The document provides information about a webinar on American Apprenticeship grants from the U.S. Department of Labor. It introduces the presenters and discusses the $100 million in grant funds available through the American Apprenticeship Initiative. The grants aim to promote the expansion of quality apprenticeship programs, with a focus on partnerships between employers, labor organizations, education providers, and others. The document reviews eligibility requirements, allowable grant activities, targeted industries, and the application and review process.
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Prospective Apprenticeship Applicant Webinar
1. Welcome to Workforce3 One
U.S. Department of Labor
Employment and Training
Administration Presented by: Office of Apprenticeship
(OA) & Office of Grants Management (OGM)
U.S. Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration
2. Presenters
Eric Seleznow – Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and
Training Administration
John Ladd – Administrator, Office of Apprenticeship, Employment
and Training Administration
Sara Williams - Grant Officer, Office of Grants Management,
Employment and Training Administration
Jeannette Flowers – Grants Management Specialist, Office
of Grants Management, Employment and Training Administration
2#
3. American Apprenticeship Grant Program
Eric Seleznow – Deputy Assistant Secretary,
Employment and Training Administration
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December 11, 2014 – DOL announced the availability of $100 Million in
grant funds through the American Apprenticeship Initiative to promote the
expansion of quality and innovative Registered Apprenticeship programs.
As part of the President’s commitment to investing in American Job
Training, these grants will focus on partnerships between employers, joint
labor-management organizations, labor organizations, training providers,
community colleges, local and state governments, the workforce system,
non-profits and faith-based organizations that propose the following:
• Launch apprenticeship models in new, high growth fields
• Align apprenticeships to pathways for further learning and
career advancement
• Scale apprenticeship models that work
4. Tips for Viewing this Webinar
• You should have a hard copy of the FOA
when viewing this Webinar
• You will find Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ) and answers regarding this FOA on our
website at http://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship
• When applying for ETA competitive grants,
use our Web-Based Toolkit for Prospective
Applicants:
www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit
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5. Understanding this FOA
I. Funding Opportunity Description
II. Award Information
III. Eligibility Information
IV. Application and Submission Information
V. Application Review Information
VI. Review and Selection Process
VII.Agency Contacts
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7. Program Purpose
Section I.A
This initiative is intended to serve as a catalyst in supporting a uniquely American
Apprenticeship system that meets our particular economic, industry and workforce
needs. American Apprenticeships are innovative work-based learning and post-
secondary earn-and learn models that meet national standards for registration with the
U.S. Department of Labor, or with a DOL-recognized State Apprenticeship Agency
Goals include:
• Support the expansion of quality and innovative American Apprenticeship training programs
into high-growth occupations and industries for which employers are using H-1B visas to
hire foreign workers, and the related activities necessary to support such training
• Create career pathways that encompass American Apprenticeship programs and align
American Apprenticeship with post-secondary education through innovative partnerships
• Utilize strategies that offer innovative approaches to significantly increase apprenticeship
opportunities for all American workers, particularly underrepresented populations
• Implement new and innovative public polices (at the regional, state, and local level) or
public-private partnerships that increase demand for American Apprenticeship
• Ensure that innovations form the basis for broader change and sustainability that
encourages employers to adopt and offer American Apprenticeship opportunities
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8. Program Purpose
Section I.A (cont.)
Based on those goals, we are interested in funding innovative public-private
partnerships and projects that incorporate elements which lead to sustainable
and impactful apprenticeship programs. These elements include:
• Promoting Apprenticeship to Employers, Workers, and Other Key
Stakeholders
• Increasing Apprenticeship Opportunities for All Americans
• Promoting Career Pathways and Aligning Apprenticeships with
Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and Workforce Investment
Systems
• Sector Focus and Employer Commitments
• Innovative Public Policies and Public-Private Partnership Models
• Planning for a Sustainable Expansion
• Program Evaluation
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9. Allowable Activities
Section I.B
Applicants for this FOA must identify key innovations they seek to implement and
demonstrate the ability to train significant numbers of new apprentices & scale
programs on statewide, multi-state, regional, or national level. Activities must help
employers grow their workforce & assist workers in gaining the skills and
competencies needed to obtain or upgrade employment in high-growth industries and
occupations or along career pathways in those industries and occupations.
Examples of allowable activities that maybe funded by AAI grants, include:
1. On-the-Job learning (OJL
2. Job Related Technical Instruction (RTI)
3. Pre-Apprenticeship Training
4. Other Activities that Support American Apprenticeship
Applicants should review Section I.B (Allowable Activities) for additional
information
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10. American Apprenticeship Programmatic Requirements
Appendix C
• Partnership Agreements (for Publically-led partnerships)
• Employer and Registered Apprenticeship Program Sponsors
• Equity and Opportunity
• Apprenticeship Documentation & Maintenance of Files and
Privacy Information
• Data Collection and Reporting
• Program Evaluation and Technical Assistance
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11. Targeted Industries and Occupations
Section I.C
American Apprenticeship grants will fund projects across a diversity of
industries and occupations for which employers are using H-1B visas to
hire foreign workers. These are high-job-growth industries and
occupations that:
1. are projected to hire substantial numbers of new workers;
2. are being transformed by technology and innovation
requiring new skill sets for workers;
3. are new and emerging businesses that are projected to
grow; or
4. have a significant impact on the economy overall or on the
growth of other industries and occupations. According to
recent data, a wide range of industries may meet these
criteria in local and regional areas around the country.
**According to recent data, a wide range of industries may meet
these criteria in local and regional areas around the country.**
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12. Targeted Industries and Occupations
Section I.C cont.
To position American workers for highly skilled positions and reduce the
need for foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, we are interested in
funding projects that focus on industries such as Information Technology,
and other high growth industries, including, but not limited to the following:
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Business Services
• Healthcare
• And the types of high-demand skills (e.g. digital and
information technology skills) now required across most
industries.
Applicants should review the attached list of industries and occupations that are using
H–1B visas to hire foreign workers to assist your program alignment (See Appendix A).
This list is not exhaustive and applicants are advised to also refer to the Foreign Labor
Certification Data Center.
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13. Program Authority
Section I.D
This program is authorized under
Section 414(c) of the American
Competitiveness and Workforce
Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA), as
amended (codified at 29 U.S.C. 2916a),
and subject to the requirements of
Section 104, Division H, of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014,
P.L. 113-76, Jan.17, 2014, 128 Stat 5).
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15. Award Type and Amount
Section II.A
• Approximately $100 million in grant
funds.
• DOL intends to fund approximately 25
grants with individual grant amounts
ranging from $2.5 million to $5 million.
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16. Award Amount (cont.)
Minimum Goals for Apprentices Served During the Grant
Period Based on Funding Request
Funding Request Apprentices Served
$2,500,000 –
$2,999,999.
300
$3,000,000 -
$4,000,000.
600
$4,000,001 -
$5,000,000.
1000
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Section II.A
17. Period of Performance
Section II.B
• 60 months from the date of grant award.
• Performance Period includes all
necessary implementation and start-up
activities.
• Apprentice enrollments are expected to
begin in the first 12 months of the grant.
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19. Primary Partnership Composition
Section III.A
Applications must include at least one each from the following:
• Private Sector: A business, a consortium of businesses,
business-related nonprofit organization, a joint labor-management
organization, a labor organization, or a private organization
functioning as a workforce intermediary for the express purpose
of serving the needs of businesses; (see Section III.A.1 Eligible
Private Sector Entity for the Primary Partnership)
and
• Public Sector: At least one representative from one of the following
three types of entities: 1) the workforce investment system; 2) public
education or training provider; or 3) DOL-recognized State
Apprenticeship Agency (note: State Apprenticeship Agencies are in
25 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam listed here: State
Apprenticeship Agencies). (see Section III.A.2 Eligible Public Sector
Entity for the Primary Partnership)
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20. Eligible Lead Applicants
Section III.B
• Grants will be awarded to the lead applicant of
a partnership of private and public sector
entities
• Eligible lead applicants must be public or non-
profit organizations that meets the definition of
the types of eligible entities (Section III.A.1 and
2)
• An eligible entity cannot serve as more than
one type of entity for the purpose of meeting
the minimum requirements of the primary
partnership.
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21. Optional Partners
Section III.C
Applicants are strongly encouraged to
collaborate with other public and private
sector partners (which may be appropriate
sub-grantees depending on the project
design).
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22. Cost Sharing or Matching
Section III.D
Cost sharing or matching funds are not
required for this program
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23. Eligible Participants
Section III.E.3
Participants eligible to receive training can be
either:
a) youth that are at least 16 years of age and
not currently enrolled in school within a
local secondary educational agency (i.e.,
high school) or
b) at least 18 years of age.
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25. Content and Form Submission
Section IV.B
• SF-424 Application for Federal
Assistance
• Project Budget
• Project Narrative
• Attachments to the Project Narrative
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26. SF-424A and Project Budget
Section IV.B.1. and Section IV.B.2.
• SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance
– Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S)
– Must register with the System for Award
Management (SAM)
• Project Budget
– SF-424A: Budget Information Form
– Budget Narrative
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27. Project Narrative
Section IV.B.3
• Limited to 30 double-spaced, single-
sided 8.5 x 11 inch pages with 12-pt. text
font and 1-inch margins
• Evaluated using the evaluation criteria
identified in Section V.A.
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28. Attachments to the Project Narrative
Section IV.B.4
• Affixed in separate section, marked,
“ATTACHMENTS”
• Clearly identified appendices to the application
• Only the required attachment (listed below) is
excluded from page limit
• No additional materials will be considered
• See Section IV.B.4 for information on valid
attachment file names
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29. Required Attachment: Abstract
1. lead applicant name;
2. lead applicant city/state;
3. primary partnership entities;
4. additional key partner(s)
5. areas served by the grant;
6. total funding requested;
7. project name;
8. summary of program activities;
9. number of individuals to be
served;
10. populations to be served
11. targeted H-1B
Industry(s)/Occupation(s);
12. contact information for each
partner: provide for each the
name of the partner, the contact
person’s name, and his/her
position title, business phone,
and business email
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Section IV.B.4
Applicants must submit an abstract of up to two-pages summarizing the proposed
project. The abstract will serve as a summary of the project and will be shared
publicly. The abstract must identify the following information:
30. Requested Attachments
Section IV.B.4
a. Project/Performance Site Locations Form
b. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
c. Organizational Chart
d. Work Plan and Performance Tables
e. Partner Commitment Letters
f. Documentation of Institution of Higher
Education Accreditation Status
g. Employer Commitment Letters
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31. Proposal Submission
Section IV.C
Proposals must be received by 4:00:00
p.m. (ET) on April 30, 2015.
• Methods of submission
– Regular mail
– Overnight mail
– Hand delivery
– Online at http://www.grants.gov
• Reference FOA-ETA-15-02
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32. Application Screening Criteria
Section III.C.1.
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Application Requirement Instructions
The deadline submission requirements are met. Section IV.C
If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are
saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (We will
attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional
measures in the event of problems with opening.)
Section IV.C
Applicant submits no more than one application as the lead applicant in
response to this FOA.
Section III.E.2
Application request is not below $2,500,000 and does not exceed the
ceiling amount of $5,000,000.
Section II.A
Applicant has registered with SAM and maintains an active account
(note: allow proper lead time for registration).
Section IV.B.1
Signed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. Section IV.B.1
Signed SF-424 includes a DUNS Number. Section IV.B.1
SF-424A, Budget Information Form. Section IV.B.2
Budget Narrative. Section IV.B.2
Project Narrative. Section IV.B.3
Abstract. Section IV.B.4
34. Evaluation Criteria
Section V.A
1. Statement of Need: 15 points
2. Expected Outcomes and Outputs: 15 points
3. Project Design: 56 points
4. Organizational, Administrative, & Fiscal Capacity: 11 points
5. Budget & Budget Justification: 3 points
Total Possible Points = 100
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35. 1. Statement of Need: 15 points
Points will be awarded based on the extent to which
applicant provides the following:
i. American Apprenticeship Need Assessment - (7 Points)
ii. Industry and Labor Market Information – (8 Points)
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36. 2. Expected Outcomes and Outputs: 15 points
i. Project goals, milestones, outputs
and outcomes - (10 points)
ii. Capacity to Report and Evaluate
Outcomes - (5 points)
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37. 3. Project Design: 56 points
Reviewers will score based on the extent to which the application (1) reflects a coherent
and feasible approach to meet the identified goals, milestones, outputs and outcomes
addressed above; (2) proposes innovative strategies to create and/or expand American
Apprenticeship in H-1B industries or occupations (see Appendices A and B); and (3)
includes a work plan that will reasonably ensure completion of work.
Expand and Innovate 21st Century American Apprenticeships
i. Expanding American Apprenticeships in H-1B industries and occupations
(8 points)
ii. Innovations to Increase the Return on Investment in Apprenticeship
(8 points)
iii. Innovations to Expand Access to Underrepresented Populations: (8
points)
iv. Partnership and Policy Innovations that Create a Supportive Ecosystem
for Apprenticeship: (8 points)
v. 21st Century American Apprenticeship Sector Focus and Employer
Commitments (8 points)
vi. Innovations in American Apprenticeship Training (8 points)
vii. Work Plan (8 points)
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38. 4. Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal
Capacity: 11 points
Points will be awarded based on:
1. The extent to which the organization has a project staffing plan
which shows that it has capacity to carry out the proposed
project (3 points)
2. The strength of administrative controls to properly manage,
monitor and report Federal funds and performance (2 points)
3. The extent to which the applicant provides a process and
reasonable timeframe for hiring the project manager and key
staff (e.g., fiscal, administrative, performance reporting/case
management, etc.) to ensure the project can begin immediately.
(2 points)
4. The capacity of the lead organization to facilitate
communications among all levels of the project and across
consortium members. (2 points)
5. The extent to which the applicant provides strong examples of
experience working with multi-partner programs, including the
management process used that led to measurable results for
workers and employers. (2 points)
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39. 5. Budget and Budget Justification:
3 points
The extent to which the applicant’s Budget:
•Is reasonable based on the activities outlined in the
project narrative and that the proposed
expenditures will support the expansion of
apprenticeship opportunities for both employers and
individuals. (2 points)
•The strength and feasibility of the applicant’s plan to
leverage external resources to meets the goals for
the numbers of apprenticeship (see Section II.A.),
as well as the other outcomes and outputs
proposed in response to Section IV.B.3.a. (1 point)
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40. Grant Resources
Find additional Grant Resources using the links below:
• Secretary’s Blog - Secretary Perez on the Grant Announcement
Links to Additional Information:
• Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)- Grant Notice - ETA-15-02
• Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions – http://www.doleta.gov/oa/aag.cfm
• Whitehouse Link - www.whitehouse.gov for more details
Links to New Resources:
• New Apprenticeship Website – www.dol.gov/apprenticeship
• Apprenticeship Toolkit – Quick Start Toolkit
• Federal Funding for Apprenticeship Playbook - Federal Playbook
• Employer’s Playbook to Building an Apprenticeship Program –Employer’s Playbook
• Skills for America’s Future (SAF) Community Forum -
http://forums.skillsforamericasfuture.org/
• Apprenticeship Staff Contact Map - http://www.doleta.gov/oa/contactlist.cfm
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42. Review and Selection Process
• Technical Review Panels will meet after the
closing date to review applications.
• Scoring is based on the quality of the responses.
• Panels prepare a report for each application.
• Panel results are advisory in nature.
• Grant Officer may consider other relevant
information as described in the FOA.
• Pre-award review of primary partnership
composition (Section III).
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44. Frequently Asked Questions
• The Department will review questions
submitted regarding the FOA and
provide a timely response.
• Questions should be directed to
Jeannette Flowers at
flowers.jeannette@dol.gov and
reference SGA/DFA PY 14-02 in the
email subject line.
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Maher Team:
Our presenters today will be:
Eric Seleznow – Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration
John Ladd – Administrator, Office of Apprenticeship, Employment and Training Administration
Sara Williams - Grant Officer, Office of Grants Management, Employment and Training Administration
Jeannette Flowers – Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, Employment and Training Administration
Eric Seleznow:
Welcome to this webinar for prospective applicants for the American Apprenticeship grant initiative. We are glad that you are making the time to view this important presentation. We believe it will be very helpful as you prepare your response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
As you know, on December 11, 2014, the Department announced the availability of approximately $100 million in grant funds through the American Apprenticeship Initiative to accomplish goals that affirm President’s commitment to support job-driven training through investments like this one that create new opportunities for all hard-working Americans to get ahead.
This grant competition will help more Americans access Registered Apprenticeship. Put simply, Registered Apprenticeship helps put American back to work. Data shows that 87 percent of apprentices are gainfully employed after completing their programs and the average starting wage for apprenticeship graduates is over $50,000.
Before you get started with a review of the FOA, I want to reiterate our excitement regarding the American Apprenticeship initiative and the impact these grants can have in helping expand the use of the Registered Apprenticeship model in the U.S. to meet the needs of today’s employers and industries and in helping U.S. workers gain the skills necessary to be competitive and achieve the American Dream of a good job, with good pay that offers a path to the middle class.
I wish you all the best in developing your application. Thank you!
And now I’ll turn things over to John Ladd.
John:
Thank you Eric… And thanks all of you for taking the time to join us for this Prospective Applicant Webinar for the American Apprenticeship grants program. During this recording, the presenters will be referencing specific sections of the Funding Opportunity Announcement or FOA. You should have a copy of the FOA with you in order to follow along and make notes.
We invite you to stay with us during the entire presentation - at the conclusion we will cover some frequently asked questions. You will find the answers to some questions are already posted to the link you see on the slide.
In addition to this webinar, we are also pleased to share the Employment and Training Administration’s online suite of resources for grant applicants. This web-based toolkit will introduce potential grantees to ETA grants and provide examples to guide people through the process of applying and is available at the link included here.
Prospective Applicants should be aware that this recording is not to be used as a replacement for reading the actual FOA. The following presentation is designed to highlight some of the key sections in the FOA; and prospective applicants should review the FOA in its entirety.
John:
If this is your first time reading one of our Solicitations, it will help you to know a few things. You should read the entire FOA thoroughly, and if you have questions, contact the Grants Management Specialist, Jeannette Flowers, as soon as possible. The Department anticipates a large number of responses to this FOA so you should not hesitate to get your questions in the queue.
While you should read all nine sections and the appendices, you may spend the bulk of your time with Sections 1, 4, and 5.
Section 1 provides a description of the funding opportunity, and alerts you to what the Department is looking for in these grants.
Among other things, Section 4 is a section-by-section description of the project narrative, which will be the framework for describing each aspect of your project.
Section 5 will then give you the evaluation criteria and point assignments for each of the requirements described in Section 4.
In the appendices, you will find a collection of various resources and suggested formats to help you as you draft your narrative.
It is important to note that there are very specific instructions related to page limits, attachments, forms, etc. throughout the SGA. Not following these instructions could lead to your application being found non-responsive and therefore not reviewed.
So now…let’s take a look at Sections 1 through 5.
John:
Section 1 Funding Opportunity Description
The purpose of this section is to provide an overview of the funding opportunity description for this SGA. This is only a summary of Section I – the FOA contains more detailed information.
John:
This initiative is intended to serve as a catalyst in supporting a uniquely American Apprenticeship system that meets our particular economic, industry and workforce needs. American Apprenticeships are innovative work-based learning and post-secondary earn-and learn models that meet national standards for registration with the U.S. Department of Labor, or with a DOL-recognized State Apprenticeship Agency.
Specifically this FOA intends to achieve the following goals:
Support the expansion of quality and innovative American Apprenticeship training programs into high-growth occupations and industries for which employers are using H-1B visas to hire foreign workers, and the related activities necessary to support such training
Create career pathways that encompass American Apprenticeship programs and align American Apprenticeship with post-secondary education through innovative partnerships
Utilize strategies that offer innovative approaches to significantly increase apprenticeship opportunities for all American workers, particularly underrepresented populations
Implement new and innovative public polices (at the regional, state, and local level) or public-private partnerships that increase demand for American Apprenticeship; and
Ensure that innovations form the basis for broader change and sustainability that encourages employers to adopt and offer American Apprenticeship opportunities
John:
Based on those goals, we are interested in funding innovative public-private partnerships and projects that incorporate elements which lead to sustainable and impactful apprenticeship programs. These elements include:
Promoting Apprenticeship to Employers, Workers, and Other Key Stakeholders: Increasing awareness of the value and benefits of American Apprenticeships for both employers and workers as well as educators through increased education, marketing and outreach (impact documentation);
Increasing Apprenticeship Opportunities for All Americans: Developing strategies that increase opportunities for underrepresented (including women and minorities), low-skilled populations, and veterans into skilled occupations and industries while also addressing the barriers, income and support needs, and preparatory training unique to targeted populations; this would include quality pre-apprenticeships (as defined in Training and Employment Notice 13-12) and other strategies that can serve as on-ramps to American Apprenticeship opportunities;
Promoting Career Pathways and Aligning Apprenticeships with Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and Workforce Investment Systems: Engaging states, regions, and local areas to align, at a minimum, education and training systems (e.g., Workforce Investment Boards/State Workforce Agencies; and career technical education, community college, and university systems) behind apprenticeship as an area for cooperation and co-investment and linking apprenticeship to credit and industry-recognized credentials that allow for further advancement (e.g., college credit, portable industry-recognized credentials; also see the Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium);
Sector Focus and Employer Commitments: It is critical that applications: (1) demonstrate clear sector strategies and must include significant employer engagement, including a minimum of three distinct employer partners to work with DOL (or federally-recognized State Apprenticeship Agencies) to register new apprenticeship programs and hire apprentices, and (2) display a commitment to transform and adapt alternative work-based learning programs or rigorous education-based internship models into American Apprenticeship programs, and/or (3) significantly expand existing and successful registered programs (e.g., scaling industry models to a national, multi-state, regional, or statewide level through an industry association with multiple employer partners, a national employer with multiple sites and other employers that are part of its supply chain, or state-led initiatives that imbed apprenticeship strategies in support of state and regional labor market needs;
Innovative Public Policies and Public-Private Partnership Models: Implementing new and innovative public polices (e.g., tax credits, apprenticeship utilization requirements for publicly-funded state or local projects, expansion of eligibility for educational benefits or funding, leveraging workforce or other funding streams, or other policies) at the regional, state, and local level or public-private partnerships that increase demand for American Apprenticeship and support long-term sustainability (see Elements of Innovation in Appendix B.);
Planning for a Sustainable Expansion: Demonstrating thoughtful plans and policies for sustainably expanding the apprenticeship models and documenting the evidence for continued investment;
Program Evaluation: Ensuring full participation (by grantee and sub-grantees) in any evaluation initiated by the department as a condition of all grant awards (see details of program evaluation requirements in Section IV.E Funding Restrictions); and providing a strong plan to report the achievement of the project’s goals and milestones and effectively measure its outputs and outcomes.
John:
Applicants for this FOA must identify key innovations they seek to implement and demonstrate the ability to train significant numbers of new apprentices & scale programs on statewide, multi-state, regional, or national level. Activities must help employers grow their workforce & assist workers in gaining the skills and competencies needed to obtain or upgrade employment in high-growth industries and occupations or along career pathways in those industries and occupations.
Examples of allowable activities that maybe funded by AAI grants, include:
On-the-Job learning (OJL
Job Related Technical Instruction (RTI)
Pre-Apprenticeship Training
Other Activities that Support American Apprenticeship
Applicants should review Section I.B (Allowable Activities) for additional information
Additionally, there are a set of requirements listed in Appendix C, which will become part of the grant award to ensure planning and implementation that support an environment for American Apprenticeship expansion and sustainability. The programmatic requirements below are grant requirements that DOL has determined are necessary to programmatic success. Applicants agree to carry-out activities in their proposal and must agree that the partnership will meet these requirements throughout the period of the grant.
John:
American Apprenticeship grants will fund projects across a diversity of industries and occupations for which employers are using H-1B visas to hire foreign workers. These are high-job-growth industries and occupations that:
are projected to hire substantial numbers of new workers;
are being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skill sets for workers;
are new and emerging businesses that are projected to grow; or
have a significant impact on the economy overall or on the growth of other industries and occupations. According to recent data, a wide range of industries may meet these criteria in local and regional areas around the country.
**According to recent data, a wide range of industries may meet these criteria in local and regional areas around the country.**
John:
To position American workers for highly skilled positions and reduce the need for foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, we are interested in funding projects that focus on industries such as Information Technology, and other high growth industries, including, but not limited to the following:
Advanced Manufacturing
Business Services
Healthcare
And the types of high-demand skills (e.g. digital and information technology skills) now required across most industries.
Applicants should review the attached list of industries and occupations that are using H–1B visas to hire foreign workers to assist your program alignment (See Appendix A). This list is not exhaustive and applicants are advised to also refer to the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center.
John:
This program is authorized under Section 414(c) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA), as amended (codified at 29 U.S.C. 2916a), and subject to the requirements of Section 104, Division H, of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, P.L. 113-76, Jan.17, 2014, 128 Stat 5).
And now I will turn things over to Jeannette Flowers to provide some more info regarding Award Information.
Jeanette:
Hello Everyone-
The next two slides will provide an overview of the Award Information section of the SGA, including award amounts and the period of performance. Please refer to the FOA for more detailed information on these topics.
Jeanette:
Under this solicitation, the Department intends to award approximately $100 million to eligible organizations as described in Section II. of the FOA to fund approximately 25 grants with individual grant amounts ranging from $2.5 million to $5million. Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up $5 million, and we will not fund any project for less than $2.5 million.
Jeannette
To ensure that grant funds result in services to significant numbers of apprentices, we have established goals for the minimum numbers of apprentices to be served during the period of performance based on the amount of funds requested by the applicant.
The table above represents the minimum levels of apprentices to be served based on the funding request. Project goals, including estimated numbers of apprentices to be served, must be included in the project narrative (described in more detail in Section IV.3.a.2 Expected Outcomes and Outputs).
Jeanette:
The period of grant performance is 60 months from the date of execution of the grant award.
This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities. The process for program development and registration should begin immediately and apprenticeship enrollments should be expedited, with the expectation of apprentice enrollments to begin in the first 12 months of the grant
You must plan to fully expend grant funds during the period of performance while ensuring full transparency and accountability for all expenditures.
Jeannette:
The next series of slides provide an overview of the Eligibility section of the FOA. Please refer to the FOA for detailed information on these topics.
In keeping with the authority provided by Congress under ACWIA, grants under this program will be awarded to a partnership of private and public sector entities. The primary partnership must include at least one public and one private sector entity. That means that, to be eligible for consideration, applications must include at least one each from the following:
Private Sector: A business, a consortium of businesses, business-related nonprofit organization, or a private organization functioning as a workforce intermediary for the express purpose of serving the needs of businesses;
and
Public Sector: At least one representative from one of the following three types of entities: 1) the workforce investment system; 2) public education or training provider; or 3) DOL-recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (note: State Apprenticeship Agencies are in 25 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam listed here: State Apprenticeship Agencies). [WJS: LINK IS NOT ACTIVE]
So let’s talk more about this partnership structure.
Jeannette:
Grants will be awarded to a lead applicant within the primary partnership, which will serve as the grantee and have overall fiscal and administrative responsibility for the grant.
A lead applicant must be a public or non-profit organization that meets the definition of one of the types of eligible entities described in Section III.A.1 And 2.
There are two exceptions where an entity is eligible to be a part of the primary partnership but not eligible to apply as a lead applicant:
1. For-profit private business or for-profit consortium of businesses or for-profit business organizations cannot be the lead applicant; and
2. For-profit education/training providers cannot be the lead applicant.
Jeannette :
Applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with other public and private sector partners (which may be appropriate sub-grantees depending on the project design). Please review Section III.C for more information.
Jeannette:
Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program. Please note that any other resources contributed to the project are considered leveraged resources and do not constitute cost sharing or matching funds. More information on leveraged resources may be found in Section IV.B.2.
Jeannette:
To be eligible to receive training through projects funded under this SGA, participants can be either a) youth that are at least 16 years of age and not currently enrolled in school within a local secondary educational agency (i.e., high school) or, b) at least 18 years of age.
Please refer to the FOA Section III.E.3 for additional information.
And now I will turn things over to Sara Williams.
Sara:
Hi everyone-
Thank you for taking the time to review this presentation. We look forward to reviewing your application.
So, the next series of slides will describe the application and submission information. You should refer to the FOA for specific information related to these topics.
Sara:
To begin, the proposal consists of four separate parts: (1) the Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance; (2) Project Budget; (3) Project Narrative; and (4) attachments to the Project Narrative.
Now let’s talk about each section in detail…
Sara:
First, let’s start with the SF-424. This is the Application for Federal Assistance, which incorporates the Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) Number and System for Award Management (SAM) registration. The FOA contains information about how to get registered in SAM. It is critical that you begin the registration process early. For those of you who are already registered in SAM, please check to make sure your registration is current.
Next, we have the Project Budget, consisting of the SF-424A: Budget Information Form and Budget Narrative. Please make sure that funding amount requested is consistent across all parts and sub-parts of the application.
Each of these items are explained in more detail in the FOA.
Sara:
Next let’s talk about the project narrative. You will most likely spend the majority of your time preparing this document. This is where applicants demonstrate their capability to implement the grant project in accordance with the provisions of this solicitation. Applicants should provide a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed project. It must be succinct, self-explanatory, and well organized so that reviewers can understand the proposed project. The guidelines for preparing the Project Narrative are found in Section IV.B.3 and it will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V.A.
The Project Narrative is limited to 30 double-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 x 11 inch pages with 12-point text font and 1 inch margins. Any materials beyond the specified page limit will not be read or considered in the application review process.
Sara:
In addition to the Project Narrative, applicants must submit the required and requested attachments. Only those attachments listed in Section IV.B.4 of the FOA will be excluded from the page limit. Any additional materials such as general letters of support must not be included and will not be reviewed.
Please see Section IV.B.4. for information on valid attachment file names. All attachments must be clearly labeled as Attachments.
Also, you must submit your application in one package because documents received separately will be tracked separately and will not be attached to the application for review.
Sara:
For this FOA, the abstract is the only required attachment. To be clear, there are other requested attachments and we will discuss those shortly.
The abstract may be up to two-pages summarizing the proposed project, including, but not limited to, the scope of the project and proposed outcomes. The abstract will serve as a summary of the project and will be shared publicly. Please see the Section IV.B.4 and Appendix F for more information about the Abstract.
Sara
The attachments listed on this slide are requested but their omission will not cause the application to be screened out and not reviewed; however, the omission of some of these requested attachments may impact scoring. Please review Section IV.B.4 for a full description of each requested attachment.
None of these Requested attachments will count against the 30-page limit for the Project Narrative. I will now turn it back over to Jeannette to talk more about the submission.
Jeanette:
Proposals must be received by 4:00 PM (ET) on April 30, 2015 .
You can submit proposals by several methods:
Regular mail
Overnight mail
Hand delivery
Online at http://www.grants.gov
The mailing address can be found in the FO.
Please reference FOA-ETA-15-02 on your application submission.
Please note that regular mail sent to federal buildings may be subject to decontamination, which delays the delivery of mail. Our preference is overnight mail.
See the FOA for more details about how to submit your proposal.
Jeannette:
Applications that contain any of the deficiencies found on this slide will be found non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
For more detailed information about the application screening criteria please see Section III.C.1 of the foa.
And now I’ll turn things over to John to discuss application review information.
Let me now turn it back over to John.
John:
The final part of our presentation will be a review of the criteria against which proposals will be scored.
John:
As you can see, the proposals will be evaluated based on the five criteria included on this slide:
Statement of Need: 15 points
Expected Outcomes and Outputs: 15 points
Project Design: 56 points
Organizational, Administrative, & Fiscal Capacity: 11 points
Budget & Budget Justification: 3 points
The evaluation criteria are based on the information required in the application as described in Section I and Section IV.B. Specifically, each criterion provides an evaluation of the corresponding information found in Section IV.B.3.
Within each criterion, there will be sub-criteria and factors with points indicated, where you can earn up to the specified number of points in the sub-criteria. We will not go into detail on the sub-criteria in this webinar. Therefore, you should carefully review this section of the FOA in its entirety.
Now we will review the elements of each criterion.
John:
Reviewers will award points based on the extent to which applicants demonstrate a clear and strong need for American Apprenticeships to address skills gaps in H-1B industries – needs should be supported by labor market information (LMI)
Points for this section will be based on the following sub-criteria:
American Apprenticeship Need Assessment - (7 Points)
Strong evidence of the skill gaps in the workforce in the selected region(s), the gaps in the training available to address these skill gaps, and that American Apprenticeship is a viable solution. (3 points)
Evidence of innovations and training needed to develop scale quality American Apprenticeship programs (4 points)
Industry and Labor Market Information – (8 Points)
Demonstrates through LMI that selected industries/occupations are high growth industry(s)/occupation(s) for which employers currently seek H-1B visas. (2 points)
Demonstrates an understanding of H-1B-relevant skills, abilities, and degrees/credentials required in the industries and occupations targeted in the proposal; and how the project can be scaled to support skill needs across multiple employers. (3 points)
Quality of the evidence provided on avg. wages for the selected high-growth H-1B industry(s) and/or occupation(s), based on natl., state, or local data. (1 points)
Quality of the demographic data demonstrating a strong likelihood of participation of underrepresented groups - including women, young men and women of color, persons with disabilities, low-skilled populations, veterans, including transitioning service members, among others - in the American Apprenticeship project. (2 points)
Applicants should review Section V. A.1 of the FOA for instructions and a description of the required information for each of the criteria listed on this slide.
John:
The next evaluation criterion is Expected Outcomes and Outputs. Reviewers will award points based on the extent to which applicants demonstrate a complete and clear understanding of the project goals, milestones, outputs and outcomes, as well as the capacity to report and evaluate those outcomes. Points for this criterion will be awarded for the following sub-criteria:
Project goals, milestones, outputs and outcomes - (10 points)
Points will be awarded based on:
Reasonableness and feasibility of the goals, milestones, outputs and outcomes. Reviewers will consider the extent to which the applicant has proposed appropriate Optional Measures - in addition to the Required Measures - that will allow the applicant to more accurately measure the impact of the project & the extent to which this info is clearly organized in a table and allows for full transparency (e.g., See suggested performance template in Appendix E). (6 points)
Proposed goals, milestones, outputs, and outcomes represent a logical sequence in the short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term. Applicants demonstrate that the projections for the Required Measures are appropriate and feasible based on project design. (4 points)
Capacity to Report and Evaluate Outcomes (5 points) Points will be awarded based on:
Demonstration of commitment and ability to report data to DOL and that rigorous performance reporting will be taken into account in staffing and budgeting plans(2 points)
Capability to work with program partners to effectively collect and report on milestones, outputs, and outcomes described in the application, including procedures for collecting outcomes after participants have completed the program. (2 points)
The strength of performance plan to analyze and assess data to help ensure continuous improvement throughout the grant period project. (1pt)
Applicants should review Section V.A.2 of the FOA for instructions and a description of the required information for each of the sub-criteria listed on this slide.
John:Under Project Design, applications will be scored on the extent to they (1) reflect a coherent and feasible approach to meet the identified goals, milestones, outputs and outcomes addressed above; (2) propose innovative strategies to create and/or expand American Apprenticeship in H-1B industries or occupations (see Appendices A and B); and (3) include a feasible work plan.
Expand and Innovate 21st Century American Apprenticeships
Expanding American Apprenticeships in H-1B industries and occupations (8 points)
Innovations to Increase the Return on Investment in Apprenticeship (8 points)
Innovations to Expand Access to Underrepresented Populations: (8 points)
Partnership and Policy Innovations that Create a Supportive Ecosystem for Apprenticeship: (8 points)
21st Century American Apprenticeship Sector Focus and Employer Commitments (8 points)
Innovations in American Apprenticeship Training (8 points)
Work Plan (8 points)
Applicants should review Section V.A.3 of the FOA for instructions and a description of the required information for each of the criteria listed on this slide.
John:
The next evaluation criterion is Organizational, Administrative, and Fiscal 11 points. Reviewers will award points based on how well the applicant demonstrates that the expected outcomes are appropriate for the program strategy proposed.
The extent to which the organization has a project staffing plan which shows that it has capacity to carry out the proposed project (3 points)
The strength of administrative controls to properly manage, monitor and report Federal funds and performance (2 points)
The extent to which the applicant provides a process and reasonable timeframe for hiring the project manager and key staff (e.g., fiscal, administrative, performance reporting/case management, etc.) to ensure the project can begin immediately. (2 points)
The capacity of the lead organization to facilitate communications among all levels of the project and across consortium members. (2 points)
The extent to which the applicant provides strong examples of experience working with multi-partner programs, including the management process used that led to measurable results for workers and employers. (2 points)
Applicants should review Section V.A.4 of the FOA for instructions and a description of the required information for each of the criteria listed on this slide.
John:
The final evaluation criterion is Project Budget & Budget Justification, which is worth 3 points. Points will be awarded based on:
The extent to which the budget is reasonable based on the activities outlined in the project narrative and that the proposed expenditures will support the expansion of apprenticeship opportunities for both employers and individuals. (2 points)
The strength and feasibility of the applicant’s plan to leverage external resources to ensure that the applicant meets the goals for the numbers of apprenticeship (see Section II.A.), as well as the other outcomes and outputs proposed in response to Section IV.B.3.a. Reviewers will consider the breadth of cash and/or in-kind support (e.g., Pell/Title IV financial aid, federal work study, GI Bill benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) education & training funds, WIA and WIOA, etc.), state and local funding, (e.g., on-the-job training funds, state workforce dollars, funding for participating community colleges, etc.), and private sector investment funds (e.g., training investment funds, social impact bonds, industry association or labor organization funds, etc.). (1 point)
Applicants should review Section V.A.5 of the FOA for instructions and a description of the required information for the Budget Narrative
And now I’ll turn it back over to Sara to discuss the review and selection process and other Frequently Asked Questions.
John: And before I hand things back tov Sara from our Grants office, I want to make sure you are aware of some additional resources and grant-related information to help you as you have discussions, prepare proposals and submit applications.
We have a clearinghouse of resources here on the slide, including:
Find additional Grant Resources using the links below:
Secretary’s Blog - Secretary Perez on the Grant Announcement
Links to Additional Information:
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)- Grant Notice - ETA-15-02
Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions – http://www.doleta.gov/oa/aag.cfm
Whitehouse Link - www.whitehouse.gov for more details
Links to New Resources:
New Apprenticeship Website – www.dol.gov/apprenticeship
Apprenticeship Toolkit – Quick Start Toolkit
Federal Funding for Apprenticeship Playbook - Federal Playbook
Employer’s Playbook to Building an Apprenticeship Program –Employer’s Playbook
Skills for America’s Future (SAF) Community Forum - http://forums.skillsforamericasfuture.org/
Apprenticeship Staff Contact Map - http://www.doleta.gov/oa/contactlist.cfm
Sara:
Sara:
Now we are at Section V.B of the FOA. The review and selection process is conducted after the closing date for the FOA. A technical review panel will carefully evaluate applications against the selection criteria. These criteria are based on the policy goals, priorities, and emphases set forth in this FOA. Up to 100 points may be awarded to an applicant, depending on the quality of the responses to the required information described in Section V.A.
The panel results are advisory in nature and not binding on the Grant Officer. The FOA allows [WJS: THE GRANT OFFICER] to make selections based solely on the final scores, but reserves the right to interview applicants to gain further detail on plans described in the application and to clarify information, or to take into consideration other relevant factors when applicable. Such factors may include the geographic distribution of funds, partnership structures, scope of innovation (see Appendix B.), level of expansion (i.e., goals for new apprentices), and/or other relevant factors. The Grant Officer may also take into consideration the mix of industries and/or occupations.
Before awards are made, I will review your eligibility against the requirements at Section III Eligibility Information of the FOA. Specifically, I will review your Primary Partnership Composition to ensure compliance with Section III.A and B. I may also consider any information that comes to his/her attention.
Now let’s talk about your agency contacts.
Sara:
As is the case with any competitive grant process, we recognize that you will have questions as your develop your application. In the event that you have questions, please submit them directly to Jeannette Flowers at the email address listed here.
John:
On behalf of the American Apprenticeship team at the Department of Labor, we’d like to conclude today’s session by thanking you for your time, and we look forward to seeing you on future webinars! Thank you!