[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 163 (Friday, August 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44647-44653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22391]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Availability of Funds for National Providers in Training and 
Technical Assistance

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(Corporation) announces the availability of approximately $5.37 million 
to provide training and technical assistance (T/TA) to national service 
programs supported by the Corporation in the following 14 areas for 
fiscal years 1997 and 1998: (A) Conflict Resolution; (B) Human 
Relations and Diversity Training; (C) Educational Success; (D) 
Financial Management; (E) Supervisory Skills Training; (F) Training 
Materials Development; (G) National Service Resource Center; (H) 
Organizational Development and Program Management; (I) Public Safety 
Program Support; (J) Risk Management; (K) Crew-based Programming; (L) 
Member Development and Management; (M) Sustainability; and (N) Out-of-
School Time. The Corporation will evaluate proposals made in each of 
the fourteen areas separately. The Corporation expects to make awards 
in each area in the form of one-year cooperative agreements with the 
possibility of a second year extension based on performance, need, and 
availability of funds.

DATES: Proposals must be received by the Corporation by 3:00 p.m. 
Eastern time on September 26, 1997.

ADDRESSES: All proposals should be submitted to the Corporation for 
National and Community Service, 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, 
DC 20525, Attention: Laurel Ihator, Room 9808. Proposals may not be 
submitted by facsimile. Applicants are requested to submit one (1) 
unbound, original proposal and two (2) copies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Ekstrom or Susan Schechter at the 
Corporation for National and Community Service, (202) 606-5000, ext. 
436, T.D.D. (202) 565-2799. Copies of Corporation materials referenced 
in this Notice may be reviewed at the Corporation, 1201 New York 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Corporation for National and Community Service was established 
in 1993 to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to 
their

[[Page 44648]]

communities. The Corporation's national and community service programs 
provide opportunities for participants to serve full-time and part-
time, with or without stipend, as individuals or as a part of a team. 
AmeriCorps State and National programs and AmeriCorps VISTA engage 
thousands of Americans on a full- or part-time basis at 1,000 operating 
sites to help communities meet their toughest challenges. Learn and 
Serve America integrates service into the academic life of more than 
800,000 students in all 50 states. The National Senior Service Corps 
utilizes the skills, talents and experience of over 500,000 older 
Americans to help make communities stronger, safer, healthier and 
smarter.
    The Corporation directly operates the AmeriCorps*VISTA and *NCCC 
programs. More than 4,000 AmeriCorps*VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to 
America) serve to develop grassroots programs, mobilize resources and 
build capacity for service programs across the nation. AmeriCorps*NCCC 
(National Civilian Community Corps) provides an opportunity for 
approximately 1,000 individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 to 
participate in a residential program on downsized military bases.
    AmeriCorps*State and National programs, which involve 25,000 
Americans each year in results-driven community service, are grant 
programs managed either by (1) State Commissions that select and 
oversee programs operated by local organizations or (2) national non-
profit organizations that identify and act as parent organizations for 
operating sites across the country. Learn and Serve grants provide 
service learning opportunities for students in K-12 and higher 
education settings. The National Senior Service Corps is operated 
through grants to local organizations for Retired Senior Volunteer 
Programs (RSVP), Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions to provide 
service to their communities.

II. Eligibility

    Public agencies, non-profit organizations (i.e., youth-serving 
groups, community-based organizations, and service organizations), 
institutions of higher education, Indian tribes, and for-profit 
companies are eligible to apply. Organizations that operate or intend 
to operate Corporation-supported programs are eligible. Organizations 
may apply to provide T/TA in partnership with organizations seeking 
other Corporation funds. Submissions from organizations that document 
an ability to provide T/TA on a nation-wide basis will be preferred. 
Based on previous T/TA competitions and the Corporation's estimate of 
potential applicants, the Corporation expects fewer than ten 
applications to be submitted in each area.

III. Period of Assistance and Other Conditions

A. Cooperative Agreements

    Awards made under this notice will be in the form of cooperative 
agreements. Administration of the cooperative agreements is controlled 
by the Corporation's regulations, 45 CFR part 2541 (for agreements with 
state and local government agencies) and 45 CFR part 2543 (for 
agreements with institutions of higher education and other non-profit 
organizations.)

B. Use of Materials

    To ensure that materials generated for training and technical 
assistance purposes are available to the public and readily accessible 
to grantees and subgrantees, the Corporation retains royalty-free, non-
exclusive, and irrevocable licenses to obtain, use, reproduce, publish, 
or disseminate products, including data produced under the agreement, 
and to authorize others to do so. To the extent practical, the awardee 
will agree to make available to the field products at no cost or at the 
cost of reproduction.

C. Time Frame

    The Corporation expects that work under agreements awarded through 
this Notice will commence as soon as possible after the conclusion of 
the Corporation's selection and negotiation processes--generally 
anticipated to be within the 60 days following the due date for 
proposals. The Corporation expects that the period of performance will 
be one year, with the possibility of a second year extension based on 
performance, need and availability of funds.

D. Other Corporation-sponsored Training and Technical Assistance

    In addition to using the T/TA providers selected under this notice, 
the Corporation provides training and technical assistance to grantees 
through in-house sector specialists in education, service-learning, 
public safety, youth development, leadership (through the Corporation's 
National Service Leadership Institute), and environment (through the 
Corporation's Center for National Service and the Environment). The in-
house sector specialists advise headquarters staff, act as liaisons to 
other federal initiatives and provide and manage T/TA in their areas of 
expertise. In addition, the Corporation may select additional providers 
through later notices as needs arise.

IV. T/TA Activities

    The following are basic principles of the Corporation's T/TA 
system. The provider selected for each area is expected to integrate 
these principles into its service delivery.
    <bullet> Coordinate delivery of on-site T/TA services, scheduled 
training sessions and all other T/TA services with staff of the State 
Commission, State Education Agency and/or Corporation State Office in 
the State where services have been requested.
    <bullet> Coordinate continually with the Corporation and State 
Commission staff concerning programs that are in particular need of T/
TA support.
    <bullet> Conduct aggressive, targeted outreach to programs 
identified by the Corporation and State Commissions as being in need of 
T/TA services.
    <bullet> Work in partnership with programs to help identify/clarify 
needs and determine the most suitable responses.
    <bullet> Prepare and submit for approval by the Corporation 
specific criteria for the evaluation of their T/TA services. After each 
T/TA event, to facilitate continuous improvement of these services, 
providers will solicit evaluations of their services consistent with 
the approved evaluation criteria. Providers will maintain records on 
these evaluations and provide these records to the Corporation or an 
authorized representative upon request. Providers will also submit to 
the Director of T/TA a quarterly report which, in part, (1) compares 
accomplishments with goals; (2) describes the nature and scale of T/TA 
activity; (3) provides aggregate summaries of the evaluations of each 
event; (4) recommends agendas based on analyses of T/TA activity and 
trends; (5) as practicable, relates activity costs to budget line 
items; (6) identifies developments that hinder compliance with the 
agreement; and (7) when appropriate, cites or proposes corrective 
action, and seeks Corporation assistance. The Corporation may conduct 
independent assessments of each provider's performance.
    <bullet> Thoroughly orient and train staff and consultants in the 
Corporation's background and objectives.
    <bullet> Respond to requests for T/TA from programs, State 
Commissions, Corporation State Offices, State Education Agencies, 
national non-profits as well as collaborate in training events 
organized by other providers for the Corporation.

[[Page 44649]]

    <bullet> Conduct aggressive outreach to national service programs 
as well as to State Commissions, State Education Agencies, and 
Corporation State Offices to promote awareness of available T/TA 
services.
    <bullet> Use peer-provided T/TA in situations where this approach 
is feasible and appropriate. Over the past three years AmeriCorps, 
National Senior Service Corps and Learn and Serve program directors; 
State Commission chairpersons, executive directors, commissioners; and 
others involved in national service have proven to be particularly 
effective as T/TA providers.
    <bullet> Identify, document and transmit effective practices 
through all their T/TA services.
    <bullet> Develop training that is interactive, experiential and 
based on the principles of adult learning.
    <bullet> Develop training designs that accommodate participants at 
various levels of existing knowledge and skills; offer basic and 
advanced training as required.
    <bullet> Ensure that assistance is accessible to persons with 
disabilities as required by law.
    <bullet> Link all T/TA activities to the greatest extent possible 
to the goal of sustainability in the absence of Corporation financial 
support.
    <bullet> Help programs improve the quality of their objectives and 
desired outcomes.
    <bullet> While the AmeriCorps*State and National program is 
expected to be the primary user of services in most categories under 
this Notice, address the needs of program personnel in other 
Corporation-supported programs when appropriate.
    <bullet> Operate with a focus on capacity-building to help programs 
develop their internal T/TA capacity, such as by improving their skills 
in problem identification, problem solving and assessing local T/TA 
resources. Providers should develop train-the-trainer initiatives for 
the purpose of increasing capacity at the state and local level to 
deliver T/TA services to national service programs. Providers should 
support and encourage programs' access to local T/TA resources.
    <bullet> Develop and maintain a network of geographically dispersed 
expert resource people that includes staff from Corporation-funded 
programs.
    <bullet> Use electronic communication as much as possible to 
facilitate the delivery of T/TA services. The Corporation is especially 
interested in approaches that expedite service delivery, increase 
communications and that are cost-efficient. In all T/TA activities, 
programs should be encouraged and assisted in using electronic 
communication and automation.
    The Corporation will evaluate proposals in each of the following 
areas listed A through N separately. Amounts listed reflect fund 
availability for the first year only.

A. Conflict Resolution (up to $300,000)

    These services will assist members and participants to work 
effectively in stressful situations, to enhance effective 
communications among project participants and to maximize project 
success.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Conduct training of trainers for approximately 250 staff of 
Corporation-funded programs through approximately 10 regional training 
events. This cadre of trainers will serve as a resource for training 
needs at the state and local level.
    2. Provide mentoring following the training of trainers to assist 
program staff in tailoring the training to the specific needs of local 
programs and to support the initial training delivery.
    3. Consult on site with at least 10 State Commissions to assist in 
developing program services in community mediation, peer counseling and 
other conflict resolution techniques, especially for programs involving 
youth.
    4. Provide telephone and on-line consultation and materials as 
appropriate to assist programs with issues involving conflict.
    5. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training or technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

B. Human Relations and Diversity Training (up to $320,000)

    Two of the four goals that unite the Corporation's national service 
initiative are Getting Things Done and Strengthening Communities. An 
element critical to success in achieving these goals is the ability of 
programs to mold Americans of varied backgrounds into strong teams to 
work effectively in diverse communities. There is, therefore, a need 
for program staff and members to receive training that promotes 
understanding and respect among people of different origins, that 
provides skills for working with and managing diverse populations and 
that offers techniques for preventing and resolving situations where 
issues of diversity and communication hinder achieving program goals.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Collaborate with State Commissions and a representative group of 
national non-profit grantees in implementing a minimum of 20 regional 
training workshops of 20-25 participants each. Workshops should 
increase personal awareness of and competency with diversity issues. 
They should also enhance staff skills in developing and supporting 
diverse, well-functioning teams and community partnerships, as well as 
in diagnosing diversity challenges and facilitating discussions and 
training.
    2. Deliver a minimum of 10 customized T/TA sessions in response to 
site-specific diversity issues.
    3. Help State Commission/national non-profit staff and programs 
enhance their ability to select effective diversity training.
    4. Provide on-line and telephone assistance and resource materials.
    5. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

C. Educational Success (up to $500,000)

    Seventy-five percent of the Corporation's programs address the 
educational success of children in some way. Educational success T/TA 
services should address the need for technical expertise and identify 
and disseminate effective practices in educational success using 
service strategies.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Provide information, materials, and documentation concerning 
effective reading and tutoring programs to all programs upon request. 
The materials and information must be targeted to the needs of young 
children, specifically from birth through age 8, including support for 
parents as first teachers. Develop a monograph series which articulates 
effective practices being used by national service programs in tutoring 
and reading enhancement.
    2. Refer programs to organizations and individuals who can provide 
technical, high-quality support in the design and implementation of 
effective tutoring programs making use of volunteers and others engaged 
in service.
    3. Identify and partner with a network of trainers who can provide 
hands-on training and support to local programs related to the goal of 
helping ensure that all children read well and independently by the end 
of third grade.
    4. Provide for initial consultation between the training providers 
and program deliverers to assure the start of high-quality programs. 
Such initial consultation may include site visits and start-up 
assessments to ensure that

[[Page 44650]]

programs have in place mechanisms for ongoing T/TA support funded by 
the local programs.
    5. Organize and conduct common training sessions for project 
directors and other participants in national service programs engaged 
in tutoring young children.
    6. Work in close coordination with Corporation staff and other 
national service T/TA providers to share resources and provide 
referrals to programs on related T/TA needs.
    7. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.
    The methodology for implementing the tasks should include a minimum 
of 50 training sessions for at least 900 national service participants 
to be organized by the provider on a regional basis or at the 
initiation of state or local entities (i.e., state commission, state 
education agency or other national service organization). In addition, 
the provider will implement telephone, on-line, and on-site technical 
assistance; materials development; identification, acquisition and 
dissemination of primary source documents to local programs; responding 
to information requests; support for affinity groups and peer exchange; 
and production of newsletter and/or electronic information, including a 
World Wide Web site.
    T/TA services must be supportive of the range of generally accepted 
approaches to teaching reading and the essential elements of high-
quality reading programs for young children. Programs to be served will 
be both community- and school-based. T/TA approaches must provide 
skills needed to work in the school environment and with school 
personnel, to recruit and train volunteers, and to work with parents 
and other care-giver groups.

D. Financial Management (up to $700,000)

    Corporation-funded programs need access to training and technical 
assistance information regarding their responsibilities and procedures 
for the management of federal funds. Sound fiscal management is 
critical to the effective operation of national service programs. 
Audiences will be Corporation-funded state and national grantees, and 
state commissions.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Conduct at least five regional and 20 State-based workshops. 
Training and technical assistance should cover, but not be limited to, 
the following topics: federal grants management; financial management 
systems; budget preparation; financial reporting; developing and 
implementing internal controls; cost allocation; cash management; 
developing fiscal policies and procedures; fiduciary responsibility; 
assessing financial risk factors associated with Corporation grants; 
assistance in overseeing and monitoring adherence to grant terms and 
conditions; administrative requirements; supporting documentation; in-
kind contributions; matching funds; living allowances and other member 
support costs.
    2. Conduct at least 20 on-site technical assistance visits to State 
Commissions and programs. On-site technical assistance is expected to 
require certified public accountants with extensive experience in 
federal accounting standards and procedures.
    3. Provide telephone and on-line technical assistance.
    4. Develop and maintain a network of geographically-dispersed 
expert resource people to include staff from Corporation-funded 
programs.
    5. Develop materials to include a compilation of effective 
practices used in the field.
    6. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.
    To perform these tasks, the Corporation envisions a national 
network of consultants. Such consultants would be easily accessible for 
follow-up and would have state of the art knowledge of relevant state 
and local law and regulations.

E. Supervisory Skills Training (up to $350,000)

    Supervision is the management task common to all programs that most 
directly affects participants' and project performance. Training 
establishes a uniform standard across programs and reinforces the 
Corporation's expectations.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Conduct at least 10 regional workshops on basic and advanced 
supervisory skills.
    2. Conduct customized training in supervision skills for at least 
10 states.
    3. Conduct at least two training of trainers workshops.
    4. Provide telephone and on-line technical assistance.
    5. Offer at least five program specific training events or on-site 
technical assistance.
    6. Develop materials that include compilation of effective 
practices from programs and dissemination of primary source documents.
    7. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

F. Training Materials Development (up to $350,000)

    These services respond to the need for consistent, quality 
participant training developed in the most cost effective manner 
possible.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Starting Strong: A Guide to Pre-Service Training is the central 
element of the member training curriculum for every program. It 
represents the range of topics deemed appropriate by the Corporation 
and the training techniques found to be most effective for participant 
training. Update the 1996 edition, as appropriate, print and 
distribute.
    2. Develop and distribute six to eight easy-to-use, brief 
(approximately 20 pages each) training modules on topics most 
frequently used in member and volunteer training. Convene an advisory 
committee of national service program and Corporation staff to define 
the topics.
    3. Deliver at least 20 workshops on experiential training 
techniques at program or State-sponsored events.
    4. Provide telephone or electronic technical assistance to programs 
on member and volunteer training issues.
    5. Work with the other national providers as appropriate to create 
training modules from their most useful and popular training events.
    6. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

G. National Service Resource Center (up to $400,000)

    These services respond to the need for a central repository of 
information and materials in the field of national service and the need 
for the development and distribution of new information in response to 
changing program needs.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Provide a toll-free assistance line for grantees to access 
technical assistance services.
    2. Provide reference services and referrals to national T/TA 
providers.
    3. Maintain and expand a lending library of publications, kits, 
curricula, and videos on topics relevant to national service programs, 
as well as copies of publications produced by other national T/TA 
providers and Corporation-supported programs.

[[Page 44651]]

    4. Develop and disseminate, as requested, materials and other 
relevant resources.
    5. Conduct literature searches in response to requests for 
information and resources on specific issues from national service 
programs.
    6. Publish a quarterly newsletter of T/TA information, a resource 
guide of national T/TA services, and maintain a master calendar of T/TA 
events on the NRSC web page.
    7. Initiate and manage electronic Listservs that connect 
Corporation programs and subgroups of Corporation-supported programs as 
appropriate.
    8. Provide a minimum of 10 on-site training sessions on information 
management, accessing the Internet (including information on necessary 
equipment, costs and access options)
    9. Provide consultation on-line and by telephone on different 
aspects of information management including the development and 
maintenance of resource libraries at the local level.
    10. Provide World Wide Web site resources including a searchable 
database of library holdings and on-line versions of available updated 
print resources.
    11. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including 
after each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate 
continuous improvement.

H. Organizational Development and Program Management (up to $700,000)

    These services respond to the wide range of needs for program 
management assistance requested by grantees to improve program 
performance and quality. Well functioning organizations are much more 
likely to provide quality services to communities and greater 
experiences for national service volunteers.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Provide, arrange for, or connect programs to information, 
training, and technical assistance in organizational development and 
program management.
    2. Offer training in various settings (State-based and regional) 
and of various lengths and complexity. Such training may be organized 
by the provider in response to a request or may be in the context of 
events organized by a State Commission, other provider or the 
Corporation. At minimum, the provider must conduct or provide for five 
regional training sessions and 50 State-based training sessions per 
year.
    3. Develop materials for use in training deliveries.
    4. Provide technical assistance on-site, on-line, and by telephone 
in the form of one-time consultations and multiple interventions, as 
required. At minimum, the provider must conduct 75 on-site technical 
assistance visits per year.
    5. The T/TA services offered should at a minimum include the 
following: board development and management; staff management; program 
planning and management to include continuous improvement and 
evaluation; volunteer recruitment and management; member recruitment, 
member support, development and retention; community partnerships and 
organizational collaboration; multi-site management; effective 
communication and public awareness; and program sustainability.
    6. Coordinate peer exchanges among national service programs.
    7. Organize and/or support affinity groups (i.e., groups of 
programs defined by their common focus or needs).
    8. Collaborate with and broker services of other public and private 
providers of training and technical assistance services available at 
the national, state and/or local levels.
    9. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

I. Public Safety Program Support (up to $300,000)

    Programs working in the areas of domestic violence and victim 
assistance share unique needs for specialized information and training 
beyond the boundaries of community service. Services in this area are 
intended to address programs' needs for information on safety for 
members, background checks, volunteer burn-out, and other topics unique 
to the criminal justice and judicial systems.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Provide telephone support as well as on-site training of or 
technical assistance to at least 25 programs or States.
    2. Convene at least 5 regional or national meetings or workshops.
    3. Identify and make available resource materials.
    4. Support at least three affinity groups (i.e., groups of programs 
defined by their common focus or needs).
    5. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

J. Risk Management (up to $100,000)

    These services respond to the needs of community-based 
organizations to assess their risks on various dimensions and adopt 
cost-effective plans for dealing with those risks.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Provide technical assistance regarding risk management issues.
    2. Develop and disseminate publications addressing risk management 
concerns identified through field surveys and by the Corporation.
    3. Design and deliver training based on previously developed 
materials and those produced for the Corporation. At minimum, the 
provider must conduct 25 State-based training sessions in one year.
    4. Conduct legal and practical research for use in the development 
of risk management publications.
    5. Provide telephone and on-line technical assistance.
    6. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

K. Crew-based Programming (up to $300,000)

    These services are designed to meet the special needs of programs 
that deliver services through a crew structure.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Design and deliver customized training in various settings 
(State-based and regional) and of various lengths and complexity. Such 
training may be organized by the provider in response to a request or 
may be in the context of events organized by a State Commission, other 
provider or the Corporation. At a minimum, the provider must conduct 10 
regional training sessions and 25 State-based training sessions per 
year.
    2. The T/TA services offered should include the following: crew-
based program management, operations and staff development to include 
leadership, project management and member supervision.
    3. Develop and disseminate a monograph and other materials in 
support of T/TA activities, with particular emphasis on the best 
practices of crew-based programs.
    4. Collaborate with and broker services of other T/TA providers, 
national and local.
    5. Provide telephone, on-line and on-site technical assistance in 
the form of one-time consultations and multiple interventions, as 
required. At minimum, the provider must conduct 30 on-site technical 
assistance visits in one year.
    6. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

[[Page 44652]]

L. Member Development and Management (up to $350,000)

    These services are targeted to the needs of the AmeriCorps 
Education Award Program. This program provides education awards for 
members following their successful completion of service. The program 
does not fund living allowances for members and provides only limited 
administrative support to projects. This program allows for the 
expansion of successful models and initiation of new models of service 
opportunities. Programs are challenged to create meaningful, accessible 
service activities that engage members throughout their terms of 
service.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Work with at least 10 State Commissions and AmeriCorps Education 
Award programs on their special program management needs and support 
their integration into the national service network.
    2. Provide T/TA in the areas of: recruitment, selection, motivation 
and retention of members and volunteers; member and volunteer 
development; team-building; working with and developing community 
partners; multi-site program management; service-learning methodology 
including member and volunteer orientation and reflection sessions; 
problem identification and collaborative solution generation; time 
management and day-to-day organizational skills; volunteer generation 
and management and working with diverse volunteers.
    3. Conduct at least 40 visits where facilitated peer exchange best 
meets the needs of programs.
    4. Develop, test and implement a process for use by AmeriCorps 
Education Award programs to document member activities.
    5. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

M. Sustainability (up to $400,000)

    These services respond to grantees' need to build larger 
constituencies, create more partnerships, leverage more resources, and 
generate additional funds as the match requirement increases and 
Federal funds are decreased.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Design training specific to the needs of Corporation-funded 
programs and deliver that training through State-based and regional 
workshops of various lengths and complexity. At minimum, the provider 
must conduct ten regional and 35 State-based training sessions.
    2. Develop a sustainability curriculum that (a) acknowledges 
applicable law and Corporation policy; (b) addresses the unique 
challenges service programs face in sustaining local operations; and 
(c) offers planning and implementation strategies for accessing 
community resources, to include raising funds in ways consistent with 
Office of Management and Budget guidelines.
    3. Develop materials to support T/TA activities.
    4. Offer telephone and on-line technical assistance.
    5. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

N. Out-of-School Time (up to $300,000)

    These services respond to the needs of grantees that are using 
service as a mechanism for expanding the scope and quality of services 
available to children and youth when schools are not in session. In 
this area, as in all others, using service as a strategy to support the 
goals of welfare reform is a goal.
    Specific tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Provide training and technical assistance to at least 25 
national service programs involving children and youth in out-of-school 
time activities, including both formal and informal before school, 
after school, weekend and summer programs.
    2. Coordinate follow-up activities to the December 1996 forum 
entitled Expanding Opportunities in Out-of-School Time: A National 
Forum on Service and School-Age Care, including the development of 
resource materials, assisting pilot state initiatives, monitoring the 
School's Out! listserv and website, and bringing together national 
partner organizations for problem solving.
    3. Provide information, materials, and documentation concerning 
quality principles for school-age care programs and the integration of 
service/service-learning into out-of-school time programs for children 
and youth. Develop and disseminate a monograph which reflects effective 
practices by national service programs in this area.
    4. Identify, train and partner with a network of trainers who can 
provide training and support to out-of-school time programs. AmeriCorps 
members and other national service volunteers should be included in 
this network.
    5. Provide for initial consultation between the trainers and 
programs to assure the start of high-quality programs. This may require 
on-site visits.
    6. Organize and hold at least five training sessions for project 
directors and other participants in national service programs engaged 
in out-of-school time activities for children and youth.
    7. Administer appropriate evaluation instrument(s), including after 
each training and technical assistance event, to facilitate continuous 
improvement.

V. Application Guidelines

A. Proposals must include

    1. A cover page listing: name, address, phone number, fax number, 
e-mail address and World Wide Web site (if available) of the applicant 
organization and contact person; the subject area in which the 
applicant proposes to provide T/TA (see Summary (A)--(N)); a 50-75 word 
summary of the proposed T/TA program or activity; and the total funding 
requested (not to exceed the amounts identified in Section IV).
    2. A narrative of no more than 10 double-spaced, single-sided, 
typed pages in no smaller than 12-point font describing:
    (a) Objectives, scope of activities being proposed, and expected 
outcomes (e.g., proposed number and duration of training events and 
number of participants; proposed number of consultations).
    (b) Detailed work plan for accomplishing the objectives to include 
a timeline demonstrating implementation of each objective.
    (c) Applicant's plan for regularly evaluating its performance and 
reporting the findings and proposed improvements to the Corporation.
    3. A narrative of no more than four double-spaced, single-sided, 
typed pages in no smaller than 12-point font describing the 
organization's capacity to provide T/TA services nationwide, including 
descriptions of recent work similar to that being proposed, references 
that can be contacted related to that work, organizational structure 
and staff strengths and backgrounds (resumes of proposed staff may be 
included in an appendix);
    4. A detailed budget, including the allocation of person-hours/days 
by task, an estimate of travel and other direct costs by task as 
appropriate. Costs in proposed budgets must consist solely of costs 
allowable under applicable reimbursable cost principles found in 
applicable OMB Circulars or the Federal Acquisition Regulations. A 
supporting budget narrative including an explanation of the basis for 
cost estimates is required. Include any information on funding from 
other sources if any. (Provider match is not required.)

[[Page 44653]]

    5. Resumes and/or other descriptions of staff qualifications may be 
included in an appendix and are not subject to the page limits that are 
otherwise applicable.

B. Selection Process and Criteria

    To ensure fairness to all applicants, the Corporation reserves the 
right to take remedial action, up to and including disqualification, in 
the event a proposal fails to comply with the requirements relating to 
page limits, line spacing, and font size. The Corporation will assess 
applications based on the criteria listed below.
1. Quality (35%)
    The Corporation will consider the quality of the proposed 
activities based on:
    (a) Demonstrated understanding of the needs of Corporation-funded 
programs, the States, and/or the Corporation itself.
    (b) Description of proposed T/TA techniques and plans to use tested 
methods or ways to test training activities or curricula on a small 
scale before offering them on a large scale.
    (c) Degree to which the objectives are addressed through the work 
plan.
2. Organizational and Personnel Capacity (35%)
    The Corporation will consider the organizational capacity of the 
applicant to deliver the proposed services based on:
    (a) Organizational experience in delivering high-quality training 
and technical assistance, particularly in the area(s) under 
consideration,
    (b) Organizational experience in delivering high-quality training 
and technical assistance flexibly, creatively, responsively, and 
working in partnership with other organizations and individuals.
    (c) Background of the organization's leadership and staff/
consultants proposed for the project.
    (d) Demonstrated ability to manage a federal grant or apply sound 
fiscal management principles to grants and cost accounting.
    (e) Demonstrated ability to provide T/TA services nationwide on a 
cost effective basis.
3. Evaluation (10%)
    The Corporation will consider how the applicant:
    (a) Proposes to assess its services and products delivered under 
the award.
    (b) Plans to use assessments of its services and products to modify 
and improve subsequent services and products.
4. Budget (20%)
    The Corporation will consider the budget based on:
    (a) Scope of proposed T/TA activity (i.e., number of people, 
programs, and/or States proposed T/TA activities are planned to reach);
    (b) Cost-effectiveness of the proposed activity; the degree to 
which the T/TA provider proposes a reasonable estimate of the amount of 
services the organization will be able to provide given the requested 
amount of funds and the organization's existing resources.

    Dated: August 19, 1997.
Stewart A. Davis,
Acting General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 97-22391 Filed 8-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P