Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D, Demonstration Program: Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations

[[Page 31152]]

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D, Demonstration

Program: Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations

AGENCY: Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant

Applications (SGA 96-05).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: All information required to submit a proposal is contained in

this announcement. All applicants for grant funds should read this

notice in its entirety and respond to its specificity. The U.S.

Department of Labor (DOL), Women's Bureau (WB) announces its

Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) first authorized under the

Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act by

its competitive technical assistance grant program for community-based

organizations (CBOs). The WANTO competitive grant program is funded

through Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D demonstration

program. WANTO is co-administered by the Women's Bureau (WB) and the

Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (BAT), Employment and Training

Administration (ETA), with the WB having responsibility for

implementing the competitive technical assistance program grants. The

Department expects to award up to five (5) grants to Community-Based

Organizations (CBOs) to provide technical assistance to private sector

employers and labor organizations to encourage the employment of women

in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in private sector

employment.

With this year's competition, the Department will give priority

consideration to applications where proposals are:

(1) LARGE PROJECT SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance

program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific

experience) is designed to assist private sector employers and labor

organizations (with large project contracts) to increase women's

employment on large employment projects (multi-year and $multi-million)

in private and/or public economic development (including building)

projects in construction, transportation, utilities and

telecommunications industries. Such technical assistance activities

include strategies for developing and implementing changes in workplace

policy and work practices to support the employment of women,

particularly in entering and completing registered apprenticeship

employment programs.

(2) COMPUTER-BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK: The proposed program

(submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is

designed to provide for the maintenance and development of regional and

national computer-based telecommunications networks to provide

customized off-site technical assistance to small and medium size

private sector employers and labor organizations in their development

and implementation of strategies to make workplace policy and work

practice changes to support the recruitment, training, and retention of

women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in individual

private sector workplaces. Such technical assistance activities should

promote the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations.

(3) GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance program

(submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is

designed to implement activities to strengthen technical assistance to

private-sector employers and labor organizations in the Southeast and

Southwest regions of the United States who want assistance in the

development and implementation of strategies that provide for workplace

changes in policies and work practices to support women in

apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations, particularly as cited in

(1) and (2) above. Such technical assistance activities should promote

the employment of minority women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations.

MOREOVER, the Department will give up to twenty-five (25) bonus

rating points to proposals reflecting the above criteria when the

proposal includes (1) established partnership with the employers and

labor organizations that expands the dollar amount, size and scope of

the proposal; and (2) specific and written commitment with timeline for

the employment of women in registered apprenticeship and/or

nontraditional employment.

This notice describes the background, the application process,

statement of work, evaluation criteria, and reporting requirements for

Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA 96-05). WB anticipates that a

total amount of $610,000 will be available for the support of all

grants using demonstration funding. The WB will provide the technical

and policy leadership with this project.

DATES: One (1) ink-signed original, complete grant application (plus

five (5) copies of the Technical Proposal and two (2) copies of the

Cost Proposal) shall be submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor,

Office of Procurement Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, 200

Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, not later than 4:45

p.m. EST, July 31, 1996. All applications must be received by the

Office of Procurement Services by that time.

ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to the U.S. Department of

Labor, Office of Procurement Services, Attention: Lisa Harvey,

Reference SGA 96-05, Room N-5416, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This announcement consists of five parts:

Part I describes the background of this WANTO grant program and

identifies its policy and topics. Part II describes the application

process, providing detailed guidelines for use in applying for

demonstration grants. Part III includes the Statement of Work and Key

Features of the demonstration program. Part IV identifies and defines

the evaluation criteria to be used in reviewing and evaluating

applications. Part V describes the deliverables and reporting

requirements.

Part I. Background

Improving women's employment opportunities and other employment

related equity and social issues to promote women in the work force has

been the driving force of the Women's Bureau since its inception in

1920. Within the Department of Labor, the Director serves as the policy

advisor on women's issues to the Secretary and other DOL agencies

charged with improving the economic and workplace life of American

workers.

The Women's Bureau has a history of encouraging women to consider

the wide array of apprenticeable and other occupations nontraditional

to women. These jobs include the traditional skilled trades such as

carpenter, plumber, electrician, sheetmetal worker, or welder in the

construction industry, as well as jobs in the electronics industries,

other technical jobs that require computer-based skills to customize,

service, build and repair precision machinery in manufacturing, and

other technical computer-based jobs in the service sector industries

such as health care, finance, utilities, telecommunications and

transportation. In fulfilling their responsibilities to promote

profitable employment opportunities for women, the Bureau of

Apprenticeship and Training and the Women's Bureau have come together

to

[[Page 31153]]

jointly administer the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional

Occupations (WANTO) Act and its technical assistance demonstration

program grants.

The Women's Bureau co-administers WANTO with the Bureau of

Apprenticeship and Training (BAT), formerly the Apprentice-Training

Service. BAT was established in 1937 as the national administrative

agency in the Department of Labor to carry out the objectives of the

National Apprenticeship Law, 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.

Definitions. Nontraditional Occupations are those where women

account for less than 25 percent of the persons employed in a single

occupational group. Generally speaking, Apprenticeship includes a

formal paid training-work agreement where labor and management work

together to promote learning on the job; to support the ``hands on''

learning, there must be related theoretical instruction (often

classroom). After completing the program standards successfully--

usually 3 to 5 years--the apprentice is awarded a certificate of

completion by either the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or the

State Apprenticeship Committee Agency.

A. Authorities

The technical assistance grants were first authorized under the

Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act,

Public Law 102-530, approved October 27, 1992. Funded through the Job

Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Title IV-D, the Bureau of

Apprenticeship (BAT/ETA) and the Women's Bureau have a Intra-agency

Agreement to co-administer WANTO. The WB has responsibility for

implementing the Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) process for

the Technical Assistance (TA) grants to Community-Based Organizations

(CBOs).

B. Purpose of the Demonstration

The purpose of the WANTO demonstration program is to provide

technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to encourage

the increased employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations.

Further, in accordance with the directives of the Women in

Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act, the Women's

Bureau is continuing to develop a data bank of (1) employers and labor

organizations seeking technical assistance and (2) organizations with

experience working to promote the employment of women in apprenticeship

and nontraditional employment. The Bureau will update and expand its

directory of apprenticeship and nontraditional training and employment

programs serving women to function as a catalyst in developing a

listing of employers and labor organizations and experienced NTO

community-based organizations (CBOs) into a data base referred to as

the ``WANTO Referral Network.'' To list your preapprenticeship,

apprenticeship, or nontraditional occupational training or placement

program with the Bureau's ``WANTO Referral Network,'' please provide

the following information:

(1) Program Name:

(2) Administrative Agency:

(3) Address:

(4) Executive Director:

(5) Contact Person:

(6) Contact Telephone Number:

(7) Brief Description of Services:

Please send your response to: Women's Bureau, Office of the

Secretary, WANTO Network, Room S-3317, U.S. Department of Labor, 200

Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. (Telephone (202)

219-8913 x114)

Part II. Application Process

A. Eligible Applicants

1. Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are eligible applicants to

receive technical assistance grants. The term ``community-based

organization'' as defined in section 4(5) of the Job Training

Partnership Act (29 U.S.C 1501(5)), means 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

experience administering programs that recruit, select, train, place,

retain, and otherwise prepare women for employment in apprenticeship

and other nontraditional occupations (NTO).

2. Employers and Labor Organizations are eligible to receive

technical assistance provided by community-based organizations

receiving WANTO grants. To be selected to receive technical assistance,

employers, and labor organizations must submit a technical assistance

request either (1) directly to the Department of Labor, OASAM, Office

of Procurement Services, Attention: Lisa Harvey, Washington, D.C. 20210

or (2) the request may be included with the CBOs with whom there is an

agreement to partnership in preparing the response to SGA 96-05.

B. Contents

To be considered responsive to the Solicitation for Grant

Applications (SGA), each application must consist of and follow the

order of the sections listed in Part III of this solicitation. The

applicant 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 PROPOSALS THAT DO

NOT CONFORM TO THESE STANDARDS SHALL BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE TO THIS

SGA AND WILL NOT BE EVALUATED.

1. Technical Proposal

Each proposal shall include (a) a two (2) page abstract which

summarizes the proposal and (b) a full 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 (business) proposal must be separate from the technical

proposal. The transmittal letter and the grant assurances and

certifications form (Appendix A) shall be attached to the business

proposal, which shall consist of the following:

a. Standard Form 424 ``Application for Federal Assistance,''

(Appendix B) signed by an official from the applicant 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,'' (Appendix

C); 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 those applications which propose to fund

staff positions, the budget narrative must provide information which

describes the

[[Page 31154]]

number of proposed positions by title and by the amount of staff time

and salary charged to Federal and Non-Federal 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 $610,000 to be disbursed through

WANTO grants. The Department expects to make up to five (5) awards to

Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). The Women's Bureau expects awards

to range from approximately $75,000 to $150,000.

D. Length of Grant and Grant Awards

The initial performance period for the grants awarded under this

SGA shall be for eighteen (18) months of program performance, with the

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

30, 1996.

E. Submission

One (1) ink-signed original, complete grant application (plus five

(5) copies of the Technical Proposal and two (2) 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 pm EST, July 31, 1996. All

applications must be received by the Office of Procurement Services by

that time. Applications sent by telegram or facsimile (FAX) will not be

accepted.

Any application received at the Office of Procurement Services

after 4:45 pm EST will not be considered unless it is received before

award is made and:

1. It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the

fifth calendar day before July 31, 1996 (i.e., not later than July 26,

1996);

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 5:00 pm at the place

of mailing two working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays,

prior to July 31, 1996 (i.e., not later than 5:00 pm July 29, 1996).

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.

Part III. Statement of Work--Key Features

A. Introduction

The Women's Bureau (Washington, D.C.) announces the Solicitation

for Grant Applications (SGA) for competitive grant awards first funded

under the technical assistance program authorized by the Women in

Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Act and funded

through JTPA Title IV-D. Since then, the Employment and Training

Administration, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (ETA/BAT) has

continued to fund the program through JTPA Title IV-D and transfer

funds to the WB to continue the technical assistance program authorized

under the WANTO Act. The WB anticipates a transfer of funds amounting

to $610,000 for Fiscal Year 1996 and expects to make up to five (5)

grants to CBOs that will provide direct technical assistance to change

the workplaces of private sector job creators--employers and labor

organizations--to make private sector workplaces more supportive to

increasing the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations (NTO).

1. CBOs may solicit employers and labor organizations that request

technical assistance in preparing their workplace to promote women in

apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations (NTOs) and include such

agreements in their proposal in response to SGA 96-05. Priority will be

given to proposals that include specific provisions to providing

technical assistance to employers and labor organizations with (1)

contracts for work on large employment projects; (2) regional and

national computer-based telecommunications networks; and (3) emphasis

on geographic areas of the Southeast and Southwest.

2. At the same time, the Department will continue to build an

inventory (as directed by the WANTO legislation) of workplace technical

assistance requests from employers and labor organizations to promote

the increase in employment of women in apprenticeship and

nontraditional occupations sent directly to the Office of Procurement

Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, U.S. Department of Labor,

200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, Attention: Lisa

Harvey.

3. Technical assistance requests from both CBOs (as a part of the

technical proposal) and requests sent directly to the Department of

Labor by employers and labor organizations should be in writing.

4. The Department will award only one grant per CBO, with or

without multiple service providers or subcontractors. The total amount

of each grant will depend upon the total amount of direct technical

assistance to be provided. Applicants should provide estimated cost

(hourly or fixed rates) for specific technical assistance services they

are prepared to perform in the cost proposal.

5. Since the thrust of this SGA is technical assistance to

employers and labor organizations to attain workplace change responsive

to the increase in women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations, the program of this SGA is designed to be employer-

workplace driven. Allowable grant activities do not include CBO

capacity building services, or the operation of CBO ongoing training

activities unless they are directly related to the provision of

technical assistance to make job creators' workplaces--employers and

labor organizations--more responsive to increased employment and

support for

[[Page 31155]]

women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.

B. Program Requirements

The Department, through this competition, is seeking Community-

Based Organization grantees with a record of accomplishment, with

overall organizational experience and facilities, and with staff who

can demonstrate the necessary technical knowledge and experience that

can ensure successful completion of provision of technical assistance

to employers and labor organizations.

In the grant application process, Community-Based Organization

grant applicants should include a specific program for providing

technical assistance to mega project contractors and others, including

the name and address of projects that they have developed working

relationships with for this round of WANTO activities. CBOs are also

required to present evidence of their experience, qualifications,

technical knowledge of programs to assist job creators to recruit,

select, train, place and retain women in apprenticeship and

nontraditional occupations.

1. Provide Technical Assistance

Community-Based Organization (CBO) Eligibility: Definition. The

term ``community-based organization'' as defined in section 4(5) of the

Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C 1501(5)), means private

nonprofit organizations which are representative of communities or

significant segments of communities that provide job training services.

a. For this solicitation, the significant segment of communities

are organizations that have demonstrated and documented experience in

providing and administering programs that prepare women for employment

in apprenticeable occupations or other nontraditional occupations.

b. Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), for this competition, do

not include for profit or public entities such as, the Job Training

Partnership System, hospitals, educational institutions--schools,

colleges and universities.

2. Community-Based Organizations: Scope of Work

The Women's Bureau, is seeking Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)

with a record of accomplishment in the areas related to increasing the

employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.

a. CBOs will provide Technical Assistance (TA) to employers and

labor organizations to assist them in preparing their workplaces to

increase the employment of women in apprenticeship training and

nontraditional occupations.

Each proposal for funding should include a direct and specific

statement on how the proposed activities will increase the employment

of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional employment in private

sector workplaces, increasing self-sufficiency for them and their

families. . . . Each proposal for funding should include (1) a specific

feasibility study/examination to produce a proposed ``plan of action''

for providing technical assistance to employers and labor organizations

included with the proposal; (2) plan for assessing and evaluating the

technical assistance activities provided during the grant period, in

addition to the grant's final report; (3) plan for a ``how-to-do-it''

technical assistance manual as a result of the grant activities.

3. Scope of CBO Technical Assistance Activities--Key Features

CBOs' technical assistance tasks include employer or labor

organization requests that will promote the increased employment of

women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in the

requester's workplace. These technical assistance activities include

strategies to implement policy and work practices changes which may

include a wide variety of technical assistance to prepare, recruit,

promote and retain women in apprentice and nontraditional employment.

While WANTO proposals can be submitted for any employer and/or

labor organization technical assistance program that is designed to

increase the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations, the Department will give priority consideration to

applications where proposals focus on:

(1) LARGE PROJECT SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance

program (submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific

experience) is designed to assist private sector employers and labor

organizations (with large project contracts) to increase women's

employment on large (multi-year and $multi-million) in private and/or

public economic development (including building) projects in

construction, transportation, utilities and telecommunications

industries. Such technical assistance activities include strategies for

developing and implementing changes in workplace policy and work

practices to support the employment of women, particularly in entering

and completing registered apprenticeship employment programs.

(2) COMPUTER-BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK: The proposed program

(submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is

designed to provide for the maintenance and development of regional and

national computer-based telecommunications networks to provide

customized off-site technical assistance to small and medium size

private-sector employers and labor organizations in their development

and implementation of strategies to make workplace policy and work

practice changes to support the recruitment, training, and retention of

women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in individual

private-sector workplaces. Such technical assistance activities should

promote the employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations.

(3) GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFIC: The proposed technical assistance program

(submitted by a CBO with documented activity-specific experience) is

designed to implement activities to strengthen technical assistance to

private-sector employers and labor organizations in the Southeast and

Southwest regions of the United States who want assistance in the

development and implementation of strategies that provide for workplace

changes in policies and work practices to support women in

apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations, particularly as cited in

(1) and (2) above. Such technical assistance activities should promote

the employment of minority women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations.

MOREOVER, the Department will award twenty-five (25) bonus rating

points to proposals reflecting the above criteria when the proposal

includes (1) established partnership with the employers and labor

organizations that expands the dollar amount, size and scope of the

proposal; and (2) specific and written commitment with timeline for the

employment of women in registered apprenticeship and/or nontraditional

employment.

4. Capabilities and Qualifications of CBO and Staff

Applicant CBOs are asked to provide information on organizational

capacity, organizational management and staffing charts, and technical

assistance experience with employers and labor organization,

qualifications of the principal investigator(s) and staff who will

provide both the ``hands on'' services and related written products

that describe the project activities in a professional manner in the

management and staff loading plans. In addition,

[[Page 31156]]

applicant CBOs shall provide responses to items a-e and their subparts

listed below:

a. Briefly describe and

* * * Provide complete resumes that describe the qualifications of

persons to provide technical assistance in the area of increasing

employment of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.

Include both education and work experience.

* * * Provide work references, to support principal investigator

and support staff qualifications to provide technical assistance in the

area of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations.

* * * Briefly describe physical resource facilities that support

your organization's human resources delivery of the technical

assistance--book and video library, conference rooms, computer hardware

and software, etc.

b. Briefly describe your organization's experience in preparing

women to gain employment in apprenticeable occupations or other

nontraditional occupations;

* * * Briefly describe your organization's current services.

* * * State your organization's current funding level and sources

of funds.

* * * Describe your organization's experience and success in the

provision of services to women in preparing them for gainful employment

in apprenticeable and other nontraditional occupations.

* * * Describe what your organization would consider as its most

outstanding success over the last two years?

* * * Provide customer references that specifically support your

organization's experience and qualifications to provide technical

assistance in the area of women in apprenticeship and nontraditional

occupations.

c. Briefly describe your organization's experience in delivering

technical assistance.

* * * Briefly describe the geographic location of your

organization's technical assistance services and any experience in

policy and/or written technical publications, including ``how-to.''

* * * Include (in the appendix) copies of publications, such as,

policy papers/studies, manuals or ``how-tos'' and feasibility studies

related to women in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations that

your organization has developed.

* * * Briefly describe target groups of women to which your

organization has provided recruitment, training, placement, retention

and promotion services; for what types of occupations and industries.

* * * Briefly describe your organization's relationship with the

Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training or the State Apprenticeship

Committee.

d. Briefly describe your organization's experience working with the

business community to prepare business to place women in apprenticeable

occupations or other nontraditional occupations;

* * * Briefly describe your organization's relationship and

experience with employers and labor unions who offer apprenticeable and

nontraditional occupations.

* * * Briefly describe the type(s) of technical assistance to

employers provided previously by your organization. What were the

results of these services.

* * * Provide business references to support your work with the

business community to prepare business to place women in apprenticeship

and nontraditional occupations.

* * * Briefly list the employer and labor unions for which your

organization has provided technical assistance.

e. List the tradeswomen or women in nontraditional occupations as

active members of your organization, as either employed staff or board

members.

* * * 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.

In addition, all applications must also include a management and

staff loading plan. The management plan is to include a project

organization chart and accompanying narrative which differentiates

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 person-

days 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.

5. Use of Funds

The Technical Proposal of CBO applicants shall describe both known

and anticipated expenditures that may arise in the conduct of providing

technical assistance to and on employers and labor organizations

relevant to workplace change for women in apprenticeship and

nontraditional occupations. The Department is also seeking proposals

with leverage or other partnership activities that will enlarge the

dollar amount, size, and scope of the proposed WANTO financial

application.

a. List activities on which grant funds will be expended but not

the dollar cost.

b. List any leverage of funds activities taken or anticipated with

this grant--any partnerships, linkages or coordination of activities,

cooperative funding, etc.

c. List specific activities on which grant funds will be expended

by subgrantees (if applicable) but not the dollar cost.

6. Continuation of Activities

The Technical Proposal of CBO applicants shall describe any

anticipated strategies proposed by them to encourage and promote the

continuation or expansion of grant activities beyond the grant's period

of program performance.

a. Briefly describe your organization's approach and activities to

support and encourage employers and labor organizations in your/their

efforts to continue activities that support women employed in

apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations in their workplaces after

they are in the workplace and after the completion of this project.

b. Briefly describe how your organization will approach employers

and organizations to incorporate technical assistance into labor/

management agreements and/or employer policy and work practice changes

as a result of this WANTO technical assistance funding.

c. To what extend will the changed policy and work practices be

made a part of supervisory and employee employment handbooks?

G. Technical Assistance Requests

1. The Department is seeking technical assistance requests from

private-sector employers and labor organizations who want to receive

technical assistance provided by the community-based organizations with

WANTO grant funds to provide such assistance. Requesting employers and

labor organizations should submit technical assistance requests to the

Department of Labor, Attention: Lisa Harvey, Office of Procurement

Services, Room N-5416, Reference SGA 96-05, 200 Constitution Avenue,

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

2. Employers and Labor Organizations may also choose to submit

their technical assistance requests to community-based organizations

they have established a partnership with in

[[Page 31157]]

the CBO's application to the Department of Labor for grant award. A

description of the technical assistance request, name and address of

the requester shall be attached to the end of the Technical Proposal.

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 and a maximum additional 25 points for the

bonus category.

The scores will then serve as the primary basis to select

applications for potential award. Clarification may be requested of

grant applicants if the situation so warrants. Please see Part III.,

Section B. for additional information on the elements against which

proposal will be reviewed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Points

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Technical Criteria

------------------------------------------------------------------------

a. Capabilities and Qualifications of CBO and Staff........ 50

b. Use of Funds............................................ 25

c. Continuation of Activities..............................

25

------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Bonus Points

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(See Part III, B-3, Scope of CBOs' Technical Assistance

Activities--Key Features)

Total................................................ 25

a. Proposal Focus on Large Project; Telecommunications

Network or Southeast/Southwest Geographic Area combined

with...................................................... 5

b. Established Partnership................................. 10

c. Written Commitment...................................... 10

------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Cost Criteria

Proposals will be scored, based on their costs in relation to other

proposals submitted in response to this SGA. Specifically, the lowest

priced proposal will receive 25 points, based on the following formula:

(lowest priced proposal/proposal cost) x 25

All other proposals will receive points using the above formula.

For example, if the lowest priced proposal had a total Federal budget

of $5,000, it would receive a cost score of 25. If another proposal had

a total Federal budget of $10,000, it would receive a score of 12.5

(i.e. $5,000/$10,000) x 25).

4. Total Score

Using the above example, if the proposal requesting $5,000 of

Federal funding received a technical score of 50, the Total Score would

be 75 points (50 + 25 = 75); if the proposal requesting $10,000 of

Federal funding received a technical score of 75, the Total Score would

be 87.5.

Proposals received will be evaluated by a review panel based on the

criteria immediately following. 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.

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

business to successfully recruit, train, and retain women in

apprenticeable occupations and nontraditional occupations and to expand

the employment and self-sufficiency options of women.

During the technical panel evaluation of all proposals and

requests, the Department will bring together CBO qualifications and

capabilities with employers/labor unions and other nonunion labor

organizations requests to develop final grant activities. In addition,

the Department will also consider geographic coverage and occupational/

industrial impact in the final TA grant awards, as well as broadening

coverage of different CBO service providers.

Allowable Costs: Determinations of allowable costs shall be made in

accordance with the following applicable Federal cost principles:

State and Local Governments--OMB Circular A-87

Educational Institutions--OMB Circular A-21

Non-Profit Organizations--OMB Circular A-122

Profit Making Commercial Firms--FAR 31.2

Profit will not be considered an allowable cost in any case.

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; for all others

29 CFR Part 95.

29 CFR Part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded Grants,

Contracts and Agreements.

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, D.C.)

1. No later than four (4) weeks after award, the grantee shall meet

with the Women's Bureau and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training

to discuss technical assistance activities, timelines, and technical

assistance outcomes assessment for comment and final approval. At that

time the grantee's final technical assistance requests and CBOs will be

matched. The CBO and the Department will discuss and make decisions on

the following program activities:

a. The number of employers and labor organizations to be served.

b. The methodology to be used to change management and employee

attitudes about women in non- traditional occupations.

c. The types of systemic change anticipated by technical assistance

strategies anticipated to be incorporated into employer ongoing

recruitment, hiring, training and promotion of women in apprenticeship

and apprenticeable nontraditional occupations.

[[Page 31158]]

d. The occupational, industrial and geographical impact

anticipated.

e. The supportive services to be provided to employers and women

after successful placement into apprenticeship or apprenticeable

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.

The Women's Bureau and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training

will provide input orally and in writing, if necessary, within ten (10)

working days after the Post-Award Meeting.

2. No later than ten (10) weeks after award, the grantee and the

Women's Bureau will confirm the employers and labor organizations to be

served with WANTO grant funds in a final ``plan of action'' that can be

added to as requests increase. Such a plan will reflect the grantee's

study/examination workplace via an on-site visit and review of the

feasibility of the TA request by the employer.

3. No later than twelve (12) weeks after award, the grantee shall

begin the program of technical assistance to employers and labor

organizations to recruit, promote and retain women in apprenticeable

occupations and other nontraditional training for women, characterized

by employment growth and above average earnings.

4. No later than sixteen (16) weeks after award, the first

quarterly progress report of work done under this grant will be due.

Thereafter, quarterly reports will be due ten (10) working days after

the end of each of the three remaining quarters.

Quarterly progress reports should include:

a. A description of overall progress on work performed during the

reporting period, including (1) number, name, address, size of the

workplace, including proportion of women with brief profiles of

employers and labor organizations provided technical assistance during

the period; (2) 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; (3) public

presentations; (4) media articles or appearances; (5) publications

disseminated and (6) publications developed.

b. An indication of any current problems which may impede

performance and the proposed corrective action.

c. A discussion of work to be performed during the next reporting

period.

Between scheduled reporting dates the grantee shall also

immediately inform the Grant Officer's Technical Representative of

significant developments affecting the grantee's ability to accomplish

the work.

5. No later than sixty (64) weeks after award, the grantee shall

submit, three (3) copies of the draft final report, an integrated draft

report 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. No later than seventy-four (74) weeks after award, the grantee

shall submit one (1) DOL customer-ready camera ready copy and four (4)

copies of the final report; one (1) diskette (IBM compatible,

WordPerfect 5.1) of the Final Report. The report shall cover findings,

final performance data, outcome results and assessment, and employer or

labor organization plans for follow-up of participants. Copies of

technical assistance curricula shall be included, as well as any plans

for replication and dissemination of information. An Executive Summary

of the findings and recommendations, shall either be included in the

report or accompany the report.

Signed at Washington, D.C. June 7, 1996.

Lawrence J. Kuss,

Grant Officer.

BILLING CODE 4510-23-P

[[Page 31159]]

Appendices

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.028

[[Page 31160]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.029

[[Page 31161]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.030

[[Page 31162]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.031

[[Page 31163]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN19JN96.032

[FR Doc. 96-15318 Filed 6-18-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-23-C