.
    --Describe investment plans, strategy and rationale for 
implementation of innovative technologies, whether to establish 
linkages with disability related entities or to implement innovative 
accessible technologies (e.g., video interpreting services for clients 
who are deaf), including the source(s) of the 50 percent match 
requirement discussed in Section VI under Project Financial Plan.
    --Identify the scope of technology implementations, if applicable, 
and the extent to which implementation is comprehensive and across the 
workforce area(s) and/or statewide.
    --Identify individualized strategies that establish client control 
of training funds, VR funds, ITAs, or other funding sources to which 
these individuals may have access, and co-mingle funds in a seamless, 
customer friendly manner, including plans for obtaining waiver 
authority to the extent program requirements necessitate this.
    --Identify plans or strategies to deploy Ticket-to-Work voucher 
provisions for beneficiaries of SSDI and recipients of SSI. At the time 
of this Solicitation for Grant Application, the requirements for 
implementation of the Ticket will not have been drafted, nor will the 
number of pilot States participating in a pilot process known. 
Therefore, the Department recognizes that descriptions for implementing 
the Ticket may be limited.
    --Describe strategies to foster entrepreneurial and self-employment 
options utilizing ITAs, Plans for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) and 
other SSA work incentives, and Medicaid coverage for individuals with 
disabilities who start or return to work.
    --Describe strategies to transition youth with disabilities from 
school-to-work environments using existing systems such as School-to-
Work and One-Stop system infrastructures.
    --Identify plans for ensuring competitive, unsubsidized employment 
for individuals with the most significant disabilities, including how 
the provision of job development, job carving, job coaching, supported 
employment, and personal assistance services will be addressed when 
applicable, and plans to integrate individuals with the most 
significant disabilities into mainstream workforce settings through 
individualized job development and placement strategies.
    --Provide information on how techniques such as job carving and 
individualized job development may be utilized under Title I of the 
WIA, or plans to expand this capability.

Employer Related Linkages

    The Department will evaluate this section predominately under the 
``Innovations and Model Services'' criteria.
    --Describe specific approaches for developing relationships with 
and support of area employers which establish employment opportunities 
for individuals with disabilities accessing the One-Stop delivery 
system, including any commitments by employers to hire these 
individuals.
    --Describe opportunities for competitive employment for individuals 
with disabilities will be provided or developed within the local 
workforce investment area and how this is unique or different than what 
is normally performed by the applicant(s).
    --Identify available Federal and State tax incentives available to 
employers when hiring an individual with a disability; how this 
information will be marketed and disseminated to employers, the 
individual and workforce staff; and how employers may use such tax 
credits to address structural and technological accommodation needs.
    --Describe opportunities for increasing integrated, competitive 
employment through use of strategies

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such as individualized job development for individuals with the most 
significant disabilities currently working in segregated facilities or 
waiting for employment services.

Implementation and Project Management Plan

    The Department will evaluate this section predominately under the 
``Demonstrated Capability'' criteria. Applicants must be able to 
document that they have systems capable of satisfying the 
administrative and grant management requirements for Work Incentive 
Grants.
    --Identify the critical activities, time frames and 
responsibilities for effectively implementing the project, including 
the management and evaluation process for assuring successful 
implementation of grant objectives.
    --Include a project organizational chart which identifies the staff 
with key management responsibilities, including a matrix of 
organizational responsibilities of key entities and participating 
consortium organizations, where applicable.
    --Describe the specific experience of the applicant(s) in serving 
people with disabilities, in providing workforce services, in 
addressing specific barriers to employment, in achieving expected 
outcomes in the delivery of such services/programs, and in implementing 
and administering specific project plans of the grant project. For 
example, such information might include the local Department of 
Transportation as a key partner agency addressing transportation 
barriers and how this entity has participated in similar efforts in the 
past and the success of these past efforts, and potential success of 
coordination on the applicant(s) grant project.

X. Review Process and Evaluation Criteria

    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 Department may elect to award grants either 
with or without discussion 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. The Grant Officer may 
consider any information that is available and will make final award 
decisions based on what is most advantageous to the Government, 
considering factors such as:
    --Panel findings;
    --Geographic distribution of the competitive applications;
    --The availability of funds.

Criteria

    The following criteria, and the weights assigned to each, will 
apply to the review of the responsiveness of the information requested 
in this application to this announcement:
    1. ``Statement of Need'', [15 points] which will consider the scope 
and targeting of the overall project design to address deficiencies and 
requirements of the current workforce delivery system.
    2. ``Comprehensive Service Strategy'', [30 points] which will 
consider the extent and quality of the applicant's plan to improve and 
enhance workforce delivery services to people with disabilities.
    3. ``Collaboration and Coordination'', [20 points] which shall 
consider the extent and quality of the consortium partnerships that are 
involved in, and making, substantial contributions to the project, 
including the commitment to maintain and expand the capacity to serve 
the target population with local and workforce resources over a 
sustained period of time.
    4. ``Innovations and Model Services'', [20 points] which shall 
consider the extent and degree of innovation represented in the 
applicant plans which go beyond the expected and predictable 
availability of accessible facilities and programs for people with 
disabilities, including innovative accessible technologies implemented 
on a system wide basis.
    5. ``Demonstrated Capability'', [15 points] which shall consider 
the extent to which the applicant and its consortium partners 
demonstrate the knowledge and skills to address the diverse needs and 
the diversity in population of people with disabilities, and the extent 
to which the applicant demonstrates the ability to effectively execute 
grant management responsibilities.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 22nd day of May, 2000.
Laura Cesario,
Grant Officer.

Appendix A: SF-424

Appendix B: Budget Information Form

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[FR Doc. 00-13153 Filed 5-24-00; 8:45 am]
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