Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 126 /Wednesday, July 1, 1998 / Notices 35955

comment until July 31, 1998. This

process is conducted in accordance with

5 CFR 1320.10.

Written comments and/or suggestions

regarding the item(s) contained in this

notice, especially regarding the

estimated public burden and associated

response time, should be directed to the

Office of Management and Budget,

Office of Regulatory Affairs, Attention:

Department of Justice Desk Office,

Washington, DC 20530. Additionally,

comments may be submitted to OMB via

facsimile to (202) 395–7285. Comments

may also be submitted to the

Department of Justice (DOJ), Justice

Management Division, Information

Management and Security Staff,

Attention: Department of Clearance

Officer, Suite 850, 1001 G Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20530. Additionally,

comments may be submitted to DOJ via

facsimile to (202) 514–1590.

Written comments and suggestions

from the public and affected agencies

concerning the proposed collection of

information should address one or more

of the following four points:

1. Evaluate whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility.

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the

agencies estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and

4. Minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including through the

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology,

e.g., permitting electronic submission of

responses.

Overview of the information

collection:

1. Type of Information Collection:

Extension of currently approved

collection.

2. Title of the Form/Collection:

Application for Individual

Manufacturing Quota for a Basic Class

of Controlled Substance.

3. Agency form number: DEA Form

189, if any, and the applicable

component of the Department of Justice

sponsoring the collection: Office of

Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement

Administration, Department of Justice.

4. Affected public who will be asked

or required to respond, as well as a brief

abstract: Primary: Business or other forprofit.

Title 21, Section 1303.22 of the Code

of Federal Regulations requires that any

person who is registered to manufacture

any basic class of controlled substance

listed in Schedule I or II and who

desires to manufacture a quantity of

such class shall apply on DEA Form 189

for a manufacturing quota for such

quantity of such class.

5. An estimate of the total estimated

number of respondents and the amount

of time estimated for an average

respondent to respond: 27 respondents

at approximately 10 responses per year

at .5 hour per response.

6. An estimate of the total public

burden (in hours) associated with the

collection: 135 annual burden hours.

If additional information is required

contact: Mr. Robert B. Briggs, Clearance

Officer, United States Department of

Justice, Information Management and

Security Staff, Justice Management

Division, Suite 850, Washington Center,

1001 G Street NW., Washington, DC

20530.

Dated: June 24, 1998.

Robert B. Briggs,

Department Clearance Officer, United States

Department of Justice.

[FR Doc. 98–17397 Filed 6–30–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–09–M

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary

Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA),

Title IV–D, Demonstration Program:

Women in Apprenticeship and

Nontraditional Occupations

AGENCY: Women’s Bureau, Department

of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Funds

and Solicitation for Grant Applications

(SGA 98–04).

SUMMARY: All information required to

submit a proposal is contained in this

announcement. Applicants for grant

funds should read this notice in its

entirety and respond as directed. Grant

proposals that are not completed as

directed will be judged nonresponsive

and will not be evaluated.

The Women’s Bureau (WB), U.S.

Department of Labor (DOL) announces

the fifth (5) year of the Solicitation for

Grant Applications (SGAs) first

authorized by the Women in

Apprenticeship and Nontraditional

Occupations (WANTO) Act under its

grant provision to Community-Based

Organizations (CBOs) to deliver

Technical Assistance (TA) to private

sector Employers and Labor Unions (E/

LUs) to prepare them to increase the

recruiting, training, promotion, and

retention of women in apprenticeship

and nontraditional occupations (A/

NTOs) in their workplaces. WANTO is

a competitive grant program funded

through the Job Training Partnership

Act (JTPA) Title IV-D. While the

Women’s Bureau has responsibility for

implementing the competitive grant

process, the WANTO Act is jointly

administered by the Department of

Labor’s Bureau of Apprenticeship and

Training (BAT)/Employment and

Training Administration (ETA) and the

Women’s Bureau (WB).

The Department expects to make up

to eight (8) WANTO awards to

experienced, private nonprofit CBOs

from the funds allocated for FY 1998.

With the fifth year of WANTO grants,

the Department will give priority

consideration to proposals for technical

assistance that leverage WANTO funds

in Federally designated Empowerment

Zones (EZ) and Enterprise Communities

(EC) in both rural and urban areas. (See

Appendix A for a listing of Urban EZ/

EC cities and Appendix B for a listing

of Rural EZ/EC areas and contacts.) The

Department expects WANTO funded

CBOs to assist employers and labor

unions to make commitments to

increase the participation of EZ/EC area

women who are returning to work after

welfare and related long-term work

disruptions. The DOL is particularly

concerned with obtaining the

commitment of employers and labor

unions who have jobs/careers in

information technology, manufacturing,

and apprenticeship in skilled

construction building trades. Employers

and labor unions will be encouraged to

assist returning women to enter and

remain in apprenticeship training and

other nontraditional employment in

these industries by (1) providing them

with information on the realities of

work and the company’s promotion and

employee development practices, (2)

creating a firm-specific individual

development plan, (3) providing for

firm-specific skill/job development to

promote job advancement, and (4)

providing for support services utilizing

both firm and community resource

networks. CBOs should note well that

WANTO training is for employer or

labor union firm/company-specific

(demand) and is not to increase the

general store (supply) of trained workers

in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations. Finally, each proposal

MUST include a specific defined

internal program evaluation design.

In this time of economic prosperity

and skill shortage, it is clear that CBOs’
35956 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 126 /Wednesday, July 1, 1998 / Notices

technical assistance can convince

employers and labor unions of the

advantage of training and support

services to develop their own skilled,

stable, and competitive work force. It is

equally clear that advances in high

technology has moved the U.S. economy

from the smokestack industrial age to

the information age. Advances in hightech and microelectronics have spurred

the restructuring manufacturing

industry and given rise to a variety of

computer-based jobs/careers in service

sector industries—e.g., public utilities,

transportation, finance, real estate,

business, professional and personal

services, as well as the rise of the

information technology industry. Such

industries can provide the stable yearround jobs women returning to work

need to begin building a self-sufficient

future with good wages and benefits.

Nonetheless, apprenticeship in the

skilled building trades and highway

construction can provide important

career opportunities for women,

particularly given the shortage of skilled

workers. Therefore, the Department will

give priority consideration to

applications with an occupational/

industrial focus that link, in the first

instance, to the delivery of technical

assistance to employers and unions in

information technology, high-tech

skilled manufacturing (including tool

and die, technicians and machinists to

customize, repair, and service products)

and other nonconstruction industries,

including utilities, telecommunications,

transportation, computer-based

business, professional and personal

services, and in apprenticeship in the

skilled building trades in construction.

In the second instance, priority

consideration will be given to the

delivery of technical assistance to

employers and labor unions linked to

jobs with private contractors on State/

Federal Department of Transportation

highway and road projects, including

construction. In all, the aim of the

technical assistance is to promote the

placement and training of EZ/EC area

women returning to work after welfare

and other long-term disruptions in

project-committed employer and union

workplaces.

Proposals including ALL four (4) of

the Department’s priority interests

(noted and summarized below) for CBO

technical assistance to employers and

labor unions will receive thirty (30)

bonus points. To receive any bonus

points, the proposal MUST focus on

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise

Communities where the CBO has a

commitment to leverage WANTO

activities in the EZ/EC areas, as noted in

Appendices A and B. (1) Empowerment

Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/

EC), (2) Nonconstruction industrial and

apprenticeship in the skilled building

trades in construction and highway

industries focuses, (3) employer and

labor union commitment to placement

and skill development to increase the

participation of women returning to

work after welfare and other long-term

work disruptions, and (4) employer and

labor union commitment for support

services—particularly, child care,

transportation, and transitional costs—

for women returning to work from

welfare and other long-term work

disruptions.

1. Empowerment Zones and

Enterprise Communities (EZs/ECs) have

been identified in both rural and urban

areas and can be characterized as having

high incidences of poverty. Further,

these are areas where other public

resources are now being leveraged to

revitalize their economies, including

incentives for job creation in private

enterprise. The Department also wants

to leverage WANTO funding in these

areas of concentrated economic

resources to support both employers

and labor unions who want to help

themselves by increasing the

participation of women in

apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations, particularly EZ/EC area

women who are returning to work from

welfare and other long-term work

disruptions. (See Appendices A and B

for lists of EZ/EC areas and contact

agencies.)

2. Industry-Occupation focus should

reflect non-construction industries,

particularly in manufacturing and

information technology. The

Department’s priority is to emphasize

the wide diversity of apprenticeship and

nontraditional occupations beyond the

building trades. While the most oftencited high-pay nontraditional

occupations are those of the skilled

building trades, e.g., carpenters,

plumbers, electricians, sheet metal

workers or welders, etc.; in the

construction industry, there is also a

variety of high-pay nontraditional

occupations arising from the advances

of high technology in nonconstruction

industries. Jobs in some industries have

significant labor shortages and can

support the entry and skill development

needs of women returning to work from

welfare and other long-term work

disruptions. High-tech has restructured

manufacturing, both improving and/or

developing new manufacturing

processes in fiber optics, chemicals, and

petroleum. Such career opportunities

have increased the need for technicians’

skills in electronics and related

computer-based skills and machinists

skilled to customize, service, build, and

repair precision machinery in

manufacturing. Still other fast growing

computer-based jobs are found in

service sector industries, e.g., business/

professional services (including record

keeping, financial, and personal

services), other high-tech and

information technologies driven by the

growth in telecommunications, utilities,

transportation, and health care

industries. Statistical projections

continue to anticipate employment

growth and labor shortages in

nonconstruction occupations,

particularly those requiring technical

skills. Thus, the window of opportunity

is open for women returning to work for

employers and labor unions in these

industries who want to build a stable,

skilled, and competitive work force.

3. Skill Development and Related

Training is a necessary component to

advancement to self-sufficiency for

women returning to work from welfare

and other long-term work disruptions.

Not only must they work, but returning

women also need a range of

employment related skills, including

readiness and job-specific skills to enter

and remain in self-sufficient jobs and to

move up the career ladder. Such

training includes not only informal

buddy or on-the-job mentoring by

experienced workers, but also more

structured work readiness and preapprenticeship programs linked to

sponsored apprenticeship training

programs. Therefore, it is important that

proposed responses to this SGA show

constructive strategies that promote

both placement and training for women

returning to work in the CBO’s delivery

of technical assistance to employer and

labor union preparation to recruit, train,

promote, and retain women in

apprenticeship and other nontraditional

occupations. Training is an area where

community-wide resources and EZ/EC

area leverages might provide advantages

to WANTO technical assistance.

Moreover, emphasis should be on both

work and skills training during the

workday, since many of the target

women are single mothers with small

children, that does not allow them

much free time to obtain skills training

after working hours.

4. Support Services are a necessary

service for most work families. Many

women seeking to enter or sustain

themselves in apprenticeship and other

nontraditional employment are unable

to enter and/or complete training

programs or employment because of the

lack of child care, transportation, and

transitional costs. This is another area

where the community-wide human
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 126 /Wednesday, July 1, 1998 / Notices 35957

resources and social services of EZ/EC

areas can supplement and/or support

WANTO technical assistance to

employers and labor unions in their

efforts with the CBO to women

returning to work after welfare and

other long-term work disruptions to

become economically viable again.

Therefore, grant proposals also should

discuss workplace strategies for

technical assistance to employers and

labor unions that also bring to the

attention of employers and labor unions

the need and how to develop

cooperative strategies with community

resources to provide for transitional

costs (including fees/dues, tools,

uniforms, and living costs), child care,

and transportation.

This notice describes the background,

the application process, statement of

work, evaluation criteria, and reporting

requirements for this Solicitation for

Grant Applications (SGA 98–04). WB

anticipates that a total amount of

$1,000,000 will be available for the

support of all Fiscal Year 1998. (See Part

II.C. for funding limitations per grant.)

DATES: One (1) ink-signed original,

complete grant application plus five (5)

copies of the Technical Proposal and

three (3) copies of the Cost Proposal

shall be submitted to the U.S.

Department of Labor, Office of

Procurement Services, Room N–5416,

Reference SGA 98–04, 200 Constitution

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210,

not later than 4:45 p.m. ET, August 17,

1998. Hand-delivered applications must

be received by the Office of

Procurement Services by that time.

ADDRESSES: Applicants who intend to

submit a proposal must register

immediately with the Grant Officer in

order to receive any amendment to this

solicitation that is issued. Please send

registration to U.S. Department of Labor,

Office of Procurement Services,

Attention: Grant Officer, Reference SGA

98–04, Room N–5416, 200 Constitution

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.

Grant applications must be mailed to

U.S. Department of Labor, Office of

Procurement Services, Attention: Grant

Officer, Reference SGA 98–04, Room N–

5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW.,

Washington, DC 20210. Applicants are

encouraged to verify delivery to this

office directly through their delivery

service and as soon as possible.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Applications will not be mailed. The

Federal Register may be obtained from

your nearest government office or

library. Questions concerning this

solicitation may be sent to Lisa Harvey

at the following Internet address:

lharvey@dol.gov.

Part I. Background

The Women in Apprenticeship and

Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO)

Act

Pub. L. 102–530, signed October 27,

1992—

The Act has three major activities that

affect this SGA:

1. Outreach to Employers and Labor

Unions. DOL will promote the Act’s

program to employers and labor unions

by informing them of the availability of

technical assistance and keeping a data

base of employers and communitybased organizations with active grants.

2. Technical Assistance. DOL will

provide grants to community-based

organizations to deliver technical

assistance to employers and labor

unions to prepare them to recruit, train,

and employ women in apprenticeable

and nontraditional occupations.

3. Liaison Role of Department of

Labor. DOL will serve as follows: (1) To

act as a liaison between employers,

labor, and the community-based

organizations providing technical

assistance, and (2) coordinating,

conducting regular assessment, and

seeking input of employers and labor

unions.

Women’s Bureau

Improving women’s employment

opportunities and related equity issues

have been the driving force of the

Bureau’s activities and policies since its

inception in 1920. Within the

Department of Labor, the Director serves

as the policy advisor to the Secretary on

issues related to working women.

The Bureau has a history of

encouraging women to consider the

wide array of apprenticeable and other

occupations nontraditional to women as

one way to obtain economic selfsufficiency for themselves and their

families. Nontraditional occupations

(NTOs) are occupations where women

account for 25 percent or less of all

persons employed in an occupational

group. NTOs include the often-cited

skilled trades in construction, as well as

the emerging ‘‘good’’ or high-pay jobs in

nonconstruction as the result of

advances in high-tech and the

pervasiveness of microelectronics.

Nonetheless, the lack of a critical mass

of women in good, high-pay jobs in both

construction and nonconstruction

results in continued occupational

segregation and artificial employment

barriers to women’s success in

apprenticeship and NTOs, particularly

in the old established workplaces and

occupations, particularly in

construction trades. Studies point out

that once hired, women in construction

face problems (sexism, racism,

homophobia, inadequate toilet facilities,

health and safety, isolation from other

women, etc.) that erode their retention

in jobs. These problems are beyond the

usual problems faced by all women and

some men—sexual harassment, pay

equity, balancing work and family

responsibilities. (See, Laurie Wessman

LeBreton, Sara Segal Loevy, and Lauren

Sugerman, Building Equal Opportunity,

and Breaking New Ground: Worksite

2000.)

The Bureau of Apprenticeship and

Training

The Women’s Bureau co-administers

WANTO with the Bureau of

Apprenticeship and Training (BAT).

BAT was established in 1937 as the

national administrative agency in the

Department of Labor to carry out the

objectives of the National

Apprenticeship Act (also known as the

Fitzgerald Act), guided by the

recommendations of the Federal

Committee on Apprenticeship. BAT has

the objective to stimulate and assist

industry in the development, expansion,

and improvement of apprenticeship and

training programs designed to provide

the skilled workers required by the

American economy.

Under the National Apprenticeship

Act, the Bureau is responsible for

providing service to existing

apprenticeship programs and technical

assistance to organizations who would

like to establish an apprenticeship

program. The Bureau works very closely

with State Apprenticeship Councils

(SAC) and the educational system to

deliver support services at the national,

State and local level. When apprentices

finish their training, they receive

certificates of completion of

apprenticeship. These are issued by the

State apprenticeship agencies, or in

those States not having such an agency,

by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and

Training in accordance with its

recommended standards.

BAT is committed to improving the

access of women to apprenticeship

training to increase their employment in

jobs that have historically put men on

the career ladder to successful working

careers. As apprenticeship has been the

building block for a skilled and stable

work force, it is also a career path that

can provide an economically stable

family life in mainstream America.

Definitions

Nontraditional Occupations (NTOs)

are those where women account for less

than 25 percent of all persons employed

in a single occupational group.
35958 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 126 /Wednesday, July 1, 1998 / Notices

Pre-Apprenticeship programs for

women prepare them to keep pace with

occupational skills training or entrylevel employment in nontraditional

occupations. The curriculum includes

pre-vocational instruction in

identification and use of tools, blueprint

reading, basic shop skills, and safety

procedures, as well as math skills, and

physical conditioning.

Apprenticeship is a formal paid

training-work agreement where labor

and management work together to

promote learning on the job. (Some BAT

registered apprenticeship programs are

operated by employers independent of

labor unions.) To support the ‘‘hands

on’’ learning, there must be related

theoretical instruction (often classroom).

After successfully completing the BATregistered program standards—usually

three to five years—the apprentice is

awarded a certificate of completion by

either the Bureau of Apprenticeship and

Training (BAT) or the State

Apprenticeship Council.

Community-Based Organizations

(CBOs) are as defined in Section 4(5) of

the Job Training Partnership Act (29

U.S.C 1501(5)): Private nonprofit

organizations which are representative

of communities or significant segments

of communities and which provide job

training services. For this solicitation,

communities or significant segments of

communities are the private nonprofit

organizations that have demonstrated at

least three years experience in (1) the

operation and delivery of employment

and training related services to women,

and (2) the development of policies,

programs and technical assistance for

employers and labor unions for the

recruitment, selection, training, placing,

retaining, and otherwise preparation of

WOMEN to enter and remain in

APPRENTICESHIP and other

NONTRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS

(NTOs).

Please Note That Eligible Applicants

Must Not Be Classified Under The IRS

Tax Code as A 501(c)(4) Entity.

A. Authorities

The technical assistance grants were

first authorized under the Women in

Apprenticeship and Nontraditional

Occupations (WANTO) Act, Pub. L.

102–530, approved October 27, 1992.

B. Purpose of the Demonstration

The purpose of the WANTO

demonstration program is to provide

technical assistance to employers and

labor unions to encourage and prepare

them to increase the participation of

women in apprenticeship and

nontraditional occupations in their

workplaces. Such activity will increase

the total level of employment of women

in good jobs that pay living wages.

Part II. Application Process

A. Eligible Applicants

1. Private, Nonprofit, CommunityBased Organizations (CBOs) are the only

entities eligible for grant awards. Public

bodies such as JTPA administrative

entities, schools, and hospitals are not

eligible for WANTO grants.

Please Note That Eligible Applicants

Must Not Be Classified Under The IRS

Tax Code as A 501(c)(4) Entity.

(a.) Community-Based Organizations

(CBOs) are the eligible applicants to

receive WANTO grants to provide

technical assistance to private sector

employers and labor unions that request

assistance to prepare them/their

workplaces to recruit, select, train,

place, retain women in apprenticeship

or other nontraditional occupations,

including linking their apprenticeship

program to pre-apprenticeship programs

with specific employment. The

Department is interested in leveraging

WANTO technical assistance to private

sector employers and labor unions in

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise

Communities (EZ/EC) as noted in

Appendices A and B. The final goal

would be to increase the participation of

EZ/EC women returning to work after

welfare or other long-term work

disruptions in apprenticeship and

nontraditional jobs/career paths. CBOs

should note well: CBOs should

demonstrate their interaction with the

community beyond direct services for a

fee, e.g., CBO activities for social and

economic change in their community to

support women.

(b.) Specific Technical Assistance

provided by CBOs may include:

(1) Developing outreach and

orientation sessions to recruit women

into the employers’ apprenticeable

occupations and nontraditional

occupations;

(2) Developing pre-apprenticeable

occupations or nontraditional skills

training to prepare women for

apprenticeable occupations or

nontraditional occupations;

(3) Providing ongoing orientations for

employers, unions, and workers on

creating a successful environment for

women in apprenticeable occupations

or nontraditional occupations;

(4) Setting up support groups and

facilitating networks for women in

nontraditional occupations on or off the

job site to improve their retention;

(5) Setting up a local computerized

data base referral system to maintain a

current list of tradeswomen who are

available for work;

(6) Serving as a liaison between

tradeswomen and employers and

tradeswomen and labor unions to

address workplace issues related to

gender; and

(7) Conducting exit interviews with

tradeswomen to evaluate their on-thejob experience and to assess the

effectiveness of the program.

(8) Developing cooperative projects

that leverage WANTO technical

assistance with EZ/EC area social and

human services resources to support

employers’ and labor unions’ integration

of women returning to work after

welfare or other long-term work

disruptions.

(c.) Employers and Labor Unions are

eligible to request and receive technical

assistance provided by communitybased organizations with a WANTO

grant. Such technical assistance

includes all items listed under A.(b.)(1)-

(8) above and including linking preapprenticeship with a commitment for

employment and/or sponsored

apprenticeship training, and any other

technical assistance an employer or

labor union may need to increase the

participation of women returning to

work to enter and remain in

apprenticeship and other nontraditional

occupations, particularly in the

manufacturing and information

technology industries.

To be selected to receive technical

assistance either through direct

application with a CBO, or independent

of a specific CBO, employers and labor

unions must submit a request (as

described below) and send it directly to

the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of

Procurement Services, Room N–5416,

Attention: Lisa Harvey, 200 Constitution

Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

(d.) All Employers and Labor Unions

must provide a written commitment for

technical assistance by answering the

following:

(1) A description of the need for

assistance;

(2) A description of the types of

apprenticeable occupations or

nontraditional occupations in which the

employer or labor union would like to

train or employ women;

(3) Assurances that there are or will

be suitable and appropriate employment

available in the apprenticeable

occupations or in the nontraditional

occupations being targeted; and

(4) Commitments that all reasonable

efforts should be made to place women

in apprenticeable occupations or

nontraditional occupations as they

develop skills.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 126 /Wednesday, July 1, 1998 / Notices 35959

B. Contents

To be considered responsive to this

SGA, each application must consist of,

and follow the order of, the sections

listed in Part III of this solicitation. The

application must also include

information which the applicant

believes will address the selection

criteria identified in Part IV. Technical

proposals shall not exceed 20 single

sided, double spaced, 10 to 12 pitch

typed pages (not including

attachments). Any Proposal That Does

Not Conform to These Standards Shall

be Deemed Nonresponsive to This SGA

and Will Not be Evaluated.

1. Technical Proposal

Each proposal shall include: (1) A

two-page abstract summarizing the

proposal, and (2) a complete description

of the CBO’s program for technical

assistance, including information

required in Part III and IV. No cost data

or reference to price shall be included

in the technical proposal.

2. Cost Proposal

The cost proposal is a physically

separate document and shall not be

included in the twenty (20) page limit.

The cost (business) proposal must be

separate from the technical proposal. (If

applicants do not have the current

version of the standard grant forms

listed below, they must download the

forms from the following OMB website

address: www.whitehouse.gov.wh/eop/

omb/grants/). The transmittal letter and

the grant assurances and certifications

forms shall be attached to the business

proposal, which shall consist of the

following:

a. Standard Form 424 ‘‘Application

for Federal Assistance,’’ signed by an

official from the applicant’s

organization who is authorized to enter

the organization into a grant agreement

with the Department of Labor. The

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Number (CFDA) is 17.700;

b. Standard Budget Form 424A

‘‘Budget Information Form,’’; and

c. Budget Narrative; provide a

narrative explanation of the budget

which describes all proposed costs and

indicates how they are related to the

operation of the project. Provide this

information separately for the amount of

requested Federal funding and the

amount of proposed Non-Federal

contribution. In an application which

proposes to fund staff positions, the

budget narrative must provide

information which describes the

number of proposed positions by title

and by the amount of staff time and

salary charged to Federal and NonFederal funding resources. The Budget

Narrative provides the detailed

description of the costs reflected on the

SF 424A.

C. Funding Levels

The Department expects to have

$1,000,000 to be disbursed through

WANTO grants. The Department

expects to make up to eight (8) awards

to Community-Based Organizations

(CBOs). The Women’s Bureau expects

awards to range from approximately

$75,000 to $150,000, depending upon

the scope of the proposal’s

demonstration and technical assistance

activities to be delivered.

D. Length of Grant and Grant Awards

The initial performance period for the

grants awarded under this SGA shall be

for fifteen (15) months with one (1)

option to extend for up to three months

as a no-cost extension to complete final

reports. Each applicant shall reflect in

their application the intention to begin

operation no later than September 1998.

E. Submission

One (1) ink-signed original, complete

grant application (plus five (5) copies of

the Technical Proposal and three (3)

copies of the Cost Proposal must be

submitted to the U.S. Department of

Labor, Office of Procurement Services,

Room N–5416, 200 Constitution

Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210,

not later than 4:45 p.m. ET, August 17,

1998. Hand delivered applications must

be received by the Office of

Procurement Services by that time. Any

application received at the Office of

Procurement Services after 4:45 p.m. ET

will not be considered unless it is

received before an award is made and:

1. It was sent by registered or certified

mail not later than the fifth calendar day

before August 17, 1998 (i.e., not later

than August 12, 1998);

2. It is determined by the Government

that the late receipt was due solely to

mishandling by the Government after

receipt at the U.S. Department of Labor

at the above address; or

3. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service

Express Mail Next Day Service-Post

Office to Addressee, not later than 5

p.m. ET at the place of mailing two

working days, excluding weekends and

Federal holidays, prior to August 17,

1998 (i.e., not later than 5 p.m. ET

August 13, 1998).

The only acceptable evidence to

establish the date of mailing of a late

application sent by registered or

certified mail is the U.S. Postal Service

postmark on the envelope or wrapper

and on the original receipt from the U.S.

Postal Service. If the postmark is not

legible, an application received after the

above closing time and date shall be

processed as if mailed late. ‘‘Postmark’’

means a printed, stamped or otherwise

placed impression (not a postage meter

machine impression) that is readily

identifiable without further action as

having been applied and affixed by an

employee of the U.S. Postal Service on

the date of mailing. Therefore,

applicants shall request that the postal

clerk place a legible hand cancellation

bull’s-eye postmark on both the receipt

and the wrapper or envelope.

The only acceptable evidence to

establish the date of mailing of a late

application sent by U.S. Postal Service

Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to

Addressee is the date entered by the

post office receiving clerk on the

‘‘Express Mail Next Day Service-Post

Office to Addressee’’ label and the

postmark on the envelope or wrapper

and on the original receipt from the U.S.

Postal Service. ‘‘Postmark’’ has the same

meaning as defined above. Therefore,

applicants shall request that the postal

clerk place a legible hand cancellation

bull’s-eye postmark on both the receipt

and the envelope or wrapper.

The only acceptable evidence to

establish the time of receipt at the U.S.

Department of Labor is the date/time

stamp of the Office of Procurement

Services on the application wrapper or

other documentary evidence of receipt

maintained by that office. Applications

sent by E-mail, telegram, or facsimile

(Fax) will not be accepted.

Part III. The Statement of Work—Key

Features

A. Introduction and Priority

All respondents to this SGA (98–04)

are encouraged to carefully read and

review the material discussed in the

summary section above on this SGA.

Applications that do not meet the

minimum terms and conditions of this

solicitation may be disqualified. The

Department has priority interest in

providing technical assistance to

employers and labor unions in

nonconstruction industries, particularly

manufacturing and information

technology, and in registered

apprenticeships in the skilled building

trades in construction, including

highway construction, who are

interested in supporting the placement

and skill development of women

returning to work after welfare or other

long-term work disruptions residing in

rural and urban EZ/EC communities

noted in Appendices A and

B. Grants will be awarded

competitively to private, nonprofit

Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)
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with at least three (3) years of

experience in providing employment

and training programs and support

services to increase the participation of

women in apprenticeship and

nontraditional occupations, particularly

for women with employment barriers,

including women returning to work

after welfare and other work

disruptions.

Note well: Each Proposal Must Have a

Specifically Defined Internal Evaluation

Design.] (See Part II.A. Eligible Applicants,

above.)

Such experienced CBOs will deliver

technical assistance to employers and

labor unions to prepare them to recruit,

train, promote, and retain women

returning to work from welfare to enter

and remain in apprenticeship and

nontraditional occupations. The

Department has priority interest in

further focusing on developing

cooperative projects in Federally

designated Empowerment Zones and

Enterprise Communities (EZs/ECs)

where a number of public programs are

being leveraged to revitalize their

economies. Further, the Department has

a priority interest in focusing WANTO

technical assistance to employers and

labor unions in nonconstruction

industries, particularly in areas with

potential for good, high-pay occupations

with benefits for stable year-round work

in nonconstruction industries, e.g.,

public utilities, telecommunications,

high-tech manufacturing (including tool

and die occupations), computer-based

information technologies (including

business and professional services),

high-tech health industries, and private

employers and contractors in State or

Federal Department of Transportation

highway and road projects and

apprenticeship in the skilled building

trades.

Bonus Points: Thirty (30) bonus

points will be added to the technical

score of proposals that MUST focus on

EZ/EC areas, as well as include the

priorities discussed above in the

Summary section of this SGA and noted

below.

1. Provide technical assistance in

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise

Communities;

2. Provide technical assistance to

employers and labor unions in

nonconstruction industries, particularly

in high-tech and skilled manufacturing

and information technology;

3. Provide commitment from

employers and labor unions for matches

with EZ/EC area women who are

returning to work after welfare and

other dependencies;

4. Provide employers and labor

unions with community-wide resources

to assist employers and labor unions in

providing support services—child care,

transportation, and transitional costs—

so that women returning to work can

enter and complete apprenticeship and

other nontraditional training and

employment;

5. Provide employers and labor

unions with strategies to allow labor

force entry women to work and

participate in developmental skill and

related training, both informal on-thejob/buddy systems and more formal

skill attainment.

Other projects will receive

consideration and be evaluated.

B. Key Features

1. Wanto Project Proposal

Submissions should provide for

technical assistance between a

Community-Based Organization (CBO)

and requesting employers and labor

unions, particularly nonconstruction

industries. Such an entity can also

provide for the linking of preapprenticeship programs to

apprenticeship programs sponsored by

employers and labor unions. All

technical assistance grant activity has

the goal to increase the employment of

women in apprenticeship and other

nontraditional occupations.

Grant proposals must include a

specific internal program evaluation

design and process and must specify

expected outcomes based on the CBO’s

past experience and expenditures for

the following:

—The proposed number of employers

and labor unions to be provided onsite technical assistance, those to

receive, and methodology for reaching

proposed goals;

—The proposed number of women to be

trained, placed, promoted, and/or

retained in apprenticeship and other

nontraditional employment and

methodology for reaching proposed

goals;

—Any other activities for which grant

funds will be expended.

2. CBOs that apply for funding to

provide technical assistance must

provide information on their experience

and accomplishments in apprenticeship

and nontraditional activities in the areas

of: (1) Policy, (2) program development,

(3) program operation, and (4) the

provision of technical assistance to

business, labor organizations, and other

activities in the employment and

training community related to

increasing the participation of women

in apprenticeship and nontraditional

employment.

a. List name, trade, and organizational

position of tradeswomen and other

women in nontraditional occupations

on staff or on your organization’s Board

of Directors. Include the dates when

tradeswomen served in active paid or

unpaid positions in your organization.

b. In addition, all applications must

also include a management and staff

loading plan. The management plan is

to include a project organizational chart

and accompanying narrative which

differentiate between elements of the

applicant’s staff and subcontractors or

consultants who will be retained. The

staff loading plan must identify all key

tasks and the hours required to

complete each task. Labor estimates for

each task must be broken down by

individuals assigned to the task,

including subcontractors and

consultants. All key tasks must be

charted to show time required to

perform them by months or weeks.

c. Proposed projects should include a

discussion of support services to

participants that include (1) transitional

costs (which may include living

expenses as well as fees, union dues,

uniforms, etc.), (2) child care, and (3)

transportation.

d. Proposed projects should include

outreach activities to improve

apprenticeship and NTO opportunities

for women in their own workplaces as

well as women seeking to enter NTO

career ladder employment and training.

e. Proposed projects should clearly

identify expected outcomes in terms of:

(1) An employer or labor union

workplace—number of welfare to work

placements and type of training or

technical assistance agreement, (2)

number of apprenticeship training

commitments and other work

commitments by employer/labor

organizations, (3) number of

participants moving into higher level

NTO employment, (4) number of

women participants moving from preapprenticeship into a sponsored

apprenticeship program, and (5) number

of pre-apprenticeship women moving

into permanent employment without

participating in an apprenticeship

program.

f. Proposed project submissions

should include a listing of all items for

which grant funds will be expended.

(Do not include any cost information for

this item in the technical proposal, but

expenditure items MUST be listed.)

g. Proposed project submissions

should include any leverage or cofunding anticipated by this submission,

particularly leverage with other specific

EZ/EC programs (e.g., HUD or USDA)

and interaction with overall EZ/EC

program contacts listed with EZ/EC
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cities and areas listed in Appendices A

and B.

h. Proposed project submissions

should include copies of the CBO’s

budget and major funding sources for

the past three (3) years, including

foundation and government grants and

other types of funding.

In addition to the grant’s final report,

proposed project submissions should

include plans for a ‘‘how-to-do-it’’

project replication manual, including

awareness/outreach material, technical

assistance and curriculum manual(s)

and all other materials developed as a

result of the grant activities. All grant

materials should be submitted with

‘‘hard copy’’ and electronic (computerbased) copy.

j. The proposed project submission

should include any activities to

encourage and promote the continuation

or expansion of grant activities beyond

the grant’s period of program

performance.

Part IV. Evaluation Criteria and

Selection

Applicants are advised that selection

for a grant award is to be made after

careful evaluation of technical

applications by a panel. Each panelist

will evaluate applications against the

various criteria on the basis of 100

points. The scores will then serve as the

primary basis to select applications for

a potential award. Clarification may be

requested of grant applicants if the

situation so warrants it. Please see Part

III, Sections A and B for additional

information on the elements against

which proposals will be reviewed. After

proposals are fully evaluated for

responsiveness to Technical Evaluation

Criteria 1.a.–1.c., the distribution of

bonus points will be determined. Only

those proposals whose technical score

falls within the technically acceptable

range will be eligible to receive bonus

points.

1. Technical Evaluation Criteria—Points

a. Capabilities and Qualifications of

CBO and Staff (NTO experience,

education, and work with the

community for social and/or economic

change to support women): 50 points.

b. Established Linkages and

Relationship with Employers, Labor

Unions, EZ/EC Communities and

Welfare to Work Social Agencies: 25

points.

c. Quality and Scope of WANTO

Project: 25 points. (Must include a

specific internal program evaluation

design. Such as, proposed number of

employers, labor unions for on-site

technical assistance, number of women

affected and served by the WANTO

project and placed in apprenticeship or

nontraditional employment; proposed

career ladder and technical assistance

strategies to promote the increase in

women in apprenticeship and

nontraditional occupations for

employers and labor unions; proposed

job placement outcomes.)

2. Bonus Points

a. Priority Focus: 30 points. (See Part

III.A. Statement of Work—Key Features,

Bonus Points.)

3. Cost Criteria

Proposals will be scored, based on

their costs in relation to other proposals

submitted in response to this SGA.

4. Total Score

Technical quality of proposals will be

weighted three (3) times the estimated

price in ranking proposals, for purposes

of selections for awards. Proposals

received will be evaluated by a review

panel based on the criteria immediately

above, in Technical Evaluation Criteria

1 and 2. The panel’s recommendations

will be advisory, and final awards will

be made based on the best interests of

the Government, including but not

limited to such factors as technical

quality, geographic balance,

occupational/industrial impact, and

diversity in service providers.

The Department wishes to make it

clear that it is not simply the best

written proposals that will be chosen,

but rather those which demonstrate the

greatest experience and commitment to

assisting employers and labor

organizations to successfully develop

successful strategies to increase the

participation of women in higher-paying

apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations and to expand the

employment and self-sufficiency

options of women returning to work

after welfare and other work and family

disruptions. In addition, the Department

considers geographic and race-ethnic

diversity in the array of award-winning

proposals important considerations in

making the final awards.

The submission of the same proposal

from any prior year WANTO

competition does not guarantee an

award under this solicitation. Although

the Government reserves the right to

award on the basis of the initial

proposal submission, the Government

may establish a competitive range or

technically acceptable range based upon

proposal evaluation, for the purpose of

selecting qualified applicants. The

panel’s conclusions are advisory in

nature and not binding on the Grant

Officer. The Government reserves the

right to ask for clarification or hold

discussions, but is not obligated to do

so. The Grant Officer’s determination for

award under this SGA 98–04 is the final

agency action.

Part V

A. Deliverables

(This section is provided only so that

grantees may more accurately estimate

the staffing budgetary requirements

when preparing their proposal.

Applicants are to exclude from their

cost proposal the cost of any requested

travel to Washington, DC.)

1. No later than four (4) weeks after

an award, the grantees and partners

shall meet with the Women’s Bureau

and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and

Training at the Post-Award Conference

to discuss the demonstration project and

related components and technical

assistance activities, time lines,

technical assistance outcomes,

assessment for comment, and final

approval. The grantees and partners and

the Department will discuss and make

decisions on the following program

activities:

a. The proposed technical assistance

commitments for employment,

apprenticeship and related

nontraditional occupation activities and

responsibilities; the number of

partnerships with EZ/EC communities,

employers and labor unions to be

served.

b. The methodology the proposed

partnership will use to support/change

management and employee attitudes to

promote female workers in

nontraditional occupations.

c. The types of systemic change

anticipated by technical assistance

strategies anticipated to be incorporated

into ongoing employer recruitment,

hiring, training, and promotion of

women in apprenticeship and

apprenticeable nontraditional

occupations.

d. The occupational, industrial, and

geographical impact anticipated.

e. The supportive services to be

provided to employers and women after

successful placement into employment,

apprenticeship, or other supporting

nontraditional occupations.

f. The plan for the development and

maintenance of a relationship with the

State level of the Federal Bureau of

Apprenticeship and Training and the

State Apprenticeship Council.

The Women’s Bureau and the Bureau

of Apprenticeship and Training will

provide further input orally and in

writing, if necessary, within ten (10)

working days after the Post-Award

Conference.

1. No later than ten (10) weeks after

an award, the grantee(s) and the
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Women’s Bureau will confirm the ‘‘plan

of action’’ or detailed time line for

program implementation.

2. No later than twelve (12) weeks

after an award, the grantee(s) shall have

begun the provision of technical

assistance to employers and labor

unions to recruit, select, train, place,

retain, and other areas of preparation to

promote the increase of women in

apprenticeable occupations and other

nontraditional training for women,

characterized by employment growth

and above average earnings.

3. No later than sixteen (16) weeks

after an award, the first quarterly

progress report of work done under this

grant will be due. Thereafter, quarterly

reports will be due twenty (20) working

days after the end of each of the

remaining quarters.

Quarterly progress reports must

include:

a. A description of overall progress on

work performed during the reporting

period—(a) the number of employers

and labor unions provided on-site, offsite (conferences, workshops, seminars,

training, etc., (b) number of women

trained (on and off the workplace),

placed in apprenticeship or other

nontraditional employment. Describe:

(1) Any linkages of pre-apprenticeship

(on and off a workplace) with sponsored

apprenticeship: Number of women

effected or participating in programs;

include name and address of workplace/

company and person responsible for the

operation, (2) number of employers and

labor unions receiving technical

assistance—name, address, size of the

workplace, including proportion of

women, include brief profiles of

employers and labor organizations, (3)

describe any systemic workplace and

policy changes—actual or in process,

including the hiring and promotion of

women already in the workplace, career

ladders or other training activities, (4)

public presentations, (5) media articles

or appearances, (6) publications

disseminated, and (7) publications

developed.

b. An indication of any current

problems which may impede the

performance of the grant and the

proposed corrective action.

c. A discussion of work to be

performed during the next reporting

period.

Between scheduled reporting dates

the grantee(s) also shall immediately

inform the Grant Officer’s Technical

Representative (GOTR) of significant

developments affecting the grantee’s

ability to accomplish the work.

5. No later than sixty-four (64) weeks

after an award, the grantee(s) shall

submit three (3) copies of the draft Final

Report, an integrated draft analysis of

the process and results of the technical

assistance activities during the year. The

Women’s Bureau and the Bureau of

Apprenticeship and Training will

provide written comments on the draft

Report within twenty (20) working days

if substantive problems are identified.

The grantee’s response to these

comments shall be incorporated into the

Final Report.

6. The Final Report shall cover

findings, final performance data,

outcome results and assessment, and

employer or labor organization plans for

follow-up of participants. The Final

Report shall provide all information to

replicate the project including copies of

curriculums, technical assistance

materials developed for the project and

technical assistance—videos, posters,

notices, etc., as well as any plans for

replication and dissemination of

information. An Executive Summary of

the findings and recommendations shall

be included in the Final Report,

completely separate or separately

combined with the Final Report.

No later than sixty-four (64) weeks

after an award, the grantee(s) shall (1)

submit one (1) diskette (IBM

compatible, WordPerfect 6.1), one (1)

camera-ready copy of the Final Report,

and five (5) copies of the camera-ready

Final Report, bound in a professional

manner, and not a collection of loose

leaf sheets, and (2) computer-based,

electronic files for each of the other

products—e.g., manual(s), curriculums,

‘‘how-to-do-it’’ handbooks, videos,

etc.—paid for with grant funds, along

with five (5) copies of the final cameraready products.

B. Administrative Provisions

The grant awarded under this SGA

shall be subject to the following

administrative standards and

provisions:

29 CFR Part 97—Uniform

Administrative Requirements for

Grants and Cooperative Agreements to

State and Local Governments;

29 CFR Part 96—Federal Standards for

Audit of Federally Funded Grants,

Contracts and Agreements;

29 CFR Part 95—Uniform

Administrative Requirements for

Grants and Cooperative Agreements

with Institutions of Higher Education,

etc.

C. Certifications and Assurances

If the applicant is awarded a grant,

they are required to operate the program

in accordance with the following

Certifications and Assurances. An

original signed and dated signature page

providing the following Certifications

and Assurances must accompany the

Cost Proposal. Each can be downloaded

from the OMB website address

www.whitehouse.gov/wh/eop/omb/

grants/.

D. Allowable Costs

Determinations of allowable costs

shall be made in accordance with the

following applicable Federal cost

principles:

a. State and Local Governments—

OMB Circular A–87.

b. Educational Institutions—OMB

Circular A–21.

c. Nonprofit Organizations—OMB

Circular S–122.

d. Profit-making Commercial Firms—

48 CFR Part 31.

Signed at Washington, DC., on June 24,

1998.

Lawrence J. Kuss,

Grant Officer.

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[FR Doc. 98–17401 Filed 6–30–98; 8:45 am]

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